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WHAT IS MASTERLY?
This chapter covers the following key issues:
| • | the opportunities that Master’s level study offers students; | |
| • | consideration of the issues Master’s level students face during their studies; | |
| • | types of Master’s level courses; | |
| • | the difference between Bachelor’s and Master’s level study and outcomes; | |
| • | the regulation of higher education and the role of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA); | |
| • | types of content, structure and delivery; | |
| • | the types of assessment, learning and teaching students may experience. | |
| • | By the end of this chapter you should be able to: | |
| • | understand the different types of Master’s courses available; | |
| • | explain the differences between Bachelor’s and Master’s level courses in terms of what is expected of you as the student; | |
| • | describe the role of the QAA; | |
| • | explain how Master’s courses may be structured and delivered; | |
| • | describe the types of assessment, learning and teaching methods that you might encounter. |
INTRODUCTION
Relatively little literature exists regarding the transition to postgraduate study, and the research or literature to support learning that is available tends to focus on doctoral study. O’Donnell et al. (2009) surmise that this may be based on an assumption that once students graduate with their first degree, postgraduate-level study simply represents ‘more of the same’, or ‘taking things to the next level’, and that therefore there is little (if anything) in the way of a transition to be undertaken. As senior lecturers supporting students to take that leap into Master’s level study, we disagree with this assumption. Furthermore, we support findings from the research that suggest that difficulties in the transition to postgraduate study are experienced as difficulties in the mastery of key skills or academic practices, suggesting that postgraduate students do not come ‘equipped’ for their studies in higher education (O’Donnell et al., 2009). Students come to Master’s level study with very different expectations and experiences and with different levels of skills in areas such as writing, use of information technology (IT) and even in their ability to access and identify relevant literature. The standard use of virtual learning environments (VLEs) such as, for example, Web CT and X-Stream, can therefore be quite a challenge to some students whose IT skills simply have not kept pace with advancements since completing their Bachelor’s degree. However, the most common anecdotal anxiety is ‘What is different about Master’s level study and what does Master’s level writing look like?’ This book is therefore intended to support students who are new to Master’s level study and who are seeking help in understanding what is expected of them and the challenges that will be coming their way.
STUDYING AT MASTER’S LEVEL
There are many reasons why individuals who already have a Bachelor’s degree wish to undertake further study at Master’s level. Some of these reasons may be professional – for example, career development through studying a Master’s in advanced practice, in order to develop nursing practice to include assessment, diagnosis and treatment in a nurse practitioner role or a consultant therapist role. Other reasons might include: looking for competitive advantage at interview; a love of reading; a wish to recapture the experience of university life and education; or simply a lust for learning. All of these reasons may apply as motivations for professionals from health and social care backgrounds. However, there may be further reasoning. In professions where learning is recognised and valued as driving quality and where reflective practice is a reality, individuals often need the space that academic study can give to stop, unravel, examine and re-create understanding and solutions to the everyday problems that they face in practice. They are looking for the opportunity to face those problems as a ‘master’. But what does this mean; what is ‘masterly’? Why does undertaking Master’s level study make a difference to the ways in which health and social care practitioners think and practise and, importantly, in what ways does it benefit patients and service users?
Various types of Master’s degrees exist in the UK, reflecting the independent nature of higher education institutions and the diversity of traditions that exist within different disciplines. For students, this means that there are no nationally agreed definitions of types of award and also that awards with similar titles can vary in nature both between institutions and across disciplines. However, all Master’s degrees are expected to meet the generic statement of outcomes set out by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in the qualification descriptor within The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (August 2008) that is examined below, or The Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland (January 2001). The qualification descriptor sets out broad expected outcomes for a Master’s degree in terms of what graduates should be able to demonstrate and the wider abilities that they would be expected to have developed.
