Programme Specifications
MA Social Justice and Education
Awarding Institution: Institute of Education, University of London
Teaching Institution: Institute of Education, University of London
Name of final award:
Master of Arts (MA)
Postgraduate Diploma
Postgraduate Certificate
Programme title
Social Justice and Education
UKPASS code: P015927
Language of study
The Institute of Education teaches and assesses participants through the medium of the English language. Competence in English language is required of all applicants. Programme regulations may indicate the level of competence required of each applicant and may make its achievement a condition of admission.
Participants
The programme attracts teachers, education-related professionals from local government or the voluntary sector and social science graduates. Participants are a mixture of full-time and part-time, UK, EU and international students.
Educational aims of the programme
The programme has five broad aims:
· To enable participants to engage critically with key theoretical perspectives, concepts, research and debates in education and education-related issues and policies concerning social justice, identity and (in)equalities (including issues of gender, sexuality, race, class and citizenship), rights, inclusion and exclusion
· To encourage participants to draw on their own interests or professional concerns in social justice and education when engaging with and reflecting on theoretical, policy and empirical literature
· To enable participants to reflect on how education and education-related social justice issues are constituted, evaluated and contested
· To engage participants in seminar discussions and structured debates, forms of writing and a dissertation, all of which provide opportunities for developing and refining skills of communication
· To provide a grounding for further advanced scholarly study and doctoral research in social justice and education
Learning Outcomes
The programme provides participants with relevant elements of knowledge, understanding and skills. It introduces and encourages a critical understanding of sociological and political perspectives, concepts and empirical research in social justice and education, and contributes to the development of autonomous, reflective individuals, capable of engaging with, and contributing to, education and education-related social justice issues, in education and other related professional arenas.
More specifically, the programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate achievements in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
· Theoretical knowledge of sociological, philosophical and political perspectives on and concepts of social justice, identity, power, rights, social (in)equalities, social inclusion and exclusion
· Theoretical and conceptual understanding of how social justice issues are constituted, evaluated and contested in a range of educational research
· Critical consideration of social justice issues and policies in education
· Critical theoretical and conceptual understanding of research approaches and methodologies
Skills and other capacities
A Intellectual skills
· Opportunities for exploring the above in relation to comprehension, critical analysis, argument, and evaluation of perspectives
· Developing, applying and refining the skills of research literacy and methodologies: critical reading and use of research in social justice issues in education and education-related fields
· Developing academic reading and writing skills
· Developing research skills in empirical and conceptual research methodologies
· Developing greater autonomy in the skills of academic study and research
B Professional skills
· Making informed judgements regarding policy development, formulation and implementation in education and education-related social justice areas
· Expanding capacities in relation to communication, formulation and implementation of strategies informed by theoretical and research literacy
· Acquiring and practising skills of researcher in the field of social justice and education
· Providing opportunities for critical reflection in a period of professional change and development
C Values
· Provide opportunities for participants to clarify and develop their own ideas, feelings, commitments and attitudes in relation to social justice, identities and equalities in areas related to education
· Exploring engagement with the emergence, consolidation and development of social justice issues in education and education-related fields
· Providing space in which impartial enquiry and an academic approach can be valued by participants
· Encouraging understanding of the productive tensions between engagement with social justice issues and critical analysis
D Transferable skills
All the above are transferable to education and education-related policy and practice contexts of social justice, social inclusion and exclusion. Participants are encouraged to demonstrate excellence in presentation, drawing on ICT skills. Taken together, skills A-C imply the learning, practice and demonstration of:
· critical analysis and evaluation
· research methodologies and use of evidence
· effective communication
· working collaboratively
· learning from peers
· taking personal responsibility for learning
· effective time management and prioritising work
· the capacity to reflect constructively
· understanding the links and tensions between theory and practice
Criteria for admission
Candidates hold a good first degree, in education or a relevant social science discipline. Professional experience in social justice issues can be offered instead of a relevant degree.
Applicants who do not qualify on the basis of relevant degree or professional experience are required to write a qualifying essay; those without a good first degree, but with relevant professional experience, submit a portfolio.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis. An interview is not normally undertaken, except in cases when an applicant offers non-traditional qualifications and requires additional support and information to qualify. Applicants are encouraged to make informal contact with the programme leader, face-to-face or by email, to discuss interests, expectations and other matters of detail.
Applicants whose first language is a language other than English may be required to provide evidence of their English language proficiency.
The Institute of Education is committed to admitting and supporting participants with disabilities and welcomes applications from them. Participants do not need to be “registered disabled” to draw on these services, though in order to provide services in the long-term we will need to ask for medical or other evidence, as appropriate. Disabilities Support can also support people who have a temporary mobility / dexterity impairment / other difficulty as a result of an accident, injury, illness or surgery. We aim to treat every person as an individual, with needs which may differ from those of other people with a superficially similar disability. We do not therefore have standard procedures for participants with dyslexia, nor standard procedures for visually impaired participants: each person's needs are considered individually.
Mode of study
The MA can be taken full-time (1 calendar year), or part-time (2 years), or mixed mode, if participants‟ circumstances change. Taught modules usually last 10 weeks and consist of 10 weekly evening teaching sessions. Some modules include all-day sessions on Saturday. Most participants begin in the Autumn Term during which a number of induction activities are undertaken. However, occasionally a small number of participants begin in January or April and receive individually-tailored induction sessions.
All teaching is currently face-to-face.
Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules, credits and awards
The programme is divided into study units called modules, four of which are taught modules, each counting for 30 credits of the 180 credit award. The dissertation, which counts for double module credits (60), is entirely research based, and it is supported by a (recommended) research module and individual supervision. An alternative route is possible, consisting of five taught modules and a report which counts for 30 credits.
For a Master's degree to be awarded, successful completion of a minimum of 180 credits is required. Participants who for academic or personal reasons are unable to successfully complete the 180 credits required for the masters award may exit with the completion of 60 or 120 credits respectively and be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma in the subject area. (The Institute of Education uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), as a guide to support periods of study undertaken abroad and to assist student mobility. Currently it is assumed that two UK credits equate to one ECTS. Therefore a module of 30 credits would typically equate to 15 ECTS credits).
Each taught module represents approximately 30 hours teaching time and additional independent student learning consisting mainly of reading, research and writing.
The programme is organised to fit the Institute’s modular scheme. There is one core (required) module for the MA Social Justice and Education taught in the Autumn Term:
· Sociology of Education (Au)
There are two recommended modules taught in the autumn and spring terms:
· Understanding Education Research (Au/Sp)
· Rights and Education (Sp)
A fourth module is entirely optional although popular suggested options are listed below.
Full time and part-time participants take the core program module, Sociology of Education in the first year. Part-time participants are encouraged to take the recommended research module in the second year.. The programme as a whole is specifically designed to enable participants to put together a combination of modules most appropriate to their needs and interests, drawing on recommended and other optional modules from other programme areas.
Each module is supported by a module outline, containing a timetable, intended learning outcomes for each session, a bibliography differentiating between recommended and further reading, and information on assessment requirements. Short module descriptions are provided in the programme handbook
Core / Code / Module / Attendance / Assessment / CreditsAutumn term / MMASOC
_03_ / Sociology of Education / Wednesday (9 weeks 1 Saturday)_ / 1 5000 word essay / 30
Any term / MMASJE_99 / Dissertation on Social Justice and Education / tutorials by arrangement / Dissertation / 60
Any term / MMASJE_98 / Report on Social Justice and Education / tutorials by arrangement / Report / 30
Rec Options
Au/Sp / Code
MMAEFP_04 / Module
Understanding Educational Research / Attendance / Assessment
Edited Commentary (2000 words)
Research proposal (3000 words) / Credits
30
Spring Term / MMASJE_2 / Rights and Education (Philosophy) / Monday
(10 weeks) / Essay / 30
Spring Term
Spring Term
Spring Term / MMAEGI_01
MMAEFP_05
MMAEAD_12 / Gende: Theory and practice in Education
Theoretical Foundations in Educational Ideas
Understanding Education Policy / Wednesday (10 weeks)
Tuesday
(10 weeks
Thursday
(10 weeks)) / Essay
Coursework
Coursework / 30
30
30
Sugg Options
Summer Term / MMASOC_9 / Sociology of ‘Race’ and Education / Thursday
(10 weeks) / Essay / 30
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated
Lectures; tutor-led seminars; participant-led discussions, sometimes focused on set text; small group work; occasional debates; group tutorials; group and one-to-one tutorials and supervisions focused around participants‟ own work.
Assessment: various forms of coursework are employed, fit for purpose in relation to specific module objectives, including essays based on titles handed out by tutors or individually negotiated topics, critical review of empirical research, research proposal and a dissertation or report on a topic or theme of considerable personal interest.
lnformation about assessment regulations
Participants must successfully complete all elements of the programme, to achieve the minimum credits required for the award. All coursework is assessed according to the grade-related criteria for the programme level, found in the programme handbook.
All assignments are independently marked by two staff members, who meet to discuss and reconcile the marks and comments for each individual. Assignments are graded from A to D, with D being a failing grade. Participants are permitted to represent a failed assignment on one further occasion, within 12 months of the original submission.
An external examiner is appointed by Senate and plays an important role in monitoring the quality of the programme and evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching and support provided for the programme participants and the reliability of the judgements made in assessing them.
Further details about assessment regulations can be found at
http://www.ioe.ac.uk/studentInformation/1055.html
Role of External Examiner
The External Examiner (EE) is appointed, for a period of four years, by the Director following advice from Senate. The EE is a sociologist with research and teaching expertise in the field of social justice and education.
The role is that of moderator:
· Approving examination procedures
· Agreeing dissertation titles
· Advising on programme developments
· Reviewing coursework
· Attending the examination board meeting
· Submitting a written report
Support for learning
Participants are a mixture of full-time and part-time students, some of whom have been away from formal educational experiences for an extended period. Support for participants thus caters for a wide variety of experiences of higher education. Participants also come from a variety of professional backgrounds and support for learning includes enabling individual participants to extend and develop their own intellectual and professional concerns.
Learning support includes:
· programme and core module induction sessions
· information services induction
· student handbook
· programme handbook
· academic literacy and oracy sessions, if required
· access to ICT courses, as required
· extensive library and other learning resources and facilities including moodle and online learning support
· personal tutor for each participant, in contact face-to-face, by telephone, email, moodle and skype
· critical and supportive feedback on proposals for coursework and on written work, which takes the form of formative oral and written comments
· academic counselling and advisory service
· access to student welfare service
· access to University Careers Service
Methods for evaluating and improving the programme
Mechanisms for review and evaluation of teaching, learning, assessment, the curriculum and outcome standards
· module evaluation by students by means of an evaluation form and discussion of module
· module and programme team meetings
· annual programme review prepared by the programme team
· periodic programme review and revalidation involving external panel members
· staff appraisal
· peer observation of teaching
· visiting (external) examiner reports
Committees with responsibility for monitoring and evaluating quality and standards