Postgraduate Taught

e-PgCert Professional and Higher Education

This course is for people who teach and support learning at higher education level (SCQF Level 7 or higher), whether within a university, college or other professional setting and will enable you to become effective in facilitating and enhancing learning experiences. Delivered fully online, it allows you to fit study around your other commitments.

This course is dynamic, interactive and work related. It has been designed in response to the continuing professional development (CPD) needs of professionals with an educational role, for example nurses and midwives, allied health professionals, social workers, doctors, lecturers in any discipline and professional services staff.

You will find case studies on students and graduates of this course at the foot of this page.

Why QMU?

Unique fully online course that allows flexible study
Brings together professionals across a range of disciplines and cultures
Enhances career advancement
Friendly, person-centred education

Course overview

The course will develop your understanding and skills of: facilitation of learning, assessment and feedback, curriculum design and quality assurance and using technology to enhance learning. You will learn about theories of education that support learning and be able to reflect on and apply your learning to your own workplace practices.

By the end of the course you will be able to design, assess and facilitate learning in a broad range of professional contexts. Through reflection on practice you will continue to develop as an individual and a professional, in the sound knowledge that your practice is based on solid conceptual principles.

Exit awards

PgCert (60 credits)

Structure

To obtain a specific postgraduate certificate at QMU you must complete a number of credit bearing modules. You can also register as an associate student to complete a single module for CPD. On completion of a single module, you may wish to complete further modules and progress your studies to a named award

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will learn through synchronous and asynchronous online discussions, reflection on teaching practice, reading, challenge and debate, collaborative case analysis, independent study, presentations and research. Emphasis is placed on building on, and developing, your own personal experience within the context of a community of learners.

Assessments may include personal reflective critiques, e-portfolios, presentations, essays, curriculum documents and literature reviews.

Teaching hours and attendance

The e-PgCert is a fully online part-time course, accessible from anywhere. Most people complete one module per semester. Each module carries 20 credits (equivalent to 200 hours study). This equates to about 15-20 hours of study per week per module per semester.

Class sizes

Cohort sizes vary between 20-40

Links with industry/ professional bodies

The course prepares participants to apply independently for Associate and Fellowship status by Advance HE (Higher Education Academy).

Modules

Facilitating Learning (20 credits)
Assessment for Learning (20 credits)
Curriculum Design for Learning (20 credits)

The modules listed are correct at time of posting (September 2019) but are subject to change. In the event that modules are changed, QMU will seek to use reasonable endeavours to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on students.

Single modules for CPD

Placement

There are no placements on this course. Participants are expected to have access to opportunities for teaching in an area of practice that allows them to meet the course outcomes.

Careers

Graduates from this course have gone on to develop their educational practice within their current role, to teach in higher education, to work in practice development and continuing professional development. International students have returned to their home countries to develop education programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Many graduates have gained promoted posts or gained additional responsibilities as a result of undertaking the course. Some continue further studies through doctoral research (see our PhD and Professional Doctorate programmes).

Entry requirements

Normally the equivalent of a UK honours degree. Candidates with alternative qualifications and appropriate relevant professional experience may also be considered. It is currently required that you have an existing teaching role in your workplace at undergraduate level (SCQF 7).

Candidates who do not have standard entry requirements may be asked to submit a formative essay to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required at this level.

International: Where your honours degree has not been studied in English, you will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 7.0 and no individual component score below 6.5..