According to the QAA, the opportunities that Master’s study offers students include the following:
| 1. | Focusing on a particular aspect of a broader subject area in which they have prior knowledge or experience, whether through previous study or employment. | |
| 2. | Focusing on a particular subject area or field of study in greater depth than they encountered during the course of previous study or experience. | |
| 3. | Learning how to conduct research, often linked to a particular discipline or field of study. Such programmes often include a greater emphasis on the delivery of structured learning as opposed to independent study. | |
| 4. | Undertaking a research project on a topic within the area of interest that makes up the majority of the overall assessment and is normally undertaken with little structured learning. | |
| 5. | Specialising or becoming more highly specialised in an area of employment or practice related to a particular profession. |
(adapted from QAA, 2009)
Furthermore, in the UK three broad and different ‘types’ of Master’s degrees are often described and have been defined by the QAA in their publication Master’s Degree Characteristics (QAA, 2010). These types are:
| 1. | research Master’s; | |
| 2. | specialised/advanced study Master’s; | |
| 3. | professional/practice Master’s. |
The QAA classifies them using:
| • | programme characteristics; | |
| • | programme purposes; | |
| • | intended entrants; | |
| • | relation to further study or employment; | |
| • | characteristics of graduates. |
The following descriptors are adapted from the QAA’s document Master’s Degree Characteristics (QAA, 2010).
1. Research Master’s – for example, the MPhil
| • | The characteristics of the programmes in this category are that they are typically of one to two years’ duration, with two years being most common (based on a full-time mode of study). The research component is larger than the taught component and the student normally conducts a research project through independent study with the inclusion of a smaller ‘taught’ element like, for example, research methods modules. Assessment is often specific to the individual and likely to be via oral examination that involves discussion/defence of a thesis, dissertation or other output such as an artefact, performance or musical composition. Research Master’s are less common than other types in health and social care. | |
| • | The purpose of the programme is to prepare students for the next stage in their careers, whether pursuing further research or entering employment of different kinds, and to enable those undertaking the programme to contribute towards research in the discipline. | |
| • | The type of entrant (or admission requirement) is defined by the institution but often requires a Bachelor’s degree with honours in a cognate or closely related subject, although experience through work or other means may also be considered appropriate. | |
| • | In terms of further study or employment, graduates of Research Master’s programmes will normally be prepared to enter a variety of types of employment or to continue to doctoral study. | |
| • | Graduates typically have subject-specific attributes including an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the discipline informed by current scholarship and research, the ability to study independently in the subject, and the ability to use a range of techniques and research methods applicable to advanced scholarship in the subject, plus generic attributes such as communication skills. |
2. Specialised/advanced study Master’s – for example, the MSc, MA, MRes and integrated Master’s
| • | The characteristics of the programmes in this category are that they are often ‘taught’ although, frequently, at least a third of the programme is devoted to a research project or dissertation. They are typically of 9 to 18 months’ duration based on a full-time mode of study. These programmes include integrated Master’s degrees (integrated with study at the level of a Bachelor’s with honours degree within a single programme) and they also include the MRes, where the student develops the ability to conduct research through a programme of structured learning. | |
| • | The purpose of the programme is to prepare students for the next stage in their careers, whether that is further academic or professional study, or entering employment of different kinds. | |
| • | The type of entrant (or admission requirement) is again defined by the institution, but entrants often have a background in the subject or a cognate subject area acquired through previous study (a Bachelor’s with honours degree or equivalent) or experience. | |
| • | In terms of further study or employment, graduates of specialised/ advanced Master’s programmes will normally be equipped to enter doctoral study in their discipline or to take up employment in both subject-related and generalist environments. | |
| • | Graduates typically have subject-specific attributes and an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the discipline informed by current scholarship and research, including a critical awareness of current issues and developments in the subject as well as a range of generic abilities and skills. |
3. Professional/practice Master’s – for example, the MBA and MEd
| • | The characteristics of the programmes in this category are that learning tends to be very structured and this programme structure may be developed in collaboration with the relevant professional, statutory or regulatory body and may include practical elements, such as fieldwork, placements or other opportunities for work-based learning. They are typically of 9 to 24 months’ duration based on a full-time mode of study and may be a prerequisite for registration or entry to a profession in accordance with the requirements of the professional, statutory or regulatory body that recognises or accredits the award. In addition, other awards, such as postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma, will often be offered alongside professional Master’s programmes to facilitate continuing professional development at different stages of a professional career. | |
| • | The purpose of the programme is to enable graduates to qualify for entry into a profession, subject to any further conditions required by the professional, statutory or regulatory body and/or provide continuing professional development opportunities related to particular professions or employment settings. | |
| • | The type of entrant (or admission requirement) is defined by the institution, taking into account the relevant professional, statutory or regulatory body’s requirements, and programmes often attract entrants with a Bachelor’s degree with honours (or equivalent) or experience, which may or may not be directly relevant to the particular profession. | |
| • | In terms of further study or employment, graduates will normally be equipped to enter a variety of types of employment and, in particular, will possess the skills and experience necessary for the specific profession.They will also normally be equipped to continue academic study at a higher level, for example for a PhD. | |
| • | Graduates of professional/practice Master’s degrees typically have subject-specific attributes including an in-depth knowledge and understanding of their profession and the ability to apply research to professional situations, both practical and theoretical. |
Finally, it must be acknowledged that there are many opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) at Master’s level in addition to full Master’s programmes. Individual Master’s level modules are also available as part of CPD programmes. However, whatever form the programme takes, it should be distinct from undergraduate study in that it is not ‘more of the same’ but takes the student ‘beyond’ undergraduate learning.
