Master of Education Higher Education

PurposeThe MEd offered by CHERTL is aimed at engaging students in the scholarship of Higher Education. It is designed as a deliberative space in which personal experience in Higher Education offers a platform for research around relevant issues in order to develop greater insight and understanding and inform practice.

StructureThe MEd is located on the Higher Qualifications Framework at level 9 and is made up of 360 credits. It may be pursued in one of two ways: Coursework + half thesis or Full thesisCoursework:This takes the form of five research-based modules (Learning & Teaching in HE, Curriculum Development, Assessment of and for Student Learning, Evaluation of Teaching & Courses plus an Elective)1, aimed at facilitating the professional development of lecturers in Higher Education.

Candidates who opt for this option are expected to attend all the modules of postgraduate diploma in higher education offered by CHERTL. However, their level of engagement with the course materials, etc. need to be at a master’s level.

Thesis:Whether half or full thesis, you will be expected to engage in a valid and rigorous piece of research in the context of the transforming space of higher education.

Whichever option you choose, the following elements characterise the engagement:

- regular contact with supervisors- access to appropriate resources - online engagement with supervisors and other scholars.

RequirementsIn order to apply, the following requirements normally need to be met:

- Honours level degree (HEQSF Level 8) of an acceptably high standard

- relevant experience in Higher Education- proficiency in both oral and written formal English

1 Please note that in order for the postgraduate diploma in higher education to be used as the course work component of the master’s degree, you need to register for a masters by course work from the outset i.e. you cannot retrospectively ‘convert’ a PGDip into a masters.

- proficiency in basic computer skills i.e. word processing & email.

Application

Please submit the following documentation to Nomfundo Siqwede n.siqwede@ru.ac.za

Brief CV - including experience in HE, research, publications and presentations.

Essay (max 5 pages) - including references, in which you motivate for your application, indicating:

o why you want to do a Masters degree focusing on Higher Education

o what your research interest is and an outline of our proposes study/topic (we recognise that this may change)

o how you believe your research could contribute to the scholarship of HE.

Once we have received this documentation and if we can accommodate you, we will send you the Rhodes University application form.

Following the assessment of your application, you may be invited for an interview, in order to determine acceptance to the programme.

If you are accepted for the programme and have not already done so, you will be required to attend the Research Design course offered twice year by the Education Faculty at Rhodes University.

January 2020