Master Programme in Education with Specialisation in Professional Development and Research, 120 credits

Aim

The programme aims to provide advanced knowledge in education within the educational/behavioural science field, with a special emphasis on professional development.

Programme objectives

According to the Swedish Higher Education Act (Chapter 1, Section 9):

Second-cycle education should build upon knowledge acquired in first-cycle education or equivalent and shall:

- further develop the students’ ability to independently integrate and apply knowledge,
- develop students’ ability to handle complex phenomena, issues, and situations, and
- prepare students for qualified professional activities that demand significant independence or for research and development work.

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, Appendix 2 (Degree Objectives for a Master’s Degree):

The student shall:
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding within the main field of study, including broad knowledge in the field and significantly deeper knowledge in certain areas as well as insight into current research and development,
- demonstrate deep methodological knowledge within the field,
- demonstrate ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and to analyse, assess, and deal with complex phenomena, issues, and situations even with limited information,
- demonstrate the ability to independently and critically identify and formulate issues, to plan and carry out qualified tasks using appropriate methods within given time frames, contributing to knowledge development, and to evaluate this work,
- demonstrate the ability to clearly present and discuss their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments behind them in both national and international contexts, orally and in writing, in dialogue with different groups,
- demonstrate the skills required to participate in research and development work or to work independently in other qualified professional activities,
- demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field with regard to relevant scientific, societal, and ethical aspects and show awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work,
- show insight into the possibilities and limitations of science, its role in society, and people’s responsibility for how it is used, and
- demonstrate the ability to identify their need for further knowledge and take responsibility for their own knowledge development.

Additional Local Objectives:

The programme’s overall goal is to prepare students for qualified professional work in pedagogical contexts such as teaching, research, administration, educational planning, evaluation, investigation, or other leadership positions. Students shall also be able to lead academic seminars and actively contribute qualified insights in such settings.

Degree Project (Independent Work)

To obtain a master’s degree, the student must have completed an independent project of at least 30 credits in the main field of study. This may be split into two parts (15 credits each) if the student already holds an advanced-level independent project of at least 15 credits in the same or an equivalent subject, including from international education.

Content

The courses of the program and their components:

Year 1
Education MA:
- Leadership and Development of Educational Activities I, 7.5 credits
Elective:
- a) Adult Learning in Informal and Formal Contexts I, 7.5 credits, or
- b) Children's Learning in Informal and Formal Contexts I, 7.5 credits
- Didactics, 7.5 credits
- Quality Work and Evaluation in Educational Settings, 7.5 credits

Year 2
Education MA:
- Research Methodology, Scientific Design and Quantitative Methods, 7.5 credits
- Research Methodology, Scientific Design and Qualitative Methods, 7.5 credits
- Degree Project, 15 credits or elective specialisation courses (15 credits)

Year 3
Education MA:
- Leadership and Development of Educational Activities II, 7.5 credits
Elective:
- a) Adult Learning in Informal and Formal Contexts II, 7.5 credits, or
- b) Children's Learning in Informal and Formal Contexts II, 7.5 credits
- Methodology and Ethics I, 7.5 credits
- Methodology and Ethics II, 7.5 credits

Year 4
Education MA:
- Degree Project, 30 credits, or
- Educational Research in Practice (15 credits, for students participating in ongoing research) and Degree Project, 15 credits

Note: The degree project must total 30 credits to obtain a degree.

Course titles, content, credit allocation, and schedule may be subject to change during the programme.

Entry requirements

A completed degree of at least 180 credits, including an independent project of 15 credits in education or an equivalent subject area, or a completed teacher education degree of at least 180 credits with an independent project of 15 credits. Additionally, proficiency in Swedish and English equivalent to the general entry requirements for Swedish higher education at the undergraduate level is required.

Description of programme

This master's programme is an advanced-level programme designed to deepen students' competence in the educational/behavioural sciences with particular focus on research conducted at Mid Sweden University.

Selection rules and procedures

The selection process is in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance and the local order of admission.

Programme with restricted admissions

Specific prerequisites for each course within the programme are stated in the individual course syllabi.

Teaching and examination

The programme is delivered at half-time pace and includes lectures, seminars, group work, and independent study. Various communication formats may be used.

Assessment is through written exams, examined seminars, assignments, and thesis work. Each course is graded. The grading scale is specified in the individual course syllabus.

See grading criteria at: [www.miun.se/betygskriterier]()

Title of qualification

Masterexamen med huvudområdet pedagogik

translated into

Degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with a major in Education

Other information

The programme is offered in English by the Department of Education.

The programme syllabus was approved by the Council for Undergraduate and Master's Education on 2017-04-05.