Overview
The Master of Education is directed at practising professionals in a broad range of fields related to education - early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, vocational and adult. The degree will also meet the needs of other professionals whose work has an educational component or with educational responsibilities. The degree offers several streams, allowing students to complete the degree through a mix of coursework and thesis, totally by thesis, or totally by coursework.
Course. Objectives
Students who have completed the Master of Education course should be able to:
• demonstrate a superior knowledge and understanding of educational theory and practice in general and of a specialised area in particular;
• express informed opinions about particular areas of current educational interest;
• have an understanding of the theory and practice of educational research needed to evaluate research literature and carry out appropriate research activity;
• make effective use of the findings of educational writings and research in addressing professional problems;
• have the depth of knowledge and understanding that.
will enable them to be a resource for colleagues in particular professional situations;
• demonstrate an appreciation of professional responsibilities and ethical principles which should characterise leaders in the education profession.
Course Codes
One-Year / 100 Point Streams:
013AR Stream 1: Major thesis
O13AT Stream 1A: Minor thesis (including studies in reseach methodology) and coursework 013BW Stream 1 B: Coursework
Two-Year / 200 Point Streams:
013TH Stream 2: Major thesis (including studies in reseach methodology) and coursework 013MT Stream 2A (previously entitled Stream 3):
Minor thesis, reseach methodology studies and coursework
013CW Stream 2B (previously entitled Stream 4):
Coursework
Phasing-Out Streams (no new intake in 1999):
013AA Project and coursework 013AB Minor thesis and coursework
013AS 3-strand - Discipline component, Education component and an Integrated Study.
Entrance Requirements for Streams 1, lA and 18 A person may be eligible for admission to the Master of Education, Streams 1, lA or 1B if the individual has:
• completed at a standard satisfactory to the Faculty a teaching qualification and a relevant fifth year qualification from a university or tertiary institution approved by the Faculty; or
• completed an equivalent qualification which is recognised by the Faculty as evidence of adequate preparation for the course; and can demonstrate a record of research and publications or professional experience in a field acceptable to the Faculty.
Entrance Requirements for Streams 2, 2A and 28 A person may be eligible for admission to the Master of Education, Streams 2, 2A or 2B if the individual has:
• has completed at a standard satisfactory to the Faculty a teaching qualification and a relevant fourth year
qualification from a university or tertiary institution approved by the Faculty; or
• has completed an equivalent qualification which is recognised by the Faculty as evidence of adequate preparation for the course; and can demonstrate a record of research and publications or professional experience in a field acceptable to the Faculty.
Course Structure
O13AR, O13AT, 0138W, 013TH, O13MT, 01 3C MASTER OF EDUCATION
Stream 1: Major Thesis 013AR
Students are required to complete a major thesis of 40,000 words, representing 100 points of study. Students are required to undertake methodology studies
concurrently with their Masters studies if methodology studies have not already been undertaken prior to entry to the course or at the direction of their supervisor. This is a research-classified course. Graduates of Stream 1 are eligible to apply for entry to the PhD or Doctor of
Education programs. With Faculty approval candidates may convert their candidature to PhD.
Stream IA: Minor Thesis and Coursework 013AT Students are required to undertake 100 points of study, consisting of a minor thesis of 16,000 to 20,000 words with a methodology component (75 points total) and 25 points of coursework. This is a research-classified course.
Graduates of Stream 1A are eligible to apply for entry to the PhD or Doctor of Education programs.
Stream 18: Coursework 013BW
Students are required to undertake 100 points of coursework. This is a coursework-classified course.
Graduates of Stream 1B are not eligible for admission to the PhD or Doctor of Education course, unless they upgrade their qualification by undertaking the equivalent of methodology studies and minor thesis.
Stream 2: Major Thesis and Coursework 013TH Students are required to undertake 200 points of study, consisting of 50 points of coursework and a major thesis of 40,000 words with a methodology component (150 points total). This is a research-classified course. In order to proceed to the thesis, students must achieve grades of H2A or above in the coursework. Students who do not achieve this level will be able to complete the degree by transferring to Stream 2A or 2B (013MT or 013CW).
Graduates of Stream 2 are eligible to apply for entry to the PhD or Doctor of Education programs. With Faculty approval candidates may convert their candidature to PhD.
Stream 2A (previously entitled Stream 3): Minor Thesis and Coursework 013MT
Students are required to undertake 200 points of study, consisting of 125 points of coursework, a methodology subject (25 points), and a minor thesis of 16,000 to 20,000 words (50 points). This is a coursework-classified course.
