Master of Arts in Teaching & Learning at Institute of Technology Carlow

The Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning aims to provide participants with the skills, knowledge and competencies to design, teach, assess and evaluate educational programmes and to enable them to become professional, reflective practitioners. It will also equip graduates for roles in academic leadership and/or research supervision.

The embedded Postgraduate Diploma comprises five mandatory modules and one elective module. For the award of the Postgraduate Diploma, learners are required to complete 60 credits.

What will I be able to do when I finish this programme?

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Critically analyse current theories and research in teaching, learning and assessment practices and policies in higher education;
• Assess, select and evaluate the use of varied teaching and assessment strategies, including the integration of digital technologies to ensure effective teaching practices and enhance student engagement;
• Synthesise pedagogical research with discipline-based expertise to enhance models of higher education practice and the design of education programmes for diverse leaners;
• Apply the reflective practitioner model in order to identify and promote improvements to own practice, whilst demonstrating professionalism and high ethical standards;
• Demonstrate initiative and leadership skills in working with peers and other educators and the wider community in designing curricula, leading programmes and/or conducting research supervision in diverse educational settings;
• Evaluate the wider social, political and economic environment within which the teaching professional operates;
• Demonstrate reflectivity and creativity in the interpretation and application of concepts, methods and approaches to teaching, learning and assessment;
• Develop knowledge and expertise in the use of appropriate research methods in higher education and use these to research practice and make a contribution to knowledge;
• Design and execute an independent, critical, and reflective professional investigation which examines the relationship between theory and practice, adopting the most appropriate research methods to address and analyse the identified issues.

What subjects will I study?

• Teaching and Learning 1
• Teaching and Learning 2
• Assessment and Feedback
• Curriculum Design
• Technology-Enhanced Teaching & Learning
• Education Research Methods
• Masters Research Project
  
  Elective Subjects
• Academic Leadership
• Research Supervision

Study & Career Opportunities

Graduates of the course may progress to a PhD course of study in the discipline areas, in Ireland or abroad. Graduates of the course may also be eligible to progress to a professional doctorate in the field of teaching and learning, in both Irish and international Institutions.

Individual modules from the course are now offered as stand-alone modules and are accredited as minor awards at Level 9. This is a new feature of the course. These modules are as follows:

• Certificate in Teaching and Learning 1 (Foundation)
• Certificate in Teaching and Learning 2 (Advanced)
• Certificate in Technology-Enhanced Teaching & Learning
• Certificate in Research Supervision.
• Certificate in Assessment and Feedback
• Certificate in Curriculum Design
• Certificate in Academic Leadership.