Postgraduate Education 2023-2024

This course provides the opportunity to engage in an extended, context-specific classroom-based (action) research project to enhance the learning of pupils, self and others. Aligning with aspects of current discourse in education, participants will demonstrate a respect for evidence, in turn evaluating the impact of their project on self/others.  Through an enquiry based approach participants will work with others (in learning communities) to identify and carry forward their professional knowledge in a specialist area of interest with a particular emphasis on pupil learning gains.

This is the first module in the Into Headship PG certificate Programme. The aim of the course is to enable participants to understand their role as head teachers in applying the principles and practices of strategic leadership to frame and conceptualise educational problems and issues. The course provides opportunities for students to develop and to demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes. It is based upon the model of professional learning which comprises four interdependent components: critical reflection, knowledge building, experiential learning and social learning processes.

This module focuses on the middle levels of leadership.  Formal and informal roles will be explored from a practical and research perspective. The role of the Head Teacher’s in facilitating and building teachers’ capacity to lead will be reviewed. Participants can focus on the concept of leadership, related to the different models of leadership that prevail in schools today with some accent on the impact and delivery of Distributed Leadership. The values and principles of leadership will be reviewed within the context of the participant's own professional context, and by open exchange of ideas with others in the group.

This module provides opportunities for participants to investigate current theories and research in improvement,  and further explore  those theories in relation to practices in their own school/work environment, along with the principles and practices of self-evaluation that inform them.  A seminar format will be followed providing participants the opportunity to contribute to discussion and actively input ideas relating to ways and means of initiating and leading improvement. Participants will meet regularly in a virtual, online learning environment which facilitates discussion and inter-action with others. Many of the principals and practices of school improvement are transferable to other organizations.

ED505A Mindfulness is the first course in the MSc in Studies in Mindfulness. The course introduces the three elements of the Programme: mindfulness practice, the study of mindfulness (and associated concepts) and the relevance of mindfulness to a self-selected professional, work or voluntary context. An introduction to developing a sustained, formal mindfulness practice, based upon a unique approach, is encompassed within the course. Within the course there are two residential weekends of teaching, study and practice.   

The course is assessed through the submission and assessment of a written assignment (6000 words).

Many registered teachers throughout Scotland have undertaken courses in mindfulness, and are practicing and teaching mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness can have a positive impact, personally and professionally, this can be evident in subtle, implicit enhancements to professional practice. Furthermore, some teachers are explicitly teaching mindfulness to children and young people and/or introducing mindfulness practice to colleagues.

As mindfulness increasingly features in the curriculum and in approaches to learning and teaching and as mindfulness initiatives are developed to promote health and well-being at school and work, the programme will allow teachers to gain GTC(S) Professional Recognition in mindfulness as an area of expertise.

This course aims to provide participants with a critical working knowledge of the key aspects of research and enquiry, in the context of professional learning and the enhancement of professional practice. Participants will source and critically engage with relevant literature and other evidence to provide a backdrop to the design of a small-scale enquiry in professional context. Decisions taken during all aspects of enquiry design will be justified using evidence. Enquiry processes implemented will be critically evaluated, and implications for future practice uncovered.

This is a flexible online 15 credit (SCQF11) Masters course that allows students to learn about Mindfulness, what it is, how it can be practised and how it has been applied. This course allows student to undergo an introduction to definitions and debates around mindfulness, as well as look at evidence of its application, potential and efficacy in multiple contexts. Students will also be required to undergo a range of mindfulness practices. This course therefore blends academic and experiential learning as students interogate the claims made for mindfulness and also undergo an experiential training in key practices. This course can be taken by anyone who has an interest in mindfulness and professionals from various contexts such as Healthcare, Education, Business, Sport, Community Work and Creativity will be able to look at literaure and evidence for the application of mindfulness, as well as investigate how they can also apply it to their work. Given the appetite for mindfulness in society this course can be a significant addition to the continuing professional development of students. For example, teachers who graduate in this course can put it towards professional recognition in mindfulness with the General Teaching Council.