Graduates of Stream 2A are eligible to apply for entry to the PhD or Doctor of Education programs.
Stream 28 (previously entitled Stream 4):
Coursework 013CW
Students are required to undertake 200 points of coursework. This is a coursework-classified course.
Graduates of Stream 2B are not eligible for admission to the PhD or Doctor of Education course, unless they upgrade their qualification by undertaking the equivalent of methodology studies and minor thesis.
013AS MASTER OF EDUCATION (3 STRAND) This stream is being phased out. There is no new intake in 1999.
Candidates for the Master of Education (3 Strand) will complete an Education and Discipline component and an Integrated Study.
The discipline-based study constitutes 50 points and comprises a research project (in exceptional circumstances it may include coursework). In practice the component is most likely to involve an individual program, of teaching, discussion with lecturers, and preparation of papers or essays. It is normally based on an area in which the student has completed at least a major sequence of undergraduate studies. Students are required to submit written work of 15,000 to 20,000 words.
The education component also constitutes 50 points and comprises a research project on a topic within the broad area of education chosen in the light of the projected Integrated studies component. Students are required to submit written work of 15,000 to 20,000 words.
The third component, the integrated study, is designed to result in the preparation of a piece of work suitable for examination by external examiners, and constitutes 100 points. Students Investigate an area drawing directly on both their discipline and their education studies (eg.
methods of teaching the discipline, curriculum development or evaluation within that discipline, the philosophy or history of that discipline within education, the place of that discipline In the curriculum in Australia as compared with that in other countries). Students are required to submit written work of no more than 40,000 words for which two examiners external to the University are appointed.
Postgraduate & Masters Level Courses 51
For information regarding the submission and examination of the integrated component students should read the section Submission of an Integrated Study or Major or Minor Thesis for Examination.
013AA & 013AB MASTER OF EDUCATION These streams are being phased out. There is no new intake in 1999.
013AA Coursework and Project
Students are required to undertake 100 points of study consisting of 75 points of coursework and a 25 point project of 10,000 to 12,000 words. The coursework and the project must be directly related. The candidate may also be required to participate in MEd Research seminars as specified by the supervisor.
013AB Coursework and Minor Thesis
Students are required to undertake 100 points of study, consisting of 50 points of coursework and a 50 point minor thesis of 20,000 words. The coursework and the thesis must be directly related. The candidate will participate in MEd research seminars as specified by the thesis supervisor.
Period of Candidature
(a)Candidates in course codes 013TH, 013MT, 013CW, or 013AS shall pursue studies on a full-time basis for at least two academic years or for at least four academic years on a part-time basis.
(b) Candidates in course codes 013AR, 013AT, 013BW, 013AA, or 013AB shall pursue studies on a full-time basis for at least one academic year or for at least two academic years on a part-time basis.
Organisation of Workload
In determining the studies to be undertaken in any one year, candidates are advised to use the following guidelines.
Full-time candidates should:
(i) complete subjects, a thesis or part of a thesis which generate 100 points over the course of a year.
(ii) endeavour to spread the workload across the whole year; ideally this means that no more than 50 points in any semester would be undertaken.
Part-time candidates should:
(i) ideally take not more than 50 points in any year.
(ii)take no more than one 25 point component in one semester.
Unsatisfactory Progress
Following the confirmation of results at the end of the academic year the enrolments of certain students come under review as follows:
1. students who satisfactorily complete less than one half of their total enrolment in that year;
2. students who fail a subject for the second time;
3. for students in 013TH, 013MT or 013CW students who do not complete their course within four years as a full- time student or within six years as a part-time student; OR for students in 013AR, 013AT, 013BW, 013AA or 013AB:
students who do not complete their course within two years as a full-time student or within four years as a part-time student.
4. for students in 013AS: students who do not complete their course within four years as a full-time student or within five years as a part-time student; OR
Please refer to the General Information section at the front of this Handbook, under Unsatisfactory Progress for an outline of the Faculty process in dealing with students who fall into these categories.
Enrolment in Subjects of Other Courses and Institutions
Candidates in the MEd course may not enrol in subjects of other courses. Subjects which are used to constitute part of the points required for the MEd award must come from the list approved by the Faculty Board for inclusion in the Master of Education course for the particular year.
