Course Overview
The Master of Educational Leadership enables you to build professional knowledge and thinking in ways that align with your own work priorities and commitments, in your own time and at your own pace. As you complete the course you will build your skills and confidence to lead teams and partner with stakeholders to enhance governance, curricula and organisational capacity and drive continuous pedagogical improvement. You will explore, critique and apply contemporary leadership ideas and strategies to promote advocacy, facilitate change initiatives and evaluate educational performance against relevant educational policies and frameworks.
As this course is delivered in a hyperflexible mode you can enrol at any time on any day. All work, including assessments, are completed at your own pace, and focus on issues in an educational context of your choosing. If you can study on a full-time basis, units can be completed in 12 months. As a part-time student, you’ll proceed more slowly, but you can work at a pace that fits with your needs and work-life balance. However you choose to study you will be supported by a dedicated academic staff member and have access to CQUniversity’s vast range of online learning resources.
Career Information
Graduates of the Master of Educational Leadership have advanced specialised knowledge and skills in educational leadership. Professional and research content enables graduates to lead and collaborate productively with teams, communities and stakeholders to enhance organisational capacity and wellbeing and to lead research-informed initiatives and pedagogy. Graduates may use Master of Educational Leadership units as evidence of continuing professional development and/or to support career advancement.
| Duration | 1 years full-time or 5 years part-time |
|---|---|
| Credit Points that Must be Earned | 48 |
| Number of Units Required | CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in postgraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24). |
| Expected Hours of Study | One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term. |
| Course Type | Postgraduate Award |
| Qualification (post nominal) | MEdLead |
| AQF Level | Level 9: Masters Degree (Coursework) |
| Course Fees |
Indicative Year - 2026
Indicative Year - 2025
Indicative Year - 2024
Indicative Year - 2023
Indicative Year - 2022
|
Admission Codes
|
Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
Not Applicable |
|---|---|
|
International Students CRICOS Codes |
Not Applicable |
Domestic Availability
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2027
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2025
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2024
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2026
Overseas Availabilities
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2027
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2025
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2024
-
Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2026
To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must hold one of the following:
- A completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent Bachelor degree or higher equivalent qualification, with a minimum of three years' relevant* experience in an educational setting; or
- A completed AQF equivalent Initial Teaching Education (ITE) course with evidence of three years' registered teaching experience within Australia or equivalent; or
- A completed CQUniversity Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership or equivalent qualification.
*Relevant work experience includes employment in a teaching or educational setting (which can include early childhood education, guidance counsellor or corporate settings which have a strong educational focus).
Employment experience must be shown in a letter of employment which is presented on a company letterhead as well as signed and dated by a delegated authority. The letter must contain position title, duties performed and length of service.
Applicants who hold other relevant qualifications with extensive employment experience in an educational setting may be referred to the Head of Course for consideration of admission.
English Language Proficiency Requirements
If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or United States of America, you are required to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements set by the University.
Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion of:
- A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent), or
- An Australian Qualifications Framework (QF) diploma level qualification, or
- Bachelor level qualification study for a period of at least 2 years full time with a minimum overall GPA 4.0
completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland or United States of America, which will meet the English proficiency.
If you do not satisfy any of the above, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores:
- An International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) overall band score of at least 6.0 with a minimum 5.5 in each subset; or
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Requires 550 or better overall and minimum TWE score of 4.5 (Paper Based Test), or 75 or better overall and no score less than 17 (Internet Based Test); or
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) - Requires an overall score of 54 with no sub-score less than 46; or
- An Occupational English Test with Grades A or B only in each of the four components.
English test results remain valid for no more than two years between final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate.
International Students should visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/international for further information.
Each student will be assessed individually.
The course is delivered in a hyperflexible mode. It is fully online and available 24/7 and 365 days a year to support students' self-paced study. There is a recommended sequence of study but the pacing of study and unit completion is determined by the student. The course is typically completed in 1200 hours.
Students enrolled in this course must have a relevant Working with Children clearance or equivalent
Not applicable.
