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Programme Description

The aim of the Master of Education (MEd) degree programme is to enhance the inquiry skills and executive capacity of experienced professional educators. The MEd programme is designed to provide flexibility to those who seek to broaden their understanding of education and to afford opportunities to those who wish to specialise in a defined area of study.

Enhanced flexibility is made possible by the provision of a General Stream, whilst the Programme with Specialisations in defined areas of study offers courses that both enrich students’ existing knowledge base and allow the pursuit of specialist knowledge at the Master-degree level. MEd students tailor their course of study to their own interests, and are able to enrol in the variety of courses offered by our four academic departments.

Study Scheme

(1) Coursework Requirement

Students can either take (a) General Stream, or (b) Programme with Specializations, and complete the requirements for graduation.

(a) General Stream

Under the guidance of their academic advisors, students opting for the General Stream may register for a variety of courses offered by the Faculty’s academic departments, including the Departments of Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Administration and Policy, Educational Psychology, and Sports Science and Physical Education. To graduate, students are required to complete a total of 30 units, including 3 units on research methodology.

Students who wish to conduct an independent inquiry into an educational issue relevant to their defined areas of study may enrol in “Research Report”, a course that offers guided study under the supervision of Faculty staff members.

 

Study Scheme

(i)
General Courses
6-9 courses (Each 3 units) with prefix PEDU (excluding practicum, seminars, project and research reports, and some specialized courses. Please refer to respective course descriptions for details.)
18-27 units
(ii)
Methods of Educational Research
2 courses from: PEDU6003-6004, 6401-6406
(There are pre-requisites for PEDU6404 & 6405, please refer to Faculty Handbook – Course Descriptions for details.)
3 units
(iii)
Research Report
Students can choose to complete 1 course from: PEDU6418, 6449, 6459, 6461, SSPE6901
0-9 units

Courses offered by General Stream
Please refer to the course listings of the Departments of Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Administration and Policy, Educational Psychology, and Sports Science and Physical Education.

In addition to these courses, another 11 courses in Putonghua (or English, subject to the departments’ teaching arrangements) are also offered by the Departments of Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Administration and Policy, Educational Psychology and the Faculty of Education to provide students another medium of instruction option. MEd students opting for the General Stream can register for these courses to fulfil their coursework requirement within one academic year.

(b) Programmes with Specialisations

Students will be required to choose one of the following specialisations, and complete 30 units, including core courses, elective courses, research method courses and/or project reports for graduation.

Curriculum and Instruction

This programme is designed for educational professionals and practitioners who are interested in curriculum design and development. Its aim is to help students to acquire the theories, strategies and concepts of curriculum development from a range of perspectives. Students also explore the effects of societal and educational changes on curriculum design and development.

The programme emphasises the integration of theory and practice. Key areas of inquiry include theories of curriculum and instructional design, models of curriculum development, curriculum evaluation, change and implementation strategies, instructional design, and the role and functions of educators and administrators in curriculum and instructional matters.

Study Scheme

(i)
Required Courses
3 to 4 courses from: PEDU6051, 6052, 6053, 6054
9-12 units
(ii)
Core Electives (within department)
1 to 2 courses from: courses offered by the Department of Curriculum & Instruction such as courses from MA in English Language Teaching, MA in Chinese Language Education, MSc in Mathematics Education programmes.
[prior approval from teachers of individual courses might be required]
3-6 units
(iii)
Electives from other departments/programmes
1 to 4 courses offered by other departments/ programmes of the Faculty of Education
3-12 units
(iv)
Methods of Educational Research
2 courses from: PEDU6003-6004, 6401-6406
(There are pre-requisites for PEDU6404 & 6405, please refer to Faculty Handbook – Course Descriptions for details.)
3 units
(v)
Research Report
Students can choose to complete PEDU6459
0-9 untis
Learning Sciences and Technologies (Part-time Programme)

The programme is designed for professionals in education and corporate sectors to enable them to leverage information technologies in learning and teaching. To respond to the need of building up professional capacity in using technologies for the enhancement of learning and teaching, the programme provides training to integrate theories of learning with contemporary technologies to design and evaluate learning environments for schools and other educational settings. Target audiences of the programme are school teachers, government officials, courseware designers, IT professionals, educational product designers and trainers designing training programmes.

The programme will adopt a tripod curricular structure with the following three connected “pillars”:

  • Learning: To provide participants with the foundational theories of how learning takes place effectively in individuals and in a group or community
  • Technology: To equip participants with applied knowledge and skills in technologies for educational application
  • Design: To enable participants to explore various issues in the design of learning environments that utilize the affordance of new technologies to personalize the learning processes for learners

Study Scheme

(i)
Required Courses
4 courses from: PEDU6124, 6125, 6513, 6514
12 units
(ii)
Electives
3 courses offered by the Master of Education programme / other programmes of the Faculty of Education
9 units
(iii)
Methods of Educational Research
2 courses from: PEDU6003-6004, 6401-6406
(There are pre-requisites for PEDU6404 & 6405, please refer to Faculty Handbook – Course Descriptions for details.)
3 units
(iv)
Research Report
Students must complete PEDU6460
6 units
Educational Administration and Policy Studies

This programme is specially designed for educators interested in broadening their horizon of complex issues pertaining to educational system and in exploring ways in which they can make a positive difference in educational administration and policy. The programme assumes that leadership resides in and operates across various levels of the educational system – from teachers, principals, policy analysts, to officials– and addresses significant issues relevant to the public. Using a range of experiential and grounded approaches to learning, the programme enhances students’ conceptual and analytical skills that are essential for a comprehensive and critical understanding of the debates surrounding current education policies and practices and their wider implications for the society.

