Masters Degrees in Special Needs Education

As contemporary societies become more heterogeneous, and as inclusive education reforms gain currency across the world, educational systems are being challenged to address some fundamental questions about teaching - learning related to the accommodation of difference. Likewise, the educational special needs task is being radically re-conceptualised.

Meeting the diversity of learner needs within today’s classrooms and schools is one of the most challenging and important tasks facing education today. Drawing on research-based practice, the MEd in Inclusion and Special Needs Education addresses these challenges in a straightforward, supportive and practical way. The programme aims to develop forms of teaching that reach out to all learners within a class, as well as the establishment of school conditions that will encourage such developments.

Why Inclusion and Special Needs Education at Queen's?

◦As a prestigious Russell Group University, Queen’s is ranked 8th within the UK in relation to research intensity;
◦ Education at Queen’s has been ranked 4th within the UK in relation to research intensity with 87% of the research undertaken within the School assessed as ‘internationally excellent or world leading’ (REF, 2014);
◦We provide a professional development opportunity for: mainstream primary and secondary teachers from the newly qualified phase of professional development onwards; and, individuals whose professional or voluntary roles are strongly associated with life in regular classrooms and schools e.g. School Governors, Learning and Behaviour Mentors and Classroom Assistants;
◦We understand the many demands on students’ time, so the content is delivered in a mixture of face-to-face and online formats and you can study one or more of our modules as a short course;
◦If you don’t want or need to study for the research dissertation, flexible exit qualifications (PG Diploma, PG Certificiate) are available.


[Programme Structure]]
The MEd in Inclusion and Special Needs Education is awarded to students who have successfully completed 120 CATS points from taught modules and 60 CATS points from a Master's dissertation.

Exit qualifications are available. Students may exit with a Postgraduate Diploma by successfully completing 120 CATS points from taught modules or an Postgraduate Certificate by successfully completing 60 CATS points from taught modules.

Short Courses

We've made it easy to study for a Masters module as a short course. If you would like to study for one of the modules in the MEd in Inclusion and Special Needs Education as a short course, please contact the Education Secretary (tel: 028 9097 5923/ 5032, [email protected]) for advice.

Core Modules

◦An Introduction to Research Methods: Children, Young People and Education (compulsory, online)
◦Reimagining Special Needs Education: Inclusive Pedagogy (compulsory)
◦Special Needs Education and Issues of Equity (compulsory)
◦The Intellectual Foundations of Special Education (compulsory)
Optional modules may be chosen from the School's Educational Studies (MEd) degree.

Assessment

There are no written examinations. Modules are assessed through written assignments, project reports, or online multiple choice tests and online discussion list contributions.

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The National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination (NASENCO) is a legally required qualification for all new Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs).

This course will support you to improve your knowledge of current legislation, theory and practice in Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) provision in schools/colleges and your skills in meeting those needs.

This course will assist you to fulfil your leadership role as outlined in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for 0 to 25 years (DfE, 2014):

• Overseeing the operation of the institution’s SEN policy
• Coordinating provision for SEND
• Liaising with the relevant designated teacher where a looked after pupil has SEN
• Advising on a graduated approach to providing SEN Support and effective deployment of the institution’s delegated budget and other resources
• Liaising with families of children with SEN, other schools and relevant external professionals/ agencies
• Liaising with potential next providers of education and consulting young people and families to ensure a smooth transition is planned
• Working with the head teacher and school governors to ensure that the school conforms to the Equality Act (2010)
• Ensuring that the institution keeps records of young people with SEN up to date.

You will be able to tailor the three assignments to fit your, and your institution’s, needs.

Visit the website: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/courses/postgraduate/next-year/education-national-award-for-special-educational-needs-co-ordinators

Course detail

• Study on a course designed for to develop SENCOs’ professional attributes and knowledge, understanding and skills, to enable you to fulfil the leadership role set out in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for 0 to 25 years (DfE, 2014).
• Explore course content highly relevant to mainstream and special school practitioners alike, focusing on issues related to literacy difficulties and dyslexia in schools, and how potential barriers to learning can be removed
• Develop your understanding of concepts, theories and approaches to literacy difficulties, including dyslexia, and inclusion in schools, and on your potential for influencing change
• Gain insight into the learning of dyslexic and other pupils/students who experience difficulties in literacy development/specific learning difficulties, and ways in which learning might be more effectively supported
• Benefit from a qualification that could be used as the basis for a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) claim into an MA Education course (Level 7).

Modules

• Introduction to special educational needs co-ordination in schools
• Further development of special educational needs co-ordination in schools

Assessment

Your individual development is assessed via six diagnostic, formative and summative assessments.

The first assessment in Unit 1 requires application of personal understanding of current legislation to individual contexts and critical reflection on the extent to which current school/institutional practice is inclusive and compliant with the law.

Assessments then focus on critical application of assessment theory to individual learning and behaviour needs, the design, development, and implementation of an individual plan linked to needs, and critical analysis of the effectiveness of this, with implications for future plans.

Assessments in Unit 2 relate to institutional level: analysis and reflection on current school/college policy in SEND and inclusive practices; analysis of areas for improvement in institutional SEND provision; the design, development, implementation, critical evaluation, and reporting on a small-scale practitioner research project focused on achieving the desired improvement.

