Postgraduate study options in education

Postgraduate studies in education focuses on the various approaches to teaching and the development and learning in pupils of all ages. During the course, you will be touching on psychology, communication skills, presentation methods, persuasive skills, negotiation techniques and research. In a nutshell, you will learn about how students think, how to interact with them and how to research on these aspects. 

The curriculum focuses heavily on the teaching methodology, practical and research skills. 

Core subjects include: 
  • Curriculum Design and Development 
  • Educational Assessment 
  • Fundamental of Instructional Models 
  • Learning and Cognition 
  • Models of Instruction 
  • Philosophical Ideas in Education 
  • Qualitative Research Methods in Education 
  • Research Methods in Education
  • Sociology of Education
  • Statistics in Education 
You will also study:
  • Brain, Cognition and Education
  • Curriculum & Instruction
  • Curriculum of the Future
  • Educational Psychology 
  • Instructional Technology
  • Lifespan Development
  • Principles of Instructional Design
  • School Curriculum 
  • Web-Based Learning 
Graduates from postgraduate courses in education should be able to observe and analyse current trends and issues pertaining to education, assess the progress of their students and employ a wide range of creative methods to achieve the best results in a learning environment. They are also expected to be competent researchers in their field of specialisation.
 
Specialisations
Besides pedagogy, students can specialise in almost any taught subject matter. General areas of specialisation include:
  • Counselling
  • Computer education
  • Curriculum and instruction
  • Early childhood education
  • Economics education
  • Education administration, management and leadership
  • Educational assessment and evaluation
  • Educational psychology
  • Educational research methods
  • Higher education teaching
  • Instructional technology
  • Language and literacy
  • Mathematics and science education
  • Nursing education
  • Special needs
  • Social foundation of education 
  • Teaching content through a foreign language (TCTFL)
  • Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
  • Teaching thinking skills
Mode of study
Postgraduate courses in education are available full-time and part-time through the regular classroom mode, distance learning and online. Students can choose between research-based or coursework-based programmes or a combination of the two. 
 
Full-time courses are usually conducted in a classroom setting where students are encouraged to be involved in group discussions, role-playing and teamwork activities. Research-based courses on the other hand, tend to involve more independent study. 
 
Online courses are most suited for working professionals who would like to pursue higher education without losing the security of their jobs. These courses are flexible and can be moulded according to the individual’s preference. Some online and distance learning courses offer classes which help create better understanding of the area of study. While these classes are not compulsory as to not affect the student’s schedule, students are encouraged to attend so that they can get assistance from their supervisors and meet up with their course mates for discussion.
 
The duration of the course is determined by the mode and level of study. Generally, for the part-time mode, you will need about one year to complete a postgraduate diploma in education, two years for a Master’s programme and about four years for a PhD programme.  Nevertheless, full-time students usually take a shorter time to complete the course.
 
Entering Education
There are two routes of entry for postgraduate studies in education. The normal entry route requires the candidate to have recognised formal academic qualifications such as a bachelor’s degree or a diploma, and relevant working experience whereas the open entry route takes into account the candidate’s academic qualifications, age and relevant experience. However, to enroll in a PhD programme, you will need a Master’s degree.
 
While there are no specific subject requirements, students should have the passion to teach and motivate others as well as to be leaders in their field.