MRes Educational Leadership
Course Overview
This University of Bolton's Masters by Research (MRes) in Educational Leadership is a multidisciplinary research training programme designed to be truly novel and sui generis. It is designed for those currently in or aspiring to senior or middle leadership in schools, colleges, universities, or other professional settings.It is highly relevant for education practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and scholars interested in exploring leadership in an educational context and developing advanced research skills to inform evidence-based leadership decision-making. Completing this programme will enhance your professional effectiveness in leadership, educational reform, and managing change. You will develop the knowledge and political skills needed to improve public and private educational environments.
The programme is delivered through a staged and flexible approach, enabling you to develop research skills in preparation for a PhD or Professional Doctorate. You may have opportunities to undertake applied research projects involving knowledge exchange.
The MRes programme will provide a common foundation for PhD or Professional Doctorate programmes with interim awards available following the gaining of 60 credits (PgCert), 120 credits (PgDip) and an exit award of the 180 credit MRes.
Highlights
- The MRes Educational Leadership is carefully designed to support you in developing a systematic and critical knowledge and understanding of strategy and leadership through the study and application of advanced research methods and skills using a scaffolded approach to learning.
- A collaborative practical research project allows you to work with others to develop creative solutions to a real world problem.
- The MRes Dissertation provides the opportunity for you to undertake in-depth independent and original research or advanced scholarship on a subject of interest within the field of leadership and/or strategy.
- A range of academic and professional assessments are carefully planned throughout the student journey.
- Professionals who hold a University of Bolton MRes take back to their organisation a greater knowledge and a higher understanding of today's diverse educational leadership landscape gained through a research-driven programme.
- You will be strongly encouraged to bring your own education leadership-related issues to the table as the basis of your research. The course requires you to design, implement and disseminate an original research study.
Key Features
- We will support you in developing a systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights within educational leadership and system change.
- We will guide you as you develop the ability to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements, and communicate the conclusions of the research clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- You will develop an advanced understanding of how established research and enquiry techniques can be used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline.
- You will evaluate and critically apply current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline, evaluate methodologies and develop critiques to develop creative solutions and/or hypotheses.
- Through a blended learning approach, you will develop the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment that requires initiative, personal responsibility, and decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations.
- You will develop critical self awareness and independent learning strategies in order to develop academically and professionally.
Entry Requirements
- Normally, you should have at least a lower second class (2:2) honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.
- You should include in your personal statement an explanation of your research interests and how they align with your career aspirations. You may be required to attend an interview to discuss this further.
- If English isn’t the applicant's first language, they will also need IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
You will develop transferable skills of independent thought and critical analysis, analysing and evaluating complex issues and solving unfamiliar problems, presenting ideas clearly and with confidence, and working independently.
What can I do with this qualification?
Alternative career options
Here are some career options you can pursue with an MRes. Please bear in mind that some of these options require prior experience and/or additional qualifications).
- Academic Research Assistant
- Research and Development Technician/Assistant
- Market Researcher
- Researcher
- Research Analyst
- Policy Advisor
- Quality inspection
- Consultancy
- Local Authority senior management
- Department for Education senior management
- Journalism/writing
- Educational charity work
- Local government
- Higher education teaching
- Higher education leadership
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton Master by Research Educational Leadership - 27 January 2025
International Applicants
Thank you for your interest
In order to determine your suitability for this course as an international student and also to confirm you meet any initial eligibility criteria, we need you to answer a few short questions.
Teaching & Assessment
A core team of specialist lecturers teaches the course over three semesters. We will employ a range of learning and teaching methods, including (face-to-face or online) lectures, seminars, tutorials, discussion groups, guest speakers and master classes. You will also need to devote significant time to personal study, undertaking activities such as background reading, online activities, assessment work, and session preparation. We adopt a scaffolded approach to learning with more intensive teaching and support in the first semester, building to more independent study during the research project.
The programme's assessment strategy is designed to ensure you achieve the overall aims and learning outcomes of the programme, as well as the learning outcomes for individual modules. Assessment evaluates your achievement and can help you organise and develop your learning. Assessment feedback is also essential in helping you build your skills and understand your strengths and weaknesses.
The types of assessment you will be required to complete fall into two general categories: formative and summative. Formative assessments are activities that do not contribute to your overall module grades. They are, however, an integral part of the learning strategy for a module, and you are required to complete them. You will receive feedback on your level of achievement; this may take a variety of forms.
Summative assessments are those activities for which the marks will contribute to your overall module grade. You will also receive feedback on these assessments so that you know what you have done well and where you can improve.
We employ many different forms of assessment during the programme. For both formative and summative purposes, the major forms are coursework, reports, case studies, oral presentations, research proposals, and an extended project.
We adopt a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Academic Skills and Professional Development
- MRes Specialism: Critical Insights
- Research Design and Methods
- Collaborative Research Project
- Advanced Research Analysis and Methods
- Dissertation
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 88% Practical exams 12% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 85% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 16% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
