About the course

Please note that this course is only open to applications from Keele University staff. 

The programme is part of the University's offer to academic staff in relation to their development as a higher education practitioner delivering higher education teaching and undertaking research to support the development of knowledge within their discipline.

The PGDip/MA HEP is designed to enable all participants, their mentors, and other colleagues to become part of a community of practice exploring and contributing to the development of the two major areas of practice of academic professionals, teaching and research. Specifically, it supports participants to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours to succeed as an academic professional.

The programme combines core practice in HE teaching and research with level 7 critical study and is benchmarked to sector-wide practice. The PGDip has been accredited by the Higher Education Academy and is benchmarked to descriptor 2 of the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning and to phase two of the Vitae Researcher Development Framework.

Aims of the course

Please note that this course is only open to applications from Keele University staff.

The programme aims to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours that will equip you to fully deliver higher education (HE) teaching and undertake research to support the development and dissemination of knowledge in a subject/ discipline, including opportunities to engage in research and scholarship around teaching and learning in HE. The broad aims of the programme are to support you to develop their ability to share your expertise of a subject/discipline with students, with peers, funders, the public and other stakeholders through teaching, specialist publications, bids and public engagement fora. You will be equipped to take approaches that are peer-informed, making effective use of technologies, and informed by international, national drivers and contexts relevant to your subject/discipline.

The programme is distinctive owing to the dual focus on developing expertise in both subject/discipline teaching and research in Higher Education and the close links that have been crafted with the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the Academic Professional Apprenticeship standard, phases 2 and 3 of the Vitae Researcher Development Framework and the knowledge, skills and values of the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning. The programme is accredited by the Higher Education Academy and therefore students that successfully complete the teaching development modules are recognised through the award of Fellowship.

Entry Requirements

The course is currently for internal candidates (Keele staff) only. You will need to be an employee of Keele University as a new lecturer, Teaching Fellow, Research Fellow or in an academic related role. You will have at least a first degree, and for the PGDip have a teaching mentor (allocated by your line manager) who can provide support and discussion as you proceed through the programme. Participants must also have the active support of their Head of School or line manager.

For module 1, Teaching Reflectively in Higher Education, you must be engaged in 125 hours of teaching related activity during the academic year, of which 25 hours must be face-to-face delivery with students in the classroom. Face-to-face delivery will consist principally of lectures, seminars, and tutorials, but may combine elements of on-line delivery. Teaching-related activity may include preparation, assessment, course material development, attendance at team and programme meetings, course review, or any other activity relevant to teaching.

Course content

Teaching Reflectively in Higher Education, EDU 40128, Year One, 30 Credits, Delivered in Semester 1 

This module instils principles and techniques of reflective practice that will help successful graduates to become resourceful and critical developers of teaching and learning in higher education learning contexts. The module will develop a critical rationale for practice that is grounded in theoretically informed understanding, experience gained from reflection on critical incidents, professional values and policy contexts.

Design and Development in Higher Education, EDU 40129, Year, 30 Credits, Delivered in Semester 2

This module helps teachers bring their teaching practice (skills, knowledge and values) up to descriptor 2 of the UK Professional Standards Framework and provides the opportunity to explore the process of designing, implementing and evaluating the introduction of a pedagogical approach in practice. They do this by developing a critical rationale for practice in the context of both general and discipline-specific educational theory, communities of practice, a range of policy contexts, exploring their own practice in relation to technology enhanced learning and the potential contribution technology can make to learning and teaching in HE.

Action Research Project, EDU-40017, Year Three, 60 Credits, Delivered in Semester 1 & 2

The action research module is the capstone of the degree. Students identify an area of practice and plan, undertake and submit a piece of action research demonstrating their development as reflective practitioners, curriculum developers, and pedagogical researchers.

Teaching and assessment

Additional costs

Additional costs for textbooks, inter-library loans, photocopying, printing, and potential overdue library fines.

No other additional costs for this postgraduate programme are anticipated.

Exit Awards

The modular programme is intended for study across three years. Students normally study four thirty credit modules in the first two years of study. Most students intend to exit at this stage with a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Practice. Some will want to progress on and then take the 60 credit action research module that has been designed to allow you to undertake a research or teaching development focused project.

Students exiting after successfully completing the 60 credit first year gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching, those completing two years and 120 credits gain a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education Practice, and those continuing to the third year to complete the 60 credits action research project gain an MA Higher Education Practice.

The programme does not permit the study of any modules other than those listed in the Exit Awards Table.

Professional recognition

The teaching development pathway is accredited by the Higher Education Academy, the national body that supports teaching excellence and student learning. There are nearly 100,000 recognised Fellows of the HEA, and completion of the teaching development element leads to Associate Fellow (completion of the 30 credit module Teaching Reflectively in Higher Education) and Fellow (completion of both 30 credit modules, Teaching Reflectively in Higher Education and Design and Development in Higher Education).

This is possible because the modules’ intended learning outcomes and assessments have been designed to correspond directly to the UK Professional Standards Framework and the programme has been accredited by the HEA for the period 2018-2021.

All students on these two modules will demonstrate fully the values and knowledge of the UK PSF. The breadth of activities that students engage with across the two modules develops such that the two categories of Fellowship are met.

How to apply

This Programme can either be studied as part of the Academic Professional Apprenticeship (APA) or alone. The way in which you apply will depend on the route you are studying.

PGDip and the Academic Apprenticeship (APA) Route:

To apply for this route, you will be required to download the ‘Mentor Agreement Form’ and fill in the application form available here. Please note you will be required to upload your completed Mentor Agreement Form to the online application.

PGDIP/MA Route:

To apply for this route, please complete the forms available here: MA HEP application form.

Information on which route to apply

If you are unsure on which route you should be applying for your Head of School, colleagues in Human Resources or Rob Stannard (Programme Director) can advise.

Additional information

APL guidelines

Participants must normally complete both teaching modules 1 and 2 in order to graduate with the PGDip HEP or the PG Cert in Higher Education Teaching. Exceptions to this requirement are made subject to a successful application for accredited prior learning (APL). University policy makes a distinction between APL and APCL, and in this case the kind of prior learning that can normally be accredited is prior certified learning (APCL).

Read the guidelines for APL.

The mentor’s role and guidance for mentors

Mentors are a crucial part of the PGDip/MA HEP programme. Mentors are more experienced peers who can discuss with colleagues new to Higher Education and Keele University how to translate general principles about academic practice into the particular demands of the discipline and the context. Newly appointed colleagues on academic or academic-related contracts are allocated Mentors by Heads of School/Line Managers. Mentors will support participants in both their teaching and research activities but have a specific role in relation to the former. NB Mentors must be Fellows of the HEA. Read more Higher Education Practice Guidance for Mentors.