Educational Leadership MEd: Online distance learning
There will be no intake to this programme for September 2025 entry. Sign up for updates to be notified when applications open for the next intake.
Postgraduate online event:
Thursday 8 May 2025, 9am – 5pm
Chat to staff, students and academics to discover what it's like to study at our world changing campus as a postgraduate student at UofG
This part-time online programme enables you to study flexibly with us from anywhere in the world and is designed for educational professionals who are committed to engaging educational leadership and improvement as a field of study and a domain of practice. This programme is best suited for educators who are either in, or aspiring to, leadership roles in schools or wider educational contexts such as local, national and third sector organisations.
- Online distance learning
- Academic contact: michalis.constantinides@glasgow.ac.uk
- Teaching start: September
- Online
- MEd: up to five years part-time on modular basis
Why this programme
- The programme enables you to develop and deepen your knowledge and skills in quality improvement through critical engagement with theories of action, research, and reflection upon practice.
- You will engage with a range of principles that underpin educational leadership and management and will consider these in relation to your professional role and context.
- The programme offers you foundational tools and strategies for addressing complex educational problems and organisational processes to seek innovative and sustainable solutions. There is a focus on collaborative, equity-orientated improvement, drawing on your own experiences and those of your peers and colleagues to bring about improvement.
- The programme provides a coherent framework for progression from postgraduate certificates in leadership offered by the University of Glasgow such as Middle Leadership & Management in Schools, or Into Headship.
Programme structure
This programme is taught fully online and can be completed within three years (part-time) or on a modular basis (between 3 and 5 years).
Courses are delivered using a combination of live online teaching, collaborative seminars, and guided, independent study- each accompanied by opportunities for reflection and dialogue.
Live online classes take place on weekdays or on Saturdays.
Year 1
Year 2
- Dynamics and Dilemmas of Ethical Leadership
- Doing and Using Research for Practice (required for progression to the dissertation)
Year 3
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
Upon completion of the programme, graduates will be equipped with the tools, knowledge, and attitudes to lead improvement efforts in a variety of educational contexts. The programme will support your career development as a school and system leader in state, independent and international schools, educational government agencies and organisations.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2025-26
MEd
UK / EU / International:
- £15,000 (total cost)
- You can pay in instalments of £1,667 per 20 credits
Fees for Local Authority-funded students (after discount): £2889 in total, or £321 per 20 credits
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Funding opportunities
The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship
Banco de Mexico
Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans
Colfuturo Fundacion para el Futuro de Colombia
CONICyT (La Comsion Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica de Chile)
CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) / FUNED Agreement
University of Glasgow Caribbean Excellence Award
Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students
Alumni Discount
Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)
The Dima Alhaj Scholarship
Sanctuary Scholarships
The scholarships above are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in Education or similar subject.
A qualification to teach in schools or other educational contexts or full professional registration as an educator (for example, with the General Teaching Council for Scotland) would be desirable.
At least two years of experience as an educator in a public or private educational setting.
English language requirements
How to apply
To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.
Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.
Documents
As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:
- A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
- A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
- Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
- One reference letter on headed paper
- Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
- Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
- A copy of the photo page of your passport
You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.
You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.
For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
Guidance notes for using the online application
These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.
If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.
- Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
- Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
- Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
- Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
- Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
- English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
- Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.
Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.
