Master of Education (Research)
The aim of this program is to provide students with an advanced level research training experience in – and make a contribution to knowledge – education as well as offer a research track to doctoral level study in education.
This degree focuses primarily on research in the area of Education. The MEd (Research) is designed for students who wish to undertake a research degree but not one of the length and scale of a PhD, EdD or MPhil; use this degree as a pathway into the PhD and EdD degrees, and/or wish to enrol in a higher degree that contains some coursework but do not wish to undertake the amount required by the Master of Education coursework degree.
Admission requirements
All candidates are required to have achieved a grade point average of 70% in their final year of university study prior to admission into the Master of Education (Research) degree.
Candidates need to submit a research proposal (500€’1000 words) addressing criteria specified by the faculty, and have one of the following qualifications:
- a Bachelor degree in an appropriate area of study and a Bachelor of Teaching/Master of Teaching degree or equivalent, or
- a Bachelor degree plus a one-year Diploma of Education in an appropriate area of study, or
- a four year Bachelor of Education degree or Bachelors degree deemed by the faculty to be equivalent and of a standard acceptable to the faculty.
Program structure
This degree has two study options:
- Option A - thesis only (maximum 25,000 words)
- Option B - coursework (2 units of study – 25%) plus thesis (20,000 words – 75%). In this option the student€™s supervisor will recommend the student to complete two units of study listed below. Students enrolled in Option B will complete the coursework component in their first semester of study.
Assessment
Thesis examination will be by two examiners, neither of who shall be the student€™s supervisor. One or both of these examiners may be from outside the University, but only one of these examiners may be internal to the University.
All coursework must be completed in the first semester of study. Assessment for Option B coursework component will be based on 5000-6000 words of written work as for all master level units of study taught by the faculty.
Units of study
| Course code | Course name | Type |
|---|---|---|
|
EDPJ5022 |
Research Methods in Language Learning |
|
|
EDPK5001 |
Qualitative Research |
|
|
EDPK5002 |
Quantitative Methods |
|
|
EDPK5003 |
Developing a Research Project |
|
|
EDPK5013 |
Quantitative Analysis |
|
|
EDPK6016 |
Advanced Statistical Analysis |
|
|
EDPC5012 |
Evaluating ICT based Learning Innovation |
|
|
EDPC5003 |
Teaching, Learning & the Internet |
Course convenor
Dr Ruth Phillips
Phone: 9351 6899
Room: 741
Email: ruth.phillips@sydney.edu.au
Course rules
Course Resolutions
0.
These resolutions must be read in conjunction with the relevant rules and Resolutions of the Senate and Academic Board, including:
(2)
The University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000 as amended, which sets out the requirements of all coursework courses;
1 Course codes
|
Code |
Course title |
|---|---|
|
XC081 |
Master of Education (Research) |
2 Requirements for the Award of Master of Education (Research)
(1)
The Resolutions of the Academic Board relating to the Examination Procedure for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
(c)
Successfully complete postgraduate units of study prescribed by the Faculty giving credit for 12 credit points.
3 Award of degree
(2)
If the Faculty is of the opinion that the work of the candidate is of sufficient merit, the candidate shall receive a bronze medal.
4 Eligibility for admission to candidature
(1)
Except as provided in Part 9, Section 47 of the University of Sydney (Amendment) Act 1999 as amended, an applicant for admission to candidature for the degree shall:
(a)
Be a graduate who have attained a grade point average of 70% in their final year of university of study prior to seeking admission to the Master of Education (Research); and
(c)
hold a Bachelors degree in an appropriate area of study and a Bachelor or Master of Teaching degree; or
(d)
hold a Bachelors degree in by the Faculty to be equivalent and of a standard acceptable to the Faculty.
5 Availability of admission
(a)
availability of resources, including teaching staff, space, library equipment and computing facilities; and
(3)
In considering an applicant for admission to candidature the Faculty, in taking account of the quota, will select in preference applicants who are most meritorious in terms of admission criteria.
6 Degree requirements
(c)
On completion of requirements for the degree lodge with the Faculty three (3) copies of the thesis typewritten and bound in either a temporary or permanent form, together with five separate copies of the abstract;
(d)
Complete such seminars and/or such units of study as may be required by the supervisor concerned, giving credit for 12 credit points.
7 Units of study
(1)
Where a candidate is required to undertake units of study, such units of study shall be specified by the Faculty; and
(2)
Candidates who are required to undertake units of study together with the shorter thesis must complete the units of study prior to the submission of the thesis.