This course is designed to extend knowledge and understanding of supportive relationships in schools and educational settings.  Participants will develop a critical understanding of the theoretical concepts and principles underpinning approaches to counselling and mentoring; reflect critically on and enhance their own attitudinal qualities and interpersonal communication skills; contribute to enhancing the quality of support provisions within their learning community and learn about different support roles in schools and educational environments.

This course covers a range of conceptual issues fundamental to an understanding of autism in inclusive contexts. Participants will therefore develop a critical knowledge and understanding of policy, literature and research relating to the diagnostic criteria for autism, the key theories of autism, the main strategies used to support learners and the key themes and issues in the field. This will be linked to a critical knowledge and understanding of policy, literature and research on inclusion and issues around its meaning and enactment. The role of interprofessional collaboration and learner participation in facilitating inclusion is emphasised across the course.

This online course is designed to enable participants to link educational practice, evidence, and theory to design, deliver and evaluate courses for undergraduates and taught postgraduates. It encourages participants to take a critical, scholarly stance on different approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. Sessions are designed to facilitate participants’ engagement with pedagogical literature, to challenge current approaches to teaching, and to encourage planning for their further professional development in contemporary learning and teaching.

The Individual Research Project in Higher Education course provides you with the opportunity to plan and execute a piece of independent, original research in an area of your own choosing that relates to teaching and / or supporting learning in higher education.  A suite of development sessions supports you as you engage with the approaches and methods used commonly in education research, including opportunities for peer and supervisor formative feedback on your project along the way.

This course supports you to learn from practice for practice and professional development, within a learning community and through collaborative enquiry. The course emphasises the role of the FE lecturer in enabling successful learning for all learners and requires you to critically reflect on your understanding of learners, including yourself. You will develop your understanding of the diverse characteristics of learners that impact on successful learning, and of approaches to facilitation that support learning for all. The course brings together ideas of critically reflective practice, effective facilitation of learning and the development of metacognitive skills for learning. It will support you to develop collaborative and reflexive approaches to continuing professional development.

This fully on-line course examines the current debates and research on leadership, particularly as these apply to not-for-profit organizations, such as education, nursing and other services.

This course aims to enable students to develop the personal qualities and professional skills necessary for competent and reflective practitioners within a person centred framework. Self-awareness, counselling theory, practice and research are integrated to a level that enables course members to engage with therapeutic processes in a range of counselling relationships. Although the counselling programme is structured on a modular basis it is conceptualised as a comprehensive experience. The programme has four strands: Counselling Relationship and Therapeutic Process; Counselling Theory and Research; Personal Development; Professional Development. This course constitutes the 1st module of the counselling programme.

This course aims to enable students to develop the personal qualities and professional skills necessary for competent and reflective practitioners within a person centred framework.  Self-awareness, counselling theory, practice and research are integrated to a level that enables course members to engage with therapeutic processes in a range of counselling relationships. Although the counselling programme is structured on a modular basis it is conceptualised as a comprehensive experience. The programme has four strands: Counselling Relationship and Therapeutic Process; Counselling Theory and Research; Personal Development; Professional Development. This course constitutes the 3rd module of the counselling programme.

This course aims to enable students to develop the personal qualities and professional skills necessary for competent and reflective practitioners within a person centred framework. Self-awareness, counselling theory, practice and research are integrated to a level that enables course members to engage with therapeutic processes in a range of counselling relationships. Although the counselling programme is structured on a modular basis it is conceptualised as a comprehensive experience. The programme has four strands: Counselling Relationship and Therapeutic Process; Counselling Theory and Research; Personal Development; Professional Development. This course constitutes the 1st module of the fulltime counselling programme.

