Education: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities MA

St Mary's University, Twickenham

Explore pedagogy, practice, and policy related to special education needs and disabilities to support and develop your practice with a postgraduate qualification in SEND. Apply your learning to practical situations within your own setting, using your knowledge to drive effective change in inclusive SEND provision and practice. Advance your professional skills and expertise in SEND through the development of a research culture. Study this degree in person at St Mary's University or through the blended or online options. Access our staff expertise and supervisory support and our strong links to practising professionals in the field of SEND. This course develops a systematic understanding of knowledge related to SEND through critical engagement with theory and practice. This course is relevant to anyone involved in teaching and learning wishing to advance their knowledge, practice, and pedagogy in the field of special educational needs and disability (SEND). You will develop a depth of understanding of a range of SEND across all phases of compulsory education. There will be opportunities to focus on an area of choice (such as autism, sensory impairment, and speech, language, and communication). The dissertation in particular allows you to research in depth an area of your own interest. You will be introduced to seminal and cutting-edge theory and research and consider how this links to current policy and practice. You will also be encouraged to consider wider concepts of inclusion and leadership in SEND. Throughout the course you will deepen your pedagogical understanding as a reflective practitioner who is able to use research to inform their own practice. You can study face-to-face, online or a mix of the two. Blended study combines elements of online learning with intensive face-to-face learning on study days or twilight sessions. For MA Education, distance learning is where students engage with lectures, alongside students on site, at set times through video conferencing. This will allow you to fit your studies around your current commitments, regardless of your location. Career opportunities Our SEND degree supports your long-term career development. You will learn to contribute to strategic development and leadership of SEND at a classroom or whole-school level. You will also develop your confidence and ability to articulate an argument. A high proportion of past students achieve internal or external promotion to middle and senior educational leadership positions. This programme is available in at distance learning.