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Education at UEA
Find out more about studying Education at UEA, and browse our other courses.
Find out moreMSc Education Leadership and Management (Part Time)
Key details
- Attendance
- Part Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Science
- Course Length
- 2 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2027
Course options
Other Start Dates
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Other Start Dates
Course Overview
Why MSc Education Leadership and Management at UEA?
Build the skills to lead improvement and manage educational change in the UK and globally.
Learn how policy, leadership and daily practice connect, and use this insight in your work.
Why Choose UEA
- Develop policy insight: Understand how policy shapes education and learn how leaders and managers make change happen in real settings
- Observe practice: Choose an observed practice-based module, where available, to link study with a work setting and reflect on leadership
- Apply your learning: Use strategy and negotiation through workshops and case examples linked to education work
What is MSc Education Leadership and Management?
This course helps you to understand how education organisations work and how leaders can create change. You’ll explore leadership, management and policy ideas and test them against real examples.
You’ll examine why change can be hard and what helps improvement last. In sessions, you’ll look at how systems, context, and resources shape what leaders can do.
During your degree, you’ll build your skills in analysis, research, and decision-making. You'll also complete a dissertation linked to a leadership or policy challenge that you want to understand.
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Careers
Career Pathways
With MSc Education Leadership and Management Part-Time, you could work in roles such as:
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School leader: Lead teams and drive improvement in schools or other education groups
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Policy analyst: Work in government, charities or research centres on education policy and evaluation
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Project leader: Deliver education projects in local services, charities or education organisations
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Researcher and consultant: Support improvement through research, evaluation and advisory work
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Postgraduate researcher: Continue your studies with a PhD or Ed.D
Career Support
During your studies, you’ll build your skills in analysis, communication and problem-solving for leadership roles. Where available, you can learn from guest talks and visits to education settings. Our team of experts at UEA Career Central(opens in a new window) can help you refine applications and prepare for interviews. Your dissertation can provide evidence and examples for promotion, career change, or demonstrate readiness for doctoral studies.
After the Course
Our graduates often move into leadership, management, policy and consultancy roles in education. You’ll leave this course able to plan change, assess impact, and make decisions using evidence. You may wish to progress to doctoral study if you want to deepen your research skills.
Study and Modules
Structure
We’ve designed this course to give you multiple opportunities to reflect on leadership and management practices whilst developing sound judgment in analysing the complexities of educational improvement. You’ll also gain the ability to evaluate a range of approaches to education policy and strategy.
In addition to the core modules, there are optional modules that allow you to tailor the course to your personal interests over two years.
Early into your first year, you'll consider important recent developments in the education leadership and management field, discussing them in relation to practical issues arising from leading and managing organisational improvement.
You’ll then turn to learning about educational improvement initiatives that are sensitive to the individual needs of children, young people or adults, in diverse local contexts. You'll examine the complexity of initiatives aimed at improving teaching and learning.
To complement your specialist leadership and management studies, you'll also be able to choose an optional module from the suite of courses in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 60)Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Structure
In your second year, you'll have the opportunity to develop an advanced understanding of policy and strategy, as well as explore problems with policy implementation.
Moreover, you'll develop advanced analytical and research skills that will enable you to critically evaluate diverse approaches to conducting research in the fields of education policy, leadership and management.
You'll then have an opportunity to further refine these skills while writing your Master’s dissertation.
Compulsory Modules
Important Information
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning, and Assessment
Teaching and Learning
You’ll learn through interactive seminars, with time for discussion and practical tasks. You’ll have the opportunity to work on cases and real problems to apply strategy and develop your communication skills. In sessions, you’ll get to discuss policy change and what it means for schools and other settings, both in the UK and globally. During sessions, you’ll learn with a diverse group and share different perspectives. Your lecturers support you through tutorials and tailored feedback. You’ll also use the library and online resources to support your studies.
Over two years, you’ll complete your taught study and build your research skills, before finally submitting your dissertation.
Assessment
Assessment on this course will allow you to apply the ideas you’ve learned to real leadership and policy problems. You’ll submit written work that may include essays, reports, and applied analysis. Throughout your studies, you’ll receive feedback that can help you improve your writing and the critical use of evidence.
Building on earlier feedback and support, you’ll write and submit a dissertation that showcases your ability to research and present a clear argument.
Assessment across the two years: You’ll submit coursework across both teaching semesters, as well as your final dissertation.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.2
Degree Subject
Any subject area with relevant experience or an education related degree with no relevant experience.
- Additional Entry Requirements
Relevant experience of working in an educational setting or education-related activity is desirable.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent
Degree Subject
Any subject area with relevant experience or an education related degree with no relevant experience.
- Additional Entry Requirements
Relevant experience of working in an educational setting or education-related activity is desirable.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in all components).
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies(opens in a new window) for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, UEA International Study Centre offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills:
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- International Study Centre
If you do not meet the academic requirements for this course, you may be able to study the International Pre-Masters programme offered by our partner INTO UEA. This programme guarantees progression to selected Master's degrees if students achieve the appropriate grade. For more details, please click here:
International Pre-Masters in Business, Economics and Social Sciences
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2027/28 are:
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UK Students: £11,750
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International Students: £25,000
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships(opens in a new window); please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees(opens in a new window) for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form(opens in a new window).
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk(opens in a new window)
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students(opens in a new window) section of our website.