Length of Time Acceptable Since Completion
of
Previous Qualification and/or Prerequisites Applicants for Streams 1, 1 A or 1B of the Master of Education course (013AR, 013AT or 013BW) who are applying for entry on the basis of qualifications obtained more than ten years prior to the year in which selection is sought, will normally be required to undertake two subjects from the Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Studies or Postgraduate Diploma in Education and Training or Postgraduate Diploma in Mathematics and Mathematics Education or Graduate Diploma in Educational
Administration (post-1991) and gain an H2A or above in each subject prior to admission to Streams 1 or 1A within the Master of Education course.
Applicants for Streams 2, 2A or 2B of the Master of Education course (013TH, 013MT or 013CW) who are applying for entry on the basis of qualifications obtained more than ten years prior to the year in which selection is sought, may be granted admission to those Streams if, in the view of the Faculty, the applicant has maintained an appropriate level of active involvement in the field of education during the time since the relevant prerequisite qualification(s) were conferred. No credit will be granted for studies undertaken for a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Studies or other fifth-year level equivalent qualification done more than 10 years prior to the year for which selection is sought.
Applicants who wish to resume their Master of Education studies after a gap of more than 10 years will normally be required to undertake two subjects and gain an H2A or above in each subject prior to re-admission to any stream of the Master of Education course.
Qualifying for the Award
Each candidate, when applying for admission to the course, and at the beginning of each year after admission to the course, must obtain the approval of the Faculty for his or her proposed studies. Any change to the approved studies must be authorised by the Faculty.
Candidates must:
(a)(i) prepare and submit a thesis whose scope and topic have been approved by the Faculty; and
(ii) complete such subjects as the Faculty may prescribe; or
(b)complete such subjects as the Faculty may prescribe;
and
(c)attend such subjects, prepare such reports, papers or dissertations as the Faculty may from time to time prescribe.
52 Postgraduate & Masters Level Courses
A candidate who has completed the work of the course to the satisfaction of the examiners and who has complied in all other respects with the provisions detailed above may be admitted to the degree of Master of Education.
Information Guide for Thesis Students
It is essential that all Masters candidates obtain a copy of the Information Guide for Thesis Students before
commencing the thesis component. The publication is free of charge and available from the Hawthorn and Parkville Faculty of Education Offices.
Thesis Provisions General Requirements
Students in Stream 1, IA, and 2 are required to write a preliminary thesis proposal and obtain a supervisor prior to admission to the course as part of the application process.
The thesis proposal must be signed by the supervisor and the supervisor's Head of Department.
Students in Stream 2A should obtain a supervisor shortly after admission to the course, and certainly before enrolment in 485-646 Research Methods in Education.
All students enrolled in the thesis streams of the Master of Education should finalise the topic of their thesis with their supervisor at as early as possible. Students must register the name of their supervisor with the Faculty Office as soon as the matter is finalised. A detailed thesis proposal must be prepared in association with the supervisor within two months of enrolment in the major thesis.
Part-time candidates should note that they are usually not permitted to enrol in more than one 25-point Masters subject per semester.
Submission of a Major or Minor Thesis for Examination
With the approval of the candidate's supervisor, a thesis may be submitted for examination at any time in the year.
The three copies of the completed thesis must be
presented to the Faculty Office. It must be in the format as outlined in the Information Guide for Thesis Students, otherwise it will not be accepted for examination.
When submitting a thesis for examination the candidate must be enrolled in the thesis subject. Upon submission of the thesis with approval of the candidate's supervisor, the candidate's enrolment status will be changed to 'Registered for Examination'. A candidate who submits a thesis for examination by 31 March 1999 and has his/her enrolment changed to 'Registered for Examination' may apply for reimbursement of the Amenities and Service Fee and/or HECS payment for 1999. A candidate who who submits a thesis for examination by 31 August 1999 and has his/her enrolment changed to 'Registered for Examination' may apply for reimbursement of the Amenities and Service Fee and/or HECS payment for Semester 2, 1999.
A thesis student must re-enrol in the thesis for 1999 if the thesis has not been submitted before the re-enrolment period for 1999 has passed (January 1999).
Major/substantial Revision
The examiner/s may recommend that substantial revision of a thesis be undertaken before the thesis is submitted for re-examination. In such cases, the student has six months to complete the revisions, and is required to re-enrol in the
thesis subject and pay associated HECS and Amenities and Services Fees. When the thesis is resubmitted for
examination, the student's enrolment will then be changed to 'Registered for Examination'.
