Objectives and competences

The master's degree in Education in Rural Areas seeks to train professionals who can recognize the specific characteristics of the rural environment, meet the particular educational requirements of these settings, and contribute to improving the quality of education in rural areas.

The disciplines to which education sciences belongs have traditionally given little attention to education in rural areas and the associated training requirements. Few basic curricula cover the theoretical and practical aspects of rural education and competitive research to build valuable knowledge is even more scarce.

As such, there is a pressing need to train competent professionals who understand the demands of education in rural areas, as part of a wider effort to give life in rural settings the consideration and respect it deserves.

The aim of the interuniversity master's degree in Education in Rural Areas is to promote expertise in teaching and learning adapted to the characteristics of rural communities, to teach students to assess rural contexts from a cross-disciplinary perspective, and to raise awareness of the importance of quality education in rural areas.

Although the course does not lead to a professional qualification, it is intended for professionals who are directly or indirectly involved in education in rural areas. Successful graduates will be able to identify the specific characteristics of the rural environment, to meet the particular educational requirements of these settings, and to contribute to improving the quality of education in rural areas.
 
Students should have previous academic training in the Spanish education system, particularly relating to primary education, and of the main elements in the classroom teaching and learning process. In addition, they must have certified English language skills at level B1, as well as general IT skills (databases, information storage, and text processing, in particular).

Basic information

TypeMaster's degree
Faculty or schoolFaculty of Education
Branch of knowledge
  • Education sciences
Mode of delivery
  • Blended learning
Credits60
Number of places available50
Length of course1 academic year
Approximate price per credit27.67 euros per credit (82 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2023-2024
CoordinationROSER BOIX TOMAS
Course detailsIndicators
Open pre-enrolmentYes
Open enrolmentNo
Lead to doctoral studiesYes
Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualificationNo
InteruniversityYes
Main universityUniversitat Barcelona
Universities
  • Universitat Barcelona
  • Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Bridging coursesNo

Objectives and competences

Objectives

  • To adapt teaching and learning to the needs of rural areas.
  • To develop an awareness of the importance and need for quality education in rural areas.
  • To consider the rural area from an interdisciplinary perspective, and transmit this to teachers.

Competences

General competences
  • Ability to appraise complex situations using rigorously conceived academic innovations.
  • Capacity to identify and assess the scientific theory relevant to a field of study and use it to take scientifically sound decisions.
  • Knowledge of the diversity of educational practices in specific settings.
  • Capacity to acquire advanced knowledge and apply it in diverse contexts and in educational research.
  • Capacity to conduct research into education in rural settings.
  • Ability to use argumentation to overcome prejudices about rural schools and to consolidate critical thinking.

 

Specific competences
  • Ability to identify the governability of education centres in rural areas.
  • Ability to plan the teaching and learning process for education centres in rural areas.
  • Ability to analyse the importance of education to rural development and in driving balanced development across a rural area.
  • Capacity to describe multi-grade educational practice on the basis of experience and detailed reflection.
  • Ability to compare multi-grade and single-grade teaching practices.
  • Recognition of knowledge obtained in the framework of the skills and attitudes developed in multi-grade teaching.
  • Ability to analyse and interpret innovation and research models applied to education in rural areas.
  • Capacity to identify and apply education research methods and techniques in rural areas.
  • Capacity to relate the interdisciplinary character of scientific knowledge to educational practice in rural areas.
  • Ability to identify the characteristics and roles of the main social agents and educators involved in rural development.

Access and admission

Applicant profile and access requirements

Recommended applicant profile

The main academic knowledge that the prospective students must possess pertains to the Spanish education system, the dimensions and meanings of education (formal, non-formal and informal education), and the foundations of general didactics; they must also display a mastery of ICT tools, especially databases, information storage databases and word processing software.

Access requirements and conditions

General requirements
In accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:

  • Official Spanish university degree.

  • A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.

  • A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.

Specific requirements

Official degrees granting access:

  • Graduates in Early Childhood Education
  • Graduates in Primary Education
  • Graduates in Education
  • Graduates in Social Education
  • Holders of pre-EHEA degrees in Educational Psychology
     

Students will also be admitted with equivalent official degrees issued prior to the introduction of EHEA courses (in the case of Spain, the licenciatura and diplomatura).


Pre-enrolment

Calendar

First period: from 1 February to 30 June 2024.
Notifications: partial resolutions in the first half of each month.

Second period: from 1 July to 4 September 2024.
Notifications: September 9.

Notes:

  • Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
  • Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.

Required documentation

  • Pre-enrolment application
  • Photocopy of degree certificate or equivalent qualification. In case of admission, foreign degrees that require so should be translated and authenticated through diplomatic channels before completing the enrolment.
  • Other specific documentation related to the selection criteria

Selection criteria

The following access requirements and selection criteria apply:

  1. Academic record for the qualification used in the admission process (minimum grade of 6/10). Successful applicants must have a general level of academic competence to be admitted. Weighting 60%.
  2. Personal interview. The aim is to learn more about each applicant's motivation and professional interest in the master's degree. Weighting 30%.
  3. Credit is given to those students with English language skills at or equivalent to level B1, and to those who can demonstrate particular expertise with ICT tools, especially: databases, information storage databases and word processing software. Weighting 10%.

Notification

This procedure is overseen by the master's degree Coordination Committee.
Decisions on admission will be recorded in writing and students notified accordingly. Appeals may be lodged up to fifteen days after receiving notification and should be addressed to the master's degree coordinator.
A definitive ruling on admission will be issued no later than one month after the Coordination Committee has met.

Enrolment

As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned

Course curriculum

Subjects and course plans

Distribution of credits

Type ECTS
Compulsory 30
Optional 18
Compulsory placements 6
Compulsory final project 6
TOTAL 60

List of subjects

Subject Type Language Credits
Specialization: Education in Rural Areas
Collaborative Work for the Rural Teacher Optional 2nd semester 3
Curriculum Planning in Multi-Level Groups Compulsory 1st semester 3
Final Project Compulsory 2nd semester 6
Institutional or Company Placement Compulsory 1st semester 6
Lifelong Learning for Rural Teachers Optional 2nd semester 3
Local Heritage, Rural Development and Education Optional 2nd semester 3
Methodological and Technical Approaches in Rural Education Research Compulsory 2nd semester 3
Models of Educational Research in Rural Areas and Sources of Information for Research Compulsory 2nd semester 3
Organization and Management of Rural Schools Compulsory 1st semester 3
Research and Evaluation of Rural Innovation and Development Processes Compulsory 2nd semester 3
Research on Rural Education Optional 2nd semester 3
Rural Culture, Rural Spaces and the Rural Community as an Educator Compulsory 1st semester 3
Rural Schools and Entrepreneurship Optional 2nd semester 3
Rural Schools and the Role of the Rural Environment Optional 2nd semester 3
Rural Schools and the Teaching-Learning Process Compulsory 1st semester 3
Rural Schools, Territory and Technology Optional 2nd semester 3
Rural Teachers and Rural Development Compulsory 1st semester 3
Sociocultural, Political-Economic and Historical Transformations of Rural Areas Compulsory 1st semester 3
The Role of the Rural School in Rural Development Compulsory 1st semester 3
Theory and History of Rural Education Optional 2nd semester 6

Previous years

Placements

Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.



Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record.  There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 750 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.



Institutional information


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