Careers

The course is specifically designed to enable you to meet the learning outcomes for the qualification (NASENCO) that is legally required for all new SENCOs in schools. It enables you to fulfil the leadership role of SENCO in a school with greater confidence, competence and from a much better-informed position.

After graduating you will be in a good position to apply for positions of greater responsibility in schools/colleges.

The units on this course can be used as a short route to an MA Education (Special Educational Needs), providing 60 credits of recognised prior learning.

Funding

For information on available funding, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/money/scholarships/pg

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/course/applicationform

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The MA in Education - SEND is relevant to a wide variety of settings and across the age range from early years through to post compulsory education in college, university and other contexts. There is a strong focus on social justice and inclusion and the opportunity to reflect on your own professional practice throughout the courses.

MA in Education SEND is designed for people with an interest in autism and critical disability studies and for practitioners across the age range into post compulsory education. Based on the principles on 'nothing about us without us' content is informed by the experiences of people who identify personally with autism and /or SEND.

You'll develop a particular strand of interest into the dissertation and have opportunities to disseminate your findings to the work place and throughout the course. The Centre for Educational Research has a number of ongoing disability focused research projects and hosts the Disability Equality Research Network (DERN). This provides a vibrant supportive environment for your research and ensures that course content is always research-informed.

The programme will take place at LSBU (K2 Building) or in Special Educational Needs partners' schools and be delivered by academics and experts from the Special Educational Needs sector. Evening and weekend taught sessions are complemented by an extensive virtual learning environment and delivered on campus or elsewhere by arrangement. Students, wherever located, become part of diverse and stimulating LSBU community and the vibrant Centre for Education Research.

National Award for SEN Co-ordinator

You can also choose to take the recognised award of 'National Award for SEN Co-ordination' or options that will further deepen your understanding of SEND.

Modules

All modules are assessed by a mix of assignments, presentations, research projects and portfolio development.

Year 1

Students take two of the optional modules list below in year 1:

Special educational needs and disability
Part 2 SENCO National Award
Teaching and learning:
Understanding autism and learning
Autism individuality and identity
Part 1 SENCO National Award

Year 2

In addition to one of the modules listed above

Research Methods (compulsory)

Year 3

Dissertation (compulsory)

Timetable

Weekly evening seminars during term time.

Bespoke CPD sessions can be delivered on request.

Teaching and learning

You'll be taught by Dr Nicola Martin who has substantial experience in the field of autism including working with Professor Baron-Cohen on the Cambridge University Autism Project. She was also formerly director of the Autism Centre at Sheffield Hallam University. Dr Martin is currently a lecturer at LSBU and is a Principal Investigator for Research Autism.

You'll also be taught by Gianna Knowles who has considerable experience of working with school staff to develop their Special Educational Needs Departments. Gianna has published a range of academic textbooks that support staff development in this area.

You'll benefit from an up to date Virtual Learning Environment via Moodle and be actively encouraged to make use of the extensive range of support services across the university. You'll have access to a supervisor during the dissertation phase.

Placements

Access to the workplace (including voluntary work) is essential for most of the modules within the MA.

Professional links

The department has wide professional links within and beyond the university and the UK. Examples include:

• The Equality Challenge Unit
• The Alliance for Inclusive Education
• Equality and Diversity Forum Research Network
• The Leadership Foundation
• Research Autism
• Theorising Autism Project
• Teacher Education for Equality and Sustainability Network (TEESNet)
• National Association of Disability Practitioners
• Commonworks (for a just and sustainable world)

Recent guest lectures have been given by disabled academics and parents of pupils who have experienced special education.

Employability

MA Education Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) is designed to deepen your understanding of working with pupils /students in any educational setting, across the age range into adult education. It is therefore relevant to employment in school, college, alternative education settings and to work with disabled students at university. Content is applicable to teachers and staff in non- teaching roles, such as mentor, disability officer or learning support assistant. The content is also relevant to staff in strategic and operational leadership roles.

It is a professional and academic degree that provides an in-depth understanding of inclusive practice in education across the age range (in keeping with the 0-25 framework in the Children and Families Act 2014). The degree is relevant from early years to post-compulsory education in a wide variety of settings. The diverse requirements of learners identified with SEND and best practice to support inclusive learning and achievement will be explored. You'll be encouraged to critically engage with relevant theory and legislation contextualised and applied in practice.

This programme will contribute to your employability and the National SENco award may be a requirement of your workplace.

Students wishing to achieve promotion or develop a career in education benefit from having a higher degree. Progression from the MA to the EdD further enhances employability and promotion prospects, particularly in academia and research. CVs are improved by having publications in refereed journals and this is encouraged and supported on the MA as well as the Doctorate in Education.

LSBU Employability Services

LSBU is committed to supporting you develop your employability and succeed in getting a job after you have graduated. Your qualification will certainly help, but in a competitive market you also need to work on your employability, and on your career search. Our Employability Service will support you in developing your skills, finding a job, interview techniques, work experience or an internship, and will help you assess what you need to do to get the job you want at the end of your course. LSBU offers a comprehensive Employability Service, with a range of initiatives to complement your studies, including:

• Direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
• Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
• Mentoring and work shadowing schemes.

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If you need to get a good grounding in special educational needs, disability and inclusion at postgraduate level, this course will broaden and challenge your existing knowledge. It could be a starting point for a future career in a range of settings or help you to develop in your current role. If you are already a SENCO it will give you many skills for your role and help you develop and expand this in line with the range of special needs you may encounter.

