University of Nottingham Malaysia
Special and Inclusive Education MA
- Full-time: 1-2 years
- Part-time: 2-4 years
- Start date: September 2024
- Malaysian fee: RM48,600 per programme
- International fee: RM58,700 per programme
- Intake: September
Course overview
This programme is designed for teachers or other professionals who have an interest in increasing their knowledge and skills in the field of special needs.
The MA Special and Inclusive Education is suitable if you are:
- interested in developing your knowledge and understanding of children and young people with special educational needs
- working as a teacher or associated professional in mainstream education or specialised settings wishing to extend your skills and practice
- an experienced professional or new to working with children with additional needs
- Malaysia-based or an international student
The programme offers a comprehensive focus on contemporary debates within special and inclusive education including local, national and international policies and approaches. We focus on the specific needs of children with learning difficulties and disabilities, communication impairments, literacy difficulties/dyslexia, autism and ADHD to illustrate the challenges encountered in professional practice.
Critical exploration of current theory and research inform consideration of pedagogical approaches as well as the development of effective systems and structures for working with parents/carers and different agencies.
This programme provides high quality professional development that offers flexibility for students to pursue areas of interest and specialisms.
Why choose this course?
The internationally respected MA Special and Inclusive Education qualification supports career progression through:
- evaluating effective approaches to supporting disabled children and young people including those with moderate to severe and complex learning difficulties and/or personal, social, emotional and behaviour difficulties
- exploring values and beliefs, policy, legislation, multi-agency working and involvement of families and disabled children and young people
- building confidence in your professional practice skills
- promoting personal development through reflection and critical analysis of your own beliefs and practices
- increasing your academic and research skills which will support future doctorate level study including, for example, a Doctorate in Education or Educational Psychology or a PhD Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators
Important Announcement: Starting 2021, the programme structure for all School of Education postgraduate taught programmes (Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MA) has been changed to TWO online delivery and TWO face-to-face delivery.
Course content
For the MA in Education: Special and Inclusive Education, you will need to successfully complete 180 credits. This will be composed of two core modules and two electives of 30 credits each. In addition, you will need to submit a dissertation, worth 60 credits, in a subject related to one of the modules and approved by your tutor.
Typical core modules
Debating Special and Inclusive Education
This module focuses on critical issues in special education and inclusive education across the globe, and application of theories, policies, societal issues, and education and inclusive systems on educational provision for individuals who are marginalised, including those with special needs.
Key topics include:
- Critiquing definitions of special and inclusive education.
- Exploring the sociological, political and theoretical perspectives of inclusion.
- Understanding inclusive pedagogies and systems.
Practice Based Inquiry
The content will involve you in active critical consideration of participating in and leadership of practitioner inquiry in relation to professional context mapping and workplace learning.
These processes will be achieved through:
- conceptualising different kinds of practitioner inquiry relevant to work-based understanding and development (purposes, processes, contexts, dilemmas, outcomes).
- examining a range of approaches to educational inquiry, with an emphasis on action research.
- developing an inquiry into your professional context.
Dissertation
This substantive piece of scholarship within the field of the course will normally be based on interests and skills you have developed in the course of the modules already studied.
You will choose a topic in consultation with your course leader and an appropriate supervisor.
Typical optional modules
Communication and Literacy
This module focuses on the importance of communication and its close links to the development of literacy. This module explores the development of both communication and literacy skills, issues that arise in individuals with communication and literacy difficulties and educational support for communication and literacy development.
Key topics include:
- Critiquing theories of communication and literacy development.
- Understanding the impact of communication and literacy difficulties including among individuals with learning disability, autism, Down syndrome and dyslexia.
- Evaluating communication and literacy assessments and interventions.
Responding Mindfully to Challenging Behavior
This module focuses on developing a critical understanding of theories on behaviour and relationship management, and reflecting on how these theories influence practical issues concerning the management of individuals with special needs.
Key topics include:
- Developing an awareness in reflexivity as a key resource and skill in facilitating other individuals and groups.
- Relating theories and practices related to managing relationships and behaviour in educational contexts.
- Understanding of whole school issues relating to responding mindfully to challenging behaviours and meeting the needs of individuals with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Meet the tutor
Please note that we offer only one or two modules at each teaching time point.
To maximise your study period, we highly encourage that you align your programme start date with the first module of your choice.
Please email the programme coordinator if you need help with module selection.
Programme coordinator: Dr Sharimila Ambrose.
Entry requirements
All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.
A relevant second class honours degree (or international equivalent). Relevant experience may be required for some of the modules. Non-UK qualifications will be assessed against this standard.
If deemed necessary, applicants may also be required to attend an interview.
Malaysians applying as a matured student without the standard entry requirements but with substantial and relevant work experience (and have successfully passed APEL’s assessment through Malaysian Qualifications Agency) at an appropriate level may be considered. Admission is at the discretion of the School.
Applicants must have graduated from an approved university. Other equivalent qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Entry requirements in the prospectus and website may not always apply and individual offers may vary.
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IELTS (Academic):
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6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in each element)
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TOEFL (iBT):
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90 (minimum 19 in Writing and Listening, 20 in Reading and 22 in Speaking) |
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PTE (Academic):
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71 (with no less than 65 in each element)
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MUET:
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Band 4.5 |
IELTS, TOEFL and PTE (Academic) test results must be less than two years old and all IELTS must be the academic version of the test. MUET results are valid for five years from the date of the release of results.
Learning and assessment
How you will learn
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Workshops
- Tutorials
- Field trips
- Lab sessions
- Independent study
In addition to lectures, some modules have lab sessions, some have workshops and some drop in sessions. Each module is run with the aim of providing best learning experience for students and module objectives are achieved by devising the most appropriate delivery and assessment methods.
How you will be assessed
- Coursework
- Dissertation
- Presentation
- Essay
Modules are assessed via a 6,000 word assignment. The dissertation is an original piece of work and should be of approximately 12,000–15,000 words on an approved topic.
Fees
| Malaysian students | RM48,600 per programme |
| International students | RM58,700 per programme |
Funding
Find out about scholarships, financial assistance and specific research funding available to all malaysian and international students.
Scholarship fundingWhere you will learn
Malaysia Campus
Semenyih Campus is 48km from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and just 45 minutes’ drive from the famous city centre with its iconic Petronas Twin Towers. On arrival, you are immersed in the green jungle backdrop that Malaysia provides with wildlife, sunshine and campus lake.
The campus is home to our business, education, science and engineering schools, which sit alongside a sports centre, library and student accommodation. The University has everything a modern day student could wish for with the added bonus of being located in central Asia allowing you to travel further afield in your free time.
Public transport is plentiful with free shuttle services operating on some routes. Taxi/Grab services in Malaysia are very reasonable and used widely by the student community.
This content was last updated on 26 February 2024. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.