Master of Assessment and Evaluation

Course Codes

Overview

The Master of Assessment and Evaluation offers a specialist degree catering for the needs of those who want to take a leadership role in the field of assessment and evaluation in a range of settings. Such people are normally employed as policy and program planners, item writers, assessment data analysts, trainers, evaluators, teachers,performance auditors, managers, project officers or consultants. The course aims to produce graduates who are able to manage assessment and evaluation programs at a high level, to make effective use of writing and research in assessment and evaluation, and to develop superior knowledge, understanding and skills in assessment design, development and application as well as in evaluation theory and practice.

There is a one-year thesis and coursework stream (Stream 100A), a one year coursework only stream (Stream 100B), two one and a half-year thesis and coursework streams (Stream 150, 150A) and a one and half year coursework only stream(150B). Eligibility for each stream depends on the level of the applicant's previous qualifications.

Streams 100B, 150A and 150B of the Master of Assessment and Evaluation are coursework-classified, while Streams 100A and 150 of the Master of Assessment and Evaluation are research-classified. Graduates of Stream 100A, 150 and 150A may be eligible to apply for entry to the PhD or Doctor of Education programs.

Special Note: All students who wish to apply for a stream with a thesis component must submit an Expression of Interest before applying.

Course Objectives

Students who have completed the Master of Assessment and Evaluation course should be able to:

• demonstrate a superior knowledge and understanding of assessment and evaluation theory and practice;
• demonstrate a high level of competence in the management of assessment and evaluation programs;
• make effective use of the assessment and evaluation literature and research;
• demonstrate a depth of knowledge and understanding that will enable them to support colleagues regarding assessment and evaluation related professional situations.

Entrance Requirements for Streams 100A and 100B

An applicant may be eligible for entry into the Master of Assessment and Evaluation, Stream 100A and 100B, if the applicant has:

• completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Assessment and Evaluation or an appropriate degree or graduate diploma in a social or human science and
• a record of research and/or publication equivalent to year four in education or at least four years of documented relevant professional experience.

Applicants for Stream 100A are required to submit a thesis proposal signed by their prospective supervisor with their application. They should also consult with the program co-ordinator prior to enrolment.

Entrance Requirements for Streams 150, 150A and 150B

An applicant may be eligible for entry into the Master of Assessment and Evaluation, Streams 150, 150A or 150B, if the applicant has:

• an appropriate undergraduate degree and an appropriate teaching qualification; or
• an appropriate four-year teaching degree or an appropriate degree or graduate diploma in a social or human science; and
• either a record of research and/or publication equivalent to year four in education or at least two years of documented relevant professional experience.

Applicants for Stream 150 are required to submit a thesis proposal signed by their prospective supervisor and the Head of Department with their application.

Students enrolled in Streams 150, 100A and 150A are required to attain an average of at least 75 in their coursework component before commencing their thesis. If this score is not attained, progress will be assessed on an individual basis.

Students must also achieve a grade of H2A or better in the research method subject before being permitted to undertake the thesis component. Students achieving a grade of H2B may be allowed to undertake the thesis if they have the explicit support of their supervisor that they are capable of doing so. Students achieving a grade of less than H2B may be required to convert from a research masters to a coursework only degree.

Wherever possible, students should take the research method subject just prior to the commencement of the thesis.

Length of Time Acceptable Since Completion of Previous Qualification and/or Prerequisites

Applicants who are applying for entry on the basis of qualifications obtained more than ten years prior to the year in which selection is sought, may be granted admission if, in the view of the School, the applicant has maintained an appropriate level of active involvement in the field of assessment and evaluation during the time since the relevant prerequisite qualification(s) were conferred. No credit will be granted for studies undertaken for a Postgraduate Diploma in Evaluation or other equivalent qualification completed more than 10 years prior to the year for which selection is sought.

Applicants who wish to resume their Masters degree studies after a gap of more than 10 years will normally be required to undertake two subjects and gain an H2A or above in each subject prior to re-admission to the Master of Assessment and Evaluation.

Course Structure

Stream 100A: Coursework and Thesis A (666AB)

Students are required to undertake 25 points of coursework from the pool of subjects listed below, and complete 75 points of thesis (Thesis A) of 20,000 words incorporating an approved research methodology studies (100 points in total).

Students must publicly present a research paper in the last six months of their candidature.

Subjects that may be undertaken in external (online) mode of delivery are marked by an asterisk.

