Postgraduate Taught

This is one of the longest established MBA Education courses in the UK. It is designed to serve the needs of middle, senior and aspiring managers in local authorities, schools, FE colleges, universities, Learning and Skills Councils, and related public and private sector organisations. The programme recruits students from LEAs, FE, HE, Ofsted and schools as well as from overseas. It is a freestanding course but can be used as a steppingstone to the PhD and EdD courses, also offered at Keele.

The course aims to offer a comprehensive and critical analysis of current policy and practice issues within the education service. The course is based on six taught modules and submitted assignments. The course materials are introduced at two-day residential sessions and then used as the basis of a theoretical evaluation of policy and practice as experienced by the student. The course develops research skills through the assignments and these are applied in a dissertation undertaken from the September of Year 2 and submitted one year later. The dissertation topic is individually negotiated and offers an opportunity for consideration of work-based, local or national policy and professional applications. The course has been designed to meet the pattern of competences evolved by the Local Government Training Board.

There are no specific undergraduate subject requirements but students should have a good honours degree (or equivalent) plus appropriate professional training and/or experience. Overseas students are welcome to apply.

The course comprises six taught modules and a dissertation. Students meet for two consecutive days in each of the first five terms of the course. This opportunity to work together at Keele has been regarded as a vital support for what is essentially a distance learning course. The normal pattern of teaching is that a full day is given to each module with a theoretical introduction, consideration of practical applications and then an extended case study. Distance learning materials have been specially commissioned for each module so that the focus is on service provision rather than on generic educational issues.

Assignments are submitted about two months after each introductory session. The course director assumes a tutorial responsibility for all students, but after dissertation interests have been determined, supervisors are allocated from the teaching team.

The six taught modules (120 credits) are:

Year 1

• Organisational behaviour and development – the culture, operation and evaluation of groups and teams (15 credits)
• Quality, improvement and effectiveness – best practice and best value in action (30 credits)
• Strategic management – planning for and coping with change (15 credits)

Year 2

• Resource management – maximising resource creativity, evaluation and audit (15 credits)
• Human resource issues – performance management and team enhancement (15 credits)
• Research methods – introduction and guide to research methodologies, concepts and issues (30 credits)

All modules are taught from the perspective of administrators and leaders in the education service and public/private sector policy researchers. Keele tutors are supported by senior practitioners in Education, together with guest speakers with specialist knowledge and/or research experience in the sector.

There are no formal examinations. Assessment is based upon assignments and the end of course dissertation. All assignments are between 3,000 and 4,500 words in length and are graded according to School and University guidelines. Work that does not secure the 50% pass grade can be resubmitted.
The dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words is similarly marked and constitutes one-third of the total Masters programme (60 credits). The degree may be awarded with distinction or merit where work shows exceptional quality. All marking is full, structured and developmental. Tutorial support is available during assignment preparation. In order to be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate a student must have successfully completed 60 taught module credits. In order to be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma a student must have successfully completed 120 taught module credits.

Staff

Our intention is that key elements of the teaching will be provided by a member of the Education or Management School of the University working alongside support tutors from various parts of UK education, including local authorities, colleges, schools, and universities. Course members will be taught and/or supervised by a team drawn from:

At most residentials we invite nationally known figures from education management, policy and research to lead two-hour talk and debate sessions with the students.