Questions

Hello, I am interested in applying to the MA in Education. Currently, I am working at an educational background too. My problem is with English. I'm a little worried about the language barrier, especially for writing my dissertation. If you don't mind, could you give me some advice? Thank you in advance.

Regarding your question I can say that you will be asked to submit the certification that proves your sufficient level of English which means you scored the required points and are accepted to the program. Also, you will have to write mini essays, term papers, etc. during the course which will help you to master your writing skills that will prepare you for the big – the dissertation at the end of the course.

Hope this helps. Good luck.
Best, Gunay

What was your motivation for undertaking postgraduate study?

After finishing my undergraduate studies, I worked in the education centre for a year and the atmosphere created by foreign-educated alumni inspired me to continue my education abroad in this field.

Why did you choose the University of Birmingham?

Before applying to universities, I researched the programmes that were suitable to me and the University of Birmingham offered a wide range of programmes in Education.

What has been the highlight of your time at Birmingham?

Being a student at Birmingham was a challenging experience for me. I am a student representative, working with the Guild of Students. This has been a great chance to be active in the life of the University.

How has your degree prepared you for what you want to do afterwards?

I learned a lot about personal and professional skills from different modules on the programme. Field trips have also played an important role in allowing me to experience the education system in England personally.

Hi Gunay, how is life in Birmingham? I am from Hawassa University(Ethiopia) and I am an Instructor and Higher Education and Training expert in Research and Technology Transfer, community service directorate of Hawassa University. I have an MA degree in Educational Leadership and Management and I am searching for a PhD Scholarship in the area of Education. When I am searching for scholarships at the university of Birmingham, I found out that you are an advisor on the area of education on the advisors scheme of postgraduate students. Hence, I would like to ask you, how can I get a fully funded PhD scholarship opportunity at the University of Birmingham in the area of Educational Leadership, International studies in education, Educational research or any other related fields of study?

Hi, thank you for your your question.

My life in Birmingham has been amazing for the year I studied there. Now I am back my home country and working here.

I can see that you have very good background in education in your country. Back to your question, I can say that basically PhD students usually get full scholarships from the government or any other scholarship programme that may fund them fully. Many university scholarships offer partial scholarships which cover only your tuition fees. However, you can combine two different scholarships. I know friends who got one scholarship to cover their tuition, while the other one was to cover their living. I have found a scholarship that you may check. In the case, you have more questions, do not hesitate asking me.

Link: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/The-Allan-and-Nesta-Ferguson-Charitable-Trust.aspx

Good luck and my best wishes,
Gunay

I want to do a PhD in Education. How difficult is it for a self-sponsored student to undertake PhD studies with the university?

A PhD in Education is usually around 3 years for full time study. Both tuition fees and living costs will really depend on a country you come from. There are three fee categories for students that are from UK, EU and overseas (defined as international students). A normal living cost for a month is around £ 700-800 which I calculated with the maximum of everything including accommodation, transportation, food and some other expected costs. If you rent house close to university you may save from transportation point which is highly recommended.

The university library has great opportunities for especially PhD students where you have entry permission to the special space dedicated to PhDs with student ID. This is a part of library which is quit zone with no disturbance.

Hope this will help.

Hello, I am from Indonesia. I'd like to continue my study at the University of Birmingham. Is continuing and getting a letter of acceptance from UoB difficult? FYI, I am a Muslim. I'd like to know what is the life like for Muslims there? Thank you so much.

Hi,
thank you for your interest in the University of Birmingham.

It is good that you have already decided about your further education. I would say that the difficulty level of the acceptance from the university will really depend on your background and programme you are applying for. I myself have also gone through this process and I think it was not that hard. You just need to meet the requirements and have the right documents to submit.

Your concern about being a Muslim in a European country may be understandable at some point. However, I assure you that there is a lot of people from different cultures living in Birmingham and in my opinion, Birmingham is the most tolerant city in the UK in terms of immigrants. I am also from the Muslim community and have known many other people from Arabic countries who have lived in Birmingham.

I believe that this will help you to make your choice and should you have any questions regarding academic and/or living issues, do not hesitate to contact me on the postgraduate portal.

I wish you best of luck!

Cheers,
Gunay

Hello, I graduated in Arabic Literature from the University of Indonesia. However, I have experience in teaching, about 4 years (part time and full time). I am really interested in education issues. My goal is to work in the Ministry of Education. Could you give me some advice, is the International Studies in Education suitable for me? Thank you.

