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MRes in Education - Institutional Development
Why choose Herts?
- Expert support: Ranked 1st in the UK for teacher training (Daily Mail University Guide, 2025), support (PTES, 2024), you’ll receive one-to-one support from experienced researchers, alongside access to specialist facilities and the University’s Researcher Development Programme.
- Career impact: With 96% of Herts postgraduates in work or further study (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2025)1, you’ll graduate with the skills, confidence, and networks you need to succeed.
- World-leading research: Ranked in the top 25% of UK universities for research impact (REF, 2021), with over 75% of our education research rated as world leading or international excellent. You’ll be part of a research community whose work actively drives change in education.
About the course
The Master of Research in Education Institutional Development is a research-led postgraduate degree in education with taught elements, uniquely designed to equip you with the expertise to investigate, analyse, and address the challenges facing educational institutions in a real-world context. It’s grounded in research methodology, with particular emphasis on governance, leadership, organisational learning, and the processes that drive strategic development in schools, colleges, and universities.
You will explore how educational policy, institutional culture, and systemic changes shape learning environments and leadership practices across diverse contexts. This pathway enables you to develop advanced research skills alongside transferable abilities that are highly valued by employers; such as critical analysis, data interpretation, reflective learning, ethical decision making, and the capacity to communicate complex ideas effectively to a range of audiences. You will deepen your understanding of educational theory and practice in order to contribute evidence-based improvements to teaching, learning, and policy.
You can choose this Master of Research in Education - Insitutional Development or the following pathways:
Why choose this course?
You will work with academics who are leading authorities in their area of research, and many have extensive educational experience. Our staff all support you in your learning and in applying research techniques to real-world educational issues, preparing you to make meaningful contributions to research, policy, and practice.
At the University of Hertfordshire, you will become part of a vibrant researcher community in education, with opportunities to attend seminars, conferences, and interest groups, and to contribute to conversations shaping the future of education. You’ll also have access to the University’s Researcher Development Programme, which provides additional training in advanced skills that will support both your studies and future career.
This two-year full-time postgraduate degree is a great opportunity if you want to:
- study a range of research methods in education and develop your understanding of how leadership, governance, and policy shape institutional practice
- develop a unique set of skills in educational research and organisational development that are transferable to roles across schools, colleges, higher education, training providers, and policy bodies
- obtain a world-recognised master's degree in education and progress to doctoral study (PhD/EdD) or a career in research, policy, or consultancy in education.
What will I study?
Your modules will be taught by experts in educational theory, policy, and research design, with a strong emphasis on applying research methods to real institutional contexts. In your first year, you will take modules that introduce key concepts in education, critical literature review, and research design, which will equip you with the tools to analyse debates, trends, and challenges in education today.
You will also begin developing your research proposal, which will form the foundation for your independent major research project in the second year. This project, supported by a dedicated supervisory team, will give you the opportunity to explore a topic of your choice in depth and develop specialist expertise in institutional development and education research.
Teaching is delivered through a combination of study days, online activities, research seminars, and one-to-one supervision. Assessment methods are varied and designed to reflect real research practice, including literature reviews, research proposals, viva-style discussions, and your final dissertation.
Key staff
Programme Leader Lewis Stockwell
Find out more about Programme Leader Lewis Stockwell
Programme Leader Lorena Sanchez
Find out more about Programme Leader Lorena Sanchez
Further course information
| Programme specifications | |
|---|---|
| MRes in Education - Institutional Development, Full Time, Semester A Intake | Download |
| MRes in Education - Institutional Development, Full Time, Semester A Intake | Download |
| Additional information | |
|---|---|
Sandwich placement or study abroad year |
n/a |
Applications open to international and EU students |
Yes |