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BANGOR UNIVERSITY
Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG, UK
The Master’s Programme: Certificate, Diploma or Degree?
The Master’s Programmes in the School of Education and Human Development offer three distinct awards; a Postgraduate Certificate, a Postgraduate Diploma and a Masters degree. The following table indicates what is involved in gaining each award and also how long you might normally expect each to take.
Award Title | No. of 30 credit modules | Dissertation | M-level Credit Rating | Years of part-time study | Years of full-time study |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Postgraduate Certificate | 2 | No | 60 | 1–2 | not normally available |
Postgraduate Diploma | 4 | No | 120 | 2–4 | not normally available |
Master’s Degree | 4 | Yes | 180 | 2–5 | 1 |
All three awards require students to read, write, discuss, analyse and investigate at master’s level, but only the degree requires students to undertake master’s level research, written up in the form of a dissertation. Students wishing to gain a master’s degree must therefore successfully complete a taught Research Methods module before embarking on their dissertation. Conversely, students wishing to exit the programme with a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma do not need to take Research Methods as a taught module.
Master’s award titles and transcripts
On completion of any of the awards, a transcript can be obtained detailing the modular content of your study, with the marks awarded.
Students successfully completing the full degree will be invited to the university’s degree ceremony in July where they will be awarded a Master of Arts in Education Studies.
Entry requirements
In order to enter a Master’s programme, applicants must have either an initial degree, a recognised equivalent qualification, or have at least three years’ relevant professional experience.
All applicants will be asked to provide the name of a referee, who can vouch for the ability of the applicant to study at masters level. Occasionally, applicants may be asked to attend for interview before an offer of a place can be confirmed.
Some modules may stipulate an additional, specific entry requirement, for example, previous teaching experience. Where this is the case, it is indicated in the module description in this prospectus.
The modular structure: choosing options
The part-time programme
Part-time students are free to choose to do one, two or three modules in a year, steadily building credit towards their intended award over a number of years.
None of the part-time modules are compulsory, although students wishing to progress to the dissertation must have successfully completed a Research Methods module.
Several identifiable ‘pathways’ are built-in to the programme in areas such as Dyslexia, Special Needs, and Counselling, often leading to accreditation with a Professional Body. However, all combinations of modules are allowed.
The Course Director and module tutors are always willing to advise candidates on the suitability, content and timescale of their chosen modules in order to ensure the coherence and viability of their final course.
Registration, Progression and Extension
Most students opt to register initially for the Master’s Degree, either part-time or full-time, although it is possible for part-time students to exit part way through their programme with a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma.
Part-time students register initially for three years, and then for a further two years to do a dissertation. Part-time students who choose to suspend their registration before progressing to the dissertation, can request to rejoin the programme at a later date. Re-registration would be at the discretion of the Master’s Programme Board.
Extensions to the permitted periods of registration are normally limited to one year and are subject to conditions laid down by the university.
EdD (Doctorate in Education Studies)
The School of Education runs both a part-time and a full-time EdD. An EdD is equivalent to a PhD but requires the successful completion of six, 30-credit taught modules before undertaking research leading to a thesis of 60,000 words maximum, followed by a viva. Students’ chosen thesis topics must match the research profile/interests of a member of school staff, who can act as supervisor.
Those students completing four MA modules in two years, to a high (merit) standard, can apply to convert to the EdD and would then study two more modules, one of which is compulsory at Level 8, namely the ‘Thesis Proposal’ module. Further information relating to the EdD can be obtained from the administrator Miss Janet Thomas Telephone: 383275
The two-year rolling programme
Part-time modules are organised over a two-year, rolling programme with some modules being offered every year, while others are offered in alternate years only.
From time to time, modules do become redundant and they are then removed from the programme to be replaced by up-to-date modules dealing with key topics of the day. If modules do not recruit sufficiently, they will not run.
Weekend course dates 2016/17
Induction Day and Registration (for ‘new’ students only) | Saturday, 1.30–5.00pm October 1 2016 |
Teaching Weekend 1 | October 15/16 2016 |
Teaching Weekend 2 | November 26/27 2016 |
Teaching Weekend 3 | January 28/29 2017 |
Teaching Weekend 4 | Aprin 1/2 2017 |
Teaching Weekend 5 | June 3/4 2017 |
The weekend format
The great majority of part-time modules are taught over five weekends, spread across the academic year.
Half of these modules are taught on the five Saturdays and half on the five Sundays, enabling students to follow two modules each year. Teaching days are 9.00a.m. to 5.00p.m. with regular breaks for coffee, lunch and tea.
Teaching and learning styles
All module tutors recognise that, for mature students, embarking on a Master’s course may represent a return to education after a period of employment or family commitments. For international students, there may be language or cultural barriers to learning. Teaching is therefore carefully structured to reflect individual needs and to develop students’ confidence in their own thinking, analysis and expression. Teaching sessions will offer plenty of variety with a mixture of lectures, discussions, workshops and seminars. However, much of your learning will take place independently, between teaching sessions, with the opportunity to read, research, discuss and evaluate, using a variety of recommended course materials and the University’s computer-managed learning system, ‘Blackboard’. ‘Blackboard’ will also be extensively used for programme administration.
