Masters (Coursework)
Prepare for leadership positions with the UNSW Master of Educational Leadership. This postgraduate degree provides aspiring and current educational leaders with an understanding of theory, research, and practice in educational leadership.
Prepare for leadership positions with the UNSW Master of Educational Leadership. This postgraduate degree provides aspiring and current educational leaders with an understanding of theory, research, and practice in educational leadership.
Gain the confidence to apply disciplinary principles and practices to complex educational environments as a school leader, principal or executive. Study the latest educational leadership theory and research at UNSW to deepen and expand your knowledge. Empower yourself with diverse practical and analytical skills for a range of educational leadership contexts.
Build on your experience
Tailor your coursework with a wide range of electives. Suit your interests and goals as an educator in diverse educational settings, whether within primary schools, secondary schools, universities, TAFE, or early childhood learning.
Incorporate new leadership abilities related to your career goals, choosing from elective course options such as leading teacher learning, educational change, or coaching and mentoring other teachers; and leading as a teacher or instructor.
Develop your specialisation
With support from a supervising academic, you'll undertake a self-directed capstone research project. The project consolidates your new knowledge and skills and applies them to a relevant vocational issue. You'll develop real-world experience that's key to professional learning and your career.
Flexible study options
You can study the UNSW Master of Educational Leadership through a range of flexible options, including online and blended courses, intensive school holiday courses, self-directed learning, and evening classes.
Subsidised course fees
You may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) in this degree. The Australian Government provides a limited number of CSPs to subsidise course fees for domestic students.
Depending on your experience, there are three entry pathways to the Master of Educational Leadership.
One-year fast-track program
1.5-year program
Two-year program
* "Relevant disciplines" may include arts, humanities, media, psychology, social work, business, economics, languages, linguistics, communications, policy studies, behavioural sciences, and social sciences.
** "Relevant professional experience" may include roles such as teacher, trainer, coach, educational developer, languages teacher, lecturer, teacher of English to speakers of other languages, educational leader, and educational administration.
Credit transfer
You can apply to have credit points from previous studies applied to the Master of Educational Leadership. The maximum credit transfer you can apply for is 50% (24 units of credit, or three courses). Recognised courses must have been completed within the last ten years, provided the content is relevant and/or meet BOSTES requirements.
If you don't meet the entry requirements for the Master of Educational Leadership, you may be eligible for the Graduate Certificate in Education or the Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership. These can provide a stepping stone to the Master of Educational Leadership.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you're completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College's Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
Depending on your experience, there are three entry pathways to the Master of Education.
1-year fast track program
1.5-year program
2-year program
A bachelor's degree (or equivalent qualification) in any discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average of 65%.
* "Relevant disciplines" may include arts, humanities, media, psychology, social work, business, economics, languages, linguistics, communications, policy studies, behavioural sciences, and social sciences.
** "Relevant professional experience" may include roles such as teacher, trainer, coach, educational developer, languages teacher, lecturer, teacher of English to speakers of other languages, educational leader, and educational administration.
Credit transfer
You can apply to have credit points from previous studies applied to the Master of Educational Leadership. The maximum credit transfer you can apply for is 50% (24 units of credit, or three courses). Recognised courses must have been completed within the last ten years, provided the content is relevant and/or meet BOSTES requirements.
If you don't meet the entry requirements for the Master of Educational Leadership, you may be eligible for the Graduate Certificate in Education
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you'll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College's Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
Graduates of the UNSW Master of Educational Leadership have gained positions as principals, deputy principals, head teachers and education authorities in government departments.
The excellence of research produced by UNSW is widely recognised among our peers in Australia and beyond. In the field of education specifically, our research is benchmarked with the highest global rating of 5 by Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA), the highest possible rating and well-above world standards. The NSW Institute of Teachers also endorses all subjects and degrees taught by UNSW's School of Education.