M.Ed Inclusive Education

General Aims

The proposed M.Ed in Inclusive Education programme aims to:

• produce teachers and professionals with formal qualification in special and inclusive education who are equipped with sound knowledge and skills to teach and respond to students with special educational needs;
• develop awareness and skills in teachers and professionals to critically explore policy and practice in Special and Inclusive Education (SIE) within Bhutan and at the international level;
• produce teachers and professionals with deep understanding and appreciation of inclusive philosophy; and
• build on teachers’ and professionals’ prior knowledge and develop the skills necessary to support the needs of individuals experiencing a range of barriers to learning and participation.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this programme are to develop teachers and professionals:

• who demonstrate deep understanding of the knowledge of various types of disabilities and exhibit skills to respond to the educational needs of those children who are identified as having disability;
• with competency to critically explore policy and practice in special and inclusive education, nationally and internationally;
• with competency to identify and reduce barriers to individual student’s learning and development;
• with competency to foster educational environments that recognise difference, value diversity, foster high levels of student engagement and learning, challenge social injustice and inequity, and support collaborative relationships among students, parents/ caregivers, staff and professionals;
• who are equipped with skills and knowledge in instructional practice related to supporting students with learning difficulties and disabilities in inclusive classrooms;
• who understand and demonstrate knowledge of observation, documentation and assessment processes in inclusive classroom settings; and
• who understand the philosophy of inclusion, possess skills to identify children with special needs and those at a higher risk of experiencing barriers to learning and exclusion and to take care of their needs and make referrals where necessary.

 Programme Structure

Admission Criteria 

According to The Wheel of Academic Law (2015, p. 70), a candidate wishing to enroll in a Masters degree should have a minimum academic qualification of a good pass at degree level supplemented with work experience or a good pass at Honours level. Specific to this programme, candidates wishing to enroll will be required to have a minimum academic qualification of B.Ed, (Bachelor of Education) BA (Bachelors of Arts), or BSc (Bachelors of Science) supplemented with work experience. As agreed during a meeting with Ministry of Education and other stakeholders, preference will be given to the teachers and professionals who are working in the field of special and inclusive education and disability who meet the entrance requirement set by the college. As specified under 3.2.1 of the Wheel of Academic Law, (2015) specific entry requirements will be determined by the nature and demand of the programme under consideration.

In addition to the entry requirement specified in the wheel, Paro College of Education reserves the right to enforce the following requirements where deemed necessary.

• Working experience in schools with SEN programme or organizations dealing with SEN, disability and inclusion.

• Entrance exam to test aptitude and language skills.