MSc Educational Leadership at Queen's University Belfast

Programme overview

The MSc in Educational Leadership is designed for teachers, middle and senior leaders, education authority staff and policy makers. It focuses on leadership theory, issues of leadership in practice, and the role leaders play in managing change and improvement in schools. Leadership is treated as adaptable and distributed across a school rather than confined to formally assigned senior roles.

Department: School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work | Duration: 1 year full-time; 3 years part-time | Intake: Academic year 2027/28 (50 full-time and 50 part-time places) | Study mode: full-time / part-time | Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

What you will study

Core modules are Leadership: Theoretical Perspectives, Leadership for School Improvement and Change, Leadership in Practice, An Introduction to Research Methods: Children, Young People and Education (each 20 credits) and a 60-credit Dissertation. Optional 20-credit modules include Education Policy & Society, Understanding Children with ASD and Bilingualism, Literacy and Disciplinary Literacy Development.

Career pathways

Graduates use the degree to improve leadership practice in their workplace, expand their roles, and gain employment or promotion; some progress to doctoral study and research.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Normally a 2.2 Honours degree or above, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University, in any subject. Closing date for applications: Friday 25 June 2027 at 4pm (late applications may be considered). Students holding other master's-level awards such as a PGCE/PGDE or Professional Qualification for Headship within the last 10 years may apply for credit transfer through a Recognised Prior Learning application submitted with the programme application. International applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (taken within the last 2 years) or an equivalent qualification.

Domestic applicants: GBP 9,250 a year (2027/28). Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland (ROI nationals resident in ROI) rate. Fees quoted are for a single year of study and are subject to annual inflationary increase. Source

International applicants: GBP 24,400 a year (2027/28). International and EU Other rate. Fees quoted are for a single year of study and are subject to annual inflationary increase. Source

Intake: September 2027

Duration: 1 year full-time; 3 years part-time

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