The Master’s Degree program requires a total of 120 ECTS credits for completion.
This is a standard requirement for postgraduate programs with a typical duration of two years (usually on a full-time basis).
The 120 ECTS are generally distributed among coursework, research activities, practical training, and the submission of a final thesis or dissertation, depending on the specific structure and requirements of the program.
Research and Scientific Sections | Courses with Code | Total ECTS per Axis |
A. Research and Development of Educational Systems: Systems, Significant Environments, Resources, Organization, Learning, and Culture | AA1, AC1and BA2 | 22,5 |
B. Research Methods and Evaluation in the Development of Educational Units: Development and Quality Assurance | AB2 and AB1 | 15 |
C. Research and Development of Educational Units: Governance, Leadership and Management, Internal and External Linkages | BG2, CD3 | 15 |
D. Research and Development of Operational Areas in Educational Units: Teaching, Personnel, Organizational and Emerging Structures, and Communication | BD1 and BD4 | 15 |
E. Thesis: Research and Development of Educational Units, Procedures and Infrastructures | DST1 and DST2 | 22.5 |
| Total | 120 |
The courses are organized as per below structure:
ΑΑ1 Development of Educational Units
Teaching staff: Professor Anastassios Kodakos, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design , University of the Aegean
Purpose: The aim of this course is to familiarize postgraduate students with the theory and models of Educational Design, with a focus on the Design and Development of Educational Systems or Units from the perspective of N. Luhmann’s Social Systems Theory.
ΑΒ2 Evaluation of Educational and Teaching Work and Quality Assurance
Teaching staff: Professor Nikolaos Andreadakis, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design , University of the Aegean
Purpose: This course focuses on reflecting upon and understanding issues related to: a) educational evaluation, effective schools, the evaluation of educational units, effective educators, and the evaluation of teachers, and b) an in-depth study of methods and techniques for evaluating educational units and teachers.
ΑΒ3 Systemic Support for the Development of School Units: Structures, Processes, Methods, and Tools
Teaching staff: Professor Panagiotis Stamatis, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design , University of the Aegean
Coteaching: Professor Vassilios Papavassiliou, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design , University of the Aegean,
Coteaching: Andreas Moutsios-Rentzos, Assistant Professor in Mathematics Education, Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Purpose: After a broad introduction to modern Greek school structures and processes, the course aims to engage students in issues related to supervisory, advisory, and supporting educational institutions that function effectively in the dynamic development of contemporary school units both in Greece and internationally.
AC1 Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the Governance of Educational Units
Teaching staff: Professor Georgios Fessakis, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design , University of the Aegean
Purpose: This course explores the relationship between ICT, leadership, governance, and management of educational units and educational systems in general, focusing on operational, tactical, and strategic levels. Topics include systemic computational thinking in the management of ecosystems, learning organizations, and the internet.
ΒΑ2 Educational Engineering
Teaching staff: Professor Fragiskos Kalavasis, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design , University of the Aegean
Laboratory Activities: Georgios Kritikos, Member of the Educational Staff
Purpose: The goal of this course is to distinguish the complexity of the interactions between the internal functions and the external relationships of the School Unit as a learning organization. Through group work and individual reflections, students aim to understand, document, and integrate this complexity into the systemic approach of Educational Engineering as a governance tool.
BC2 Management of Educational Units
Teaching staff: Εmeritus Professor Christos Saitis, Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Coteaching: Professor Vassilios Kefis, Department of Public Administration, Panteion University
Purpose: This course offers knowledge and responsible information about the principles, ideas, and techniques of management, focusing on making modern school units more flexible and innovative. The course also deeply addresses the concept of innovation in education.
BD1 Communication in the Development of Educational Units & Digital Storytelling
Teaching staff: Εmeritus Professor Michalis Meimaris, Department of Communication and Media Studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Purpose: The aim is to familiarize students with the theory and practical aspects of digital storytelling. Students will gain the skills to create and publish digital stories, primarily for educational applications, in order to enhance communication between all stakeholders (teachers, students, parents) across the functions and development of educational units. The course introduces the concept of digital storytelling and explores its applications in various fields, with a focus on communication in education, teaching processes, and the administrative functions of school units at all levels.
