Higher and Professional Education - PgCert

Program Overview

The PgCert Higher and Professional Education (PgCHPE) is a postgraduate certificate program designed for staff in higher or professional education contexts. Accredited by SEDA, it provides a framework for professional development, focusing on critical thinking, teaching approaches, and curriculum development. Delivered through a blend of face-to-face and online learning, the program consists of two modules covering key knowledge, skills, and values in higher education, as well as broader professional practice issues.

Program Outline

Degree Overview

The PgCert Higher and Professional Education (PgCHPE) is a postgraduate certificate program designed for staff who work within a higher or professional education context.

Accredited by the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA), the program aims to provide a framework for the initial and continuing professional development of academic staff. The PgCHPE focuses on developing participants' critical thinking skills and empowering them to analyze their teaching approaches within their discipline area. It equips participants to support student learning, facilitate teaching, and contribute to curriculum development within their Higher Education Provider (HEP) or Professional Training Organisation. The program's key objectives include:

• Enabling participants to critically analyze research-informed evidence, enhancing their ability to plan, implement, evaluate, and reflect on their professional practice.
• Supporting the development of professionals to facilitate teaching, learning, behavior enhancement, assessment, and feedback utilization.
• Empowering participants to contribute to curriculum development.
• Enabling participants to develop their teaching and learning practices through collaboration with stakeholders.
• Equipping participants to engage in practitioner-led research to improve their professional practice and meet the evolving demands of the higher education environment.

Outline:

The PgCHPE is delivered through a blend of face-to-face and online learning, providing participants with the flexibility to juggle work and study commitments. The program consists of two modules:

Teaching Learning And Assessment In Higher Education (40 credits):

This module provides an overview of key knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors required by lecturers in the higher and professional education sector. It covers key education theories, teaching values and behaviors, effective learning strategies, enhancing behavior for learning, promoting equality, diversity, inclusion, and safe learning environments, assessment for and of learning, and feedback principles and practices. It delves into topics such as the context of education, stakeholder expectations, local, national, and global influences, quality assurance and enhancement, professionalism and accountability, approaches to widening participation and stakeholder engagement, particularly around social mobility and social justice, professional development of English, maths, and information technology, and effective communication strategies for diverse audiences.

Assessment:

The PgCHPE assessment process involves various methods for each module:

Teaching Learning And Assessment In Higher Education:

• Reflective writing assignment
• Portfolio of teaching practice

Wider Professional Practice:

• A combination of assignments and presentations

Teaching:

The PgCHPE utilizes a diverse range of teaching methods within structured classes, typically delivered on a weekly basis. These methods include:

• Presentations by experienced practitioners
• Large and small group discussions
• Case studies
• Task-centered investigations
Classes are designed to integrate theoretical underpinnings with current educational research, encouraging participants to engage in reflective practice. This approach facilitates participants' learning about teaching and equips them to improve the quality of the student experience. Additionally, student-led presentations and collaborative group activities foster teamwork skills, knowledge sharing, and professional networking opportunities.

Other:

• Participants completing the PgCHPE as part of an Academic Professional Apprenticeship may be directed to the program by their employer.
• The program equips participants to contribute to their Higher Education Provider (HEP) or Professional Training Organisation (PTO).
• Participants have access to a dedicated careers team for career guidance.