What's covered in the course?

Our course doesn’t aim to provide you with all the answers. Instead it will enable you to explore and develop new thinking and ultimately work towards expertise in your field. If you believe that pupils with special needs have untapped potential, and you want to help them explore this, then this is the course for you. Inclusive learning and teaching are at the heart of any good practice; these modules will help you explore this further and understand the important role of nurturing development in all pupils with special educational needs.

You do not need a teaching qualification to study on this course, nor do you have to intend becoming a teacher. We welcome anyone who wants to expand their understanding, knowledge and skill set in the changing world of special education and disability. 

You’ll have the opportunity to explore how the education system works for special needs and disability, how it all evolved and the challenges it poses for these pupils. You’ll broaden your knowledge on the range of conditions and their impact on learning and develop new teaching skills to help pupils overcome their day to day challenges. The focus of all modules will be critical thinking, challenging and developing your knowledge to enable you to become an expert in your field.

Why choose us?

• This course is delivered by qualified lecturer practitioners from NICE – Centre for Movement Disorders, making it a unique partnership merging theory and practice.
• We’re proud of our high employability rates, with 98 per cent of the School’s postgraduate students in employment or further study six months after their course (DLHE survey results 2014/15).
• The course focuses on development of pupil potential and how to meet all needs to promote a more effective teaching/classroom environment.
• You will develop new ways of thinking and new skills to enhance your impact on the development and learning of these special pupils.
• You can use this course to put you at the forefront of professional practice in special education and more importantly explore new potential in your pupils.
• This recognised qualification will help you to meet a variety of Continuing Professional Development requirements.
• You can use evidence of previous study or relevant experience to claim Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

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Primary: Have satisfactorily completed their probationary period. Be qualified teachers who hold
A) position in a sanctioned post in an area of special education or learning support, or taking up such posts in September.
B) position as mainstream class teacher and has contact with children with special educational needs

Post Primary: Must be qualified teachers who hold
A) position in a sanctioned post in an area of special education or learning support, or taking up such posts in September
B) position as mainstream class teacher and has at least 10 hours of contact time with children with special educational needs

Special Schools: Special School teachers. Qualified teachers who hold a position in a sanctioned post in a Special School or are taking up such posts in September.

Other Educational Services: Qualified teachers employed by VECs as literacy and/or numeracy tutors in Youthreach and who are assigned to Learning Support work (with individuals, groups or classes of not more than 15 pupils) for a minimum of 10 hours per week. At least four class periods should be allocated to teaching individuals or groups of not more than six students.

It is particularly important that, in their schools, teachers participating in the programme are given the type/level of duties and teaching responsibilities (as required by the programme providers) which will permit them to benefit fully from the training being offered.

Overview

This Postgraduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs is a recognised postgraduate qualification for teachers working in the area of special educational needs and learning support in mainstream primary and post primary schools and for teachers in special classes/units, special schools and other relevant educational settings. The aim of the programme is to provide substantial theoretical and practical training for teachers working with pupils with special educational needs and pupils who require learning support.

See the website https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/froebel-department-primary-and-early-childhood-education/our-courses/postgraduate-diploma-special-educational-needs

Course Structure

The programme runs from September until May and is delivered by a core team supported by a cohort of associate lecturers with a wide range of expertise. Issues pertaining to inclusive education and special needs will be explored and teachers are supported in implementing skills to support the learning and teaching of students with special educational needs. The programme also includes supervised work in the teachers’ own school and supported ongoing study throughout the year using a variety of modes of content delivery. In addition, it also involves online and distance learning and teachers will be required to attend lectures and workshops at Froebel Dept in Maynooth over the course of approximately 15 weekends (Friday 4pm-8pm and Saturday 9-4pm).

Career Options

Graduates of the course will be better equipped to address the ever changing challenges of the modern educational environment in mainstream or special schools. Graduates will be qualified to work as educators in the area of special education i.e. as special class teachers, learning support teachers or resource teachers.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity



As part of the application process you will be required to upload the following:

Transcripts

Evidence of Garda Clearance

Evidence of Teaching Council registration

Two references

Letter from your Principal confirming that you meet the minimum required contact hours with students with SEN (10 hours) and that you are on a fixed contract or in a permanent position.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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With small class sizes, your professors get to know you—an advantage when it’s time to ask for a letter of reference. You’ll also gain more from class discussions in a small-classroom setting.

If your goal is to make the most out of your degree in special education, the MEd in Special Education and Special Education certificate is perfect for you. In addition to learning how to create curricula to meet individual needs of students with disabilities, IUP enables you to pursue your Special Education certificate at the same time. This leads to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania certification in Special Education-all while you earn your MEd in Exceptional Persons.

In addition to offering this track in a flexible, hybrid format, both in-class and online, IUP also offers two other tracks: the MEd in Special Education, or the Special Education Certification Only track.

AS A STUDENT YOU WILL

-Learn from a mix of classes and teaching field experiences designated by Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements.
-Choose between a thesis and non-thesis option.
-Select your electives working in conjunction with your advisor.
-Complete a comprehensive examination as your terminal experience in the course.

If you currently hold teaching certification and are seeking additional certification in special education, you will develop a program of study based upon your past coursework. You will be required to demonstrate competency in teaching methods, child development, and any other area of deficiency noted by the graduate program faculty.

