Creative Education MA
Length:
Part-time, over 2 years, online
Our MA in Creative Education is a two-year top-up qualification* that will enable you to develop expertise in the field of teaching and learning through critical evaluation of research and pedagogical practices.
*Building on your previous study of a related Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) or attainment of Advance HE Fellowship (Descriptor 2)
Our MA Creative Education offers a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary landscape of creative Higher Education (HE). This course supports you to develop your knowledge of relevant pedagogies, integrate educational theory with your teaching practice and gain new insights into creative education, your own specialist subject, and the broader realm of Higher Education. The course equips you with the skills you need to apply your learning to your teaching practice; making the learning experience directly relevant to your career goals.
The MA Creative Education is designed to advance your skills as an independent learner, with a strong emphasis on providing the necessary support and guidance for your professional development. We will support you to manage and plan your independent study time as you become an increasingly autonomous learner/practitioner. This ensures that you feel reassured and confident in your learning journey.
Course delivery
The MA Creative Education programme is delivered entirely online, featuring a combination of synchronous group sessions using Microsoft Teams. Sessions take place in the early evening on a set day of the week during term time from September to August. Group sessions are interspersed with individual online tutorials and independent study time. All students have access to resources on the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and library website. This highly interactive learning model accommodates a variety of learning styles and is designed to build on your existing professional and life experiences. You will be taught by active educators, practitioners, and researchers with expertise in creative education.
Course Structure
The MA Creative Education comprises five related, but independent 20-credit units at level 7 (M-level), plus a 40-credit research project in the final year. Units are delivered and assessed over a series of teaching blocks and consist of a total of 600 learning hours per year: 200 for each 20-credit unit and 400 for the final dissertation.
Course Content
Year 1
The first part-time year comprises three 20-credit units that build on the 60 credits represented by your previous PGCHE/PGCE or Advance HE Fellowship.
Extending your engagement with continuing professional development, the MA Creative Education focuses on the wider context of creative arts pedagogy including the history of radical progressive approaches in art schools worldwide.
Learning is a complex process influenced by various psychological and pedagogic models that shape our contemporary understanding. This unit will introduce you to influential models such as behaviourism, constructivism, experiential learning, and critical pedagogy, exploring the philosophies and epistemologies behind them and their implications for teaching practice.
You will reflect on and critique your own pedagogic practice through different teaching philosophies, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of alternative models and analysing the origins and implicit values of your existing approach.
You are expected to actively research beyond theoretical materials, delving deeper into areas of particular interest and familiarizing yourself with the debates and discourse around them.
This unit explores the history of creative education with a global perspective but a focus on the UK. Through a series of lectures, workshops and activities you will be tracing its roots from the 16th century Academies of Rome and Paris through to the formalisation of higher education in the twentieth century.
You will learn about the key institutions, philosophies, and legislation that shaped today’s landscape. This will include some of the political and legislative events that have shaped the sector including the Coldstream and Summerson reports, the Dearing Report and the Teaching & Higher Education Act 1998.
This unit will develop your historical knowledge of approaches to creative education and equip you to think critically about contemporary discourses and arguments. Through reflection and experimentation, you will gain greater insights into the implicit assumptions and values of your own teaching practice.
This unit will require you to take charge of your own learning and navigate a collaborative project with support and facilitation from the course team. You will gain direct experience of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as you work together to investigate a contemporary issue within the creative Higher Education sector, leading to a final group presentation that will be an opportunity to propose solutions to a public audience within the university.
You will be expected to become familiar with some of the Higher Education sector’s main channels of communication, and to develop an awareness of current policy discussions. This unit is an example of co-creation through collaboration, and you will be expected to manage the complexities of a group research project, developing your interpersonal and professional project management skills.
Year 2
Year 2 of the MA Creative Education consists of a 20-credit unit introducing you to academic research and a 40-credit desk-based or action research project, which is the culmination of your experience on the course.
Carrying out academic research is an essential part of a Lecturer’s activities within Higher Education. On this unit you will learn about the range of research activity that takes place within creative practice, from practice-based enquiry through to publishing in journals and participating in conferences.
As academic journals play an important role in research you will be taken through the peer-review process and investigate the house-styles of leading journals, including citations and the construction of an academic bibliography. You will undertake a general survey of academic journals and compare some of their differing demands in terms of form, style and content, identifying those which are most appropriate for your own discipline and interests.
