The MA International Higher Education is available as a one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme, following successful delivery at our UK campus.

It is designed to meet the needs of those who are: 

• planning a career in international higher education, in any capacity
• teaching or researching in this field, or plan to do so in the future
• working in higher education administration and want to advance their knowledge and understanding of internationalisation and its implications

I am absolutely delighted that I decided to take this MA…it is already feeding back into my daily job as a course leader and I am able to contribute in an informed way to discussions surrounding internationalisation…

Sarah Charles (student 2012-14); Program Coordinator, Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University, Australia.

In countries and institutions across the world, internationalisation has emerged as a central feature of contemporary Higher Education policy and practice. It takes a variety of forms but its impact and significance can be observed across all aspects and functions of university life – teaching, research, management and administration.

The MA International Higher Education is a unique and innovative programme that addresses this diversity of form and impact in a way that is informed by research and theory but is also firmly focussed on practice. It draws on the University of Nottingham’s experience at the forefront of innovation in this field, on its leading academic reputation, and on the expertise of its staff with extensive knowledge and experience in international and transnational higher education.

The programme is designed to:

• enhance your professional competencies in academic, managerial and administrative roles
• develop your critical and theoretical understanding of the key issues in international higher education
• enable you to transform future practice for yourself, for individuals and for institutions
• expand your career opportunities

The objectives of the programme are that you will:

• be aware and understand the major themes, issues and debates in international and transnational higher education
• have explored the interface between policy, scholarly research and practice in relation to international and transnational higher education
• understand the continuities and discontinuities between policy, practice and research 
• be prepared to develop, challenge and question policies, strategies, practice and research 
• be confident in constructing arguments about international and transnational higher education based on evidence and theory 
• be able to formulate and investigate significant research questions about international and transnational higher education

This programme is professionally and intellectually valuable in its own right, but is also ideal preparation for a PhD in Higher Education.

Programme overview

We begin by exploring the broad context of higher education in an era of globalisation and how this is driving diverse forms of internationalisation in higher education. We then look at strategies and managerial demands of different models of internationalisation, followed by a specific focus on the core activity of enhancing student experiences in an internationalising institution.

The programme concludes with an opportunity for in-depth investigation of internationalisation within a particular function in a higher education institution – chosen by the student. This will enhance personal capacity in strategic analysis for informed decision-making in future professional practice. The programme, therefore, moves from context to strategy and from strategy to practice, so that reflection on practice is situated and contextualised.

Programme content and structure

The programme comprises four 30-credit modules and a 60-credit dissertation.

The modules currently offered are:

• Module 1: Globalisation, higher education and society
• Module 2: Internationalising higher education: institutional strategy and development
• Module 3: Enhancing student experience in international higher education
• Module 4: Shaping the future: An evidence-based approach to managing change in international higher education

The dissertation provides students with the opportunity to carry out an in-depth investigation of internationalisation within a particular function in a higher education institution. Development of the research skills students need to carry out this work are supported in various ways, building on their value for future professional practice.

Further information

For further information about the programme itself, please contact Dr John Lowe – Programme leader
e: John.Lowe@nottingham.edu.cn

For information on how-to-apply, entry requirements and fees, please visit Study with us or contact our Admissions Office at admissions@nottingham.edu.cn with any other questions you may have.

Detailed programme specifications information can be accessed on the Online Programme Catalogue.