Assessment
All modules are assessed on the basis of coursework. There are no examinations. Course assignments may include essays, reviews, reflective diaries, projects or presentations but will be the equivalent of no more than 6,000-words in total per module. All assignments will require evidence of underpinning reading and research and even practically-based coursework will need to demonstrate strong links between practice and theory.
Dissertation
Master’s degree students commence their research dissertation having completed four taught modules, one of which must have been a ‘Research Methods’ module. The choice of dissertation topic rests with the student, but normally topics will relate closely to one or more of their taught modules. Topics for which an appropriate supervisor cannot be found may have to be modified, through negotiation.
Supervisors guide students through their research methodology, any ethical considerations, the drafting of each chapter and final submission of their dissertation.
Successful submission of a dissertation represents the culmination of a student’s Master’s study. It is demanding work, but fulfilling, enabling students to benefit from great personal and professional development and the opportunity to attend Bangor University’s formal degree ceremony in July… a proud moment for students, families and tutors alike!
For further details, a separate booklet on dissertations is available from the Course Administrator.
Ethical Approval of MA Research Projects
Any research project undertaken within the School of Education and Human Development that involves human participants must adhere to the University’s Ethical Review Process. A good deal of research for MA dissertations, and for some module assignments, involves research on, or with, children and, on occasions, vulnerable adults (e.g. those involved in counselling) and such research should be undertaken with particular care.
Researchers must also ensure that they comply with legal obligations before proceeding with the research (such as obtaining clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau). Ethical aspects of research can be discussed with your tutor or supervisor who will be able to advise you whether or not you need to submit an application for approval to the College’s (CBLESS) Ethics Committee. It is important to note that no data gathering should be undertaken before ethical approval has been granted. More detailed guidance on approval procedures, along with an application form, is available from the school.
Distinction and Merit
Students who consistently present work of a very high standard, throughout their Master’s course (including the Dissertation) will be eligible for the award of Merit or Distinction.
In order to gain a Master’s degree with Merit, a candidate must achieve an average mark of not less than 60%, having achieved not less than 60% in the taught modules (Part I) and not less than 60% in the dissertation (Part II).
In order to gain a Master’s Degree with Distinction a student must achieve an overall mark of not less than 70%, having achieved not less than 65% in the taught modules (Part I) and 70% in the Dissertation (Part II).
Attendance
Attendance at all teaching sessions is an expectation of successful completion of a Master’s course. Absence from sessions can only be permitted with good reason.
The School of School of Education and Human Development: Location and Library
Close to the mountains of Snowdonia and on the shores of the Menai Strait, Bangor University is an ideal setting for work and pleasure. The Normal Site is easily accessed by road or rail and houses the University’s Education Library, with its excellent collection of books and journals, on-line databases. For students living away from Bangor, many books and journals can now be accessed on-line, and a reciprocal agreement exists to allow you to borrow books from the libraries of most other British universities.
Course Language: Welsh or English?
The full-time MA and the EdD are taught through the medium of English, but the School of Education operates within a bilingual community and this is reflected in the administration, documentation and teaching of the Bangor-based, part-time Master’s Programme. Although many of the part-time modules are taught primarily through the medium of English, Welsh speaking tutors will happily offer individual tutorials and assignment advice in Welsh. Such Welsh speaking tutors are identified within the Module Descriptor headings. Students from any module may submit any assignment work in Welsh or English.
Credit transfer
If you have already successfully completed Master’s level modules at other recognised institutions, then it may be possible for this credit to be transferred to the part-time MA programme under the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). A form for this purpose is available from the MA office. Credit transfers may, however, affect your eligibility for merit or distinction. An administration charge is normally made for all credit transfers.
Course fees
Course Fees for part-time, Home and EU students
The tuition fees for all part-time, home and EU master’s students for 2016/17 will be £ 849 per 30 credit module. Students proceeding to the dissertation (60 credits) pay a one-off Registration/Supervision fee of £1698 at the beginning of their research. Some modules do incur an extra charge for elements such as teaching assessments – please see the individual module descriptions for details.
For those paying privately, there are two payment options for course fees:
- Full payment at the beginning of the programme.
- Payment in instalments.
Financial support
Support to cover some or all of the cost of your Master’s course may be available through your employer or a local government training initiative. If you are hoping to gain access to such funding, you are strongly advised to apply for support at the same time as you apply for your course at Bangor.
Open Evenings
If, after reading all the information in this prospectus you still have questions to ask, then we have organised an Open Evening on the Normal Site in Bangor at which those of you who live locally can have a cup of coffee and an informal discussion with the Course Directors of the Master’s Programme, as follows:-
4:30–6:30pm.
There is no need to book or even to tell us you intend to come along to an Open Evening. Just turn up at a time convenient to you and follow the signs to ‘MA Open Evening’, on the Normal Site, Holyhead Road. The post code for an internet map search is: LL57 2PZ.