• Minor Corrections
The examiner/s may recommend that minor corrections of a thesis be undertaken before a grade is given. In such cases, the student has three months to complete the corrections. If the corrections are not completed within three months, the student is required to re-enrol in the thesis subject and pay the associated HECS and Amenities and Services fees. When the supervisor advises that the corrections have been made, the student then submits two bound copies of the thesis to the Faculty Office.
If more specific information about these matters is required, candidates should contact the Faculty Office, Alice Hoy Building, Parkville Campus.
Bound Copies of Thesis
When all changes to the thesis have been made to the satisfaction of the examiners and/or supervisor, two bound copies of the thesis, together with two copies of the abstract (copied from the thesis) should be submitted to the Faculty Office. The Faculty Office forwards one copy of the thesis to the Education Library, and the other copy to the Baillieu Library. Once the bound copies have been received, the Faculty Office will release the grade for the thesis to the student.
Grading of Thesis
Theses are graded on the basis of work submitted for examination and not on the basis of the version produced after revisions have been made in light of the examiners' comments. Therefore a grade awarded to a thesis by an examiner may not be revised because of Improvements effected in accordance with guidance given by the examiner.
Where an examiner requires that revisions be effected to designated parts of a thesis before a pass grade may be awarded, the final grade may not be higher than H3.
Major Thesis
In a major thesis candidates are expected to demonstrate that they have mastered the research and synthesising skills involved in producing an original contribution to scholarship, although the thesis itself may not be particularly new in its field.
A candidate proceeding to the Master of Education by Major Thesis will have completed at the Master of Education level the equivalent of a one semester course which gives preparation In the research methods and conceptual frameworks by means of which the Master of Education thesis investigation will be carried out.
The length of the major thesis varies from field to field, but should not exceed 40,000 words, excluding appendices.
The major thesis will be examined by two appropriate academics external to the University of Melbourne, neither of whom Is the supervisor of the thesis.
The Freda Cohen Prize will be awarded In March each year to the candidate who submits the most meritorious major thesis during the preceding year (see Standing Resolution R6.64).
Postgraduate & Masters Level Courses 53
Minor Thesis
The Minor Thesis permits the candidate to draw on the themes discussed in the various subjects undertaken, and to apply them to an area of particular interest. Although this work may rely to some extent on the work of others, it should be a new presentation which involves the writer in demonstrating research and writing skills, and also in collecting primary data from the field, or in building some new construct from available materials. The result should give clear evidence of research skills and critical
judgement.
The minor thesis should demonstrate the candidate's ability to handle research and to present the outcomes in a disciplined way that conforms with normal scholarly conventions.
The length is dependent on the nature of the study, but as a general criterion, it should normally be no more than 20,000 words in length, excluding appendices. The minor thesis will be examined by two appropriate academics, one internal and one external to the University of Melbourne, neither of whom is the supervisor of the thesis.
A minor thesis should not, as a general rule, take a part- time candidate more than twelve months to complete.
Project
The qualities which characterise a minor thesis should also be evident in the project. Since the project requires 10,000 to 12,000 words, the candidate must choose a subject which can be adequately explored through a paper of that length. The format and other details for the project are outlined in the Information Guide for Thesis Students.
You will be expected to submit in early June for Semester 1, or in early November for Semester 2. The exact date has not yet been set. You should contact your Department early in the Semester for the due date. Enquiries regarding the submission of the project are to be directed to
Department Managers. See the General Information section at the front of this Handbook for a listing of the
Department Managers.
You will submit your project to the enquiries office in the Department to which your Supervisor belongs. One internal examiner who is not your Supervisor, will be nominated by your Supervisor. The result of your project will be available when the results for other subjects are posted on noticeboards.
Please note that you are able to apply to re-enrol in the project if circumstances prevent you from completing it by the above deadlines.
Centre for the Study of Higher Education
All candidates who wish to undertake study in the field of Higher Education must first consult the Postgraduate Co- ordinator of the Centre for the Study of High Education, Associate Professor Margaret Powles. Any enrolment made without approval will not be valid nor be eligible for tuition by the Centre.
External Mode of Delivery
Some subjects within this course are also offered in external (on-line) or external (correspondence) mode of delivery. It is possible to undertake all components of Streams 18 or2B of this course externally providing students select subjects that are available in external mode of delivery. Mode of delivery is listed within the subject
descriptions. Students wishing to undertake subjects offered in external (on-line) mode of delivery should first check that they meet the requirements to study externally.
Consult the Faculty's web page
http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/courses/postgraduate courses for details.
Course Enquiries
Faculty of Education Office, Alice Hoy Building, Parkville Campus, telephone: 9344 8285.