Course summary

Leadership in schools is associated with fostering an environment where students can achieve their full potential and where educational staff are supported, motivated and can professionally develop. Effective school leaders are often described as having the capacity to transform and motivate others, they have vision, experience and expertise. This course takes the view however, that effective schools have leaders that can be found all-across a school and not necessarily confined only to those in senior positions. Key ideas explored in this course are leadership that is distributed, collaboration and the benefits of networks, transformational leadership and how effective leadership can change and improve schools. The MSc in Educational Leadership recognises that schools and more broadly educational systems depend on leaders from all walks of life and all types of positions, regardless of assigned title. It is intended, therefore, to provide leadership development for people who work in all manner of roles in the educational system: classroom teachers, formal school leaders, local authority personnel, policymakers, and any individual with a direct interest in the primary and post-primary school sectors. The programme aims to equip you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and creative capacity to respond to a variety of leadership challenges faced in contemporary educational institutions. We will challenge traditional notions of 'leaders' and 'leadership' pointing to new, more collaborative and more organic models of leading. It is expected that graduates will be able to inform their professional practice with the latest research evidence in the field to nurture meaningful relationships in educational communities, address issues of equity and diversity, support teaching and learning, and ultimately ensure quality outcomes which are tailored to contextual needs. We seek to develop in students the ability to critique current leadership practices and to enact changes that will improve education for all.