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What makes the PGCLTHE at Worcester special?

This part-time programme is specifically designed for those currently working in Higher Education. Our Postgraduate Certificate is an experiential, work-based learning programme that can be studied alongside your day job.

At Worcester, the course consists of three (in person face-to-face) modules that provide you with an opportunity to gain knowledge, understanding and capabilities in learning, teaching, assessment and academic practice.

 *subject to re-approval

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • The programme is supported through a series of interactive study sessions
  • We seek to develop practitioners with clear professional values, who understand teaching and learning in higher education and who are constantly seeking to improve their practice in a reflective, scholarly and theoretically informed way

Who's this course for?

This PGCLTHE is designed specifically for:

  • Higher Education lecturers, tutors and academics
  • Those supporting Higher Education in a Further Education setting
  • Anyone working in Higher Education, whose role includes significant responsibility for supporting student learning.
  • Those teaching or supporting learning for students at FHEQ level 4 and above.

Register your interest

Enter your details below and we will keep you up to date with useful information about studying at the University of Worcester.


Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You will normally have the following:

  • A first or second-class Honours Degree
  • Current and ongoing experience of supporting the learning of HE students
  • Current experience, or anticipated experience during the period of the programme, of curriculum and assessment design at HE level

Prior experience is valued on the PGCLTHE. Those course members who have the equivalent of three years of full-time experience in a related educational setting can claim accreditation of prior learning against a module towards the certificate.

Other information

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk for advice.

Any potential course participant may discuss informally their application with the Course Leader, Dr Ellie Hill who can be contacted by email: ellie.hill@worc.ac.uk

Course content

Course content

Aims and benefits

The programme aims to:

  • provide an opportunity for participants to engage in accredited initial and continuing professional development in teaching and support of learning in HE
  • enable participants to meet the requirements of the UKPSF (in either Associate or Fellow categories)
  • provide support with higher education learning, teaching or assessment issue participants may face
  • promote a student-centred approach to learning, teaching and assessment
  • challenge and develop participants' learning, teaching and assessment practice
  • increase understanding of the learning process so participants can make informed decisions about course design and choice of learning, teaching and assessment methods
  • foster transformational reflective practice
  • encourage participant engagement with systematic inquiry into professional practice
  • support participants' development as skilled teachers of their discipline
  • support participants' academic development as researchers and scholars
  • encourage engagement with wider policy, strategy and quality considerations as they relate to the participants context
  • enhance participants' intrapreneurship, professional development & career management

Accreditation

The PGCLTHE is accredited by Advance HE at Associate Fellow of The Higher Education Academy (HEA) for the first module LTHE4441 ‘Supporting Student Learning’, and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)  for the complete course.

Completion of the full PGCLTHE meets Descriptor 2 of the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teachers in HE and confers Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

Completion of the first module of the programme, LTHE4441 'Supporting Student Learning', meets Descriptor 1 of the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teachers in HE and confers Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA).

To meet Descriptors 1 and 2 of the UK Professional Standards Framework for Teachers in HE, participants need to be teaching or supporting learning for students at FHEQ level 4.

Experienced lecturers and staff

Members of the course team are experienced tutors who engage in pedagogic research and have received recognition for their excellent HE teaching.

I have become aware of an exciting array of potential changes to my practice which can be explored... to further promote student engagement and empowerment

Learning and Teaching in HE student

Meet the module leaders

Ellie Hill - 2024

Dr Ellie Hill

Ellie's expertise and interest lie in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, student experience at university, personal values, social justice, reflexive research, narrative approaches to research and inclusion. She has completed a PhD in Higher Education student experience, using narrative inquiry to find out about Gen Z student values and the impact of the student experience. Her methodological expertise is in narrative methods and reflexivity as a researcher.

Sharon Smith

Sharon Smith

Sharon joined the School of Education at Worcester as a full time member of staff in 2013 as a Senior Lecturer in Education. Sharon previously worked for the University in other capacities. She has worked closely with the University of Worcester for some years delivering Foundation Degrees and engaging in research within the University through funded seconded projects.

Prior to her role at the University of Worcester, the majority of her teaching has been within Further Education and she has also been involved in teaching a range of adult learners including those with learning difficulties and disabilities (and learners with Acquired Brain Injury). In addition, she has worked in schools with pupils with Special Educational Needs. Her expertise has been extensively in training teaching assistants and early years practitioners.

simon-taylor

Simon Taylor

Simon joined the School of Education in January 2016 having worked in the arts and cultural sector for many years. He specialises in collaborative research, building partnerships, commissioning, strategic planning, interdisciplinary working and professional development supporting artists, teachers and senior managers.