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The Special and Inclusive Education MA will develop a student's knowledge of key concepts and issues related to special and inclusive education, enhancing their understanding of disciplinary and theoretical perspectives. It will give students the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise evidence, theory and practice, and help them to apply conceptual and theoretical frameworks to professional policy and practice.

Degree information

By the end of the programme, students should be able to:
-Contribute to contemporary international and national debate in the field of special education and inclusion and disability studies.
-Produce and communicate evidence-informed, reasoned argument in writing and orally.
-Demonstrate how concepts, theories and evidence can inform an understanding of issues and practice.
-Carry out a focused special, and inclusive education inquiry into educational practice.
-Enhance professional practice through greater knowledge, skills, understanding and awareness.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two core modules (60 credits), optional modules and either a research report (30 credits) or a dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules
-Concepts and Contexts of Special and Inclusive Education
-Research Design and Methodology

Optional modules - in addition to the two core modules students take at least one module from the following:
-Autrism: Research and Practice
-Inclusive Pedagogy: Changing Practice through Action Research
-Language Development
-Psychology for Special Needs
-Social, Emotional and Behavioural Development
-Understanding SpLD (Dyslexia)

Students choose either one or two further options from the list above or, subject to the Programme Leader's approval, from elsewhere at the UCL Institute of Education.

Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a 10,000 to 12,000-word dissertation or 6,000 to 7,000-word report.

Teaching and learning
The MA is taught through lectures, group discussions, small group one-to-one tutorials, and computer lab classes. Compulsory and optional modules are assessed by range of assessment strategies including presentations and a 4,000-5,000 word written assignment; students may choose from a range of assessment titles. In addition, students may choose to write either a report (6,000-7,000 words) or a dissertation (10,000-12,000 words).

NB: this MA is not a teacher training programme and does not aim to train students via school-based training and teaching placements.

Careers

Graduates of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas. Some are working as managers in mainstream and special schools and other educational settings, while others support those with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities directly. Graduates can also be found working as staff in specialist services for children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Secondary School Teacher (IT), Langley Park School
-Special Educational Needs (SEN) Teacher, Special School of Piraeus
-Special Educational Needs (SEN) Teaching Assistant, Grange Primary School
-Special Needs Support Assistant, The UCL Academy
-Behavioural Co-Ordinator, The National Autistic Society

Why study this degree at UCL?

This programme provides students with the opportunity to study in one of the country's leading specialist departments in special educational needs and disability (SEND), and educational psychology, working with internationally-recognised tutors who have published widely in the areas of special education, inclusion and disability studies, and who contribute to Master's and doctoral programmes worldwide.

The programme team is committed to creating an intellectually challenging context in which students are encouraged to discuss practical knowledge, experience and ideas in order to extend their understanding of special and inclusive education.

This programme attracts students with rich and varied professional and personal experience, both nationally and internationally, and fellow students provide a valuable networking resource.

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Overview

The aim of the Master of Special Education is to provide a coherent program of study and professional experience to prepare students for the advanced professional duties of a qualified special educator working in either inclusive or specialised settings. The program focuses on evidence-based practice and the practical application of skills and knowledge to teaching practice. Students will become critical consumers of special education research and apply research principles to a small-scale project. The program incorporates flexible modes of delivery and is particularly suited to part-time study for practising professionals. Professional experience is an integral part of the program.

A prior teaching qualification is not required unless you want to work as a special education teacher in schools.

See the website http://courses.mq.edu.au/international/postgraduate/master/master-of-special-education

Key benefits

- All materials inlcluding seminars, will be available online, allowing greater flexibility
- You will complete two practicum placements in special education settings and SPED828, the capstone unit, involves working with students with special education needs in the student's current workplace or a practicum setting.
- As there is a shortage of qualified special educators across Australia graduates are in demand
- You will be taught by academics leading research in special education

Suitable for

Suitable if you are a teacher, special education teacher or in another career that involves working with people with disabilities.

Recognition of prior learning

As this course is a professional qualification RPL is rarely given. In certain circumstances students may apply for RPL for specific units at postgraduate level.

Work experience requirements

Macquarie University may recognise prior formal, informal and non-formal learning for the purpose of granting credit towards, or admission into, a program. The recognition of these forms of learning is enabled by the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy and its associated Procedures and Guidelines. For recognition of prior informal and non-formal learning, please refer to the Departmental RPL Plan, which describes the evidential requirements and approval processes for recognising prior learning for entry or credit in this program.

English language requirements

IELTS of 7.5 overall (with minimum 7.0 in Reading, 7.0 in Writing, 8.0 in Listening, 8.0 in Speaking) or equivalent

All applicants for undergraduate or postgraduate coursework studies at Macquarie University are required to provide evidence of proficiency in English.
For more information see English Language Requirements. http://mq.edu.au/study/international/how_to_apply/english_language_requirements/

You may satisfy the English language requirements if you have completed:
- senior secondary studies equivalent to the NSW HSC
- one year of Australian or comparable tertiary study in a country of qualification

Careers

- Accreditation
The Master of Special Education is a recognised teaching qualification in special education, though an initial teaching qualification is required to teach in schools. Postgraduate training may be recognised towards professional development requirements with the NSW Institute of Teachers.