8 The thesis
(1)
The candidate shall undertake research to produce a thesis with an upper limit of 25,000 words of text in length for candidates undertaking the degree by thesis only; or
(2)
For candidates undertaking the degree by thesis and coursework the upper word limit shall be 20,000 words of text in length.
(4)
The thesis shall be a substantial and original contribution to the subject concerned. The candidate shall state, throughout the thesis and specifically in chapter or footnotes, the sources from which information is derived, the extent to which use has been made of the work of others, and the portion of the work the candidate claims as original.
(6)
A candidate may not present as the thesis any work which has been presented for a degree at this or another university, but the candidate will not be precluded from incorporating such work in the thesis, provided that, in presenting the thesis, the candidate acknowledges clearly the part of the work which has been so incorporated.
(7)
A candidate may include in the thesis already published work but may do so only in accordance with the 'submission of treatise containing published work' policy of the Academic Board.
(9)
The thesis shall be accompanied by a statement from the supervisor stating whether, in the supervisor's opinion, the form of presentation of the thesis is satisfactory.
(10)
Each copy of the thesis shall incorporate an abstract with an absolute upper limit of 300 words of text.
(11)
The copies of the thesis submitted for examination will be either printed copies or, where prior approval has been obtained from the Faculty, in the form of CDs, as provided in the resolutions of the Academic Board relating to the form of the thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
9 Form of the thesis
0.
Subject to the provisions of the resolutions of the Academic Board relating to the form of the thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
(a)
Theses submitted in temporary binding should be strong enough to withstand ordinary handling within a mail system. The preferred form of temporary binding is the 'perfect binding' system; ring-back or spiral binding is not acceptable. Theses submitted in a temporary form shall have fixed to the cover a label clearly identifying the name of the candidate, the title of the thesis and the year of submission.
(b)
Theses submitted in permanently bound form shall normally be on International Standard A4 sewn and bound in boards covered with bookcloth or buckram or other binding fabric. The title of the thesis, the candidate's initials and surname, the title of the degree, the year of submission and the name of the University of Sydney should appear in lettering on the spine, reading from top to bottom, should conform as far as possible to the above except that the name of the University of Sydney may be omitted and the thesis title abbreviated. Supporting materials should be bound in the back of the thesis as an appendix or in a separate set of covers.
(c)
The degree shall not be awarded until the candidate has submitted a permanently bound copy of the thesis, containing any corrections or amendments that may be required, and printed on acid-free or permanent paper, for lodgement in the University Library.
10 Method of progression
0.
A candidate for the degree of Master of Education (Research) shall proceed by thesis only, or by 25% coursework and 75% thesis. In the latter case, the candidate must successfully complete two units of study, or 12 credit points, of coursework and a thesis.
11 Length of candidature
(a)
A full-time candidate shall complete the requirements for award of the degree in not less than two consecutive semesters of candidature from the date of enrolment in the degree.
(b)
A part-time candidate shall complete the requirements for award in not less than four consecutive semesters of candidature from the date of enrolment in the degree.
(c)
Except with the permission of Faculty, a full-time candidate shall complete all requirements for the degree in not more than four semesters from the date of first enrolment.
(d)
Except with the permission of Faculty, a part-time candidate shall complete all requirements for the degree in not more than six semesters from the date of first enrolment.
(e)
The earliest and latest dates for completion of all requirements for award of the degree shall be adjusted for those candidates electing to proceed on a part-time basis following initial admission to candidature on a full-time basis, and vice versa.
(3)
Where a candidate is granted credit for previous studies in accordance with section 13, the candidate's minimum and maximum length of candidature may be adjusted accordingly.
(4)
Where a candidate is granted a period of suspension under Section 18, this period will not count as part of the time limits prescribed in Section 12(2).
12 Credit transfer
(a)
A candidate who, at the date of admission to candidature, has completed postgraduate coursework, where the degree has not been awarded, may apply for credit transfer towards the degree.
(i) the coursework for which credit is sought is deemed by the Faculty to have been completed with a high level of competency and be relevant to the candidate's program of study; and
(c)
Credit shall be granted only where the period of candidature for which credit is sought was undertaken within the six years immediately preceding the commencement of candidature for the degree of Master of Education (Research).
13 Location of candidature
(1)
Subject to the approval of the supervisor, and the Faculty, a candidate shall pursue the program of advanced study and research:
(c)
within research institutions or other institutions considered by the Faculty to provide adequate facilities for that candidature; or
(2)
A candidate shall be regarded as engaging in work within the University if he or she is undertaking approved distance and/or off-campus study, this being a mode of study in which the student would not be in regular physical attendance on a designated campus of the University.
