Objectives and competences

This master's degree, offered by the Faculty of Education at the University of Barcelona, has been designed in response to academic and social needs directly related to the proposals for change, innovation and improvement that have emerged from schools and non-formal education systems with the growth of the global knowledge society.

Educational institutions have an increasing need for specialized personnel able to promote personal and institutional change built on the key principles of constant review and evaluation of practices. This master's degree is therefore structured around the concepts of change, innovation and evaluation, and is aimed at training skilled education professionals with a vocational interest in continual improvement.

The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to research in the fields of teaching, training and evaluation at various levels of the education system, including higher education. It also develops the students' capacity to establish learning environments conducive to change, promoting critical analysis, reflection, collaboration and a commitment to society and its improvement.

There is a pronounced international need for specialists with high-level academic and research abilities, capable of analysing and understanding the changes that are taking place across all areas of education systems. At the same time, it is also essential to provide education professionals with the tools and resources that will enable them to transform and improve teaching practice.
Additionally, major changes in higher education in the EU following the introduction of the European Higher Education Area are having a particular impact on teacher training, teaching and the accreditation of university programmes. This has created unprecedented demands with respect to management systems, teacher training, and the evaluation and accreditation of teaching programmes. This master's degree course has been designed as a reasoned response to these demands, based on solid educational criteria and a broad research perspective.

Basic information

TypeMaster's degree
Faculty or schoolFaculty of Education
Branch of knowledge
  • Education sciences
  • Social sciences, social work, industrial relations and human resources, sociology, political science and international relations
Mode of delivery
  • Face-to-face
Credits60
Number of places available25
Length of course1 academic year
Language(s) of instructionSpanish
Approximate price per credit27.67 euros per credit (82 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2023-2024
CoordinationJOSE LUIS MEDINA MOYA
Course detailsIndicators
Open pre-enrolmentYes
Open enrolmentNo
Lead to doctoral studiesYes
Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualificationNo
Bridging coursesNo

Objectives and competences

Objectives

  • Adopt epistemological and methodological approaches in educational research focused on a deeper understanding of the educational reality and its transformation and change.
  • Take an enquiring approach to the use of research resources in the analysis of education and educational practice.
  • Devise and design projects for educational research and put them into practice.
  • Use research skills to identify and understand current educational problems and needs and to promote processes for improvement and change built on research findings.
  • Study the contributions of teaching, training and assessment to the understanding and improvement of educational practice.
  • Apply the findings from teaching, training and assessment to different contexts, levels and types of formal and informal education.
  • Acquire a detailed understanding of teaching, training and assessment capabilities as they apply to higher education.

Competences

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
  • Understand and analyse the subjective, relational and institutional dimensions of teaching practice by reflecting on experience.
  • Understand, consider, research and study specific aspects of training and assessment in different educational situations and from a multidisciplinary perspective.
  • Understand the theoretical and methodological components of educational evaluation and apply them to the resolution of specific issues of educational relevance.
  • Design, implement and evaluate creative and innovative strategies for individual and group relationships in education.
  • Research educational situations in multicultural and differentiated environments, focusing on aspects of cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic and generational diversity.
  • Display a knowledge of current policy trends with regards to the management and quality of higher education and institutional evaluation.
  • Analyse, apply and make decisions with regard to changes in policy and university management, teaching processes and assessment in higher education.

Access and admission

Applicant profile and access requirements

Recommended applicant profile

The course is designed for students and education professionals who wish to undertake educational research, in order to pursue doctoral studies or to apply their findings to educational practice.

Access requirements and conditions

General requirements
In accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:

  • Official Spanish university degree.

  • A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.

  • A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.

Specific requirements
Holders of any degree can will be considered for admission.
The course is intended primarily for holders of university degrees in education, teaching (primary or secondary education), social education, educational psychology and other educational disciplines.
It is also open to educational professionals with degrees in other areas of human sciences, social sciences, natural sciences, experimental and technological sciences, and health sciences. In this case, applicants must provide evidence of two years of teaching experience in formal or non-formal education: this should include accreditation of the tasks performed by the company or institution at which the experience was acquired, and a report by the candidate outlining the skills and competences developed during this period. In these cases, credit will be given for previous teacher training courses completed.

Pre-enrolment

Calendar

First period: from 1 February to 30 June 2024.
Notifications: partial resolutions in the first half of each month.

Second period: from 1 July to 4 September 2024.
Notifications: September 9.

Notes:

  • Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
  • Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.

Required documentation

Selection criteria

Preference will be given to candidates with previous studies in education. Consideration will also be given to candidates holding a university qualification in another area with professional experience in education.

Candidates are selected on the basis of the following criteria:
  • University qualification related relating to education, and corresponding transcript (30%).
  • Professional experience in education (20%).
  • Research experience in education (20%).
  • Relevance of curriculum vitae and statement of interest to the general objectives of the master's degree (20%).
  • Other merits (10%).

Notification

Only applications that include the required documentation and include the payment of the pre-registration fee will be assessed.

By the deadline established in the pre-enrolment calendar, the resolution of admission is notified by email or published on the website.

Enrolment

As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned

Course curriculum

Subjects and course plans

Distribution of credits

Type ECTS
Compulsory 18
Optional 30
Compulsory placements 0
Compulsory final project 12
TOTAL 60

List of subjects

Subject Type Language Credits
Specialization: Research and Educational Change
Assessment of Learning Outcomes Optional 2nd semester 6
Considering Education in Times of Crisis: Philosophical Perspectives Compulsory 2nd semester 3
Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative Research Optional 2nd semester 3
Educational Assessment Compulsory 1st semester 3
Educational Implication of Digital Technologies Optional 1st semester 3
Epistemological Foundations of Educational Research Compulsory 1st semester 3
Evaluation of Centres, Programs and Educational Systems Optional 2nd semester 3
Experience and Alterity: Difference and Subjectivity in Educational Practice Optional 2nd semester 3
Final Project Compulsory 1st semester
2nd semester
12
Historical, Philosophical and Comparative Research Optional 1st semester 3
Inclusive Education: Transformation of the School and the Education System Optional 1st semester 3
Innovation and Educational Change in Higher Education Optional 2nd semester 3
Knowledge of Teaching and Teacher Training Optional 2nd semester 6
Quality Policy and Management in Higher Education Optional 2nd semester 6
Quantitative Analysis in Educational Research Optional 2nd semester 3
Quantitative Analysis of Socioeducational Research Optional 2nd semester 3
Research and Curricular Change Compulsory 1st semester 3
Research Focused on Comprehension and Transformation Optional 2nd semester 3
Scientific and Academic Writing Optional 1st semester 3
Strategies for Obtaining Information in Educational and Social Research Optional 1st semester 3
Teacher Training and Higher Education Compulsory 1st semester 3
The Educational Account: Pedagogical Knowledge and Experience Compulsory 1st semester 3
Writing Research Projects on Educational and Social Research Optional 1st semester 3

Previous years

Placements

Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.



Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record.  There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 500 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.



Institutional information


Career opportunities

What can you work on ?

This master's degree has been designed for two main groups of students:
  • Those interested in completing their academic training with studies that develop skills for the professional world. Career opportunities are widely available to professionals specializing in teaching, teacher training and educational assessment.
  • Those interested in undertaking research, who can continue to the doctoral programme in Education and Society once they have completed the master's programme.