This course will allow students to engage with the theory and practice of working with children in a range of settings, 0-3, 3-5 and 508, but with a particular focus on the role of the teacher in the setting in which they work.  Students will explore a number of contemporary educational issues and approaches in Early Years Education.  Course content will support the Early Years Framework (2008) through the development of specialist Early Years provision which will help to build the resilience of children, improve the capacity of parents and contribute towards developing supportive communities.

The course provides students with the opportunity to explore contemporary theories of language development and engage with the role of the practitioner in supporting the development of language and literacy across the age ranges 0-3, 3-5 and 5-8, but with a particular focus on the age range of the setting in which they are employed. The course will further build on core aspects of early years education previously studied in units ED50P7 and ED50P8.

A specialist post-graduate certificate /CPD course for counselling children and young people – ages 4 – 18. Following the BACP’s evidence informed framework, to ensure counsellors gain knowledge and competence for working with children and young people in an ethical and effective way. The course content includes ethical and professional practice, child protection and safeguarding, child and adolescent development, working with diversity, measuring and monitoring outcomes and young people’s mental health. The course has a credit bearing award ensuring professional standards are met and applicants must have a professionally validated/accredited qualification in Counselling/Psychotherapy to be accepted on the course.

The concept of ‘Inclusive Pedagogy’ has been developed by Lani Florian and other colleagues. Inclusive Pedagogy is concerned with the inclusion of ‘everybody’ within learning environments. This online course involves exploring the theoretical concepts that underpin Inclusive Pedagogy, namely: social justice; understanding learning and teaching; and active professionalism. Through this process, course participants are encouraged to reflect critically on these core course themes in relation to their professional working context, in order to support small changes to practice.

This on-line course offers the opportunity for teachers and others in alternative professional settings to attain the skills and understandings required to conduct action-based research within their own professional contexts. Participants will identify a research topic and prepare a proposal, supported by a line-manager, which will then form the basis of the course. A number of virtual face-to-face sessions will be conducted at intervals throughout the module giving participants the opportunity to interact with other members in whole group and small group settings. Assessment will include a poster presentation and a 5,000 word submission in a journal article format.

This is the second module in the Into Headship PG certificate programme. The aim of this course is to enable participants to gain the knowledge and understanding needed to manage a collaborative change process with members of the wider school community. The module will also map sets of strategies to address the educational issue identified in Module 1 of the PG Certificate.

ED555B Compassion is the second course in the MSc in Studies in Mindfulness. The key study theme is the role and importance of compassion within mindfulness. ED505B Compassion is unique not only in prioritising the study of compassion but also in developing compassion within mindfulness practice. Specific topics include evolutionary psychology, our compassionate nature and ‘the undercurrent and the observer’.

This course provides the opportunity for students to critically investigate and improve aspects of their professional practice through enquiry. The course essentially explores the notion of the practitioner researcher within the policy – theory – research – practice landscape. The development of knowledge and understanding of the research process, and the evidence-based design, implementation and analysis of an investigation exploring an important context-specific aspect of each student’s professional practice, are key elements of the course. On-line tutor-led group sessions are used at key points to provide formative support for student learning.

This course aims to provide participants with a critical working knowledge of the key aspects of research and enquiry, in the context of professional learning and the enhancement of professional practice. Participants will source and critically engage with relevant literature and other evidence to provide a backdrop to the design of a small-scale enquiry in professional context. Decisions taken during all aspects of enquiry design will be justified using evidence. Enquiry processes implemented will be critically evaluated, and implications for future practice uncovered.

This course introduces MEd students to the use of Mindfulness in classroom to enhance learning, wellbeing and peer and teacher relationships.  Students will engage with a range of experiential practises and underlying principles, concepts and neurobiology within mindfulness and compassion. Students will then have opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of mindful practises and how to apply them safely in the classroom environment. They will develop skills and understanding in how to apply mindfulness to their personal wellbeing and that of their pupils.