| ACTIVITY |
Access your local university’s postgraduate prospectus and find out which Master’s courses they offer. How do these relate to the three types of Master’s courses described above?
BEING A MASTER’S STUDENT
There are also a number of themes that have been identified about Master’s study that it is important to consider. In an ethnographic study of postgraduate students by Tobbell et al. (2008), themes that were identified included the following.
Policy
There is a clear difference in approach to undergraduate and postgraduate study within the UK, with a governmental finance framework to support undergraduate students (student loans, fee framework, grants for less-advantaged students, etc.). Universities benefit financially from meeting agreed targets for undergraduate student recruitment while, in contrast, postgraduate students are responsible for identifying their own sources of funding, with a limited number of sources of financial support being available through specific institutions, professional bodies or employers.
Academic status
The postgraduate students in Tobbell et al.’s (2008) study reported feeling an enhanced sense of their academic status within the university in contrast to their undergraduate experience, and relationships with staff were more collegiate and more informal.
University systems
Perhaps because the majority of funding is for undergraduates, who represent the majority of the student body, postgraduate students reported that university facilities reflect full-time undergraduate patterns of study. Postgraduate patterns of study differ. Programmes do not necessarily run in normal working hours, with evening and weekend classes being used and, indeed, some postgraduate programmes are taught exclusively in the evening and weekends to accommodate the fact that postgraduate students are often working full-time alongside their studies to finance them.
| ACTIVITY |
Consider your Master’s course or the course you are considering taking. How have you funded/will you fund the course? What hours does the course run over and how does this fit with your personal or work commitments?
What impact did or will the funding and the taught hours have on your decision to enrol?
Life outside the course
Most Master’s students face a range of issues that need to be negotiated and problems that need to be addressed in order to enable them to participate fully in their studies. There is no escaping the interaction of normal life and the course, and it could be argued that engagement in university practice can depend on the negotiations that take place in order to deal with the complex demands of students’ lives. Data research (Tobbell et al., 2008) shows that, to a greater or lesser extent, Master’s students from the first term of study struggle with the demands of ‘real’ life and study life. This can be dependent on being in employment or, for mature students, having family commitments. Many postgraduate students are giving up time and money, which indicates a commitment and involvement with the process, but this exists in parallel with the tensions of family demands and self-denial (Tobbell et al., 2008).
| ACTIVITY |
Many universities have significant resources to help students who are experiencing difficulties. Think about your university or place of work. Who would you approach if you were experiencing a personal or financial issue that was impacting on your ability to attend the course?
Pedagogic practice and participation
Participation in postgraduate study requires active desire and considerable motivation. The postgraduate students in Tobbell’s research reported greater levels of motivation and active participation in their studies than they had experienced as undergraduates, facilitated by smaller class sizes where there is opportunity for interaction and activity. More emphasis is placed upon autonomous learning, learning through discussion and activity, collaborative learning and independence from ideas and approaches of tutors. The pedagogic practices used on Master’s courses, particularly to develop critical thinking skills, will be further discussed in Chapter 2.
WHAT IS ‘MASTERLY’?
The whole crux of Master’s level work is that the student shows a degree of ‘mastery’ in an area under investigation. Denby et al. (2008) give a clear framework for what this actually means:
| • | Masters demonstrate that they know what is written about the area (through literature review). | |
| • | They can discuss its features and failings and recognise the points of consent and contention (criticality). | |
| • | They can examine their own practice (through reflection). | |
| • | They can act as a change agent by using their examination to change practice (reflective practitioner). |
What is the difference between degree level and Master’s level study?
