The continuing education master's degree "Educational Quality in Developing Countries" qualifies students for a profession and enables them to continue their academic work. It enables graduates to pursue a career with academic qualifications in education and training in countries with development needs and in the technical contexts of development cooperation. In this master's programme, competences are taught with regard to the different normative foundations of educational systems as well as to questions of ensuring educational quality at the level of teaching, institutions and systems. It is particularly concerned with the challenge of ensuring educational quality, which arises in post-conflict societies and societies with a high proportion of the population living in poverty. A broad orientation beyond the school system and teaching fields of pedagogy results from training in project management and empirical methods. Practical vocational skills are acquired particularly within the framework of a vocational module and through the implementation of a project. In addition, competencies are enhanced by the ability to carry out independent scientific work as well as application- and occupational field-related key qualifications aimed at training, management, and organisational functions as well as at planning and development competences. In addition to qualification for professional work in the relevant occupational fields, the degree programme also serves as preparation for admission to doctoral studies. Modules from educational science, empirical methods and project management ensure the programme’s interdisciplinary orientation.
The continuing education master's programme "Educational Quality in Developing Countries" is aimed both at prospective students who are looking for a degree in a reflection and action science and at people wishing to acquire an academic qualification following practical work.
A successfully completed further education course entitles the holder to pursue doctoral studies.
- To a great extent, the degree programme is dedicated to an international transfer of knowledge in learning and teaching. Graduates have both a deeper and broader knowledge of the normative foundations of educational systems, the theoretical and empirical basis of educational quality at the teaching, institutional and system-related levels, as well as the development of these aspects. They are familiar with the current state of school development research in the context of development cooperation and are able to apply the acquired knowledge in a well-founded way. They have become familiar with the relevant qualitative and quantitative research methods and can apply them accordingly.
- During their studies, graduates have also deepened their skills in the independent acquisition of knowledge, information and methods.
- From modules 6, 7 and 8 on research methods, graduates have acquired in-depth knowledge of empirical data collection methods (e.g. qualitative and quantitative study design, questionnaire surveys; interviews, group discussions, observation) and data analysis (e.g. descriptive statistical and inferential statistical methods and programs for evaluation like SPSS, as well as qualitative content analysis and programs for data processing like MaxqDA). They are able to characterise and compare these empirical methods, to select the most suitable method for their project and, finally, to independently design and carry out more complex quality analyses. They are also able to read the results of international, large-scale assessments and draw appropriate conclusions.
- By carrying out a relevant project as part of their master's thesis, graduates have gained in-depth practical experience in the planning and independent implementation of research projects using scientific theories and methods.
- After successful completion of the master's programme, graduates are able to analyse educational quality and respective development measures. They are also able to plan and comprehensively assess their own measures for improving the quality of education, schooling and teaching. In seminar papers, they have examined educational developments in their own fields of employment where they continue working parallel to their studies. They have intensely reflected on these developments and sharpened their capacity for reflection.
- Over the courses of modules 6, 7, 8 (Measuring and Documentation I-III) and modules 12, 13, 14 (Project Module I-III), graduates have learned efficient working techniques, acquired the ability to critically analyse problems and to think conceptually. Over the course of the seminar papers and master's thesis (Module 15: Master's Thesis), they have gained skills for the implementation of projects to increase the educational quality, which in turn will enable them to work within the context of evidence-based educational and instructional planning in schools or school authorities.
- For work in the context of educational system development and quality monitoring, modules 9 and 10 (Quality Development I and II) have provided occupation-specific skills in the observation, assessment and improvement of teaching quality, and they have gained competencies in change management. They have expanded the understanding of their role as teachers to include being facilitators and learning guides.
- With their expanded expertise in empirical methods and project management, students have also acquired qualifications for employment opportunities outside the field of education and teaching.
- Through international experience and intercultural exchange gained, for example, during their study stays in Germany, graduates have optimised the organisation of their studying and learning.
- Through independent data collection, self-managed study phases, presentations, group work, and participation in excursions, they have expended, deepened and reinforced new flexibilities in the understanding of their professional roles and personal identities.
- Through group work, self-learning phases and work in learning communities, they have trained their teamwork, constructive criticism and conflict resolution skills. They have expanded their communication and presentation skills.
- Through modules 9 and 10 (Quality Development I+II) in combination with module 11 (Work Experience), graduates have increased their self-concepts, strengthened their self-assessment skills and expanded their notions of personal and professional development.
- The degree programme aims to strengthen graduates’ civic and social engagement and understanding of responsibilities.
- Through the learning units in the modules on Education and Normativity I+II, as well as in modules 4-6 (Theories of Educational Quality I-III) and modules 9-10 (Quality Development I-II), programme graduates will be supported in their function as multipliers in the field of quality schooling in Sub-Saharan Africa, thus contributing to educational quality in the development sector.