Inclusion (Special Educational Needs) MA

University of Birmingham

On the MA Inclusion (Special Educational Needs) specialist pathway, you will develop the key skills and expertise required to meet the needs of those working directly or indirectly with children with disabilities.

The MA Inclusion degree is a unique three-year, part-time course which has been designed for those who want to make a difference to the lives of children, young people and adults with diverse needs. It has been designed for teachers and other educational and care professionals working in a range of national and international settings.

Our approach on this distance education course, will enable you to investigate inclusive practice through multiple lenses and to embrace cultural, linguistic and developmental diversity. You will be able to choose module options from across an unrivalled range of provision in Inclusive Education within the School of Education at the University of Birmingham.

The MA Inclusion is made up of 180 credits which consists of 3 compulsory taught modules (60 credits), a number of optional modules (60 credits) in the named pathway and a 60 credit dissertation. Successful completion of the 180 credits leads to the award of MA Inclusion.

The Special Educational Needs pathway

On this specialist pathway you develop an overarching understanding of educational inclusion and SEND and associated policies. You will examine the frameworks for evaluating policies and practice and you will explore the socio-cultural conceptualisations of disability and SEND practice in a global context. You will also be introduced to different SEND groupings (as conceptualised in many educational systems). Through this degree, you will be able to develop knowledge, understanding and critiques of research, educational policy and practice and have the opportunity to investigate historical and cultural aspects of disability.

Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)

We also offer a one year, part-time Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits in total). This option gives you the opportunity to gain a specialist qualification at Masters level after just one year of study , or (on successful completion of the modules) to transfer to the MA Programme. For the PGCert, you choose from one of the first year pathway options and for those who transfer to the MA, this would constitute your first year of the three-year course. The MA Inclusion entry criteria, teaching and assessment all apply to the PGCert option.

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