You will be encouraged to try out contrasting methodologies to compare the kinds of outcomes they generate. You will explore research methodologies, dissemination, and think about impact within and beyond academia.
The Major Research Project is the culminating part of MA Creative Education and builds on the taught units of your course so far. It will deepen your understanding of educational research, and the strengths and challenges of carrying out sustained research in education that reflects your own professional priorities.
Through researching an aspect of professional practice within your own subject specialism or professional practice, you will be challenged to enrich your knowledge of relevant education-related issues. You may have developed your ideas during earlier units and can build on key points during your research.
The subject of your research will be of significant importance to you and your professional practice. There is the freedom to determine your own agenda in negotiation with the course team, and the opportunity to contribute to best practice and pedagogic research within your own institution.
Careers Information
Gaining a Master’s in Creative Education will open up a wide range of career opportunities in the field of education and arts education, including senior academic roles, coaching and mentoring, or educational positions within the gallery sector. You may also wish to continue your studies through the completion of a PhD.
Career opportunities
- Doctoral study
- Subject specialist tutor
- Curriculum designer
- Educational researcher
- Senior fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our Business and Employability Team to help support you as you plan your career.
Tabbed Section
Entry Requirements:
Our MA Creative Education is a two-year top-up Level 7 award that is designed specifically to build on your previous study of a related Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), or attainment of Advance HE Fellowship (Descriptor 2).
Successful applicants will already have attained key pedagogic skills and experiences. The MA Creative Education will build on these to explore the wider landscape of contemporary learning and teaching.
Portfolio guidance
Show us your best stuff. Tell us what you still want to achieve. Your portfolio is your chance to paint a picture of where an MA at Norwich could take you.
You should aim to bring about six pieces of work that demonstrate your learning, progress and creativity. The interview panel will be interested in seeing sketchbooks, notebooks, publications, catalogues, blogs or websites that relate to your practice.
We know that for some people an MA application is a change in direction and some work may only be in a developmental stage. We also know that for those in the final year of undergraduate study completed Major Projects may be unavailable or unfinished, in which case we welcome representative images of work in progress.
You can choose to bring original work with you or show a digital portfolio using your own device and on a USB drive, DVD, social media platform or through website platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, Prezi, Behance, Dropbox, personal websites or blogs. If you choose to present your portfolio digitally please notify us in advance of your interview. If you wish to submit a digital portfolio ahead of your interview we can only accept PDF documents or website links by email.
Tips on preparing your portfolio:
- Your portfolio should be presented in a logical and ordered manner
- It’s important to include a range of creative work that demonstrates your compatibility with the MA course you have applied for
- The interview panel will be interested in seeing sketchbooks and notebooks as well as finished work
- Physical examples of practice (printed matter, objects, painting, sculpture etc.) are acceptable at interview, but larger pieces of work should be shown as photographs or digital submission
- Film, video and animation work should be 2-5 minutes long
- Include any links to relevant websites or blogs that contain your work
- Your application includes a 500 word written statement, but you might wish to include other examples of your written work (for example an undergraduate essay or a research report) that relates to your chosen subject
- International applicants interviewing by Skype should submit a digital portfolio (see above) in advance and/or supply URLs to digital portfolios or online blogs that showcase your practice.
2024/25 University fees for new entrants
Norwich University of the Arts will assess students’ tuition fee status using the guidance provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs
Our MA in Creative Education course costs £3,000 per year.
Inflation in subsequent years
For Home and overseas postgraduate degree students starting in 2024, fees will remain the same for each year of your course.
Financial support for UK students in 2024
Some students may be eligible for non-repayable Norwich University of the Arts bursaries based on family income. Find out more about applying for funding.
International students
We offer a range of scholarships for international students to support your studies with us.
How to apply
Applications to our postgraduate courses should be made directly to Norwich University of the Arts using a Postgraduate Application Form.
Postgraduate Application form 2023-24 – Word format
Applications should be returned to admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk
Terms and conditions
- Norwich Terms and Conditions (11/12/20)
- Norwich Student Regulations and Procedures (01/10/23)
- Student Protection Plan (01/11/23)
When should I apply for an MA course?
There is no official deadline for applying for a postgraduate course. We would recommend you apply by 25 August (at the very latest) of the autumn you wish to start. This will allow time for your interview to take place and the necessary paperwork to be processed if you are successful in achieving a place. International students requiring a visa should apply as soon as possible in the year they wish to start. Email our International Team for more information.
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