The word ‘degree’ comes from the Latin word gradus meaning ‘step’ – a step towards achieving mastery in a subject and towards understanding the truth about their particular academic discipline. Masters are not, therefore, expected to merely assimilate knowledge, but to explore the parameters of their particular subject area in order to achieve ‘mastery’. For health and social care professionals, this must also mean that they can bring their ‘mastery’ to bear on their own professional practice.
| ACTIVITY |
Think about the abilities that you would expect someone in your profession to exhibit if they had truly become a master of their professional area. It may help you to think in terms of:
• their knowledge;
• their skills;
• their behaviours and/or attitudes.
How are these different from the knowledge, skills and behaviours of someone who had studied only as far as degree level?
Regulation of higher education
As referred to previously, it is important to remember that the curriculum of higher education (HE) courses is closely regulated. The primary responsibility for academic standards and quality in UK HE rests with individual universities and colleges, each of which is independent and self-governing. However, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) checks how well they meet their responsibilities, identifying good practice and making recommendations for improvement.The QAA publishes a set of reference points, known as the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, which institutions use in maintaining academic standards and quality. The Quality Code comprises three components: Part A: Setting and maintaining threshold academic standards; Part B: Assuring and enhancing academic quality; and Part C: Information about higher education provision (QAA, 2012; available at www.qaa.ac.uk/AssuringStandardsAndQuality/quality-code/Pages/default.aspx). These published guidelines help institutions develop effective systems to ensure students have high-quality experiences. Part of this guidance is a clear framework for the standards required at different academic levels.
The QAA describes Master’s degrees as ‘academic qualifications located at level 7 (M level)’ in The FHEQ in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (August 2008), and at level 11 in The Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland (January 2001). All Master’s degrees are expected to meet the national qualification descriptor, which is a statement of the nature and level of the outcomes of study (QAA, 2009). Subject benchmark statements set out expectations about standards of degrees in a range of subject areas. They express what can be expected of graduates in terms of the abilities and skills needed to develop understanding or competence in the subject.The QAA publishes a small number of subject benchmark statements for Master’s degrees that readers can consult on their website (www.qaa.ac.uk) but these currently relate to only a minority of subject areas (see Figure 1).
In addition, a detailed description of an individual programme of study specific to a particular higher education institution should be available in the form of a programme specification produced by that institution. Students on all courses must pay careful attention to this in order to be absolutely sure of the details of the programme and that these details fit with the outcomes they require.
Business and Management
Chemistry
Dentistry
Engineering
Mathematics, statistics and operational research
Medicine
Pharmacy
Physics
Veterinary science
Figure 1. QAA Master’s level benchmark statements
Examining The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (August 2008)
This is what the QAA says about Degree (honours) level degrees and graduates:
Honours degrees form the largest group of higher education qualifications.Typical courses last for three years (if taken full-time) and lead to a Bachelors degree with Honours, having a title such as Bachelor of Arts (BA (Hons)) or Bachelor of Science (BSc (Hons)). Also at this level are short courses and professional ‘conversion’ courses, based largely on undergraduate material, and taken usually by those who are already graduates in another discipline, leading to Graduate Certificates or Graduate Diplomas.
An Honours graduate will have developed an understanding of a complex body of knowledge, some of it at the current boundaries of an academic discipline. Through this, the graduate will have developed analytical techniques and problem-solving skills that can be applied in many types of employment. The graduate will be able to evaluate evidence, arguments and assumptions, to reach sound judgements, and to communicate effectively.
An Honours graduate should have the qualities needed for employment in situations requiring the exercise of personal responsibility, and decision-making in complex and unpredictable circumstances.
(QAA, 2008)
| ACTIVITY |
Think back to your degree course.
• What was the body of knowledge you studied?
• How did you develop analytical techniques and problem-solving skills?
• How did it prepare you for personal responsibility and decision-making?
This is what the QAA says about Master’s level study:
Much of the study undertaken at Master’s level will have been at, or informed by, the forefront of an academic or professional discipline. Students will have shown originality in the application of knowledge, and they will understand how the boundaries of knowledge are advanced through research.They will be able to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, and they will show originality in tackling and solving problems.
They will have the qualities needed for employment in circumstances requiring sound judgement, personal responsibility and initiative, in complex and unpredictable professional environments.
(QAA, 2008)
| ACTIVITY |
Can you identify the difference between the achievements described by the QAA at degree level and those at Master’s? Think of one or two key words that capture the difference.
