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Make a difference with a Tutoring and Coaching PGCert

If you’re looking for a flexible and rewarding career that is relevant to your existing qualifications, why not train to become a tutor?  With so many young people looking for additional educational support right now, it's a great time to enter the profession. 

Our Postgraduate Certificate in Tutoring and Coaching is an intensive, two-module course. It will help develop your understanding of theories and approaches to tutoring and coaching primary and secondary age learners, whether you are an established tutor or want to pursue a career in this field.

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • Helps you select and develop techniques and approaches for one-to-one and group. tutoring and coaching primary and secondary age learners.
  • Explores diverse perspectives to tutoring and coaching.
  • Increases your ability to tutor confidently by developing your understanding of learning theory.
  • Enhances your ability to plan for a range of tutoring and coaching scenarios.
  • Provides a highly flexible approach to learning through studying at a time of your choosing.

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

Prospective students will be required to have a relevant first degree gained at 2:2 (or equivalent level) in subject specialism relevant to the primary/secondary curriculum. Applicants with a 3rd class honours or a non-honours degree will be considered on an individual basis.

Qualifications and experience considered to be equivalent to the above

All students applying via this route will be assessed by the Course Leader. When assessing a non-standard entrant’s suitability for entry onto the course, candidates will need to demonstrate their potential to achieve the aims and outcomes of the course. The candidate will also need to demonstrate that their experiences are equivalent to having achieved a 2:2 at undergraduate level. The following criteria may be taken into consideration:

  • Evidence of successful academic study equivalent to level 6
  • Ability to write in a clear, coherent and critical manner
  • Awareness of the demands of studying at postgraduate level.
  • Interest and motivation for successful study on the programme

Other information

Students whose first language is not English will be expected to have reached a sufficient standard on admission to the programme (e.g. IELTS 6.5, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element or equivalent). Individuals wishing to make enquiries about eligibility and registrations for the courses should contact the Registry Admissions Office (01905 855111) who may put them in touch with the course leader for an informal discussion.

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

Course content

Course content

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. If there are insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this might not be offered, but we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative. 

PGCert modules

  • Tutoring

  • Coaching and Mentoring

This course will develop and enhance a good grounding in the theory and approaches to tutoring, covering the core functions of tutoring and coaching in one-to-one and small group situations.

You’ll be challenged to actively engage with a wide variety of ideas and develop a repertoire of techniques and approaches to adapt in different tutoring contexts.

Our lecturers will guide your learning through exploration of the practicalities of tutoring and coaching, including:

  • Theories of learning and teaching through a tutoring lens
  • Developing positive learning behaviours and resilience in students
  • Setting a positive climate for learning in a tutoring context
  • How can I make my lessons interesting and useful?
  • How do I adapt my approach for differing ages of students?
  • How do I set and share professional expectations?
  • How do I adapt my approach for differing ages of students across primary and secondary education?
  • How do I tutor or coach online?
Teaching and assessment

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The PG Cert is structured over two, 12-week modules, with an expectation of around 16.5 hours of study per week for each module. Each unit is sub-divided into taught content, guided study and independent study. Teaching is online, with most materials pre-recorded so that you can engage with them at a time to suit you. There are opportunities for engagement and peer interaction through discussion forums.

You will engage with an online Developmental Journal each week, which will support you in your reflection on your growing understanding.

You will be able to engage with subject tutors through email, and via discussion forums and weekly Q&A drop ins. You will also have a Personal Academic Tutor who you will be able to contact via email.  You will also have regular one-to-one tutorials with your Personal Academic Tutor to support you in staying on track with your learning.

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 from Student Services and Library Services, and also the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will help you to flourish and be successful.

Contact time

This an online learning course where “contact time” consists of engaging with pre recorded taught content, guided study tasks and independent self-study. Additionally, students are encouraged to participate in Blackboard discussion boards and they may also choose to collaborate with peers.

There are opportunities included in the course structure for live tutorials (Units 4, 8 and 12), and live Q&A “drop ins” (weekly). 

Independent self study

Each module comprises of 12 Units, each of which represent a week of study. You will be required to study between 18 hours per week per module.

Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, written reflections contributing to your reflective portfolio. 

Support with assignments will be conducted via email, discussion forums, live tutorials and tutor drop in Q&A sessions.

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.

Duration

  • 12 weeks full time (1 module at a time), 24 weeks part-time (2 modules simultaneously)

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 tutors from the School of Education at the University of Worcester.

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the peer discussion forums, the help area and completion of ‘formative’ tasks including self-assessment.

Each module has a ‘summative’ assessment which is graded. Formative and summative assessment methods include a range of coursework assessments such as essays, case studies and a portfolio.

A typical formal summative assessment pattern for each module course is:

Tutoring (Module 1)

  • 1 x tutoring plan and critical analysis

Coaching and Mentoring (Module 2)

  • 1 x case study analysis and coaching plan

You will receive feedback on your assessment tasks. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors as appropriate.

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

Programme specification

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

Careers

Careers

Tutoring is an excellent and flexible way to help young learners improve their performance in their subject or area of work. Whether you are graduating, self-employed or are registered with a tutoring agency organisation tutoring services are called upon for a variety of reasons including:

  • Support with subject knowledge
  • Support with learning skills
  • Exam preparation
  • Close attainment gaps for educationally disadvantaged
Costs

Fees and funding

Part-time tuition fees

UK students

The standard tuition fees for part-time home students enrolling on the course in the academic year 2024/25 is £1,500 per 30-credit module.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

How to apply