Aims and intended learning outcomes

The M.Ed. in Academic Practice provides an accredited route for continuing professional development in the field of higher education.

The main purpose of the programme is to offer higher education practitioners the opportunity to deepen their understanding of issues in their practice through processes of critical inquiry and practice-based research. In doing so, it aims to develop contextually appropriate and theoretically and empirically informed enhancements of practice.
The programme aims to:

• Deepen understanding of academic contexts through processes of critical inquiry, reflection and practice-based research.
• Develop innovative approaches to enhance higher education practice, grounded in the development of appropriate methodologies for research-based inquiry into a range of current pedagogies.
  
• Work in collaboration with peers and experienced colleagues to develop competence and confidence in individual academic roles.
• By the end of the programme, participants successfully completing the M.Ed. in Academic Practice should be able to:
  
• Critically analyse particular academic contexts (for e.g. undergraduate, postgraduate, CPD, service support) and factors of influence through scholarly review.
  
• Identify and critically reflect upon specific issues of concern within their own professional context.
  
• Investigate professionally significant issues through the planning and execution of a rigorous research project which addresses one or more themes emerging from that investigation.
  
• Describe and justify that project, and report on outcomes in a way that informs both their immediate context and the wider academic communities of interest.
  
  
  The programme provides the opportunity for individual participants to pursue areas of particular interest and relevance to their own contexts of practice. An indicative, though not exclusive, list of themes that could be studied includes:
  
  
• assessment
• e-learning
• learning support
• access and inclusion
• employability
• curriculum development with the discipline
• Programme Structure

The programme consists of three courses.

Course 1: Critical Inquiry into Academic Practice (30 M credits)
Course 2: Investigating Academic Practice (30 M credits)
Course 3: Dissertation in Academic Practice (60 M credits)

Course 1 is undertaken in Semester 1 of Year 1 and Course 2 in Semester 2 of Year 1. They focus respectively on critically analysing contexts of practice in higher education and identified themes; and on developing an appropriate practice-based research project. The third course takes place in Year 2 and focuses on undertaking and writing up the research project.

Programme ethos

The ethos of the programme aims to build upon the diversity of academic skills and experience of programme participants and to support participants in the investigation of issues raised in their own practice within a collegial learning community.
The programme is informed by the concept of critically reflective professional inquiry, learning from the dilemmas of experience, and evaluating that experience in the light of evidence gained through research into practice.

The taught aspect of the programme involves a mix of seminars, group and individual tutorials. Estimated contact time is approximately 3 hours per week during semester time. Thirty M credits assume 300 notional learning hours, including contact time; 60 M credits, 600 notional learning hours.

Assessment

The assessment task for Course 1 is a 5000-word critical review of a chosen theme, grounded within the context of one's own academic practice. In order to support the formative development of this paper, participants will present their theme and their rationale for inquiry to their peers for review. This will be followed at a later stage with the exchange of draft papers for peer review and follow-up tutorial support. This paper will be tutor assessed.

The assessment task for Course 2 is a 4000-word research proposal for the empirical investigation of an identified issue or issues within the participant's context of academic practice. The formative assessment will include an oral presentation for peer review of the context, issue for investigation, rationale and outline research design. The final proposal will be reviewed by a relevant member of the participant's academic or service department, or HEA subject centre, and assessed by the tutor.

The assessment for Course 3 is a 10 -12, 000 word research dissertation which will be assessed through peer review, a relevant member of the participant's academic or service department, and the tutor. The dissertation will be formatively developed through peer review of an oral presentation of the study outline, a summary of interim findings and of an early draft.

It is possible to exit after completion of Courses 1 and 2 with a Diploma in Academic Practice.

Who the Programme is for 

In meeting the assessment requirements of the programme, participants will have completed a literature review of a chosen theme; devised a research proposal to investigate that theme (or another chosen theme); and undertaken and written up the proposed research. The M.Ed. therefore provides a structured and supportive framework within which to systematically investigate and develop a chosen theme and in this way contribute to scholarship and practice in the participant's field of work within higher education.

The programme is open to academics (whether lecturers or university teachers) and staff whose roles support teaching and learning and the student experience in some way.

The programme may be of particular interest to colleagues in university teacher or senior university teacher roles.
Entry requirements

Requirements for entry to the programme include either successful completion of the University of Glasgow's Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice or another relevant award-bearing Programme of study equivalent to 60 M level credits.

Further information

If you would like further information about this programme, please contact Dr Sarah Mann, Programme Co-ordinator, either by phone on ext. 6244 or by email to s.mann@admin.gla.ac.uk.

If you would like a copy of an application form for the Programme, please contact Ms Lucinda Dempsie, Programme Secretary, on ext. 3370 or by email to l.dempsie@admin.gla.ac.uk.