Be Different
- Indicative Year - 2026
- Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $18,324
- International Indicative First Year Fee - $19,680
- Indicative Year - 2025
- Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $17,616
- International Indicative First Term Fee - $9,360
- International Indicative First Year Fee - $18,720
- Indicative Year - 2024
- Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $16,453.5
- International Indicative First Year Fee - $16,453.5
- Indicative Year - 2023
- Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $15,234
- International Indicative First Term Fee - $8,400
- International Indicative First Year Fee - $16,800
- Indicative Year - 2022
- Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $15,132
- International Indicative First Year Fee - $16,800
Higher Education
Awards and Accreditation
| Interim Awards | CM21 - Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership |
|---|---|
| Exit Awards | CM21 - Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership |
| Accreditation |
|
Residential School Requirements
No Residential School for this course.
Practicum/Work Placement
| Not applicable |
Previous and Current Enrolments
| Year | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 |
| 2024 | 25 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2022 | 31 |
| 2021 | 14 |
Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.
If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.
Students must think, act and behave ethically. The Master of Educational Leadership caters for graduates who are experienced teachers and educational leaders and are guided by various professional codes of ethics and practice (such as Australian Professional Standards for Teachers) as well as other codes of conduct, regulatory requirements and standards, for example, copyright, anti-discrimination, academic integrity, liable and fair use laws. Students are accountable and responsible for complying with ethical behaviour in their roles as students of CQUniversity as well as during professional practice.
Students must function personally with stable behaviours as teaching and educational leadership contexts can at times be very emotionally demanding. Students must have sufficient behavioural responsiveness and stability to operate in professional, often complex, educational leadership contexts
Legal compliance involves the capacity to understand Australian law, as well as layers of institution/organisation regulations that apply to almost every context. Students need to function with an awareness and understanding that educational practice is mandated by specific legal and regulatory requirements and standards to enable the professional delivery of practice. Students need to function in a responsible manner within the law and applicable rules and regulations in their educational practice. This includes compliance with the policies and practices of professional organisations including legislative and regulatory requirements for teaching, eg. Codes of Ethics for teachers, and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. and understanding of and compliance with Anti-discrimination legislation and Disability Standards and Child Safety requirements as they apply to practice in educational settings.
Students need to effectively and appropriately communicate verbally and non-verbally in a wide variety of contexts to engage in activities related to the course of study and in professional contexts. Information about English language skills can be found on the English Requirements webpage. Students must have highly developed verbal skills for the timely, accurate and effective comprehension and delivery of instructions to deliver and/or collaborate on tasks and projects effectively. Students must have the capacity to understand, respond to and, where necessary, provide timely, clear feedback and reporting, use language that is appropriate to the professional context, and demonstrate an effective rapport with a wide range of educational stakeholders from differing socio-cultural environments in a range of contexts associated with teaching and educational leadership. Students must understand a wide range of non-verbal communication skills that also include being able to give and receive correct and appropriate non-verbal cues. Non-verbal communication must be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic and non-judgmental.
Students need the cognitive capacity to acquire theoretical and other knowledge as well as the cognitive processing skills to successfully undertake the course, its learning activities and assessments. They must demonstrate the mental functioning and thinking capacities to competently perform the relevant tasks and assessments including an independent project. Students must be able to acquire, process, integrate and implement a comprehensive body of knowledge and skills in both academic and the relevant educational contexts. They must have the capacity to design, create and/or deliver effective educational practice that is based on comprehensive knowledge that is sourced, understood and applied appropriately. Students must conceptualise and use appropriate educational foundation and leadership knowledge in response to academic assessment items. They must be able to apply theoretical and other relevant knowledge, research evidence, policies and procedures in educational practice.
Students need the capacity for reflective skills that can applied to professional educational leadership practice. They need well-developed understandings of self and be aware of personal values and emotions when reflecting on professional matters. They must accurately reflect on the content taught during the course, have the ability to accept constructive feedback from academic staff and colleagues and respond constructively. Students must accurately reflect on their own work and on personal situations that may be difficult and sensitive.
Students must be competent users of digital technologies including generative AI. They must be able to extract, filter, refine and process discipline-specific information correctly and ethically and convert it to relevant and understandable contexts and language. They must be competent users of relevant digital communication and productivity tools, operate relevant electronic technologies, create digital presentations, and understand strategies for the safe, responsible, and ethical use of ICTs in educational and community contexts including child safe protocols.