The QAA goes on to give more detailed descriptors for the award of honours degrees and Master’s. Table 1 enables you to compare the descriptors. We have underlined some of the key differences at Master’s degree level to make your comparison easier.
Table 1
| Honours degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated: | Master’s degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated: |
| 1. A systematic understanding of key aspects of their field of study, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge, at least some of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of defined aspects of a discipline. | 1. A systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice. |
| 2. An ability to deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within a discipline. | 2. A comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship. |
| 3. Conceptual understanding that enables the student:• to devise and sustain arguments, and/or to solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of a discipline; and • to describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in the discipline. | 3. Originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline. |
| 4. An appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge. | 4. Conceptual understanding that enables the student: |
| 5. The ability to manage their own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (e.g. refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to the discipline). | • to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline; and • to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses. |
| Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to: | Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to: |
| A. Apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects. | A. Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences. |
| B. Critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution – or identify a range of solutions – to a problem. | B. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level. |
| C. Communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. | C. Continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level. |
| and will have:D. The qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring:• the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility;• decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts; and• the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature. | and will have:D. The qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring:• the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility;• decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations; and• the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development. |
(Table adapted from QAA 2008)
| ACTIVITY |
Reflect on the words/phrase/sections that are underlined in Table 1 and that represent key differences between degree and Master’s level awards. What are the recurring themes?
On studying the QAA’s detailed descriptors for the award of honours degrees and Master’s, the main themes or differences that can be identified relate to:
| • | the ability of the award holder to practise at the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study, or area of professional practice; | |
| • | undertaking their own research or advanced scholarship; | |
| • | demonstrating originality in the application of knowledge; | |
| • | having a role in creating and interpreting knowledge in their discipline; | |
| • | dealing with complex issues both systematically and creatively; | |
| • | making sound judgements that demonstrate self-direction and originality; | |
| • | acting autonomously and continuing to develop skills through independence; | |
| • | evaluating critically and even proposing new hypotheses. |
This is how the QAA summarises the capability of Master’s graduates:
In broad terms, graduates of all Master’s degrees should be capable of demonstrating a systematic understanding of knowledge, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of the discipline, field of study or area of professional practice. They should be capable of demonstrating originality in their application of that knowledge and in addressing problems. They will have demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship. In relation to future employment, Master’s graduates will be expected to possess the skills needed to exercise independent learning and to develop new skills to a high level.
(QAA, 2009, p. 7)
The content, structure and delivery of Master’s awards
As stated previously, the content of a Master’s degree in terms of the areas of knowledge and understanding, expertise and skills that the student will acquire are defined by the higher education institution (HEI). The content of a programme will be appropriate to the intended purpose of the award. This means that the content or curriculum will reflect the needs of the discipline/field of study, the profession or both. In some cases, especially where the Master’s is within a professional field, the content of the degree will be agreed with an employer or professional regulatory body such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and the professional body will then monitor and regulate delivery through approval of courses and audit.
As previously discussed, Master’s degrees are delivered via full- or part-time programmes with varying amounts of face-to-face contact or distance learning. This may be full-time (usually one year) or the equivalent over a part-time trajectory. However, this does vary – the MPhil, for example, often takes up to two years to complete full-time.
It may also be that students are able to use the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS), which is used by many universities in the United Kingdom to monitor, record and reward passage through modular courses and to facilitate movement between courses and institutions. This approach recognises that Master’s degrees may be modular and may incorporate progression through to postgraduate certificate (60 credit points) and diploma (120 credit points). A postgraduate Master’s degree is equivalent to 180 points and so, if an individual has been awarded 15 or 20 credits for successful completion of a Master’s level module at a different institution, or even awarded a postgraduate certificate or diploma, it may be that these credits can be transferred and effectively used to buy in credit against a whole Master’s programme. Universities will have established policies concerning the use of CATS points, and these should be made clear in the admissions policies for different courses or programmes and are usually considered on a case-by-case basis. One element that will normally be considered is ‘currency’ and this is a judgement about whether the knowledge and learning achieved on the module or course where a student wants to use the CATS is considered by the university as remaining current and valid. A broad definition of this excludes study that is more than five years old.
