MA in Applied Professional Studies in Education (MA APSE)
The School of Education at Sheffield University has been ranked as one of the UK´s top 5 research institutions and was also awarded the highest grade of `excellent´ in the last HEFCE Teaching Quality Assessment.
The MA in Applied Professional Studies in Education is therefore in a position to draw on a range of expertise from across the School, whilst also building on the highly successful Initial Teacher Education (Post Graduate Certificate in Education/PGCE) programme.
Working in partnership with professional subject associations, this part-time distance learning programme is designed to enable teachers to enhance the teaching and learning of their specialist subject by means of critical reflection on a flexible range of professional development activity, as well as through classroom-based inquiry.
An innovative programme
The Sheffield MA in Applied Professional Studies in Education is an exciting new programme which is run in partnership with 9 subject associations as well as local authorities. It is supported by the Training and Development Agency for Schools as part of its Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) programme
- All work can be oriented to address issues and areas that are pertinent and directly relevant to participants’ professional contexts and concerns;
- Students meet and are tutored, supported and supervised by a wide range of experts who have national and international reputations in their respective fields;
- Subject association activities, such as conference attendance and national and local workshops, are accredited by means of a professional portfolio, and provide access to a wider range of expertise;
- Individual professional development needs, and strategies for meeting them, are considered by means of a reflective journal, written with the support of university tutors;
- Direct links are made to teaching and learning priorities in participants’ schools and local authorities;
- Expertise in classroom-based inquiry and evaluation methods is developed, specifically related to participants’ specialist subjects;
- Opportunities for schools to encourage whole school development through collaborative inquiry can be taken if appropriate;
- Opportunities are offered to disseminate participants’ research and new practices with other teachers;
- Flexible provision means that the programme is suitable for teachers at all stages of their careers, including induction year;
- The programme is also suitable for teachers who wish to build on the Masters credits awarded with the PGCE.
Participants take up to four modules in order to achieve a postgraduate Certificate or Diploma. They may then move on to the dissertation which leads to the Masters qualification. Teachers who bring with them 60 Masters credits awarded with the PGCE will complete two modules before the dissertation.
To learn more about the aims of the programme please follow this link: www.sheffield.ac.uk/education/courses/taught-masters/distance-learning/maapse/maapseaims.