- Career Opportunities
Graduates of this program may be employed as special education teachers or in related professional areas such as disability services, post-school employment support, respite care, early intervention etc.
There is a shortage of qualified special educators across Australia.
Note that if you wish to be employed as a teacher in a school, you will need to have a recognised teaching qualification in addition to this course.

- Employers
Schools or other organisations providing services for individuals with disabilities and/or learning or behaviour difficulties.

See the website http://courses.mq.edu.au/international/postgraduate/master/master-of-special-education

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This MA is designed for practising professionals, or those interested in research, in special educational needs and disability (SEND) – usually in schools, the lifelong learning sector and universities.

Its modular structure allows you to personalise your choice of units and progress at a pace that best suits you, with a final phase focused on educational research via a dissertation.

The MA Education engages you with key issues in education and aims to encourage your evidence-based practice, as you make direct and meaningful connections between the course and your own experiences and aspirations.

The course helps you to broaden your knowledge educational ideas and research findings, as you identify and justify recommendations for further action. This places you in a better position to develop your work as a classroom practitioner or school leader.

Intermediate qualifications available:

• Postgraduate certificate – 60 credits at Masters level
• Postgraduate diploma – 120 credits at Masters level

Visit the website: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/courses/postgraduate/next-year/education-special-educational-needs

Course detail

• Study on a modular course designed for professionals in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), that allows you to accumulate credit at a pace that suits you, with assessments based around needs specific to your role in your educational organisation
• Explore the process of teaching, learning support and/or educational leadership, focusing on personal, academic and vocational interests relevant to your educational context
• Develop your understanding of assessment formats with a negotiated focus in support of both individual and organisational needs
• Gain from undertaking primary research that informs your current practice, as well as acquiring the necessary research skills to engage in future research and progress to a PhD or EdD programme
• Benefit from a course that provides a clear progression route following completion of your Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course, develops both you and the organisation within which you work and could be used as the basis for further study at doctoral level (PhD and EdD).

Modules

Units on offer include:

• Meeting Diverse Needs
• Understanding Pupil Behaviour in Schools or Understanding difficulties in literacy development and dyslexia (these are distance learning units)
• Leading change in Education
• Enhancing Practice in Educational Contexts
• Research Methods in the Workplace
• Dissertation (Special Educational Needs)
• Educational Leadership in Context
• Analysing Policy: Children’s Voice
• Exploring Coaching and Mentoring
• Early Years Education and Care

You will receive guidance on the units that are most appropriate for your career aspirations and interests

Assessment

You will complete a range of assessments, many of which you can tailor to your existing or developing interests and experience.

You will do a number of oral presentations, which not only improve your ability to present information in a professional and coherent way but also enable the sharing of research and experience amongst the group.

Written assessments include portfolios, case studies, essays and literature reviews.

You will develop your research skills throughout the course and apply them to a final applied project or dissertation

Careers

This Master’s qualification will enhance your chances for promotion and for employment in other contexts. Master’s study supports promotion to senior positions in the field of education.

The course is designed to help you engage, study and critique key issues in education as well as to be able to identify and justify recommendations for further action.

As a Master’s graduate, therefore, you will have the confidence, knowledge and critical skills to prepare and present a strong application to senior posts in the field of education.

Previous graduates have gone on to take up enhanced roles within their organisation; some have undertaken PhD study.

Funding

For information on available funding, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/money/scholarships/pg

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/course/applicationform

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This course has been developed for those who are currently working as special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) and is mandatory for all SENCOs appointed since 2008. This course will enable you to meet the learning outcomes as prescribed by the government.

You about skills and approaches to leadership; and to develop and evaluate inclusive cultures, systems and approaches to education. These new skills help you to make a difference in your school and to the wellbeing, participation and achievement of children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities.

You reflect on, analyse and respond to current issues of practice through professional learning in the workplace and you are supported by experienced local special educational needs and disability (SEND) professionals as well as a mentor in your own school.

You develop

• a critical understanding of the values, principles and dilemmas of inclusive practices and policies
• a specialist knowledge base enabling you to obtain, evaluate and communicate current information regarding special educational needs and disabilities.
• an active community of practice with SENCOs and experienced SEN professionals supporting your leadership of change
• the skills and practices of reflective practice to develop effective partnership working with pupils, families and colleagues
• the skills and practices of professional enquiry to enable you to evaluate the impact of practice

You have access to current SEND practitioners and experts in the field who share up-to-date practice. Your university tutors specialise in SEND and have complementary experience across age phases and special and mainstream schools. Their expertise supports your understanding of inclusive principles and practice, using research and theory to support your reflections, enquiries and study skills.

You complete a number of assessments that are focused on the development of effective practice in your school. Assessments consist of two practice-based portfolios

Portfolio 1 – SENCO as manager

This consists of

• an evaluation of school policy relating to special educational needs and disability in relation to current national policy and guidance. This involves engaging with parent's in order to inform policy.
• an evaluation of the school’s additional provision for children and young people with special educational needs. This includes an analysis of school data and lesson study to inform effective provision mapping

Portfolio 2 – SENCO as leader

This consists of

• developing the role of SENCO as leader through evaluating and developing effective partnerships with other stakeholders
• engaging with pupil voice in order to inform professional learning developments and to support colleagues in making effective provision for children with particular SEN or disability

Further information

For more information regarding our routes into teaching, including funding, placements, QTS skills tests and career prospects visit our teach site.

Course structure

12 months part-time

You attend up to ten teaching/tutorial/study days which are spread over the course duration.

