Professional Studies MEd/MA/BPhil/Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate/Advanced Certificate

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Welcome to the Professional Studies programme. In choosing this programme you choose from the range of modules on offer across the School of Education postgraduate and professional development programmes. You can therefore personalise your programme of study to match your own study needs.

Some students who begin their studies on the Professional Studies programme may then find a specific programme that they prefer, and may transfer onto that programme, provided that places on the programme are available and the programme tutor is in agreement. However, some students prefer the flexibility that Professional Studies can provide.

Course fact file

Type of Course: Continuing professional development, taught

Study Options: Full time, part time

Duration: MEd/MA: 1 year full-time; Diploma: 1 year full-time; Certificate: 1 semester full-time; BPhil: 1 year full-time; AdCert: 1 semester full-time

Start date: September

Details

The Professional Studies programme is designed to enable students to tailor the content of their qualification to suit their own needs and interests. Students can choose from the range of available Postgraduate and Professional Development modules and build their qualification in a way that suits them best. 

Some students who begin their studies on the Professional Studies programme choose later to transfer to a more specialised course of study, having gained a taste of some of the areas of study on offer. Others prefer the flexibility that Professional Studies offers in its own right. Students who wish to pursue this route should know that some modules are restricted to particular programmes of study. If you wish to register for a Professional Studies award you should indicate on the application form which modules you wish to study. You will then be given further guidance as your application is considered.

Modules

Below, is a list of the modules likely to be available for 2012-13. It should be noted that module availability may vary from year to year and some programmes may run in the evenings, whilst others are scheduled for daytime. Prospective students should check on module availability and timings before making module choice decisions.  Individual programmes can be planned in advance with the Programme coordinator. However such plans can be flexible, to take account of any new modules that may become available.

Examples of the modules to date from which students may choose are:

  • Communicative Language Teaching Syllabus Design and Assessment
  • Curriculum Design in Global Contexts
  • Curriculum and Approaches for children with Autism
  • Education as an International Issue
  • Human Rights, Citizen and the Environment
  • Introduction to Speech and Language Difficulties
  • Introduction to Inclusion and Special Educational Needs
  • Language, Discourse and Society
  • Leadership for School Improvement
  • Personal and Professional Skills for Education Management
  • Policy, Practice and Provision for Special Educational Needs
  • School Observation, Evaluation and Supervision
  • Second Language Learning
  • Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD)
  • Special Educational needs of Children with Autism

In addition to the above modules there are also available the following:

  • Single Module Special Study (individual support)  (20 cr.)
  • Double Module Special Study (individual support) (40 cr.)

These are individual project modules, usually based around an aspect of special educational needs, which may be undertaken in the individual student’s work setting, or they may entail literature-based study. Supervision is by the tutor most appropriate for the chosen areas of study, with that tutor’s agreement.

Suggested general reading list

Arthur, J. And Peters, A. (eds) The Routledge Companion to Education London: Routledge

Recommended reading will depend on modules studied and will be advised on enrolment.

Fees and funding

Fees Home/EU 2013-2014

  • Code 2737 AdCert full time £1,950
  • Code 2761 BPhil full time £3,900 
  • Code 2818 PGCert full time £1,710 
  • Code 2839 PGDip full time £3,420
  • Code 2876 MEd full time £5,130
  • Code 2930 MA full time £5,130

Fees are based on students studying 60 credits per year on part-time programmes. Students who complete more than 60 credits in a year will be charged an additional fee.

The fees shown above are annual fees for students starting their courses September in 2013. Please note that where courses last more than one year, the annual fees for subsequent years on the course may increase due to inflation. 

Fees Overseas 2013-2014

Please view our Fees for International Students page for further details. 

Learn more about fees and funding

Funding for part-time students

From September 2012, the UK Government will provide non-means tested loans to cover the full cost of part-time tuition for all eligible English resident or non UK EU undergraduates. Find out more about the funding for part-time students.

Scholarships and studentships
Scholarships may be available. International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government. More details may be found on the international scholarships page

For further information contact the School directly or the Student Funding Office via online enquiries

Entry requirements

Please refer directly to the School of Education entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements

You can satisfy our English language requirements in two ways:

How to apply

Learn more about applying 
 

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

Apply now

Learning and teaching

Most teaching takes place in weekly whole group sessions or in smaller seminar groups. Teaching and assessment methods will vary depending on the modules chosen. Applicants are advised to check with individual module tutors before deciding which modules to take. Where appropriate (for example with Special Studies and dissertation modules) teaching will be on a one-to-one basis, flexibly arranged between students and supervisor.

Research interests of staff

Staff research interests are reflected in the modules on offer and include: disabilities, inclusion and special needs, international and comparative education, second language learning and professional learning.

Assessment methods

Twenty credit modules are generally assessed by a 3,000 word essay for Level H, or 4,000 words for Level M. Some assessments might be via portfolios, or other means, covering an equivalent amount of work and level of scholarship.

Opportunities will be offered for discussion about the preparation and presentation of the assignment during the course. Further individual support is available at students’ request, which can be given over the phone or by email.

Employability

Typically, students undertaking the Professional Studies programme are looking to develop a career in the broad field of education. They may wish to gain knowledge of a range of topics within education, prior to specialising; alternatively, they may use the flexibility offered by the programme as a way of developing their career in their existing employment. It is important to point out, however, that a qualification Professional Studies from the University of Birmingham is not a teaching qualification.