MA Leadership and Management (Education)

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Start Date

September
Location

Newport
Campus Code

C

Fees

Home students

£10,800*
International students

£16,900*
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

Start Date

September
Location

Newport
Campus Code

C

Fees

Home students

£1,200*
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

Overview
Module Overview
Course Highlights
Entry Requirements
Fees and Funding
How to Apply

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Build the knowledge, confidence and practical skills to lead effectively in educational and professional learning settings.

Career paths

Senior leadership
Managerial roles
Researchers
Curriculum leaders
Aspiring leaders

Skills taught

Critical assessment of leadership approaches
Applying theory to professional practice
Understanding sector developments
Leading with insight and confidence

Course Highlights

Tailor your learning

Tailor your study with flexible modules in leadership, SEN, inclusion and more—shaping your path to success depending on your career ambitions.

Expert teaching team

Learn from expert educators with vast experience, research expertise, and engagement at government level.

Flexible schedule

Evening face-to-face teaching is designed to fit around your schedule, making it easier to balance your current work commitments or professional experience alongside your studies.

Global impact

Our well-established course has helped develop educational leaders not just in Wales, but globally, with successful cohorts spanning decades.

Diverse student cohort

Study alongside experienced educators from a diverse range of backgrounds, gaining global insights and peer learning opportunities.

Module Overview

You will take the following two specialist leadership and management modules.

Developing Learning in Organisations
Topics covered include the management of learning, the wellbeing agenda, the role of senior managers and the management of new curriculum initiatives, assessment for learning, parental and community participation.

Developing People in Organisations
This module will appeal to those working as, or aspiring to be, leaders in institutions with an educational setting. Topics covered include team building, effective leadership, appraisal and mentoring and managing change in organisations. Different leadership models are considered alongside national initiatives.

Course Highlights

How you’ll learn

On this on-campus course, you'll engage in interactive teaching sessions, seminars, and group discussions, focusing on active learning and real-world case studies. Teaching sessions and seminars will take place in the evening, allowing part-time students to work, study, or undertake work experience during the day. As you progress through the course, your learning will become more independent, however you’ll still have access to support via dedicated one-to-one supervision in your final dissertation project. You’ll also have access to study skills support and mentoring throughout your journey.

Teaching staff

You'll be taught by a team of experts with real-world experience across education and beyond. The staff are involved in active research as well as teaching, and therefore have well-established links with policy makers and are at the forefront of developments in the field of education. Passionate about what they do, the teaching team are here to support you throughout your time on the course in a collaborative and inclusive learning environment.

Placements and work experience

You’ll have the flexibility to arrange work experience that fits your interests—whether in a school, college, or another educational setting. Work experience alongside your studies can allow you to gain fresh insights, expand your expertise, and build a stronger CV to take your career to the next level. Evening teaching sessions allows you the flexibility to balance study and hands-on experience, giving you the chance to apply what you learn in real-time. The teaching team is on hand to offer support and write references if you wish to undertake work experience whilst you study.

Facilities

Studying at our Newport campus means you'll have access to fantastic facilities designed for collaboration. From modern learning hubs to well-equipped IT suites and an extensive library, everything you need will be at your fingertips. There is also a dedicated education librarian and online databases that can support your literature research and dissertation module. Bookable study rooms, the Learning Centre and Advice Zone are also all accessible during your time at USW.

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

Upon completing this course, you’ll be equipped to take on leadership roles in diverse educational settings. You’ll develop the skills to manage change, lead teams effectively, and create an environment to help staff to reach their potential. The knowledge and experience gained will support distributed, adaptable and compassionate leadership to transform the workplace. Graduates are well-prepared to lead educational reform, implement innovative practices, and drive improvement in teaching and learning, positioning you as a dynamic leader in the education sector and beyond.

Possible career paths

Graduates of this course can pursue a wide range of career paths, including senior leadership roles such as headteacher or department head. Opportunities also exist in learning and development leadership, change management, and educational consultancy. The skills acquired will enable you to take on strategic roles in local authorities, government departments, and international educational organisations. You may also find roles in private, public, or third-sector organisations, contributing to initiatives aimed at improving educational outcomes, enhancing staff development, and driving systemic change in a variety of settings. Graduates also benefit from being able to take on leadership aspects of roles that are not necessarily managerial, eg, managing project teams.

Careers support

The USW careers service will help you discover your career possibilities both during and after your degree. You’ll have access to support, development and guidance on CV writing, completing applications, mastering interviews and navigating the recruitment process. As a USW student you’ll also be able to attend skills workshops, employer sessions, and careers fairs, connecting with new employers, enhancing your skills, and boosting your confidence.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Typical qualification requirements:

You should be a graduate or, if you’re a non-graduate, you will need relevant experience. For those students who have already obtained a professional qualification (for example a NPQH) it may be possible to accredit prior learning or achievement for this work, provided that a bridging assignment is submitted (a fee of £100 is charged for supporting and assessing this assignment).

Additional requirements include:

Full-time and part-time students choosing modules which have a placement component as part of the assessment process, will need to provide evidence of a current enhanced DBS check (or its equivalent if you are an EU or international student).
Full-time students wishing to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the internship scheme, will also need to provide evidence of a current enhanced DBS check (or its equivalent if an EU or international student).

How to apply

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

Contextual Admissions Policy

Fees and Funding

UK Full-time Fee

£10,800

per year*

International Full-time Fee

£16,900

per year*

UK Part-time Fee

£1,200

per 20 credits*

Further Information

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

Fees and Funding Scholarships and Busaries Alumni Discount

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

* Obligatory

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

THE MA IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT AT USW EMPOWERED ME TO LEAD WITH VISION, INSPIRE CHANGE, AND PURSUE MY GOAL OF SHAPING FUTURE EDUCATION POLICY.

Chamika Nayanakumara Kukule Vithanage

MA Leadership and Management (Education)

How to apply

There is an online application process for this course. Please choose the application form for your preferred start date and mode of study (i.e. full-time or part-time).

International admissions

Please see our international admissions advice for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Studying at USW

Our courses are designed with industry leaders and provide the practical skills and experiences industry demands. Our flexible courses reflect the need for life-long learning. If you value education in practice, not just in theory, then USW is for you.