- 1. Apply an advanced body of discipline knowledge to design, implement and evaluate initiatives that focus on strengthening organisational wellbeing and student learning experiences and outcomes
- 2. Interpret, justify and articulate theoretical and specialised knowledge to enhance governance structures, curricula and organisational capacity
- 3. Critique relevant theory, data, research and/or scholarship to inform leadership around learners’ developmental, cultural, linguistic and/or social characteristics and/or complex organisational contexts
- 4. Analyse and synthesise complex information to address policy, legal and ethical issues that inform leadership decision making
- 5. Demonstrate creativity, initiative, autonomy and accountability to inform and sustain leadership collaborations and decision making
- 6. Assess and apply advanced knowledge and research strategies to plan and execute a research-based or capstone project to enhance organisational capacity, wellbeing and/or educational quality.
| Course Learning Outcomes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1. KNOWLEDGE Have a body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in a discipline and/or area of professional practice | ||||||
| 2. KNOWLEDGE Have an understanding of research principles and methods applicable to a field of work and/or learning | ||||||
| 3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and to reflect critically on theory and professional practice or scholarship | ||||||
| 4. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories and to apply established theories to different bodies of knowledge or practice | ||||||
| 5. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level | ||||||
| 6. SKILLS Have communication and technical research skills to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions to specialist and non-specialist audiences | ||||||
| 7. SKILLS Have technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments that contribute to professional practice or scholarship | ||||||
| 8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to use creativity and initiative to new situations in professional practice and/or for further learning | ||||||
| 9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to use high level personal autonomy and accountability | ||||||
| 10 APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship. | ||||||
| APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Communicate, interact and collaborate with others effectively in culturally or linguistically diverse contexts in a culturally respectful manner | ||||||
- Complete the core structure
| Number of units: 7 | Total credit points: 48 |
|---|
The Master of Educational Leadership is comprised of 7 units: 6 standard (6 CP) and one Capstone (equivalent to two standard units- 12 CP). Each standard unit is designed to be completed over approximately 150 hours and has 3 modules, each of approximately 50 hours. You have up to five years from enrolment to complete the course. You study at your own pace. Choose to work say 6–10 hours per week, or do larger time blocks on weekends or holidays. The way you pace your study is entirely up to you. On enrolment you will have access to each of the units and can work through these at your own pace. We strongly recommend you complete these in the sequence below to gain appropriate foundational and core knowledge. Units can be completed concurrently, but as a minimum, you must complete EDED20497 Orientation to Educational Leadership before enrolling in EDED20500 Engaging with Educational Research in the first part of the course. In the second part of the course, you must complete EDED20289 The Research Process for Educators before enrolling in EDED20518 Capstone Project in Educational Leadership.
While the course is designed to be flexible and self-paced, you are encouraged to study units in a particular sequence. Each unit is worth 6 Credit Points, except the Capstone Educational Leadership Project which is worth 12 Credit Points. The course is divided into two phases- Graduate Certificate and Masters, each consisting of units worth 24 Credit Points. You are encouraged to fully complete the first phase before moving to the second. All units are compulsory.
Master of Educational Leadership Course structure
| Phase | # | Unit Code | Unit Name |
| Phase 1 - Graduate Certificate of Educational Leadership | 1 | EDED20497 | Orientation to Educational Leadership |
| 2 | EDED20498 | Educational Change and Improvement | |
| 3 | EDED20499 | Leading Learning and Community Engagement | |
| 4 | EDED20500 | Engaging with Educational Research | |
| Exit Point for Graduate Certificate | |||
| Phase | # | Unit Code | Unit Name |
| Phase 2 - Master of Educational Leadership | 5 | EDED20516 | Neuroleadership and Conceptual Approaches in Educational Neuroscience |
| 6 | EDED20289 | The Research Process for Educators | |
| 7,8 | EDED20518 | Capstone Project in Educational Leadership | |
Students must complete all units
| Available units | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| EDED20497 | Orientation to Educational Leadership | |
| EDED20498 | Educational Change and Improvement | |
| EDED20499 | Leading Learning and Community Engagement | |
| EDED20500 | Engaging with Educational Research | |
| EDED20289 | The Research Process for Educators | |
| EDED20516 | Neuroscience-Powered Leadership | |
| EDED20518 | Capstone Project in Educational Leadership | |