Core modules

• SENCO as manager: evaluation and developing policy and provision

This module enables special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) to engage critically with their management role evaluating, reporting on and developing policy, systems and provision in the context of national legislation and guidance, current knowledge on effective practice and wider equality and human rights agendas.

• SENCO as leader: people, principles and partnerships

This module enables special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) to engage critically with their leadership role in the context of the principles of inclusion, person centred planning and working in partnership with colleagues, children and young people and their families.

Modules

Modules cover • inclusive principles and values • social and medical modules of disability • the role of the SENCO in analysing organisational needs and managing change • the national policy context for SEN and disability including the SEN Code of Practice • equality and data protection requirements • formulating and reviewing policy • accessing and interpreting school data - tracking progression and participation • provision mapping • designing, evaluating and reporting on systems and provision • lesson study and action research methods • rights and duties under equality legislation • person centred planning and partnership working • the local context for the implementation of Child Assessment Framework (CAF), school support and Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) • leadership • role of the SENCO in leading professional learning • holistic assessment • researching and evaluatiing current knowledge and debates regarding high incidence special educational needs and disabilities • theories of learning and development • identifying needs and barriers to learning and participation • systematic evaluation in professional contexts

Assessment

Portfolio 1 – evaluation and review of policy, and analysis of additional provision for children and young people with SEN.

Portfolio 2 – evaluation of partnership with stakeholders, and planning for strategic professional learning.

Employability

This course enhances your skills as a special educational needs co-ordinator so you can continue to improve the school experience for children with SENs or disability and to support the developing practice of other professionals working in your school or setting. It also develops your leadership skills, enabling you to explore whole issues and development. It is also suitable if you want to work in an advisory or support role in the area of SEND.

Academic credits gained by successfully completing this course can be used towards a masters degree.

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Why study at Roehampton

• All modules are taught in the evening
• Choose a specialist pathway in either Inclusive Perspectives or Psychological Perspectives
• Tailor the programme to your own needs and interests
• Gain the Certificate of Competency in Educational Testing accredited by the British Psychological Society (optional) as part of the programme or as a stand-alone module

Course summary

The Special Educational Needs (SEN) programme investigates issues involved in the education and development of children and young people with learning difficulties, disabilities and disadvantages. Our programme is founded upon a commitment to forms of education which enable the participation, learning and development of all.

Students studying on the programme engage with aspects of theory, policy and practice relevant to international and local contexts. With its international profile, this programme brings together teachers and other professionals working directly with children and young people with learning difficulties, disabilities or disadvantages, as well as policy-makers and managers in areas of SEN and Inclusive Education.

On the MA Special Educational Needs, students choose between two distinct pathways, Inclusive Perspectives or Psychological Perspectives, which reflect different theoretical traditions and approaches to practice, provision and policy within the field of special educational needs, disability and inclusion. Both pathways are relevant to mainstream and special education contexts.

The Inclusive Perspectives pathway emphasises the application of inclusive and person-centred values and critical educational analysis. Concepts and theories such as person-centred education; participation and ‘voice’; the social model of disability and difference; and human rights and equalities are used to consider educational practice, provision, policy and systems relating to pupils experiencing difficulties in educational settings.

The Psychological Perspectives pathway emphasises the use and application of psychological theories. Concepts and theories of cognition, educational testing, and social and emotional development are central in developing psychologically informed understandings of children and young people experiencing difficulties in educational settings. 

Students greatly benefit from engaging with the insights, experiences and perspectives of other course members, from a diverse range of contexts and backgrounds. The combination of their own experiences, insights gained from others on the course and the theoretical resources offered by learning within the modules, enables students to deepen their understanding of, and to be able to challenge, the barriers that hinder the learning, development and participation of children and young people with learning difficulties, disabilities or disadvantages.

The teaching provided on modules is informed by active research and scholarship in the field of Inclusive Education and SEN practice and policy. All lecturers leading modules on the programme have high level specialist qualifications, teaching and leadership experience in the field of Education, SEN and Inclusive Education.

Content

All students complete a common module which takes a broad view of key perspectives and issues in SEN, it also introduces the psychological and inclusive perspectives. From here, students undertake specialist modules within the programme, depending on their chosen pathway.

Inclusive Perspectives Pathway content: Students critically explore the issues involved in children’s behaviour using sociological approaches. You will reflect on your own and society's beliefs about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ behaviour, which often relate to medical and psychological foundations of schools’ policies and practices. The social pedagogical approach is also explored as a basis for inclusive teaching and learning. A critical analysis of instrumentalist/functionalist approaches to teaching is developed with a view to enhancing holistic development and the participation of pupils as a means of addressing barriers to the inclusivity of the classroom. 

Psychological Perspectives Pathway content: On this route students engage with the idea that socially and emotionally well-adjusted students perform better at school, whilst social and emotional aspects of learning have become marginalised in a highly competitive education system. The use of psychometric testing is covered, with an exploration of its appropriate uses (students can gain a Certificate of Competency in Educational Testing, accredited by the British Psychological Society, from successfully undertaking this module). 

Optional modules are available to students on both pathways which focus on Dyslexia as a Specific Learning Difficulty and on Autism in Education. Students also have an option, instead of taking a taught optional module, to take a (non-taught) Independent Study module to learn about a specific issue relevant to their pathway and interests, which is not taught about in the programme.