BD4 General Seminar: Management of Special Issues
Teaching staff: Professor Anastassios Kodakos, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean
Lecturers by thematic units:
- Professor Thomas Babalis, Department of Primary Education, University of Athens: “Psychosociology of the School”
- Professor Christos Govaris, Department of Primary Education, University of Thessaly: “Pedagogical Development of the School – The Intercultural Perspective”
- Eleni Nikolaou, Assistant Professor, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design , University of the Aegean: “Dialectical Counseling”
- Nikolaos Raptis, Assistant Professor, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean: “System Leadership”
- Ioannis Minatsis, Lawyer, PhD, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design , University of the Aegean: “Educational Law”
Purpose: This course highlights the complexity of the educational process through an interdisciplinary and cross-thematic approach to pedagogical phenomena within the organization, operation, and development of School Units. It focuses on aspects such as inclusion, leadership, guidance, structural coupling, and institutional legitimacy of educational organizations. The thematic units are developed and supervised by different experts, and the course concludes with an individual research paper in the form of a Case Study, which explores a pedagogical event or phenomenon from various scientific areas in their systemic context.
BC3 Educational Design: Philosophy of Education and Professional Ethics
Teaching staff: Professor Eleni Theodoropoulou, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean
Purpose: The course highlights the unique connection between the following levels and the ways they interrelate: education as a system, the multifaceted didactic-pedagogical practice within this specific system, the ethical and value-based parameters that are vital for justifying and legitimizing (or delegitimizing) the functions of the system, and the philosophy and philosophical analysis as developed through the field of the Philosophy of Education. The goal of this connection is the critical analysis and understanding of complex issues at the level of educational design.
CE1 Methodology for Designing Development Interventions in Educational Units for Practical Training
Teaching staff: Professor Anastasios Kodakos, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean
Coteaching: Dr. Exakousti Petroula Angelakou, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean
The purpose of this course is:
a. To familiarize postgraduate students with theories, models, and frameworks for documenting the operation, implementation, evaluation, and institutionalization of educational units.
b. To develop research and development plans for educational units, which will be implemented during practical training in educational settings.
CE2 Practical Training – Development Plans for Educational Units and Their Engineering: Research and Implementation in Educational Fields
Teaching staff: Professor Anastasios Kodakos, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean
Coteaching: Dr. Exakousti Petroula Angelakou, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean
Purpose: The aim of the practical training is the pilot implementation of research interventions and the introduction of changes within the framework of educational engineering. It aims to familiarize postgraduate students with the functions, phenomena, and processes of school development in educational units as a holistic process, specifically in the broader areas of terms and conditions, internal processes, and outcomes.
These plans include:
• Documenting organizational reality
• Establishing a working group
• Selecting changes
• Planning change implementation
• Executing changes
• Monitoring the introduction of changes
• Evaluating results
• Implementing improvement interventions or institutionalization procedures
The practical training can be thematically connected to the Master’s Dissertation (Thesis), ensuring that the results of linking theory and practice are accessible for further scientific utilization.
DST1 Methodology for Thesis Development
Teaching staff: Professor Nikolaos Andreadakis, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean
Coteaching:
Professor Vasileios Papavasileiou, Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design, University of the Aegean
Andreas Moutsios-Rentzos, Assistant Professor in Mathematics Education, Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Professor Thomas Bampalis, Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The purpose of this course is to cultivate the research skills of postgraduate students, addressing both theoretical (epistemology) and practical aspects of empirical research (methods, techniques, reporting) comprehensively. The focus is on preparing students for demanding academic tasks such as theses. During the course, students will have the opportunity to define their thesis topic, develop their work and research plan, and receive guidance from supervising professors.
DST2 Thesis: Writing and Examination
The right to supervise theses is granted to instructors specified in points (a) to (f) of paragraph 1, Article 83 of Law 4957/2022, provided they hold a doctoral degree. Specifically, supervision rights are extended to: By decision of the Postgraduate Program’s (P.M.S.) competent body, thesis supervision may also be assigned to members of the Teaching and Research Staff (D.E.P.), Laboratory Teaching Staff (E.E.P.), and Special Technical Laboratory Staff (E.DI.P.) of the department, even if they are not involved in teaching within the Postgraduate Program (paragraph 3, Article 83 of Law 4957/2022).
Τwo members of the Three-Member Examination Committee may belong to any category of instructors authorized to conduct independent teaching within the Postgraduate Program, as per Article 83 of Law 4957/2022. All committee members must possess expertise in the same or a related field as the Postgraduate Program.
The preparation and public defense of the thesis, as an original and research-based process, demonstrate the postgraduate student’s scientific, theoretical, research, and practical competencies—both within the broader field of educational sciences and specifically in the development of educational units. Thesis development may also incorporate research findings derived from the internship.
The courses are primarily taught in Greek, although certain courses may be offered in English, subject to approval by the Assembly. The Master’s thesis is typically written in Greek but may also be submitted in English.
Teaching is conducted both in-person and through distance learning methods, with the option for up to 100% remote delivery.
The curriculum was updated following the decision of the 15th Session of the Department of Preschool Education Sciences and Educational Design Assembly on July 19, 2023.