General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

• PGCE with QTS (or iQTS) from the last 5 years OR recent participant in our Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education.Link opens in a new window
• Bachelors degree with Honours at 2:2 or above, or equivalent level.
• You do not need to be a teacher. We have students who have moved into social work and Higher Education or are taking career breaks.

Your PGCE with QTS (or iQTS) if you qualified within the last 5 years is worth 90 CATS (half a Masters) if you start your study within the five-years of finishing your PGCE. If you completed your PGCE more than 5 years ago, you can still join the course. You will first need to complete additional modules through our Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education. The Postgraduate Certificate enables you to exchange your teaching and leadership experience for Master's credits

English requirements

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, you will need a minimum score of 7.0 (with min. component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0+) under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic).

Find out more about English requirements at Warwick.

Core Modules

Year 1

Research in Professional Practice Module (20 credits)

This module helps you generate ideas for your Dissertation research project and get your research focus just right. It supports you in designing a study that uses appropriate methods for your context, so that when you carry out the research in your Dissertation study, you can be confident that it will be worthwhile.

Assignment: 5,000 word research proposal with personal reflection.

Ethics Portfolio (10 credits)

This module aims to give you a thorough understanding of the ethical requirements for carrying out research in school contexts. It takes you step-by-step through the Ethics Application process for your Dissertation Research. This ensures that every phase of your research is conducted to the highest ethical standards.

Assignment: Submission of ethics application form and supporting documentation.

Year 2

Dissertation (60 credits)

Your Dissertation research builds on your Research in Professional Practice Proposal and Ethics Portfolio, to carry out a substantial research project into an area of relevant practice. The module runs from August (Year 1) through to August (Year 2), so that you can choose when in the academic year is most appropriate for you to complete your research.

Assignment: 20,000 word thesis about your Research Project

Your dissertation timetable

January

In January of your first year, you will begin the Research in Professional Practice module. This module will take you through the steps required to write a research proposal. It will help you to plan out exactly what you want to do, and how you want to do it. You will submit your 6,000 word research proposal at the beginning of May.

May-June

By the end of June in your first year, you will have written and submitted your Ethics Portfolio (worth 10 credits). This work will help you to make sure that your research is considered safe and ethical. The portfolio is approved by the department Ethics Committee.

July

You will get the go-ahead to pursue your research.

The following 12 months

Over the course of the next twelve months, you will write a 20,000 word Dissertation (worth 60 credits). We recommend that you do this in stages. A suggested timeline is as follows:

• August: This is a good time to plan and start reading for your literature review.

• October - July: You will undertake research in your school during these months at a time chosen by you. You may want to limit your research to finish by the end of May, to help you organise and collate your findings.

• December: Complete a draft of the 'Literature review' section of your dissertation. (Approximately 5,000 words).

• April: Complete a draft of your 'Methodology' section of your dissertation. (Approximately 5,000 words).

• May: Organise and analyse your data, such as transcribing and coding interviews. (Depending on your research design.

• June: This is a good time to write a draft of the 'Discussion of findings' section of your dissertation. (Approximately 5,000 words).

• July: Review your draft sections and add your introduction and concluding sections.

• August: You will submit your final dissertation by the end of August in your second year.

Fees and Funding

There are three modules, which you will need to pay for separately.

Research in Professional Practice (20 credits)

£1,289.00 commencing January 2025

100% due at enrolment.

Ethics Portfolio (10 credits)

£644.00 May - June 2025

100% due on enrolment to this module.

Dissertation (60 credits)

££4,100.00 August 2024 - August 2025 (January 2024 Cohort)
*£TBC August 2025 - August 2026 (January 2025 Cohort)

50% due upon enrolment for second year (August), the remaining 50% is due in following March.

*The modules you will need to take for this course will fall across two academic years. The tuition fee for the course is charged per module and the fee payable for each module is dependent on the academic year in which the module is taken. The dissertation module is taken in the second academic year of the course and the fee for this (or any modules normally taken in the first year that are deferred until later) will increase annually by the relevant inflation (5-6%). Fees will be invoiced in advance of the presentation of the module each year. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

As this is a modular-based course, fees for each module are due at the start of each module (within 21 days). Exact payment due dates can be checked by logging into your Student Finance account on the Student Records System, once you have enrolled).

Please note this course is not eligible for a postgraduate loan and is exempt from the 10% Alumni Discount, however you will pay for each module separately, as detailed above. Should a sponsor, such as your school, be paying your fees, you would need to complete the sponsorship form at enrolment.

For up-to-date information concerning fees for Home/EU and Overseas students please visit Warwick's Finance pagesLink opens in a new window. These include the published Centre for Teacher Education feesLink opens in a new window.

Your career

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of roles within education, as classroom specialists, mentors, middle and senior leaders, and in pastoral positions. Our teachers also move into related roles outside of school-based education, into Higher Education, social work and alternative education provision for example. Our teachers work across the state, independent and international school sectors.

They have pursued further research through PhD and EdD study and have shared their research widely at conferences and through publication.

What do our students say?

I want to become a key name in educational research, especially in teacher wellbeing. I hope to change and influence key policies on teacher retention and wellbeing. The first research module of my MA, shaped my interest in teacher wellbeing. The initial study focused on factors contributing to teacher burnout and the stories and experiences I heard were a key motivator for me to continue research in this area. Teaching is a very stressful and difficult profession and the teachers I had throughout my MA were very strong and inspiring, they are the drivers to my passion.”

Tayeba
Education Supply Teacher
PGCE Alumna, Graduated 2016
MA Alumna, Graduated 2020

I hope that my MA will enable me to take a fuller and more extensive role in ITT and NQT training within my school and the training consortia with which it is a part. I have found enjoyment and shown some ability in mentoring new teachers within my department and feel that as a highly experienced teacher I have a great deal of expertise and “know-how” to pass on. The MA’s focus on wider issues beyond my subject specialism – particularly the leadership elements have given me a much more comprehensive knowledge and understanding of education practice and policy.”

Andrea
Teacher of Drama with English
MA Student