The final module is an independent research-based enquiry (either a Dissertation or Practice-Based Research Project), which is founded upon the pathway perspective chosen, but is also subject to the student’s choice of topic.

Modules

Required modules for both routes

• Perspectives in SEN and Inclusion
• Undertaking Social and Educational Research
• Dissertation OR 
• Practice-based Research Project

Inclusive Perspectives

• Behaviour, Inclusion and Exclusion in Education
• Teaching, Learning and Social Pedagogy: working with difference, difficulty and individuality

Psychological Perspectives

• Assessment and Intervention in Education
• Social and Emotional Dimensions of Learning

Optional modules 

• Behaviour, Inclusion and Exclusion in Education
• Teaching, Learning and Social Pedagogy: working with difference, difficulty and individuality
• Dyslexia as a Specific Learning Difficulty
• Autism: Principles, Practices and Perspectives
• Assessment and Intervention in Education

Career options

The Programme supports and enables:

• Careers in professional practice and leadership: teaching, advisory work, SEN coordination, inclusion management, support assistance.
• Careers in policy-making, implementation and development of inclusion and SEN provision.
• Careers in research and developing the inclusion and SEN workforce in further and higher education.

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This Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) fulltime, campus- based programme is designed for educational and health practitioners that work with, or have an interest in working with, children identified as having special educational needs and disabilities. It provides opportunities for participants to reflect on their practice, to critique the conceptualisation of disability within culture and society, and to be analytical as to SEND practices and policies.

This course is internationally focused, and examines SEND practices around the world. Students will, however, be given opportunities to experience UK schools and to engage in research at both the UK and international level.

Awards available on the SEND programme
PG Cert – 3 modules (60 credits at M Level)
PGDip – 6 modules (120 credits at M Level)
MA – 6 modules plus a 15,000 word dissertation (180 credits at M Level)

The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) programme will enable you to deepen and extend your knowledge and understanding of educational and social theories which are related to working with children and young people with a range of special educational and individual learning needs.

The programme utilises lectures, seminars, tutorials, school visits, practical tasks, and discussions. Lectures and seminars are facilitatedby academics who are leaders in research in the field of SEND.

The programme has been designed to allow opportunities for individualisation of content to ensure that it is relevant to your professional and personal needs. As a student on the programme, you will be expected to be self-directed in your learning, and propose projects that can be practical, theoretical, or both. If you choose to pursue the MA award, you will have the opportunity to design and implement research that will allow you to gain skills in research design and methodology.

This programme is designed to supplement professionals already working in the field, or those seeking a general introduction to topics within special educational needs and disabilities. In general, this includes educators already working with students with special educational needs and disabilities, support workers in places such as a university or workplace disability service unit, a social worker or nurse providing care for persons with disabilities, someone working for a non-governmental organization dealing with disabilities issues, or a staff member of a Ministry of Education or Ministry of Health, amongst other things. This programme is not intended to be a training programme for Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), nor will it provide specific teacher training to directly work with students with disabilities in education or health settings.

About the School of Education

The School of Education has a long-standing reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research in a wide range of areas of educational practice and policy. It is an international leader in education with a history of top rated research. In the 2016 QS World Rankings, it was ranked 28th in the World and joint 7th in Europe/UK.
The School employs over 100 academic staff who teach more than 2,500 students. It is home to a number of departments and research centres with a history of top rated research and is an international leader in education.
School of Education ranking:
- Ranked 6th in the Guardian University League Tables 2017
- Ranked 10th in the 2017 Complete University Guide
- In Top 3 for HEI provision in the Good Teacher Training Guide
- Ranked 28th in the World in the 2016 QS World Rankings
- Ranked 9th overall for Research in the 2014 REF (with more than 82% of research rated as ‘internationally excellent’ (3*) or ‘world leading’ (4*).
- Rated 'outstanding' in latest Ofsted inspection (2013) for its Teacher Training programmes
- Ranked third for Education in The Times Good University Guide 2017

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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The Master of Education by coursework is designed to develop and support the careers of trained teachers who are teaching professionals, educational administrators, researchers and policymakers. The course does not lead to a professional teaching qualification. If you're seeking a professional teaching qualification and hold a bachelor's degree in another discipline, please refer to the Master of Teaching.

The Special and Inclusive Education specialisation is designed to help you develop the skills, knowledge and values needed to specialise in the teaching of children with special-education needs, or to qualify for appointments as leaders. You will tackle the challenges of students with special education needs, early language and learning issues, preventing disruptive behaviour, and teaching students with learning difficulties. The Master of Education (Special and Inclusive Education) is recognised by the NSW Department of Education and Communities as a formal qualification in Special Education.

To ask a question about this course, visit http://sydney.edu.au/internationaloffice/

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The MA in Inclusive Special Education has been designed to encourage greater understanding and a critical appreciation of the trends and developments in special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision in our schools.

You will have the opportunity to engage in the conceptual, philosophical and ethical debates relating to the education of children and young people who have a special educational need and/or disability both nationally and globally.

There will be a strong emphasis on promoting equality of opportunity, valuing diversity and social justice.

The Programme will therefore be relevant for educators working in any educational phase and in mainstream, special and specialist setting and has been designed to achieve a close connection between your studies at Masters level and your workplace practice.

