Master of Education (Research)

The University of New England is committed to maintaining its strong research culture, underpinned by high research training standards.

The Master of Education (Research) Rules provide the framework for one of the University's AQF Level 9 awards.

They provide the rigorous processes that are essential for the maintenance of academic quality and integrity in the University's operations, and that reflect the University's values of providing a formative, respectful, inclusive, flexible and innovative environment for the delivery of high quality research training for its students.

Course Aims

The Master of Education (Research) provides a program of independent, supervised research for high calibre graduates to make a substantial and original contribution to scholarship and mastery of an academic field of knowledge. The Master of Education (Research) is designed so graduates will undertake supervised study of which two thirds will be devoted to research, research training and independent study.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: exhibit a mastery of an Education field of knowledge by: (a) having systematically acquired intellectual skill and experience that is grounded in contemporary developments in an Education field; (b) creating and communicating scholarship of a quality to satisfy peer review, extending the frontier of the field of knowledge and potentially meriting publication; and (c) demonstrating knowledge of research principles and methods applicable in advanced academic inquiry; conduct research independently and systematically by: (a) conceptualising, designing and implementing a project which will increase knowledge that is applicable or contributes new insights to an Education field; (b) evaluating ideas and making informed judgements on complex issues or challenges in the education field of specialisation; and (c) communicating ideas, methodologies and conclusions clearly and effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences; and be accountable for their own learning and professional training by: (a) demonstrating the capacity to undertake further learning and/or a further career in or around research at an advanced level, and contributing substantially to the development or dissemination of new techniques, ideas or approaches; (b) displaying the qualities and attributes necessary to exercise personal responsibility and autonomous initiative in complex and unpredictable situations, whether in professional environments or in the public domain.

Graduate Attributes

Knowledge of a Discipline Graduates demonstrate a command of a comprehensive body of theoretical knowledge, including recent developments in their chosen discipline, or in interdisciplinary studies of education, and critical examination of the relationship between those theories and contemporary educational and social problems. Educational research dissertations are generally set in a global and national context. Graduates take a global and international perspective in evaluating educational theories and related public policy. Graduates possess advanced knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to their field, and demonstrate extensive reading of academic literature and scholarly articles published internationally, and engage in comparative analysis and critical evaluation of education in the global context. Communication Skills Graduates demonstrate high-level scholarly written and oral communication skills. Graduates will have experience in designing, evaluating, implementing, analysing and disseminating research results to specialist and non-specialist audiences, communicating effectively and confidently both orally and in writing. Problem Solving The primary focus of research is on seeking solutions to complex problems. Graduates use cognitive and technical skills to design, use and evaluate research and research methods. Information Literacy Graduates apply advanced research methods, including the use of relevant technologies, to construct arguments and present new considerations, and to critically evaluate academic literature relevant to their field of research. Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility Graduates reflect critically on educational theory and its application to their discipline, conduct their research in an ethical manner and report their findings responsibly. Lifelong Learning The skills acquired and developed through research and problem solving provides graduates with self-motivated learning and research techniques for their future challenges. Independence and Collaboration While students in this course are predominantly working independently, they are introduced to the collegial nature of research through their participation in the foundational units on research methodology and theory. Students in these units are encouraged to work in collaboration with their peers, engaging empathetically and insightfully with them, to achieve agreed outcomes. Graduates will also have worked in collaboration with their supervisors.