MRes Educational Leadership

MRes Educational Leadership

Award

MRes

Start Date

27/01/2025

Duration

12 months

Mode

Full-time

Location

University of Bolton

The MRes Educational Leadership degree is a multidisciplinary research training programme with a specialised focus on educational leadership and change. Combining rigorous training in advanced research skills with personalised research projects that build deep subject knowledge in educational leadership, this exciting postgraduate programme is designed to inspire your imagination, foster your creativity and support you in becoming an exemplary educational leader.

Apply Now Download Prospectus Programme Specification

Course Overview

This University of Bolton's Masters by Research (MRes) in Educational Leadership is a multidisciplinary research training programme designed to be truly novel and sui generis. It is designed for those currently in or aspiring to senior or middle leadership in schools, colleges, universities, or other professional settings.

It is highly relevant for education practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and scholars interested in exploring leadership in an educational context and developing advanced research skills to inform evidence-based leadership decision-making. Completing this programme will enhance your professional effectiveness in leadership, educational reform, and managing change. You will develop the knowledge and political skills needed to improve public and private educational environments.

The programme is delivered through a staged and flexible approach, enabling you to develop research skills in preparation for a PhD or Professional Doctorate. You may have opportunities to undertake applied research projects involving knowledge exchange.

The MRes programme will provide a common foundation for PhD or Professional Doctorate programmes with interim awards available following the gaining of 60 credits (PgCert), 120 credits (PgDip) and an exit award of the 180 credit MRes.

Highlights

Key Features

Entry Requirements

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

Career Opportunities

You will develop transferable skills of independent thought and critical analysis, analysing and evaluating complex issues and solving unfamiliar problems, presenting ideas clearly and with confidence, and working independently.

What can I do with this qualification?

The programme is designed to prepare you for a career where research and leadership is a key component, whether that is in academia or elsewhere. It provides a foundation for further (doctoral) study, and broadens your horizons in employability.

Alternative career options

Here are some career options you can pursue with an MRes. Please bear in mind that some of these options require prior experience and/or additional qualifications).

  • Academic Research Assistant
  • Research and Development Technician/Assistant
  • Market Researcher
  • Researcher
  • Research Analyst
  • Policy Advisor
  • Quality inspection
  • Consultancy
  • Local Authority senior management
  • Department for Education senior management
  • Journalism/writing
  • Educational charity work
  • Local government
  • Higher education teaching
  • Higher education leadership
Fees & Funding

Home/EU Fees

Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £8,496 for the academic year 2024/25.

International Fees

Overseas students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Overseas fee of £15,950 for the academic year 2024/25.

Bursaries

Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2024-25 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

How to apply

Home Applicants

You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:

You should have to hand:

  • Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates

  • Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies

  • Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role

  • Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately

  • Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference

Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.

Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.

If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk

International Applicants

Thank you for your interest

In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.

Continue

Teaching & Assessment

A core team of specialist lecturers teaches the course over three semesters. We will employ a range of learning and teaching methods, including (face-to-face or online) lectures, seminars, tutorials, discussion groups, guest speakers and master classes. You will also need to devote significant time to personal study, undertaking activities such as background reading, online activities, assessment work, and session preparation. We adopt a scaffolded approach to learning with more intensive teaching and support in the first semester, building to more independent study during the research project.

The programme's assessment strategy is designed to ensure you achieve the overall aims and learning outcomes of the programme, as well as the learning outcomes for individual modules. Assessment evaluates your achievement and can help you organise and develop your learning. Assessment feedback is also essential in helping you build your skills and understand your strengths and weaknesses.

The types of assessment you will be required to complete fall into two general categories: formative and summative. Formative assessments are activities that do not contribute to your overall module grades. They are, however, an integral part of the learning strategy for a module, and you are required to complete them. You will receive feedback on your level of achievement; this may take a variety of forms.

Summative assessments are those activities for which the marks will contribute to your overall module grade. You will also receive feedback on these assessments so that you know what you have done well and where you can improve.

We employ many different forms of assessment during the programme. For both formative and summative purposes, the major forms are coursework, reports, case studies, oral presentations, research proposals, and an extended project.

We adopt a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

  • Academic Skills and Professional Development
  • MRes Specialism: Critical Insights
  • Research Design and Methods
  • Collaborative Research Project
  • Advanced Research Analysis and Methods
  • Dissertation

Assessment methods

Level Assessment method
Level 1 Coursework 88%
Practical exams 12%

Learning Activities

Level Activity
Level 1 Guided independent study 85%
Scheduled learning and teaching activities 16%

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.

Programme Contacts

Help Centre

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Part of the University of Bolton Group

Bolton college
Alliance learning
Anderton centre2
QQA Scheme Participant

Help Centre

We have the answers to your questions, find all the advice and support in one place.

Part of the University of Bolton Group

Bolton college
Alliance learning
Anderton centre2
QQA Scheme Participant