This course explores the links between the diagnostic criteria for autism (difficulties with social communication, social interaction, flexibility of thought & sensory integration) and behaviour. We critically explore positive, evidence-based approaches to identifying solutions. We also critically examine the links between autism policy, guidance, theory and practice and the meaning of the notion of the ‘autism friendly workplace’. Students are introduced to strategies for reflecting critically upon workplace provision via structured auditing and action planning for change.

This course encourages you to consider issues of innovation and change that arise from external and internal influences on the FE sector. It provides an opportunity for you to develop innovative, professional ideas and practice, interlinking theoretical aspects with practice and considering future professional contexts. The course offers an opportunity to reflect on your wider professional role and context, and the different factors that impact on these, taking into consideration, social, political, economic, legislative, and technical changes. This course will help you develop critical responses to a continually changing educational landscape.

Participants will review and critically appraise current conceptual understandings of change, gain an understanding of change management, and evaluate change processes in their own school/organisational setting. Implementing and managing change has become an on-going leadership task; coping with the complexity, ambiguity and stress which change can generate is seen as a key leadership skill. It is widely accepted that leaders and managers will succeed more often if they have the necessary knowledge of how to view, cope with, initiate and sustain change. This course is designed to increase the understanding of participants who are involved in leading to enhance performance.

This course aims to enable students to develop the personal qualities and professional skills necessary for competent and reflective practitioners within a person centred framework. Self-awareness, counselling theory, practice and research are integrated to a level that enables course members to engage with therapeutic processes in a range of counselling relationships. Although the counselling programme is structured on a modular basis it is conceptualised as a comprehensive experience. The programme has four strands: Counselling Relationship and Therapeutic Process; Counselling Theory and Research; Personal Development; Professional Development. This course constitutes the 2nd module of the counselling programme.

This course aims to enable students to develop the personal qualities and professional skills necessary for competent and reflective practitioners within a person centred framework. Self-awareness, counselling theory, practice and research are integrated to a level that enables course members to engage with therapeutic processes in a range of counselling relationships. Although the counselling programme is structured on a modular basis it is conceptualised as a comprehensive experience. The programme has four strands: Counselling Relationship and Therapeutic Process; Counselling Theory and Research; Personal Development; Professional Development. This course constitutes the 4th module of the counselling programme.

This course aims to enable students to develop the personal qualities and professional skills necessary for competent and reflective practitioners within a person centred framework.  Self-awareness, counselling theory, practice and research are integrated to a level that enables course members to engage with therapeutic processes in a range of counselling relationships. Although the counselling programme is structured on a modular basis it is conceptualised as a comprehensive experience. The programme has four strands: Counselling Relationship and Therapeutic Process; Counselling Theory and Research; Personal Development; Professional Development. This course constitutes the 2nd module of the fulltime counselling programme.

This course will  allow students to engage with the theory and practice of the role of the teacher in the setting in which they work, but with a particular focus on the other two settings in age range (0-3, 3-5, 5-8) in which they are not normally employed. This course is designed to follow on from and compliment ED50P7. Course content will support the Early Years Framework (2008) through the development of specialist Early Years provision which will help to build the resilience of children, improve the capacity of parents and contribute towards developing supportive communities.

A specialist post-graduate certificate /CPD course for counselling children and young people – ages 4 – 18. Following the BACP’s evidence informed framework, to ensure counsellors gain knowledge and competence for working with children and young people in an ethical and effective way. The course content includes ethical and professional practice, child protection and safeguarding, child and adolescent development, working with diversity, measuring and monitoring outcomes and young people’s mental health. The course has a credit bearing award ensuring professional standards are met and applicants must have a professionally validated/accredited qualification in Counselling/Psychotherapy to be accepted on the course.

This course aims to assist students in beginning the EdD journey through a series of critical reflections on the links between their professional biographies and their practice. Through engaging in this process, students will identify at least one significant issue in their professional practice and articulate this against a wider background.