Leadership in schools is associated with fostering an environment where students can achieve their full potential and where educational staff are supported, motivated and can professionally develop. Effective school leaders are often described as having the capacity to transform and motivate others, they are traditionally seen as those able to communicate vision and strategy, they are typically experienced and viewed as having accrued knowledge and expertise over time which positions them as being able to lead. This course takes the view that effective schools have leaders that can be found throughout a school and not necessarily confined only to those formally assigned to senior positions. Key ideas explored in this course are that leadership should be adaptable and distributed across schools; that interaction, collaboration, and networks are important and that leaders are those that manage change and help schools transform and improve. Leaders are those who manage conflict and resistance to change. There is a growing recognition of the importance of being emotionally intelligent and the need to demonstrate integrity and authenticity alongside ethical practice.

The MSc in Educational Leadership recognises that schools and more broadly educational systems depend on leaders from all walks of life and all types of positions, regardless of assigned title. The programme has been designed to help teachers, middle and senior leaders to progress and professionally develop. The programme is also suitable for those who work at the educational authority level, policy makers and those with a direct interest or experience in education.