CM20 - Master of Educational Leadership

Overview

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. 

Course Details
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 - 2025
  • 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

Admission Codes

Domestic Students
Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes 		Not Applicable
International Students
CRICOS Codes 		Not Applicable
Where and when can I start?

Domestic Availability

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2025

Online

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2024

Online

Overseas Availabilities

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2025

Online

Hyperflexible Annual Term - 2024

Online
For any problems regarding admissions availability for the selected course please contact 13 CQUni (13 27 86) or send us an email at http://contactus.cqu.edu.au/
What do I need to start?
Entry Scores
Entry scores are not available, please contact the Student Advice Team for more information
Entry Requirements

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.


Assumed Knowledge

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.

Security Requirements

Students enrolled in this course must have a relevant Working with Children clearance or equivalent

Health Requirements

Not applicable.

Fees and Charges
Be Different
  • Indicative Year - 2025
    • 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
Course Features

Awards and Accreditation

Interim Awards CM21 - Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership
Exit Awards CM21 - Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership
Accreditation

  • Core

Residential School Requirements

No Residential School for this course.

Practicum/Work Placement

Not applicable

Previous and Current Enrolments

Year Number of Students
2024 25
2023 14
2022 31
2021 14
Inherent Requirements
There are currently no inherent requirements associated with this course.
Core Learning Outcomes
  • 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
Course Structure

In order to complete this course, you must:

  1. Complete the core structure

Core Structure

View Full Course 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
More Details
There is no additional information for this course.