Primary Education

The PGCEM Primary Masters is intended for education professionals, policy makers and researchers at any stage of their career. Many students have relevant international experience and interests. We aim to fuse research and theoretical understandings about primary/elementary education with current priorities in policy and practice. You will have the opportunity to:

• Enhance your educational understanding and practice through critical reflection, study and research;
• Critically engage with the best quality national and international educational research that has relevance to primary education;
• Carry out individual and collaborative critical enquiry into significant educational issues and practice;
• Develop your thinking in order to contribute to informed policy and practice analysis and improvement in the primary phase and your own work setting.

Course modules:

• Critical perspectives on primary education policy and practice
• Creative approaches to the curriculum
• Pedagogy, talk and learning
• The school as a community

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme, students will have:

• a comprehensive understanding of research techniques, and a thorough knowledge of the literature applicable to primary education;
• demonstrated originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in their field;
• shown abilities in the critical evaluation of current research and research techniques and methodologies;
• demonstrated self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and acted autonomously in the planning and implementation of research.

Continuing

Students wishing to continue from the PGCEM to PhD or EdD are required to achieve a mark of 70 or higher for the thesis.

Students on the MPhil complete the full course in one year with sessions on primary education and research methodology. PGCE-M students complete the MEd course in one year part-time. Other MEd students complete the course over two years, part-time. The Primary Education route teaching happens for full-time and part-time students together on a Wednesday afternoon (4.30-7pm), with two Friday/ Saturday morning conferences during the year. Part-time students attend 2-3 research methodology sessions per term on Wednesdays 2-7pm. Full-time students have further sessions on research methodology and educational enquiry at other times in the week.

Modules

• Critical perspectives on primary education policy and practice
• Creative approaches to the curriculum
• Pedagogy, talk and learning
• The school as a community

IMPORTANT:  This course is only open to students who have completed the PGCE at the Faculty of Education.  PGCEM applicants are NOT required to submit transcripts or references.