(3)
A candidate must, however, be able to attend the University at such times an on such occasions for the purposes of consultation and participation in prescribed academic and educational activities, as may be required by the relevant associate dean or other appropriate officer of the Faculty.
14 Supervision
(1)
The Faculty shall appoint, on the recommendation of the appropriate officer, a suitably qualified full-time member of the University academic staff or a full-time member of the research staff of the University holding an appointment of research fellow and above, to act as supervisor of each candidate.
(2)
Where the supervisor is a member of the research staff of the Faculty, on the recommendation of the appropriate officer, shall also appoint a suitably qualified full-time member of the academic staff as associate supervisor. Any person so appointed as associate supervisor must be capable of acting as supervisor in the event that the supervisor is no longer able to act.
(3)
The Faculty may appoint, on the recommendation of the appropriate officer, a full-time member of the academic staff of the Faculty or another appropriately qualified person to be an associate supervisor to assist in the supervision of any candidature within the Faculty.
(4)
An appointed supervisor shall take primary responsibility for the conduct of the candidature and be responsible to the Faculty for the progress of the candidature.
15 Progress
(1)
The Faculty may call upon any candidate to show cause why their candidature should not be terminated by reason of unsatisfactory progress towards completion of the degree; and
16 Consultation with Faculty officers
0.
Where the Associate Dean concerned is required to make a recommendation to the Faculty in respect of any person's candidature, the recommendation shall be made only after consultation with the course convenor and the postgraduate studies coordinator or appropriate officers.
17 Suspension of candidature
(1)
A candidate must be enrolled in each semester in which he or she is actively completing the requirements for the degree. A candidate who wishes to suspend candidature must first obtain approval from the Faculty.
(2)
The candidature will be deemed to have lapsed where a candidate has not re-enrolled and has not obtained approval form the Faculty for suspension of the candidature.
(3)
A candidate whose candidature has lapsed must apply for re-admission in accordance with procedures determined by the Faculty. If re-admitted to candidature, the candidate shall complete the degree requirements under such conditions as determined by the Faculty and shall proceed under such by-laws, rules and resolutions for the degree that prevail at the time of the re-enrolment.
(4)
A candidate who enrols after suspension of the candidature shall complete the requirements of the degree under such conditions as determined by the Faculty and shall proceed under such by-laws, rules and resolutions for the degree that prevail at the time of the re-enrolment.
18 Lapse of candidature
(1)
Unless the Faculty otherwise determines in any particular case, a candidature will be deemed to have lapsed if a candidate has:
(a)
not completed all the requirements for award of the degree in accordance with sections 7 and 9; or
(2)
A candidate whose candidature has been deemed to have lapsed in accordance with subsection 18(2) shall not re-enrol as a candidate for the degree unless again selected for admission.
19 Examination
0.
Except as prescribed in these resolutions, the examination procedures shall be in accordance with the policies and procedures prescribed by the Academic Board for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy;
(a)
candidates shall notify the Faculty of their intention to submit three (3) months prior to the lodgement of the thesis, and lodge with the Faculty by the final date for completion of candidature as notified to candidates upon admission to candidature, three copies of the thesis.
(b)
On receipt of the thesis and having considered the certificate of the supervisor, the relevant associate dean shall consult with the appropriate officers, and if he or she thinks fit, appoint examiners.
(c)
If the relevant associate dean resolves to appoint examiners, two independent examiners shall be appointed. Of the examiners so appointed:
(iii) each examiner shall hold a professional doctorate or PhD-level qualification and be a member of staff at a recognised university.
(d)
In any case where the associate dean having received the thesis and having considered the report of the supervisor, resolves not to appoint examiners, the circumstances shall be reported to the Faculty.
(e)
In special cases, on the recommendation of the appropriate officer, the Faculty may require the candidate to take a further examination in the area of the thesis.
(f)
The Faculty, after consideration of the examiners' reports and the recommendation of the appropriate officer(s), shall determine the result of the candidature.
(g)
The Faculty may permit an unsuccessful candidate to revise and re-submit the thesis if, in the opinion of the appropriate officer(s), the candidate's work is of sufficient merit to warrant this concession, and may prescribe special conditions to be fulfilled by the candidate.
(h)
The Faculty shall lodge one copy of the thesis with the University Library if the degree is awarded.