There will also be an integrated strategy of teaching, learning and assessment that enables the student to demonstrate the intended learning outcomes appropriate to the programme’s overall aims.
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes describe what a student should be able to do in order to successfully complete either a course of study, a module or even a short and specific study session. They describe student activities and attainments (Baume, 2009) and essentially what they should be able to do by the end of the period of study.
They are therefore essential to students on two main levels. The first is in deciding which programme of study to undertake. Do the outcomes of the programme meet or fit with the learning opportunity that you are looking for? Secondly, once enrolled on the course, the individual learning outcomes for the module give a clear summary of what the student needs to demonstrate in order to pass the module. In essence they set out what any module assessment should demonstrate. This is important information that helps students understand exactly what it is that they have to do and learn in order to pass. They should therefore use the learning outcomes to shape and focus their reading and assessed work (Burns and Sinfield, 2004).
Assessment, learning and teaching
The assessment, learning and teaching (ALT) methods to be used will be identified in individual programme documentation, such as a programme specification, and may include a diverse array of methods. Those used will be selected by the institution or academic lead as being most appropriate to the discipline or field of study and the programme’s aims, mode of delivery and typical entrants (see Figure 2).
| • | lectures; | |
| • | tutorials; | |
| • | seminars; | |
| • | practical work, or practice placements; | |
| • | the use of textbooks, journal papers, electronic databases; | |
| • | individual project work; | |
| • | group work; | |
| • | practice sessions and learning through case studies; | |
| • | work-based learning; | |
| • | engagements with virtual learning environments. |
Figure 2. Examples of the ALT methods used on Master’s courses
Assessment
The definition of assessment ‘as a generic term for a set of processes that measures the outcomes of students’ learning in terms of knowledge acquired, understanding developed, and skills gained’ (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, 2000) is arguably too simplistic, as higher levels of learning concern the process that the learner undertakes as well as the outcome of the learning (Hayes and MacKreth, 2008). On professional Master’s courses there are several reasons to assess competence, including: to judge ‘fitness to practise’; to direct and motivate learning; to ensure the correct standards are achieved before a student progresses to the next level; to provide feedback for students; and to provide feedback on the curriculum and method of delivery (Manogue et al., 2002). Careful planning and management are therefore required to ensure that the goal of using assessment is not only to judge outcome but also to focus on motivating the process of learning.
Another consideration is that, for the duration of a course, account is taken of the difference in individual student preference for assessment methods and learning styles. For example, some students may be very good strategic learners who prefer to sit exams and are very successful at passing them, whereas other students may find exams so stressful that they do very poorly at them due to anxiety. It is therefore important that Master’s course designers use different assessment methods during the course in order to acknowledge the different aptitudes of student groups or, alternatively, to ensure that prospective students are able to consider assessment methodologies before enrolling on courses.
There are numerous assessment methods that are used at Master’s level (see Figure 3).
• essay assignments and other types of coursework;
• practical reports or portfolios;
• dissertations;
• work-based studies;
• written examinations;
• problem-solving exercises;
• oral presentations;
• posters;
• placement reports.
Figure 3. Examples of the assessment methods used on Master’s courses
| ACTIVITY |
Consider the types of assessment on your Master’s course.
• How do they measure whether you are achieving the required outcomes of the course?
• How do they motivate you?
| SUMMARY |
This chapter has introduced Master’s level study by examining the types of Master’s level courses available and the opportunities that Master’s level study offers students in terms of their professional and personal development. More specific examples of these opportunities will be explored and developed in later chapters. Consideration has been made of the issues that Master’s level students face during their studies and students are encouraged to examine the resources available at their university to help them face problems and challenges.
An in-depth examination of the difference between Bachelor’s and Master’s level study and outcomes was made, with the notions of independence, criticality and working at the forefront of practice being identified as key themes.
The regulation of higher education and the role of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) were examined and the types of content, structure and delivery, alongside the types of assessment, learning and teaching which students may experience at this higher level of working, were considered.
| Critical reflection | |
| Identify at least three things that you have learned from this chapter. | 1.2.3. |
| How do you plan to use this knowledge? | 1.2.3. |
| How will you evaluate the effectiveness of your plan? | 1.2.3. |
| What further knowledge and evidence do you need? | 1.2.3. |
FURTHER READING
The QAA website contains a plethora of information about how academic institutions are regulated and a whole series of benchmarks for different Master’s level qualifications.
