Our Experts

Dr Frances Burgess

General Information

Teaching Responsibilities

  • M Level Research methods
  • PGCE EY KS1 music
  • Music: BEd Year 2 and 3 Primary Area of Specialism Music (module co-ordinator); Year 2 Curriculum Studies Music;
  • Education studies: Year 2 (module co-ordinator) and Year 3 Research methods (module co-ordinator)
  • Professional Studies: Year 1 and Year4 (module co-ordinator)

External Interests / Community Service

  • Member of the European Association for Music in Schools (EAS)
  • Assessor for Certificate in Music Education (ABRSM and Trinity Guildhall) En-Act Music Belfast

Research Interests

  • Music education
  • Gender studies
  • Developing reflective practice in ITE
  • Qualitative methods

Background & Qualifications

  • EdD, University of Exeter, 2016
  • MA in Twentieth Century Music, University of Ulster, 2001
  • PGCE in Music Education, University of Ulster, 1997
  • BMus, Queen’s University Belfast, 1996
  • Head of Music, Aquinas Grammar School, Belfast, 1998-2006
  • Moderator for GCSE Music for AQA, 2004-5
  • Examiner GCE AS Music for CCEA, 2006

Research & Scholarship

Doctoral Thesis
Burgess, F. (2016) Narratives of Women Music Teachers in Northern Ireland: Beyond Identity. Unpublished EdD thesis, University of Exeter.

Book Chapter
Burgess, F. (2014) ‘Reflections of a Northern Ireland Music Teacher’ in Buchborn, T. and De Baets, T.(Eds) European Perspectives on Music Education 3: The Reflective Music Teacher, Innsbruck, Helbling

Conference Presentations
Burgess, F. (2017) ‘Subjectivities of the female music teacher: Teacher agency approaching mid-career.’ Paper presented at The Eleventh Research in Music Education International Conference. Bath Spa University, England 24th-27th April.

Burgess, F. (2013) ‘Memory Boxes and Narratives as Tools in Music Teacher Reflection’ The Reflective Music Teacher: the Twenty-first European Music in Schools/ISME European Regional Conference. Lemmensinstituut, Leuven Belgium, 13-16 February

Burgess, F. (2013) ‘Sustaining A Musical Self: Narratives of Women Music Teachers in Schools’ Paper presented at The Ninth Research in Music Education International Conference. University of Exeter, England, 9-13th April

Burgess, F. (2011) ‘Identities in polyphony: narratives of women teaching music in Northern Ireland.’ Paper presented at the international Research in Music Education Conference (RIME) University of Exeter, April 12-15th