MODE OF STUDY

Part-time, Part-time by distance learning

DURATION

2 years part-time

START DATE

September 2023

Overview

Do you want to get a Master's qualification and develop your leadership and management skills while you earn a salary and work full time?

On this MSc Educational Leadership and Management degree apprenticeship course, you'll learn about leadership strategy, decision-making in education and human resource management. Whether you work in teaching, social care, healthcare, youth work or the police, you'll build on your previous skills, studies and experience and develop your expertise, theories and techniques to postgraduate level. The Government or your employer pay your tuition fees – so it doesn’t cost you anything.

You can do this course on campus (starting in September/October) or by distance learning (starting in September/October or January). If you do it by distance learning, you'll spend about 20% of your time at work studying. You'll also need to attend an induction seminar on campus and take a face-to-face unit that includes weekly lectures. Whichever study mode you choose, you'll need to do some study out of work time.

Once you complete the course, you'll have the skills and knowledge to take on new responsibilities in educational leadership and management and seek out ambitious new roles.

Entry requirements

MSc Educational Leadership and Management (Degree Apprenticeship) Master's degree entry requirements

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January 2023 start

Qualifications or experience

• A minimum of a second-class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject. Equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications will be considered.
• All applicants to the Degree Apprenticeship courses must have an acceptable Level 2 qualification in English and Mathematics. Acceptable qualifications include GCSE with grade C/4 or above and Functional Skills with Pass – please note that we are not able to accept all kinds of Level 2 qualifications, so if you are unsure whether you have a suitable qualification please get in touch.
• If you do not have an acceptable qualification you may be required to take an additional assessment during the application process.

What you'll experience

On this course, you'll:

• Learn the key themes in current research and professional practice
• Apply what you learn in your current workplace, to ensure that your learning is meaningful and professionally relevant
• Get a learning manager from the University and a workplace mentor
• Access our Library resources, including electronic resources which you can access from anywhere with a web connection
• Have access to the University's student support services and community including study support and the Students’ Union
• Work at your own pace, in your own time, with access to our study resources and interactive online learning materials for distance learners 
• Receive and discuss feedback with lecturers and other students (accessible via web-based chat forums for distance learners) 
• Network with other students on the course to share ideas, knowledge, experience and contacts

Careers and opportunities

You can put the skills you’ll learn on this course to use wherever your leadership and management career takes you. Previous students have gone on to become heads of department, deputy heads and headteachers.

After you leave the University, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.

What you'll study on this MSc Senior Leader Degree Apprenticeship (Educational Leadership and Management) degree course

You need to study modules worth a total of 180 credits. Core modules include:

• Dissertation – 60 credits
• Human Resource Management in Education – 30 credits
• Leadership, Policy and Strategy: the Management of Educational Change – 30 credits
• Research Methods in Education – 30 credits

There are no optional modules in this year.

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Changes to course content

We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

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Learning support

As well as support by faculty teaching staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University’s Academic Skills Unit (ASK).

ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:

• academic writing
• note taking
• time management
• critical thinking
• presentation skills
• referencing
• working in groups
• revision, memory and exam techniques

Teaching

This course is primarily delivered via our interactive virtual learning environment, although one module will be taught face to face, and you'll need to attend the campus-based induction seminar. Face to face teaching may included seminars, group work, lectures, student presentations and one-to-one tutorials.

The virtual learning environment gives you access to all the study material you’ll need, discussion forums and the chance to connect with peers and lecturers via chat sessions, you’ll have plenty of academic support and heaps of resources.

You'll also get an induction, master classes, and specialist talks on campus. We’ll support you through tutorials, on the phone or over Skype, throughout the course.

How you'll spend your time

On this degree apprenticeship, you'll work 4 days and study 1 day during your working week. You'll also be expected to study out of work time. 

How you're assessed

You'll be assessed through:

• reflective commentaries
• case study work
• article critiques
• online discussion
• research proposal and a dissertation
• briefing documents
• analytical reports
• research-based projects

Your tutors will guide you through the assessment process for each module.

You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Course costs and funding

Tuition fees

The course fee is shared between the Government and some employers, meaning no cost to you as the degree apprentice. Total tuition fees are £14,000 paid over 2 years.

The cost of End-Point Assessment (EPA) is included in the total tuition fees. Your employer will also need to pay the End Point Assessment (EPA) fee. The cost of the EPA varies. This is in addition to the tuition fees.

Please see our Degree Apprenticeships page, or contact us, for further information about the EPA.

Tuition fees terms and conditions

Additional course costs

These course-related costs aren’t included in the tuition fees. So you’ll need to budget for them when you plan your spending. 

Additional costs

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Accommodation and living costs

General costs

Final year project

How to apply

Application deadline 28 July 2023. Applications received after this date may not be considered.

How you apply for a degree apprenticeship depends on whether you’re currently employed or not.

How to apply with your current employer

If you’re in full-time employment and would like to do a degree apprenticeship with your current employer, ask them to contact us so we can discuss with them how we can work together. 

You might find it useful to share our information for employers page with them.

How to apply with a new employer

If you’re not employed full-time or not working for a company that can fund and support your degree apprenticeship, you'll need to apply for a degree apprenticeship with a company that offers them.

You'll follow their standard recruitment process and we'll assess your academic suitability for the course once you've applied.

We can let you know when there are degree apprenticeship vacancies available with companies we work with – contact us to give us your details.

You can also browse degree apprenticeship vacancies with employers with whom we already have relationships.

If you have questions about degree apprenticeships, please get in touch with us.

Admissions terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to abide by our Student Contract (which includes the University's relevant policies, rules and regulations). You should read and consider these before you apply.

You and your employer

When you begin studying for your degree apprenticeship:

• You need to be 18 or over
• You should be able to satisfy government requirements on residency:
  • you must be a citizen or have the right to live in the UK/EEA
  • you must have been a resident in the UK/EEA (not the Channel Islands or Isle of Man) for a minimum of 3 years
  • you must not need a Student Route visa, and must not have been on a Student Route visa within the past 3 years
• You need to have the right to work in the UK, and to spend at least 50% of your working hours in England
• Your job should meet the requirements of the apprenticeship standard relevant to this degree – we can advise you and your employer on this
• Your employer needs to have registered an apprentice service account – we can help your employer with this if needed

If you aren't currently working in a relevant field, you can apply for a job and degree apprenticeship simultaneously. Read more about applying for this degree apprenticeship.