Hello,
there are two pathways in MA International Studies in Education: 1) International Studies in Education and 2) Education and Development. If you want to continue your career in the Ministry of Education, I would recommend you to choose International Studies in Education, which offers modules focusing on education management and education policy (e.g. Personal and Professional Skills in Educational Management, Curriculum Design in Global Contexts, etc.).

For more information: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/edu/international-studies-education.aspx#CourseDetailsTab

Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

Best,
Gunay

I want to pursue the MA in International Studies in Education at the University of Birmingham. I am from an engineering background and have little experience in education. Can I manage this course? Also please could you shed some light on the assessment strategies used in different modules?

Hello there,

MA International Studies in Education program offers courses with a couple of different pathways. Generally, each pathway (program) consists of 6 modules each concentrating on various aspects of education. Based on my personal experience, I would say that it is important to have work experience in the field of education, specially as a teacher or administrator. This will help you a lot in class assignments.

Depending on the course structure and syllabus, you may have to submit short essays during the term and a final assignment at the end of the term. The grading scale is from 1 to 100. Some professors may also ask you to prepare PowerPoint presentations.

Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

Best,
Gunay

I am an English Teacher and I applied for Chevening 2017-2018 and I am now a semi-finalist. My chosen course is International Studies in Education. In my statement of purpose, I was focused on empowering women education and to develop the education system in Uzbekistan. Am I eligible for this course?

Hello there,

There are two pathways in MA International Studies in Education: 1) International Studies in Education and 2) Education and Development. If you focused mostly on women education and development in your statement of purpose, I would recommend you to choose Education and Development pathway. This pathway offers modules in Development Management, Gender and Development, etc.

For more information: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/edu/international-studies-education.aspx#CourseDetailsTab

Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

Best,
Gunay

Hi, I am from India and want to study MA International Studies in Education from the University of Birmingham. Could you please tell me the job prospects of this course?

Hello there,

the program prepares you to teach at schools/universities, work in education centres/governmental bodies as administers, policy analysts, etc. Your chance of getting a job does really depend on the demand in your country.

I currently work as an international admission officer at the university.

I hope this helps.

Best,
Gunay

Dear Gunay, I would like to ask about the admission to the International Studies in Education (Education and Development specialist pathway). What is the average number of years of experience do admitted students have? How having an experience in Higher Education sector is assessed in the selection process? Many thanks!

Hello there,

I am afraid I wouldn’t be able to give you this statistics. However, I could give you some examples from my experience: I had 2.5 years of experience in working in the education centre, others had 5-10 years experience of teaching in schools, some were fresh graduates with no experience.

In my opinion, anyone who wants to study this program should have a teaching experience or at least an administrative position in the education related companies. Otherwise, it is a struggle to complete tasks since they usually focus on personal experience,

I hope this helps.

Best,
Gunay

Dear Gunay! I was going through the info section of this course, and was extremely happy to find out that there is professional from my country, already taking this course. Can I get your private contacts for detailed questions?

I graduated from this programme in 2014 – there might be many changes since then. However, I would be glad to answer your questions, if related to the programme in general and life in Birmingham. My email is farzaliyeva.gunay@gmail.com.

Best,
Gunay

I am from Greece and I am interested in studying special education at a postgraduate level (for example ISEN, SPMLD, Autism-children). I would like to ask if my 4 year undergraduate degree in special education back in Greece and my 3 year volunteering in special education, will be considered in order to enter one of this postgraduate programmes?

When I applied for the Masters degree programme in International Studies in Education, I had a bachelor’s degree in translation and work experience at the education centre back in my country. In my opinion, your degree and work experience in this field makes you a perfect candidate for programmes in special education.

I’m also sending you a link to the programme website where you can find information on course modules and entry requirements: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/cpd/edu/inclusion-spec-educ-needs.aspx#CourseDetailsTab

Let me know in case you have any questions.

Best,
Gunay

Hi! I'm writing from Canada and am applying for the Social, Emotional, and Behavioural Difficulties program. Do you have any writing tips for the personal statement and how I can make it stand out? Thanks in advance!

Hello there!

I cannot really give professional help, however, from my personal experience, I would recommend you highlight your previous work and/or any experience related to this field and make important connections. It is vital to show that you have some experience and why you want to study this particular subject.

Good luck and let me know in case you have any questions.

Best,
Gunay