MA Residential Education (fully online)

The MA in Residential Education is a school-based online course for those working in or with an interest in boarding schools. It is offered in partnership with the Boarding Schools’ Association. We have students based all over the world undertaking this programme, for example, we have several members of the Australian Boarding School Association work with us each year. They are keen to take advantage of the opportunity to pursue their own area of interest while being given clear guidance in relation to the requirements of a comprehensive and challenging level 7 academic qualification.

This course allows those with experience in boarding school settings, who are keen to get involved with and develop skills in research, to write about a topic of significance to them. You will complete a number of modules enabling you to develop your understanding both of the research process as well as your topic of interest.  The culmination of the MA is a 12,000 to 15,000-word dissertation. You will also complete a literature review, which informs your dissertation, and you will learn about different research methods. You will be expected to read widely around the subject of Residential Education.  Following this course helps to develop your critical thinking and your ability to present a written argument.

Applicants may be from either state or independent boarding schools in the UK or abroad.

Course content

The course includes:

• Establishing your research focus
• Discovering relevant literature and how to write a literature review
• What is expected of Level 7 academic writing?
• How to navigate the topic of research methodology
• Planning your dissertation
• Ethical considerations when researching

“The course is really well structured and so interesting. Thoroughly recommend this. A brilliant course which will challenge, stretch and inspire.”

Every Master’s student is allocated a supervisor. You will regularly communicate for example via Teams, Email or another online meeting platform with your supervisor at times that are suitable for you both, to support each module. You will also have access to regular online study sessions throughout the course. There is an induction session early on to introduce you to how the course will run, then there are twilight sessions UK time, during the year to support you with each module and with additional sessions to aid with the completion of the dissertation. The majority of these are optional in terms of attendance as we know that many people struggle to be available at certain times. However, all these sessions are recorded and can be watched after the live event. This means that as you progress through the course you end up having access to library of videos to support you to a successful outcome. It is important to understand that you as a Master’s student, will be expected to work independently and to use the guidance provided to complete the required modules.

What will I gain?

• You will acquire a new set of skills. You are required to engage with a wide range of arguments and be prepared to be critical of them, to synthesise arguments and perhaps most importantly to develop your own critical voice.
• A fresh challenge can stop you becoming stale. Once you have been teaching for a while you can easily build up a lot of experience and expertise with the delivery of your work. Whilst it is great to be able to build upon that confidence it can also mean that you can become comfortable. This can mean, although not always, that you can become stale and possibly even out of date with your thinking. Ideas are always changing in Education; new research is always coming into effect and sometimes it is easy to fall behind and not be aware of new ideas. By undertaking a Master’s it will keep you fresh and up to date.
• Research gives you an authoritative voice. As you develop your critical voice it becomes even more possible for you to speak confidently on a range of issues. This can give you a real boost, opening up new career opportunities to you.
• You will connect with people outside of your comfort zone. Engaging with a Master’s programme enables you to connect to a whole new group of people. These can be people we can then network with not only across the country, but across the globe.
• You can study something you are genuinely interested in. Lots of people have different areas of interest, or problems they want to solve, or challenges they want to face, and these are often a product of the work and experience that you bring to the course. It is a great idea to work to discover more about these particular areas of interest and even to become an expert on that topic. This too might seem indulgent, but the great thing about carrying out research in Education is that there is a good chance that your discoveries can have a positive impact in the workplace.
• It is an investment in yourself. Not necessarily in the monetary sense, it is more about thinking about yourself, the kind of person you are and what you want out of life. Are there things that you want to investigate further? It is about recognising the complexity of our identities in that we are more than our jobs and that we have a lot to offer the world. Spending the time (and money) on taking part in a Master’s programme is worth it if you want to develop yourself and the way that you think.

• UK degree (2.2 or above). For equivalent qualifications, contact education@buckingham.ac.uk to confirm that your qualification meets the University entry requirements.
• be working in a school

In addition, the candidate must have either:

• Route 1* – PGCE with 60 Master’s credits at level 7 from The University of Buckingham or another university (if completed within ten years of the proposed start date of the course) OR
• Route 2* – PGCE at level 6 or BSA Diploma (which is a helpful route into Master’s study) an additional module (a bridging unit) of study will be provided.

Candidates with a degree but no PGCE will be asked to produce a portfolio of evidence of their work of up to 7000 words (further advice will be given).

*For candidates on route 1, the course duration is 1 year. For candidates on route 2, the course duration is 15 months.

The University reserves the right to increase course fees annually in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI). If the University intends to increase your course fees it will notify you via email of this as soon as reasonably practicable.

Course fees do not include additional costs such as books, equipment, writing up fees and other ancillary charges. Where applicable, these additional costs will be made clear.

Applicants must also pay a £300 non-refundable Registration Fee.

Fees are invoiced for in September, at the beginning of the course. Termly instalments can be arranged directly with the Finance department upon receipt of the invoice.

Staff whose school is a member of either the Boarding Schools’ Association or the Australian Boarding Schools Association are eligible for a 25% discount on course fees. To ensure the discount is applied, please select BSA or ABSA (as applicable) from the partnership box on your application form.

Staff at COBIS member schools get a 5% discount on course fees. To ensure the discount is applied please select ‘COBIS’ from the partnership box on your application form.

Please use the ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of this page; or contact The Faculty of Education on +44 (0)1280 820222 or email: education@buckingham.ac.uk.

Before we can accept you onto this programme, you will need to supply:

• a copy of your PGCE certificate and transcript or BSA Diploma to show credit level if applicable
• a copy of your passport photo page (and visa/work permit where necessary)
• a head and shoulder style photo for your University identity card.

Closing date for applications: 12 July 2024