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This 16-month part time programme offers a rich opportunity to reflect upon and develop evidence-based practice as an Academic Professional in Higher Education.

In a climate where student centred and inclusive teaching, learning and assessment strategies are key to student success; this programme will use current pedagogic research to underpin innovative personal and professional development of the academic professional to support the reflection on current practice but also to inform a career-long interest in higher education pedagogy.

This programme incorporates a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) and is accredited by the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HEA) to award Associate Fellow of the HEA (AFHEA) then Fellowship of the HEA (FHEA).

This postgraduate certificate in higher education can also be undertaken as an Academic Professional Apprenticeship (APA) if eligible.

This programme is also for you if you want to further develop knowledge, understanding and confidence in academic practice. You will learn sector relevant, transferable skills that will equip you for your role as a research active and informed academic for the continuation of your career in the higher education sector.

You will not be able to access the Apprenticeship Route to fund your route but by self funding you will gain Associate Fellowship of the HEA and on successful completion of the final module, Fellowship of the HEA and a PGCAP.

Participation in the programme will develop students' ability to critically analyse personal academic practice in relation to current policy, practices and higher education pedagogic research.

You will be given the opportunity, both through formative and summative assessment, to communicate with a range of stakeholders allowing for the development of partnerships, accessing networks, taking part in peer support and developing the skills for ongoing reflective practice that is crucial to academic professional practice.

 

This course is also offered as a Degree Apprenticeship. Discover more.  

Course Information

Level of Study
Postgraduate

Mode of Study
16 months part-time

Department
Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing

Location
City Campus, Northumbria University

City
Newcastle

Start
September 2024

Fees
Fee Information

Modules
Module Information

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Entry Requirements Modules Overview Fees, Funding  and Scholarships How to Apply

Entry Requirements 2024/25

Standard Entry

Applicants should normally have:

A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant subject. Other subject qualifications, equivalent professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants must demonstrate that they are currently teaching or supporting learning in Higher Education level provision for at least 50 hours per academic year.

International qualifications:

If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English language requirements:

International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

 *The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS.  You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Fees and Funding 2024/25 Entry

Full UK Fee: £3,083

Full EU Fee: £6,083

Full International Fee: £6,083



Scholarships and Discounts

Discover More about Fees, Scholarships and other Funding options for UK, EU and International applicants.

ADDITIONAL COSTS

There are no Additional Costs

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* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

How to Apply

Please use the Apply Now button at the top of this page to submit your application.

Certain applications may need to be submitted via an external application system, such as UCAS, Lawcabs or DfE Apply.

The Apply Now button will redirect you to the relevant website if this is the case.

You can find further application advice, such as what to include in your application and what happens after you apply, on our Admissions Hub Admissions | Northumbria University



Modules Overview 2024/25

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one Year two

Year one

TE7085 -

Introduction to Learning, Teaching and the Student Experience (Core,20 Credits)

The module is designed to meet the needs of higher education professionals in their early career and, as such, it will equip you to become effective, active, reflective and independent learners throughout the rest of your career. It will enable you to recognise, apply and critically analyse appropriate approaches to creating excellence in the student learning journey through enhancing the student experience, innovative teaching and meaningful assessment in the context of higher education.

It will facilitate meeting Higher Education Academy’s UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) requirements leading to Higher Education Academy (HEA) Associate Fellowship (Descriptor I) and contribute to the achievement of Descriptor 2 requirements for Fellowship.

You will be supported to increase your capabilities in learning, teaching and the support of learning by offering a combination of activities, which draw upon reflections on your own practical experiences. This will enable you to develop pedagogical practice supported by the established field of learning and teaching scholarship.

More information

TE7086 -

Developing Academic Scholarship for Learning and Teaching (Core,20 Credits)

Undertaking this module will support you to extend your academic practice and enrich your OneDrive Professional Development Portfolio. This will assist you to demonstrate your skills, knowledge and the key competencies involved in working towards meeting the UKPSF requirements for Higher Education Academy Fellowship Descriptor 2 (D2) whilst evaluating your own practice.

You will have the opportunity to build on your learning that occurred in Module 1 ‘Introduction to the Student Experience, Learning & Teaching’, contextualising this within your own discipline and your own practice as an academic professional. The content of this module is focussed around the evaluation and enhancement of your own teaching and learning activities, including engagement with the Programme Framework for Northumbria Awards (PFNA) process. You will be introduced to a range of methods for the evaluation of practice and consider their implications for assuring quality and enhancement within your own teaching practice. You will develop a critical understanding of pedagogical research scholarship which informs the evaluation of teaching, learning and assessment and how this contributes to high quality student learning and enhancement.

