MSc Educational Leadership
ApplyKey facts
- Start date: September & January
- Study mode and duration: 36 months part-time, in-person and online
Study with us
- enhance your professional practice in leadership
- develop your understanding of leadership and the purposes which educational leadership serves
- gain insights into your own professional development and an understanding of yourself as a leader
Why this course?
If you're already in employment and looking for a qualification to enhance your professional practice, this is the course for you. The course will be delivered by a high-quality team of staff, including experts in their fields of study with experience of leadership in educational settings.
The MSc Educational Leadership is part-time blended learning course, designed for professionals working in education, who are already in or want to move into leadership roles.
You'll develop your understanding of leadership, the purposes which educational leadership serves, school improvement, and the international, national and local policy contexts that shape how leadership is enacted.
You'll gain a thorough grounding in research methods and reasoning which will enable you to study an area of specific interest to yourself through a dissertation.
The course draws on recent insights into educational leadership across the world. It focuses on leadership in a range of educational settings:
- pre-school
- school
- further education
- higher education
- the voluntary sector
The course will enable you to:
- build on your existing knowledge, understanding skills
- develop insights into your own professional development and your understanding of yourself as a leader
- build understanding which will enable you to develop your leadership capacities and skills
- specialise in an area of specific interest to yourself
What you’ll study
This course is studied part-time over three years. This is designed to fit around your work commitments.
Year 1
You'll undertake three classes, normally one class per semester. There will be eight 90-minute online sessions per module, usually on Monday evenings. Each session will be accompanied by online materials to support your learning. Each class should take 200 hours including self-study. If you decide to complete your studies after Year 1, you'll graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate.
Year 2
You'll undertake three classes, normally one class per semester. These normally include two optional classes and the compulsory Research Methods & Reasoning class. The compulsory class, delivered online via Myplace in Semester 1, provides the basis for undertaking the Masters-level dissertation. Each class should take 200 hours including self-study. If you decide to complete your studies at the end of Year 2, you'll graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma.
Year 3
You’ll carry out a leadership project of your choice worth 60 credits. This will be either a research dissertation or a work-based project. In both cases a supervisor, matched with the best fit for your specialist area, will provide one-to-one support while you carry out and report your work. For students who have not completed Research Methods & Reasoning in year 2, this can be offered alongside the dissertation in year 3.
Learning & teaching
Teaching will involve a highly interactive approach with clearly set readings and tasks, some of which will be undertaken independently and others in groups.
Assessment
You'll undertake formative tasks throughout the course, including maintaining a reflective journal.
Assessments will take a range of forms including written assignments and presentations. Many include a piece of reflective writing encouraging you to think about your professional learning and your understanding of yourself as a leader.
Programme leader
Iain Moore is the course leader. A Strathclyde graduate, Iain has worked as a Principal Teacher, a Senior Teaching Fellow, and is currently the STEM sub-theme lead within the Strathclyde Institute of Education.
Course content
Please note that the below is an indicative list of classes. These are subject to change.
Educational leadership for the 21st Century
Level 5, 20 credits
This module gives students the opportunity to explore the development of educational leadership over time and the key aspects of educational policy. This informs the understanding and practice of educational leadership in the 21st century, including:
- supporting the leadership for all agenda (professional development of self and others).
- an introduction to the role of data in delivering improvement.
- considering the relationship between leadership and learning
Developing as a leader of change
Level 5, 20 credits
Students will develop an understanding of the role of educational leaders and reflect upon their roles through:
- the importance of agency.
- building professional capital.
- the place of power, influence and authority.
- understanding change as a social process.
- the complexities of enacting change.
- the influence of people and place.
Leadership in your educational context
Level 5, 20 credits
This module requires students to consider their own context, or those they are familiar with. This leads to the importance of context in inclusive, educational leadership. Central to this is developing a vision for leading culture, change, and belonging. In particular, there is a focus on leadership for Social Justice, including:
- widening access
- socio-economic difficulties
- sustainable development
- exploring contextual issues
Research Methods & Reasoning
Level 5, 20 credits
This module will introduce you to research methods and help you develop the criticality required to be able to critique the literature.
and
Critical and dynamic leadership
Level 5, 20 credits
This module considers a variety of aspects concerned with understanding who has a voice in education. Topics will include
- examining the concept of ‘voice’
- exploring the educational policy landscape (building on from year 1) considering who benefits, who potentially loses
- dynamics and dilemmas of ethical leadership, the importance of values within education
Leading sustainable strategic change
Level 5, 20 credits
This module entails considering the dynamics of leadership.
- understanding operational versus strategic approaches
- understanding how to lead sustainable change.
- leading improvement and building capacity.
- leading in times of crisis.
or
Option of two other 20 credit level 5 online modules which can be chosen from the suite of modules available that year from the Strathclyde Institute of Education options, to be chosen after discussion with the Course Leader.
Dissertation
40 credits
The dissertation will enable you to carry out a detailed study focused upon an area of specific interest. It can either take the form of a literature-based study or an empirical study.
or
Work-based project
Students will instigate a strategic change initiative within their workplace setting and evaluate its impact upon student learning.
or
Research methods & Reasoning
This module will introduce you to research methods and help you develop the criticality required to be able to critique the literature.
and
Dissertation
40 credits
The dissertation will enable you to carry out a detailed study focused upon an area of specific interest. It can either take the form of a literature-based study or an empirical study
Entry requirements
| Academic requirements / experience | A good undergraduate degree, or relevant professional qualification, and a teaching qualification (or its equivalent) or relevant experience within an educational setting. |
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Fees & funding
Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.
All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.
Annual revision of fees
Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that the majority of fees will increase annually. The University will take a range of factors into account, including, but not limited to, UK inflation, changes in delivery costs and changes in Scottish and/or UK Government funding. Changes in fees will be published on the University website in October each year for the following year of study and any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 10% per year.
| Scotland | £5,550 |
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| England, Wales & Northern Ireland | £5,550 |
| Republic of Ireland |
If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status. For more information and advice on tuition fee status, you can visit the UKCISA - International student advice and guidance - Scotland: fee status webpage. Find out more about the University of Strathclyde's fee assessments process. |
| International | £5,550 |
| Available scholarships | Take a look at our scholarships search for funding opportunities. |
| Additional costs | International students may have associated visa and immigration costs. Please see student visa guidance for more information. |
Please note: the fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year. Find out more about fees.
How can I fund my course?
Scottish postgraduate students
Scottish postgraduate students may be able to apply for support from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). The support is in the form of a tuition fee loan and for eligible students, a living cost loan. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from England
Students ordinarily resident in England may be to apply for postgraduate support from Student Finance England. The support is a loan of up to £10,280 which can be used for both tuition fees and living costs. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from Wales
Students ordinarily resident in Wales may be to apply for postgraduate support from Student Finance Wales. The support is a loan of up to £10,280 which can be used for both tuition fees and living costs. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from Northern Ireland
Postgraduate students who are ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland may be able to apply for support from Student Finance Northern Ireland. The support is a tuition fee loan of up to £5,500. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
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Apply
Start date: Jan 2026
Educational Leadership (January)
Contact us
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