The programme balances theoretical and practical perspectives with reference to local and international experience and research. Students can choose whether to address these and other relevant topics through coursework or through a combination of coursework and supervised applied study.

Study Scheme

(i)
Required Courses
4 courses from: PEDU6011, 6205, 6209, 6211
12 units
(ii)
Core Electives (within department)
2 to 4 courses from: PEDU6206, 6207, 6208, 6210, 6212, 6213, 6214
6-12 units
(iii)
Electives from other departments/programmes
0 to 3 courses offered by other departments/ programmes of the Faculty of Education
0-9 units
(iv)
Methods of Educational Research
2 courses from: PEDU6003-6004, 6401-6406
(There are pre-requisites for PEDU6404 & 6405, please refer to Faculty Handbook – Course Descriptions for details.)
3 units
(v)
Research Report
Students can choose to complete PEDU6418
0-9 units
Educational Psychology

This programme invites teachers and other professionals to jointly explore the new frontiers of educational psychology. Its aim is to provide stimulation and resources to effect positive changes in educational practice. Courses are designed around the constellations of learning and development to address the following concerns. What advances in knowledge can improve the design of learning environments and related assessments? In what ways can the psychology of higher order thinking illuminate our instructional design? What strategies are effective for motivating the unmotivated and for handling high-risk behaviour in adolescents? In light of new and still evolving perspectives, how can we better understand the nature of human abilities and their developmental variants (e.g. talents, giftedness and learning disabilities)? What are the possibilities for teacher development, and can such development ultimately serve as a resource for student development?

Study Scheme 

(i)
Required Courses
4 to 5 courses from: PEDU6048, 6502, 6504, 6506, 6508, 6509, 6512 - 6516, 6705
12-15 units
(ii)
Electives
2 to 4 courses offered by any departments/ programmes of the Faculty of Education
6-12 units
(iii)
Methods of Educational Research
2 courses from: PEDU6003-6004, 6401-6406
(There are pre-requisites for PEDU6404 & 6405, please refer to Faculty Handbook – Course Descriptions for details.)
3 units
(iv)
Research Report
Students can choose to complete PEDU6449
0-9 units
Parent Education (Part-time Programme)

The psychologist Sigmund Freud purportedly described raising a child as an impossible task, akin to governing a nation. In performing this impossible task, parents exert profound influence on their children that extends well into adulthood. Parents, themselves, are also transformed in this process. Importantly, parents’ beliefs and practices are not only constantly shaped by the sociocultural context in which they reside, but also by the developing child and other agents of socialization. Understanding the complex dynamics of parenting is crucial for practitioners who seek to promote the wellness of the family, as well as children’s optimal development.

This program is designed to enable educational professionals and practitioners from diverse backgrounds to work with parents effectively in professional settings. Students will acquire in-depth knowledge about parenting, including its antecedents, mechanisms, and implications for both parents and children. They will also develop paraprofessional counseling skills for working with parents. Moreover, a range of core electives will allow students to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by parents of children in different developmental stages and with different psychological and educational needs.

Study Scheme

(i)
Required Courses
3 to 5 courses from: PEDU6701, 6704, 6705, 6706, 6707
9-15 units
(ii)
Core Electives
2 to 3 courses from: SSPA6304, SSPA6203, MECM6301*, MECM6302*, PEDU6213, 6502, 6504, 6506, 6512, 6516

[*Subject to approval and arrangement of programme]
6-9 units
(iii)
Electives
1 to 3 courses offered by other departments/ programmes of the Faculty of Education
3-9 units
(iv)
Methods of Educational Research
2 courses from: PEDU6003-6004, 6401-6406
(There are pre-requisites for PEDU6404 & 6405, please refer to Faculty Handbook – Course Descriptions for details.)
3 units
(v)
Research Report
Students can choose to complete PEDU6461
0-9 units
Sports Science and Physical Education

This programme is designed to provide specialised study in sports science and physical education. Graduates will possess an in-depth understanding of the major areas of sports science and physical education, allowing them either to specialise in and increase their knowledge of physical education practices or pursue research in this area. The programme offers eight areas of investigation: Sports and Exercise Psychology, Exercise Physiology, Sports Biomechanics, Curriculum Policy, Design and Implementation in Sports and Physical Education, Sports Pedagogy, Sports Sociology, Health and Fitness, and Measurement in Sports and Physical Education.

Study Scheme

(i)
Elective Courses I
1 to 6 courses from: SSPA6204, SSPA6301, SSPA6302, SSPA6305-6307
3-18 units
(ii)
Elective Courses II
2 to 7 courses from: SSPA6103, 6201-6203, 6205-6208, 6303-6304
6-21 units
(iii)
Elective Courses III
1 to 5 courses offered by other departments/ programmes of the Faculty of Education
(There are pre-requisites for PEDU6404 & 6405, please refer to Faculty Handbook – Course Descriptions for details.)
3-15 units
(iv)
Methods of Educational Research
SSPA6101
3 units
(v)
Research Report
Students can choose to complete SSPE6901
0-9 units
(vi)
Guided Studies
SSPE6701
0-3 units

 

(2) Other Requirements

(a) A student must achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in order to fulfill the graduation requirement.

(b) Students must fulfill the Term Assessment Requirement of the Graduate School. A student who obtain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) below 2.0 in the preceding term will be put on academic probation. For details, please refer to Section 13.0 “Unsatisfactory Performance and Discontinuation of Studies” of the General Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies which can be accessed from the Graduate School Homepage: http://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/.