MSc Educational Assessment

For enquiries about the programme please contact the Pathway Leader: Dr Per Kind  For enquiries about admission, including entry requirements and how to apply, please contact our Admissions Team

The MSc in Educational Assessment has been developed to meet the need for specialists in educational assessment within schools and more widely within the education system. The course combines the expertise of two leading institutions in assessment, the School of Education and CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring). Students learn about standardised tests, classroom assessments, interviews, school inspections and more. The programme is 'hands on', providing candidates with skills and knowledge to do assessment, but also focuses on assessment theory and the many challenges and implications of educational assessment. Completion of the programme will enable you to apply for the status of Fellow with the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (CIEA).

Programme aims:

• To develop knowledge and awareness of the importance and many roles of assessment in education, and to enable students to engage with debate and to reflect on how to meet the challenges of effective educational assessment;
• To equip students with knowledge, understanding and relevant skills that will help them develop, deliver and analyse assessment at all levels of education, and to facilitate further research and scholarship in this important field.

Structure

The course has four taught modules (each of 30 credits): two core modules in assessment, a research method module, and an optional module. In addition there is a supervised dissertation (60 credits). The optional modules make a possibility for a third assessment module (Classroom Assessment), which is a necessary choice to achieve CIEA recognition.

It is possible to do the course part time over three years or full time over one year. Alternatively students may study MSc Educational Assessment Online.

Specialised Core Modules

Standardised Tests and Exams

The module analyses the many challenges and implications of testing in education. Students learn how to construct and analyse test, using both classic and modern test theory. The module gives introduction to statistical software for development and analyses of tests.

Judgment-based Assessment

The module presents assessments which involve judgments made by individuals such as those made at appointment interviews, in responding to questionnaires or assessing others through class room observation. This will be used as a vehicle for building knowledge and understanding in a number of key areas including assessment theory, the development of techniques and ethics.

Recommended optional module

Classroom Assessment

The module discusses assessment from a classroom perspective. Attention is given in particular to assessment for learning, with focus on topics such as questioning, feedback, and peer assessment. Other topics involve implementing good assessment practices and analysing implications assessment has on teaching and learning.

Pattern of Study

Full time over one year

Part time study over three years

Teaching and assessment

Teaching on the core modules takes place 5pm-8pm, one evening per week (part-time) and two evenings per week (full-time). This allows full time and part time, home and international students to meet. The teaching involves a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical activities.

Special tutorial groups are organised for international students. This happens every week during term time, and students are taken through a programme designed to enhance and development the academic skills required at a UK university. These tutorials also have a strong social element, providing an opportunity to meet with staff and students on other programmes (the tutorials share many of the sessions with international students from other postgraduate programmes in the School of Education).

Assessment is based on 5000 word assignments, which include presenting a report from test development, evaluating assessment practices, analysing assessment data or research papers, and writing a journal article.

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