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Leadership

MEd (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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The MEd (Leadership) deploy a broad concept of leadership that can be applied to teachers at different stages of their career within schools as organisations. The Professional Diploma in Educational Leadership (PDEL) is aimed at primary and post-primary teachers in the Irish education system.

  • Include some face-to-face sessions (typically on Saturdays to accommodate travel and attendance from all corners of the country).
  • Our experience is that the combination of on campus days and online teaching and learning provide a dynamic and transformative learning experience for all students
  • We are committed to developing our students’ critical voice through reading, discussion, peer learning, presentations and critical review. Furthermore, these participative learning experiences will ensure that high quality learning outcomes are achieved.

The application for this programme has a rolling deadline meaning that applications will close when all places have been filled. For this reason, early application is advised. This course tends to be oversubscribed annually.

 

 

About This Course

  • Critical Thinking and Analytical Approaches: 
 review and evaluate a range of policy measures and initiatives and critique these in the context of the school improvement and effectiveness
  • Demonstrate a well-developed understanding of the limits, contradictions and emerging issues related to leadership.
  • Demonstrate the skills of interrogating practice using theoretical perspectives, thus generating new ideas and/ or reformulating existing ideas and practises in relation to professional roles.
  • Evidence an enhanced aptitude for continued self-directed learning as well as collaborative learning in professional settings.
  • Evidence the significance of reflection in the development of expertise and innovative practice thus providing leadership within schools and the wider education community.
  • Indicate a more in-depth knowledge and more critical engagement with the foundational disciplines of education to enhance and enrich the expertise acquired in undergraduate studies and subsequent professional experience.
  • Leadership and Development Theories: critically explore and interrogate prominent leadership theories and apply these theories in the course of addressing a variety of organisational issues and problems.
  • Make explicit connections between module content, coursework and professional practice.
  • Research skills and competence: engage in exploring a range of research methods within both quantitative and qualitative paradigms and critically evaluate these in the context of the work of school leadership in the development of research/ evidence informed practice for school development.
  • complete a leadership-focused study that will provide an opportunity for graduates to demonstrate with the ability to engage in primary research and consolidate the learning outcomes achieved in the other modules on the programme.
  • demonstrate a thorough understanding of key theories of organisational behaviour and change and how to apply these theories in an organizational setting.
  • reflect purposefully and critically upon their own skills and limitations as leaders, evidenced by their performance in working with groups and their overall learning outcomes on the programme.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of:
MEd Leadership students in their first year must select the following three modules.
EDUC41620 Contemporary Issues Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of:
MEd Leadership students in their first year must select the following three modules.
EDUC41640 School leadership and the quality of teaching and learning: actors, agency, activities Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A)3 of:
MEd Leadership students in their first year must select the following three modules.
EDUC41800 School Transformation Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - D)4 of:
Students who have completed the UCD PDEL or Year 1 of the MEd Leadership should select the following four modules.
EDUC42890 Research Methods (Blended) Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - D)4 of:
Students who have completed the UCD PDEL or Year 1 of the MEd Leadership should select the following four modules.
EDUC43270 School Effectiveness Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - D)4 of:
Students who have completed the UCD PDEL or Year 1 of the MEd Leadership should select the following four modules.
EDUC42910 Research Methods 2 (Blended) Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - D)4 of:
Students who have completed the UCD PDEL or Year 1 of the MEd Leadership should select the following four modules.
EDUC42050 Thesis: School Leadership Summer  30

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MEd Leadership (W328) Part Time
EU          Year 1 - € 4010 dd
EU          Year 2 - € 7870 dd

dd"Please note that Year 2 MEd Leadership fees quoted are valid only for students entering Year 2 in the academic year 2025/26. Year 2 fees for subsequent years are subject to change."
***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships.

Applicants to the MEd Leadership must have a recognised teaching qualification and have relevant teaching experience. Students who have already successfully completed the online/blended Professional Diploma in Education Studies (Leadership) may carry their 30-credits from the Diploma into the Masters Programme and complete the remaining 60 credits.
You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No


Applicants must hold an honours degree at undergraduate level (or equivalent) from a higher education institution, a recognised teaching qualification and have a minimum of three years’ teaching experience in either the primary or post-primary sector in Ireland.



We are offering direct entry to Year 2 of the MEd Leadership programme (W328) for recent graduates of the UCD Professional Diploma in Educational Leadership (W342) who have achieved a 2.1 grade or higher. This pathway is only recommended for graduates of the Professional Diploma in Educational Leadership W342 who have completed the course in the last five years. Students who have already successfully completed the blended Professional Diploma in Education Studies (Leadership) at UCD may carry their 30-credits from the Diploma into the Masters Programme and complete the remaining 60 credits. 



If you have any queries on the PDE/MEd Leadership, please do not hesitate to contact us at educationenquiries@ucd.ie.


General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Leadership:

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
W328
Leadership
Master of Education

Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page

Additional special entry route(s) to Leadership:

These options have additional eligibility requirements to cater for specific applicant cohorts. You should not apply via these routes before consulting the requirements or contacting the responsible UCD office.

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceEU
W328
Leadership
Master of Education

Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
MEd Leadership Year 2


This application route is for UCD PDEL pathway students only, for entry to year 2 of the programme

Two academic references are required for this course.