Who is the Programme for?
The PGCert Programme is now offered online and is available across the University of Aberdeen and Qatar campuses only, for staff currently employed in a significant role in higher education teaching or learning, or who have teaching-based leadership responsibilities. Normally, staff should have at least two years’ experience before they undertake the Programme. Participants need to be actively engaged in delivering academic courses or supporting learning to be able to undertake the Programme assessments, which involve reflective practice and observations of professional teaching practice. The Programme is designed to enable inclusive and engaging continuing professional development, with integrated Advance HE recognition for staff who teach and support learning.
Overview
The Programme is delivered online by the Centre for Academic Development (CAD) through the School of Education. It comprises two, 15-credit courses and a 30-credit course and is offered flexibly over two years. The first course, Approaches to Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Higher Education is normally delivered in the first-half session (September-December). The second course, Activities, Knowledge and Values, is taught in the second-half session (January-April). The third course, Research Project in Higher Education Learning and Teaching is a yearlong course, which provides the opportunity to plan and conduct a piece of practitioner-based research that is aligned with their own higher education teaching practice. A suite of development sessions underpin the research course to help participants with the approaches and methods used commonly in pedagogical research. All courses are assessed in a variety of ways, which provides participants with the opportunity to reflect on and develop different aspects of their higher education teaching or learning support. A pre-requisite for participants to undertake the Programme is that they must actively be engaged in designing and delivering teaching, or the management of teaching.
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Further Details
Following the launch of the new Professional Standards Framework (PSF) 2023, the University plans to re-accredit the PGCert in Higher Education Teaching & Learning programme later this year. Given the need to transition from the UK Professional Standards Framework 2011 to the PSF 2023, and the comprehensive application process required, the next iteration for the PGCert programme is planned for 2024.
Staff interested in undertaking the PGCert programme or who require further programme details should contact the Programme Director Dr Joy Perkins at the Centre for Academic Development. Email: cad@abdn.ac.uk, tel: +44(0)1224 27 3030.