Scottish Framework for Masters in Education FAQs

The Framework is a portal for educators interested in Masters-level learning. It is a tool to support educators to make informed decisions about the focus of their professional learning. The Framework is also designed to enable educators to build on previous Masters-level learning. It provides a common set of Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (Level 11) descriptors for the transfer of credit between universities.

Masters level learning is designed to develop the ability to critically analyse practice and consider underpinning research in areas of particular interest. It is possible to focus on areas which are of direct relevance to professional practice.

There are different ways to engage with Masters-level learning. First, it is worth taking some time to reflect on the following:

• What has interested you in Masters-level learning?
• Is your interest directly linked to something you are working on in school?
• Is there a specific topic you would like to know more about?
• Do you have a particular area you want to focus on?

If you want to work towards a Masters-level qualification as part of your career-long professional learning you might want to start with where, when and how you could study. Begin with a note of some of your interests and investigate what the universities have to offer.

The framework allows access to information about the range of Masters-level learning opportunities available in Scotland many of these opportunities can be accessed online from anywhere in the world.

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Starting times vary from one point per year to open enrolment when you can start at any point.

You can study online for all of a Masters degree or for part of it.

If you are studying for a 20 credit module at Level 11, then you are expected to do 200 hours of studying while you are working on the module. If it is a 30 credit module at Level 11, then you are expected to do 300 hours of study. Most modules run over a 3 to 4 month period, so you will need to study for between 12 and 18 hours per week.

No you do not have to be in work but some degrees expect you to be in work to carry out action research or a professional enquiry as part of the degree.

No, some degrees are suitable for educators who are not working in a Scottish school.

It usually takes between 3 and 5 years to complete a part-time Masters degree.

Not always. Universities offer a range of postgraduate certificates, diplomas and degrees. In some universities you can sign up for a certificate or diploma, other universities ask you to sign up for a Masters but you can leave with a certificate or diploma if you don’t want to complete the whole degree.

Yes. You can choose to ‘suspend your studies’ or take ‘leave of absence’. This usually involves writing an email to explain why you want to have a break. Each university has rules about how much time you can take off.

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You will be given a postgraduate certificate or diploma, depending on the number of credits you have passed. To get a postgraduate certificate you must have passed 60 credits, 120 credits for a diploma and 180 for a degree.

Yes if it is recent learning. If you were working on a Masters programme in the last 5 years then that work can count towards a Masters degree. Once you have decided where you would like to continue on a Masters degree you should contact the university to talk about the best way to do that.

Yes the credits at Level 11 from your PGDE or ITE degree can be used as a starting point for a Masters degree. The university that awarded your PGDE or degree usually links those credits into one their Masters programmes. If you want to study elsewhere then you can ask to transfer the credits into a programme in a different university.

You can make a claim for prior learning about research and development you have undertaken in your classroom in the last five years. This is something you should ask about once you have decided which university you would like to study with.

You can use the work you put forward for professional recognition to make a claim for prior learning.

You can to develop your studies at doctoral level, or do further courses or modules at Masters level.

Fees are usually charged per module or course and vary between universities. Each university provides information for students about how to fund further study. Some schools and local authorities offer some support towards fees.

Each university in the Scottish Framework for Masters in Education partnership recognises a set of common SCQF descriptors at Level 11 for 20 or 30 credits which you can transfer between programmes.