How do I apply?
Please apply direct to your first-choice institution.
Who is this programme for?
The National MA Education (Wales) and the specialist ALN and Leadership pathways are truly transformative and sector leading programmes for educational professionals in Wales, from early career teachers to senior leaders. The educational landscape in Wales is changing rapidly. Teaching not only requires the mastery of a complex set of skills to guide, motivate, and facilitate student learning, but also the ability to enquire into professional practice in order to improve it. The National MA Education (Wales), which has been collaboratively developed by seven universities in Wales, through direct engagement with a variety of key stakeholders including Welsh Government - will ensure that all education professionals in Wales have the same high-quality opportunity to enhance their professional knowledge, engage with research, and to improve their professional practice.
What specialist pathways are there within the National MA Education (Wales)?
The National MA Education (Wales): Additional Learning Needs is a truly transformative and sector leading programme for educational professionals in Wales, from early career teachers to senior leaders with an interest in Additional Learning Needs.
The educational landscape in Wales is changing rapidly. Teaching not only requires the mastery of a complex set of skills to guide, motivate, and facilitate student learning, but also the ability to enquire into professional practice in order to improve it.
The National MA Education (Wales): Additional Learning Needs programme - which has been collaboratively developed by seven universities in Wales, through direct engagement with a variety of key stakeholders including Welsh Government - will ensure that all education professionals in Wales have the same high-quality opportunity to enhance their professional knowledge, engage with research, and to improve their professional practice in the area of Additional Learning Needs. The National MA Education (Wales): Leadership is a truly transformative and sector leading programme for educational professionals in Wales, from early career teachers to senior leaders with an interest in leadership.
The educational landscape in Wales is changing rapidly. Teaching not only requires the mastery of a complex set of skills to guide, motivate, and facilitate student learning, but also the ability to enquire into professional practice in order to improve it.
The National MA Education (Wales): Leadership programme - which has been collaboratively developed by seven universities in Wales, through direct engagement with a variety of key stakeholders including Welsh Government - will ensure that all education professionals in Wales have the same high-quality opportunity to enhance their leadership and professional knowledge, engage with research, and improve their professional practice.
What are the entry requirements?
- Be educated to degree level or equivalent;
- Have qualified teacher status (QTS) and be registered with the EWC as a teacher in a school, an advisory teacher in a local authority or a teacher in a setting such as a pupil referral unit (QTS and EWC registration must be maintained throughout the course of the programme) OR be a college lecturer and be registered with the EWC (EWC registration must be maintained throughout the course)
- Be employed by a maintained school in Wales / college in Wales / local authority in Wales as a teacher / lecturer / advisory teacher OR be employed by a registered independent school or specialist college;
- Be employed on a minimum of 0.4 FTE contracts, this can include supply teachers/lecturers who are on long term contracts either with a Local Authority, school, college or an agency;
- Be accepted/enrolled on this specific Masters in Education offered by the seven partnership HEIs which are:
- Swansea University
- Aberystwyth University
- Bangor University
- Cardiff Met
- UWTSD
- USW
- Wrexham Glyndwr University
- Candidates should have, where possible, the required approvals and support from their employer (school, local authority, setting or college) to undertake the National Masters in Education.
- Where someone has already achieved a subject specific Masters, they are still eligible to apply for the funding towards this programme.
- No other Masters in Education qualifications offered by the HEIs are eligible for this funding.
Does the course require a specific degree classification at UG level?
No - but candidates must hold Qualified Teacher Status and meet the specified eligibility criteria.
What is Recognition of Prior Learning?
Recognition of Prior Learning signifies the process recognising learning achieved by an individual before entry to the MA. For the purpose of this programme, the term covers the following: a) Credit Transfer - Where the credits or qualification have been awarded by a UK higher education institution as part of a formal qualification; b) Recognition of Prior experiential Learning (RPeL) – where learning gained through experience is assessed and recognised. (See new RPL documents)
Can I be exempted from part of the MA i.e., accepted with Recognition of Prior Learning?
It may be possible to admit you to the MA with advanced standing on the basis of M-Level modules studied elsewhere in the UK during the last five years. Please apply using the standard application form but ensure that you include your previous academic transcripts plus a copy of the course syllabus giving details of learning outcomes and credit weightings.
What documents do I need to send you?
A personal Statement or CV (the latter is required if you are applying for Accreditation of Experiential Learning; If you are applying for Credit Transfer, you will need to enclose your QTS Academic Transcript listing modules; Supplementary Funding Application form if you are applying for Welsh Government financial support studied and grades obtained.
How do I apply for Recognition of Prior Learning?
Recognition of Prior Learning (often referred to as RPL) enables Universities to make exemptions for modules or subject areas that applicants have already ‘completed’, either through formal education or through professional experience and development. Successful candidates will therefore not be required to repeat or complete learning that they are recognised as having already achieved.
The National MA Education (Wales) has been designed to recognise that many students will already have qualifications and/or professional experience that means they can demonstrate that they have achieved the modules comprising Year 1 of the programme, so that they do not need to repeat content. Recognition of Prior Learning will not apply to year 2 modules or the Dissertation, all of which must be completed by all students.
As a result, applicants who hold recognised qualifications (e.g. PGCE) and/or significant professional experience may apply for these to be formally recognised to offset some or all of the 60 credits of modules which comprise year 1 of the programme. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must provide appropriate academic and/or professional evidence that they meet the Learning Outcomes for the modules, listed on the RPL Application Form.
If you have a PGCE worth 60 credits at FHEQ Level 7 achieved normally in the last 5 years, you do not need to map your professional learning to the Learning Outcomes on the RPL Application form and should submit your transcript (if you do not have this, you should be able to request a new one from your University).
If you have QTS without a PGCE, your PGCE was achieved more than 5 years ago, or your PGCE consists of fewer than 60 Level 7 credits, you will need to submit your transcript for any elements of credit that you wish to include, and you will need to map your professional and/or experiential learning to the Learning Outcomes on the RPL Application form to the value of the credits missing (e.g. if your PGCE gives you 40 Level 7 credits, you will only need to demonstrate experiential learning worth 20 credits). You should map to the module(s) with the Learning Outcomes you feel best demonstrate your professional and/or experiential learning.
Where you can only provide evidence against some of the Learning Outcomes, you will enrol on any modules in year one as necessary to complete the necessary Learning Outcomes to progress to year two of the programme.
Student Exemplars:
What is the 'Supplementary Application Form'?
This form will detail initial module preferences for study and if any chosen are linked to either the ALN or Leadership specialist pathways. A statement of support can also be provided here from your school in order to reflect their commitment to your study on the course.
Do I need a GCSE in Welsh Language?
You do not need a GCSE in Welsh Language to apply for this programme.
How can I register on a Virtual Open Day?
Please check individual institutions websites.
Where can I find out more about this Programme?
Please see the course pages.
Do I need to provide a programme specific enhanced criminal disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)?
No.
I am a teacher in England/Scotland/Northern Ireland - can I still apply for the programme?
Yes, but you will not be eligible for funding.
I am a teacher from the EU/Overseas - can I still apply for the programme?
No.