Coursework subjects

Approved research methodology studies (select at least one):

Additional Coursework subjects:

Students are encouraged to seek advice from the Program Co-ordinators in regard to subject selection in order to select the most appropriate subjects for their needs.

Stream 100B: Coursework (666AC)

Students are required to undertake 100 points of coursework from the pool of subjects below. At least one subject must be from the list of combined assessment and evaluation subjects below. Subjects that may be undertaken by external (online) mode are marked with an asterisk.

Coursework subjects

Combined Assessment and Evaluation subjects (select at least one):

Assessment subjects

Evaluation subjects:

Stream 150: Coursework and Major Thesis of 30,000 words (666BA)

Students are required to undertake 50 points of coursework from the pool of subjects listed below, and complete 100 points of Major thesis of 30,000 words incorporating an approved research methodology studies subject (150 points in total). At least one subject must be from the list of approved research methodology studies below. Subjects that may be undertaken in external (online) mode of delivery are marked by an asterisk. Students must publicly present a research paper in the last six months of their candidature.

Coursework subjects

Approved research methodology studies within the thesis are to be selected from:

Additional Coursework subjects

Students may select up to 37.5 points of coursework from offerings outside the above lists, with the written permission of the Program Coordinator/s.

Students are encouraged to seek advice from the Program Coordinator/s in regard to subject selection so as to select the most appropriate subjects for their needs.

Stream 150A: Coursework and Thesis of 20,000 words (666BB)

Students are required to undertake 75 points of coursework from the pool of subjects below and complete 75 points of thesis (Thesis A) of 20,000 words incorporating an approved research methodology studies subject (150 points). At least one subject must be from the list of approved research methodology studies below. Subjects that may be undertaken by external (online) mode of delivery are marked with an asterisk.

Coursework subjects

Approved research methodology studies within thesis A are to be selected from: (select at least one)

Additional Coursework subjects

Students may select up to 37.5 points of coursework from offerings outside the above lists, with the written permission of the Program Coordinator/s.

Students are encouraged to seek advice from the Program Coordinator/s in regard to subject selection so as to select the most appropriate subjects for their needs.

Stream 150B: Coursework only (666BC)

Students are required to undertake 150 points of coursework from the pool of subjects listed below. At least one subject must be from the list of combined assessment and evaluation subjects below. Subjects that may be undertaken in external (online) mode of delivery are marked by an asterisk.

Coursework subjects

Combined Assessment and Evaluation subjects (select at least one):

Students may select up to 37.5 points of coursework from offerings outside the above lists, with the written permission of the Program Coordinator/s.

Students are encouraged to seek advice from the Program Co-ordinators in regard to subject selection in order to select the most appropriate subjects for their needs.

Thesis Provisions

General Requirements and Thesis Supervision

Applicants for Streams 100A and 150 are required to write a preliminary thesis proposal and obtain a supervisor as part of the application process. The thesis proposal must be signed by the supervisor and the supervisor's Head of Department.

All students enrolled in the thesis streams should finalise the topic of their thesis with their supervisor as early as possible, and must register the name of their supervisor with the Education Student Centre as soon as the matter is finalised.

Students who require assistance in obtaining a supervisor should access the website, for details on the research areas of Melbourne Graduate School of Education academic staff.

The Thesis of 20,000 Words

The thesis permits the student to draw on the themes discussed in the various subjects undertaken, and to apply them to an area of particular interest. Although this work may rely to some extent on the work of others, it should be a new presentation which involves the writer in demonstrating research and writing skills, and also in collecting primary data from the field, or in building some new construct from available materials. The result should give clear evidence of research skills and critical judgment.

The thesis should demonstrate the student's ability to handle research and to present the outcomes in a disciplined way that conforms with normal scholarly conventions.

The thesis should be 20,000 words in length, excluding appendices. The thesis will be examined by two appropriate academics, at least one of whom is external to the University of Melbourne, neither of whom is the supervisor of the thesis. Theses produced for Stream 100A and 150 are required to be examined by two external examiners.

The thesis should not, as a general rule, take a part-time student more than twelve months to complete.

External Mode of Delivery

Some subjects within this course are also offered in external (online) mode of delivery. It is possible to undertake Streams 100B and 150B entirely in external mode of delivery providing students select subjects that are available in external mode of delivery. It is also possible to undertake the coursework components of Streams 100A, 150 and 150A externally providing students select subjects that are available in external mode of delivery. However, Streams 100A, 150 and 150A cannot be undertaken entirely in external mode of delivery as the thesis must be done while on campus at the University of Melbourne.