Educational Science MA

 

  Educational Science MA
Recommended for those who …
  • wish to gain a comprehensive overview of schooling as well as the individual and social processes of learning and instruction;
  • would like to develop their research skills, and further their expertise by becoming familiar with modern research methods and findings;
  • wish to understand the nature of phenomena and the methods and instruments with which they are examined.
Entry requirements
 
(1) Bachelor degrees that fully satisfy academic entry requirements: Pedagogy (Education); Andragogy; Community Coordination; Social Pedagogy; Psychology; Conductive Education; Primary School Teaching; Pre-School Teaching; Special Needs Education; or Infant and Early Childhood Education. Such a bachelor degree must be awarded by the time the MA offer is made.

(2) Former studies that satisfy entry requirements, with possible conditions set for the individual programme of study:
a bachelor degree and the completion of at least 50 credits in the following disciplinary areas: Education and/or Psychology and/or Andragogy and/or Sociology and/or Law and/or Social Sciences and/or Economics and/or Health Science.
An audit of the prerequisite studies is part of the admission procedure. The proof of former studies must be submitted when applying for the Educational Science MA programme.


(3
) English proficiency: at least B2 (CEFR); 6.5 (IELTS) or equivalent; the proof of proficiency must be issued by an established, internationally recognised language examination body.
 

Entrance examination
 
Applicants are required to sit for an oral exam, which consists of two parts.

(1) The applicant must prepare and give a 10–15 minute oral presentation of their own synthesis of an issue in Education. In advance, the applicant must choose an issue they find important or intriguing in Education. They must discuss this issue based on three publications they find most relevant to its understanding. (Visual aid, e.g. a Power Point presentation, may be used but is not obligatory.)

(2) The applicant must answer the questions the exam committee members ask them regarding the issue and the presentation.
 
Length of the programme
4 semesters and 120 credits
Number of students
5–25 applicants can be admitted
Special streams,
‘Specialisations’
 As part of the programme, each student must take one stream to specialise, a 40 credit unit. Possible streams include Early Childhood Education, Assessment and Evaluation, and Compensatory Education. Of these streams, one or two are run for each class. The streams to be run are chosen based on student preferences.
What the programme gives
  • An overview of how society and education work, and an understanding of human and organisational behaviour.
  • An understanding of how universal and individual phenomena are connected.
  • A working knowledge of how to think and act as a Social Scientist.
  • An overview of the current research trends and findings, and effective strategies and methods of learning and instruction (e.g. collaboration, problem-based learning, using ICT for teaching and learning, and teaching with the understanding of student diversity).
  • Professional attitudes in, and methods and tools for, continuing development; an introduction to the most important professional issues of the theory and practice of learning and instruction.
From studying to the labour market This degree is useful in organisations that govern or research learning and instruction, in positions that require educational expertise, deep understanding, and systemic thinking. 

 

The curriculum of the Educational Science MA programme:
Courses, credits, and recommended progress
 
Summary:
48 credits – common foundation courses
40 credits – specialisation
20 credits – thesis (research, consultation, and writing)
7 credits – elective
5 credits – field visit and field work
 
 
Courses
semester
type
(llecture,
s/p-seminar
or practice)
                 
1.
2.
3.
4.
credit
Conceptual Foundations
History of Education
3
 
 
 
l
Academic Communication in Education Sciences
3
 
 
 
s/p
Comparative Education
 
 
3
 
l
Theoretical Foundations
Cognitive Psychology
3
 
 
 
l
Educational and Social Psychology
3
 
 
 
l
The Psychology of Formal Education
 
3
 
 
l
Research Foundations
Research Trends in Education Sciences
3
 
 
 
l
Research Methods in Education Sciences
3
 
 
 
s/p
Collecting and Analysing Educational Information
 
 
3
 
s/p
Empirical Research Methods
3
 
 
 
l
The Organisations of Learning and Instruction
The Education System and the School as Organization
 
 
 
3
l
Theories of Learning and Instruction
3
 
 
 
l
The Sociology of Education
3
 
 
 
l
Planning and Assessment in Educational Practice
 
3
 
 
l
The Facilitation of Learning and Instruction
Methods and Strategies of Learning
 
3
 
 
s/p
The Development of Skills and Abilities
 
 
 
3
s/p
 
 
 
 
 
 
Specialisation in
Early Childhood Education
 
 
 
 
 
A Problem-Based Overview of the History of Education
 
3
 
 
l
Skills Development in Early Childhood
 
3
 
 
l
Educational Planning and Assessment
 
3
 
 
l
The Psychology of Early Childhood
 
3
 
 
l
Statistical Analysis
 
4
 
 
s/p
Learning Motivation
 
3
 
 
l
Education for children with atypical development
 
 
 
3
s/p
Educational Diagnostics
 
4
 
 
s/p
On-site Observations (Kindergarten)
 
 
3
 
s/p
Computer-based Statistical Analysis
 
 
3
 
s/p
Methods of Social and Emotional Education
 
 
 
3
s/p
Fostering Cognitive Skills
 
 
 
3
s/p
On-site observations (School)
 
 
 
3
s/p
 
 
 
 
 
 
Specialisation in
Assessment and Evaluation
 
 
 
 
 
A Problem-Based Overview of the History of Education
 
3
 
 
l
Statistical Analysis
 
4
 
 
s/p
The Psychology of Assessment
 
3
 
 
l
Educational Planning and Assessment
 
3
 
 
l
Questionnaires in Educational Research
 
 
 
3
s/p
Curricula and Standards
 
3
 
 
l
Test Theory
 
3
 
 
l
Test Development
 
 
4
 
s/p
Computer-based Statistical Analysis
 
 
3
 
s/p
The Evaluation of Programmes and Institutions
 
 
 
3
s/p
Exams and Examination Systems
 
 
3
 
l
System-Wide Assessment
 
 
 
3
s/p
Item and Task Writing
 
3
 
 
s/p
 
 
 
 
 
 
Specialisation in
Compensatory Education
 
 
 
 
 
A Problem-Based Overview of the History of Education
 
3
 
 
l
Statistical Analysis
 
4
 
 
s/p
Qualitative Research Methods
 
 
3
 
s/p
Special Educational Needs
 
3
 
 
l
Helping Professions in Education
 
3
 
 
l
Inclusive Education Systems and Classrooms
 
3
 
 
l
Developmental Disorders
 
 
3
 
l
Individualised and Differentiated Education
 
 
 
3
s/p
Gifted Education and Fostering the Development of Abilities
 
 
 
3
s/p
Equal Opportunity in Education
 
3
 
 
s/p
Educational Diagnostics
 
4
 
 
s/p
Preventive Measures
 
3
 
 
s/p
On-site Observations
 
 
 
3
s/p
 
 
 
 
 
 
MA thesis
 
 
 
 
 
Thesis writing 1.
 
 
10
 
s/p
Thesis writing 2.
 
 
 
10
s/p
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elective courses
 
 
 
 
 
Elective Course 1 (Education, Master level course)
 
 
2
2
s/p
Elective Course 2 (Education, Master level course)
 
 
3
3
s/p
Elective Course (any Master level course)
 
 
2
2
s/p
 
 
 
 
 
 
Field visits
 
 
 
 
 
Field visit
2
 
 
 
s/p
Field work
 
3
 
 
s/p