MA Education (Leadership and Management), 2015
“Brookes was one of the few universities to offer the MA in Education that specialised in leadership and management”
Before coming back to England to study his master’s at Brookes, Adam was teaching in an international school in Sri Lanka and working as part of the leadership team in a kindergarten in China.
I decided to study this course for two main reasons; to continue my professional development and give myself time to get the experience needed to apply for a PGCE the following year. I had experience of leadership but hoped to gain a better understanding of how to lead and manage people before continuing my career.
Brookes was one of the few universities to offer the MA in Education that specialised in leadership and management. The university also has a good reputation for its education department and the opportunity to work with well-experienced lecturers in the field. I felt as though we had a lot of 1 to 1 support and our lecturers really got to know us. The library staff were also very helpful, as Harcourt Hill campus specialises in only a handful of subjects all the librarians knew the courses well.
The city of Oxford is historic and provides a unique insight into English history with so much to discover and explore. Harcourt Hill campus is very peaceful and located on the outskirts of the city, providing a nice escape from noise or distractions. Oxford also had a lot of academic events to explore in my free time.
Currently I am working towards my PGCE in Primary Education and will be looking to re-join the teaching workforce next year. Studying at Brookes has given me a greater sense of confidence in researching, which is helping a great deal with my current work. When it comes to leadership, I feel that I’ve been exposed to the most up-to-date writings on common themes that will help guide me to better practice.
My lecturer and supervisor, Linet Arthur, was extremely knowledgeable in her subject and could guide me to almost any resource I needed. I’d also like to mention Jon Reid, David Aldridge, James Percival and Andrew Dack for always helping me out the best they could when I randomly came knocking, and for sharing discussions over a cup of tea.