Course summary
Overview Get valuable sector experience and earn a Master's qualification on this 2-year MSc Educational Leadership and Management (with Professional Experience) degree. During year 1, you'll study with us at University, learning how to rethink the practices of leadership and management in education. Alongside other students, industry specialists and our expert academics, you'll debate the big issues affecting the sector, such as school reform, policies and spending, and child development. You'll hone the critical perspectives you'll need to come up with fresh approaches to common challenges, such as accessibility, classroom management and budgeting. In your second year, you'll apply your studies on an educational work placement, developing your management skills in a school or college, or within a setting such as early years, SEN or pupil referral. You'll graduate with first-hand experience and the objective mindset needed to succeed as an educational leader. You'll be ready to take on senior management roles that improve the delivery of teaching and education for all. Course highlights
- Work for 12 months in an educational setting, such as a school, sixth form or independent training provider, applying your learning and building a professional network
- Learn to critique the hierarchies, structures and practices within education, exploring the gaps in a given argument in order to find new approaches
- Benefit from the rich industry knowledge and experience of teaching staff, and get theoretical knowledge and professional know-how on this industry led course
- Use the skills you acquire to ready yourself for promotion to senior leadership, change jobs or take your career overseas
- Debate and network with industry professionals from the education sector, guest lecturers and other students through events, lectures, seminars and social media channels
- school management
- higher education institutions management
- teacher education
- course leading and management
- primary or secondary schools
- early years care and education settings
- sixth forms or colleges
- higher education institutions
- pupil referral units
- SEN-specialist schools
- independent training providers
- voluntary/third sector education providers
- local authorities
- project manager
- audit/quality manager
- setting administrator
- procurement manager
- human resource manager
- marketing executive
Modules
Year 1 Core modules
- Human Resource Management in Education (30 credits)
- Leadership, Policy and Strategy: the Management of Educational Change (30 credits)
- Research Methods in Education (30 credits)
- Decision Making in Education (30 credits)
- Dissertation (60 credits)
- Education in a Global Context (30 credits)
- Project Management: Tools and Techniques (30 credits)
- Theory & Practice of Tesol (30 credits)
- Work Based Project (30 credits)
- Professional Experience - 120 credits
Assessment method
You'll be assessed through:
- essays
- digital presentations
- exam
- blogs
- research proposal
- dissertation
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Chartered Management Institute
Entry requirements
A second-class honours degree in a Social Sciences, Business, Law or other relevant subject, or the subject specialism and professional experience of a qualified teacher now wishing to pursue the MSc Educational Leadership & Management. Applicants with pre-existing Masters credits will be considered for RPL depending on the direct relevance of prior study to the MSc Educational Leadership and Management course.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0. |
| PTE Academic | 65 | An overall score of 65 with a minimum of 62 in each skill. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 91 | 91 with a minimum of 20 in Reading, 19 in Listening, 21 in Speaking and 20 in Writing. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 169. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 169. | |
| Trinity ISE | Trinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components. |
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| EU | £10900 | Year 1 |
| England | £10900 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £10900 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £10900 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £10900 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £10900 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £10900 | Year 1 |
| International | £17900 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship.
Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice.
Fees may also go up in later years, in line with inflation.
A tuition fee will also apply for the Professional Experience placement module, £1,900 / £2,875 depending on fee domicile (subject to increase for 2026/27).
For further fee information please see the corresponding University of Portsmouth course page or visit https://www.port.ac.uk/study/masters-and-postgraduate-taught/fees-and-funding
Provider information
University of Portsmouth
University House
Winston Churchill Avenue
Portsmouth
PO1 2UP