Simon is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA).

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and assessment

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

We regularly review our courses to reflect the latest research and developments in the subject area, as well as feedback from students, employers and the wider sector. As a result, modules may change to ensure the course remains current and relevant.

Teaching

The course assumes that learning is best when it is active, when it incorporates experience and when it can be shared and supported through collaboration. The workshops and discussions will be based around the experiential learning cycle.

Critical reflection plays a key role throughout the course and participants are encouraged to become a reflective practitioner, where they will explore the scholarship of learning and teaching in HE; synthesise, explain, make sense of and ultimately develop meaning from teaching experiences.

Throughout the course a range of participant transferable skills will be developed including but not limited to critical reflection, development of argument and scholarship. 

Contact time

Details of the breakdown of contact and guided study hours are provided in each module specification.

  • For LTHE4441 'Supporting Student Learning' and LTHE4442 ‘Learning Teaching and Assessment in Higher Education’ of the notional 150 hours for a 15 credit module approximately 77% will be guided study.
  • For LTHE4443 ‘Introduction to Academic Practice’ of the notional 300 hours for a 30 credit module approximately 88% will be guided study due to the style and content of the module

Participants will have a minimum of three teaching observations, including two by a member of the course team, and one by peers on the course. Observation of teaching here is seen as a formative and quality enhancement process to support participants in their development and reflections on practice. 

Independent self-study

Outlined above

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including the Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes Dr Ellie Hill, Sharon Lesley Smith and Simon Taylor the Institute of Education, alongside tutors from across the University.

Teaching is informed by the research and consultancy, and 100 per cent of course lecturers have a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. You can learn more about the full list of education staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Assessment

Assessment is based on 100% coursework.

This approach is in keeping with the idea of reflective practitioner where the assessment forms the basis for critical reflection as well as evidence for accreditation.

The PGCLTHE uses a range of flexible assessments, such as:

  • Reflective portfolio
  • Authentic assessment
  • Group work

A research project. There is a close and meaningful relationship between the formative and summative assessment throughout the course, where the formative tasks form the basis for the final summative tasks for each of the modules. There is also a strong element of peer feedback throughout to reinforce the collaborative nature of learning within the course. 

Feedback

You will receive feedback on formative assessments and on formal summative assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and how these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.

"My personal and professional development has been vast over the last 18 months. It was not until writing these reflective portfolios that I realised the scale of this development."

Learning and Teaching in HE student

Careers

Careers

Employability

This course will provide an opportunity for you to gain knowledge, understanding and capabilities in learning, teaching, assessment and academic practice, and will help you to develop clear professional values, understand learning and teaching in higher education and improve your practice in a reflective, scholarly and theoretically informed way.

Costs

Fees and funding

Other HE practitioners

Staff from other HE providers can also apply for the course and should consult with the Course Leader (Dr Ellie Hill, ellie.hill@worc.ac.uk) or the Admissions team to discuss the fees structure.
How to apply

How to apply

Apply for the course here

Apply for this course - January entry Apply for this course - September entry

Prior to clicking one of the links below please would applicants contact Dr Ellie Hill (Course Leader) by email to confirm aspects of eligibility.

Before applying below please download and complete the work based learning contract and send it to AdmissionsB@worc.ac.uk

Along with this document please scan a copy of proof of identity (e.g. passport) and the certificate (or transcript) of your highest academic qualification and send to the above email address. In the covering email please state that you are applying for the PGCLTHE.

Applicants are welcome to discuss their application with the Interim Course Leader, Dr Ellie Hill, who can be contacted via email: ellie.hill@worc.ac.uk

You can apply for the PGCLTHE at any time during the year. The course has two intakes one in each semester. Applications need to be submitted in advance of the first module's teaching start in late-Sept in semester one and Mid-Jan in semester two.

Please note: September entry to this course is available only to applicants who have been granted Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

The next full course intake will begin in January 2027.

For further information or guidance on eligibility, please contact the Course Leader at ellie.hill@worc.ac.uk

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

Dr Ellie Hill

Course leader
ellie.hill@worc.ac.uk
01905 855076

Admissions Office

admissions@worc.ac.uk
01905 855111

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