Indicative modules
There will be two modules in each academic year and you will be able to begin the dissertation in either Semester 1 which starts in September or in Semester 2 which starts in February. While the course content in each module will cover a range of topics you will be encouraged and supported to develop your research in your specific area of interest in SEND and inclusive practice.

Critical Disability Studies (30 credits)

In this module you will be critically evaluating the discourses and models of disability and inclusive practice through relevant literature and develop insights into the interrelationship between social policy, political frameworks and ideological perspectives on SEND. You will investigate disability rights; equality of opportunity and advocacy in a global and political context, cultural representations of disability; SEN and ethnicity; the impact on families; social exclusion; ethics and disability. You will be encouraged to engage professionally and academically with a review of relevant literature into educational practices for pupils with SEND with the aim of evincing change within your workplace practice.

Communication and Interaction (30 credits)

This module aims to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the range of speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) experienced by children and young people, including; dyslexia, autism; specific learning difficulties, selective mutism; sensory impairments; bilingualism, and pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) and a SEND. You will critically examine the latest research and legislation on the education of children and young people who have a speech, language, communication difficulties and evaluate the range of educational and therapeutic interventions that are currently being used in schools and settings. You will gain knowledge and understanding of the links between research and educational practice by undertaking a case study in your workplace.

Exploring Inclusive Pedagogy (30 credits)

The aim of this module is to critically examine the concepts of inclusion in education and how special educational needs and disability is positioned within different establishments and phases of education. You will debate the social and educational implications for different types of inclusive provision and critically examine policies and practices that promote partnership with families and multiagency collaboration. Other topics will include teachers and TA/LSAs working together; partnership with parents; evaluating educational and therapeutic interventions; personalising learning; equality and diversity; the role of the SENCO; transitions from Early Years through to FE; SEND legislation and the political agenda and inclusive leadership. You will undertake an action research project to inform and change inclusive practices and promote school improvement.

Engaging Learners with Complex Needs (30 credits)

In this module you will develop your knowledge of a range of complex medical, developmental and psychological difficulties and how they affect learning and development. You will critically examine motivational and psychological theories; neuroscience and learning; complex medical needs; multisensory teaching for pupils with complex needs; mental health in children and young people; foetal alcohol spectrum disorder; attachment needs in children and young people; the legal and ethical frameworks for safeguarding children; the role of specialist and alternative provision, and multi-agency collaboration. For the assessment in this module you will critically evaluate teaching and learning strategies and alternative provision that supports pupils’ access to the curriculum through an observational study.

Dissertation (60 credits):

The dissertation represents the culmination of your study for the MA in Inclusive Special Education degree. It is divided into two 30 credit modules (Part 1 and Part 2) that focus on research methods for practitioner inquiry and developing an article for publication.

Part 1 (30 credits): You will design a medium scale enquiry with the intention of understanding and / or intervening to improve inclusive practice for children and young people with a SEND in the workplace on a topic of your choice. You will need to demonstrate a critical awareness of the ethical issues underpinning educational research and clearly justify choices in the research design, methodology and methods to address these issues. You will design, apply and critically evaluate data gathering and analysis methods to investigate a chosen aspect of SEND and/or inclusive practice and interpret your findings to inform the development of practice and the achievement of children and young people with a SEND.

Part 2 (30 credits): You will need to successful complete Part 1 before continuing with Part 2. Part 2 will give you the opportunity to problematise practitioner research within the wider context of educational concerns in the education of children and young people with a SEND, and the application of ideas from literature to school-based inquiry. You will achieve this through a critical review of the research including international research and professional literature around a chosen area of practitioner inquiry to inform your understanding of how to select relevant data and provide justification for the methods used and the implications future action. This will culminate in a greater understanding of the approaches and techniques for writing and disseminating work of publishable quality.

Teaching assessment
The MA in Inclusive Special Education can normally be completed in 3 years on a part-time basis, as follows:Two years (four semesters) with one module per semester, plus a further year (two semesters) for the dissertation.

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This programme focuses on inclusive practice. It is intended for teachers and other professionals working with students who are experiencing barriers to learning and participation or other special educational needs, whether in mainstream, special schools/units, colleges or early years settings.

Supported by current research, practice and theory, the programme is designed to help you develop your knowledge, understanding and critical skills in the analysis and evaluation of current research, theory and practice. The programme will provide you with opportunities to explore a range of areas, such as international developments in special/inclusive education, how to work with and involve parents and children and the school's role in promoting inclusion. You will also look at a range of topics that arouse controversy and debate in the area of special needs.

Please note that the MSc Education (Special and Inclusive Education) is designed for professionals with one year's experience, either in paid employment or as a volunteer.

Programme structure

Core units
-Introduction to Educational Inquiry
-How Schools Can Respond to Diversity and to Pupils' Special Needs
-Controversial Issues in Special and Inclusive Education
-Inclusive Education and Working with Parents/Carers

Optional units
-Students studying this programme will be able to take optional units from across the school.

Dissertation
-You will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation.

Careers

We offer the academic and personal development opportunities to equip you for the intellectual, social and personal challenges that you will encounter during your career. Our overarching goal is to enable our graduates to display the following characteristics:
-Equipped to demonstrate impact, excellence and distinctiveness in their chosen field.
-Visionary, imaginative, innovative, reflective and creative.
-High ideals and values, including a strong sense of social justice.
-Highly employable throughout the world.
-Adaptable, with the potential to be a leader in work and in the community.

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