In this module, you will be supported to develop an enquiry based enhancement Practitioner Enquiry Based Research Project which will be assessed via a presentation of 25 minutes to your peers and assessors (Programme Team) to confidently support current and future scholarship activities both in your specific discipline and in a wider higher education context. This Practitioner Enquiry Based Research Project will also provide evidence / case study to refer to in Module 3 Reflective Essay.

More information

Year two

TE7087 -

Enhancing Academic Practice through Pedagogic Research (Core,20 Credits)

You will explore research in the context of a range of different paradigms and methods of inquiry to develop your understanding of practitioner or pedagogic research in a rigorous and ethical manner. In order to achieve this, you will be provided with opportunities
to engage with a range of different approaches to research through the media of discussions, seminars, practical research activities and
more independent analysis of contemporary research outputs which are pertinent to your area of professional practice. In reflecting on the success of your own enquiry based research project for module 2, you will have the chance to explore improvement techniques and quality assurance procedures in the wider context of pedagogical research in Higher Education. You will also reflect on your position as an academic in the university supporting the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) and. This will be through engagement with an existing research community of experienced colleagues who will facilitate sessions covering research impact, grant applications, getting published and disseminating research, ethical protocols and other strategic factors. Also, the role of supervisor will be explored and developed.

More information

Modules Overview 2025/26

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one Year two

Year one

TE7085 -

Introduction to Learning, Teaching and the Student Experience (Core,20 Credits)

The module is designed to meet the needs of higher education professionals in their early career and, as such, it will equip you to become effective, active, reflective and independent learners throughout the rest of your career. It will enable you to recognise, apply and critically analyse appropriate approaches to creating excellence in the student learning journey through enhancing the student experience, innovative teaching and meaningful assessment in the context of higher education.

It will facilitate meeting Higher Education Academy’s UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) requirements leading to Higher Education Academy (HEA) Associate Fellowship (Descriptor I) and contribute to the achievement of Descriptor 2 requirements for Fellowship.

You will be supported to increase your capabilities in learning, teaching and the support of learning by offering a combination of activities, which draw upon reflections on your own practical experiences. This will enable you to develop pedagogical practice supported by the established field of learning and teaching scholarship.

More information

TE7086 -

Developing Academic Scholarship for Learning and Teaching (Core,20 Credits)

Undertaking this module will support you to extend your academic practice and enrich your OneDrive Professional Development Portfolio. This will assist you to demonstrate your skills, knowledge and the key competencies involved in working towards meeting the UKPSF requirements for Higher Education Academy Fellowship Descriptor 2 (D2) whilst evaluating your own practice.

You will have the opportunity to build on your learning that occurred in Module 1 ‘Introduction to the Student Experience, Learning & Teaching’, contextualising this within your own discipline and your own practice as an academic professional. The content of this module is focussed around the evaluation and enhancement of your own teaching and learning activities, including engagement with the Programme Framework for Northumbria Awards (PFNA) process. You will be introduced to a range of methods for the evaluation of practice and consider their implications for assuring quality and enhancement within your own teaching practice. You will develop a critical understanding of pedagogical research scholarship which informs the evaluation of teaching, learning and assessment and how this contributes to high quality student learning and enhancement.

In this module, you will be supported to develop an enquiry based enhancement Practitioner Enquiry Based Research Project which will be assessed via a presentation of 25 minutes to your peers and assessors (Programme Team) to confidently support current and future scholarship activities both in your specific discipline and in a wider higher education context. This Practitioner Enquiry Based Research Project will also provide evidence / case study to refer to in Module 3 Reflective Essay.

More information

Year two

TE7087 -

Enhancing Academic Practice through Pedagogic Research (Core,20 Credits)

You will explore research in the context of a range of different paradigms and methods of inquiry to develop your understanding of practitioner or pedagogic research in a rigorous and ethical manner. In order to achieve this, you will be provided with opportunities
to engage with a range of different approaches to research through the media of discussions, seminars, practical research activities and
more independent analysis of contemporary research outputs which are pertinent to your area of professional practice. In reflecting on the success of your own enquiry based research project for module 2, you will have the chance to explore improvement techniques and quality assurance procedures in the wider context of pedagogical research in Higher Education. You will also reflect on your position as an academic in the university supporting the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) and. This will be through engagement with an existing research community of experienced colleagues who will facilitate sessions covering research impact, grant applications, getting published and disseminating research, ethical protocols and other strategic factors. Also, the role of supervisor will be explored and developed.

More information

Any Questions?

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.



Accessibility and Student Inclusion

Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.

We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.

You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need. 

We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:

Accessibility support

Student Inclusion support




All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

Your Learning Experience

Find out about our distinctive approach at 
www.northumbria.ac.uk/exp

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Fees and Funding
northumbria.ac.uk/fees
Admissions Policy
northumbria.ac.uk/adpolicy

Admissions Complaints Policy
northumbria.ac.uk/complaints


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* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

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