PgCert Teaching in Higher Education
01 Sep 2027 - 31 Aug 2033
| Course Leader | Carol Wood |
|---|---|
| Course Team | |
| Awarding Body | University of South Wales |
| Teaching Institutions | University of South Wales |
| Modes of Study | Part Time |
Document Version
| Version | 0 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2027 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2033 |
QAA Benchmarks
Educational Aim
The main aims of the course are to:
Develop dual professionalism and academic practice to meet the requirements of the Advance HE Professional Standards Framework.
To promote acceptance and respect of every individual’s contribution to their education.
Critically examine theoretical principles to inform teaching, learning, and assessment in relation to learners, curriculum, research, and institutional contexts and explore evidence-informed strategies to critically evaluate and reflect on own teaching and academic practice.
Engage with the personal and social contexts of individuals accessing education to inform a student-centred approach underpinned by a critical commitment to equity.
Promote cross-disciplinary collaboration and critically engaged partnership working with internal and external learning communities in local, national, and global contexts.
Learning Outcomes
| A1 | Critically evaluate and apply academic practices that integrate my roles as a disciplinary expert and an educator, informed by societal and organisational structures shaping higher education in local, national and global contexts. |
| A2 | Apply and evaluate pedagogical theories, concepts, digital technology and subject expertise to inform teaching, learning, and assessment decisions in relation to curriculum design, student needs, quality assurance, and internal and external stakeholder expectations. |
| A3 | Critically ngage in scholarly activity to inform my teaching, learning and assessment, to enhance my professional learning and practice, and to contribute evidence-informed academic practice in the Higher Education sector. |
| A4 | Develop and critically evaluate my professional values, skills, and knowledge and their impact on learning processes and on wider social contexts related to diversity and equity |
| A5 | Critically apply and evaluate the requirements of the HE sector, professional bodies, and other stakeholders to collaboratively design inclusive, innovative, and impactful curricula that support effective learning. |
| A6 | Critically use and evaluate digital technologies and AI enhanced tools to create accessible, inclusive, and engaging learning environments, and to support ethical, effective, and evidence informed teaching, assessment, and scholarly practice. |
| A7 | Actively engage with and evaluate my approaches to teaching, learning and assessment practices in response to students’ needs, priorities and formal and informal feedback, and communicate these effectively. |
| B1 | Critically evaluate and apply academic practices that integrate my roles as a disciplinary expert and an educator, informed by societal and organisational structures shaping higher education in local, national and global contexts. |
| B2 | Apply and evaluate pedagogical theories, concepts, digital technology and subject expertise to inform teaching, learning, and assessment decisions in relation to curriculum design, student needs, quality assurance, and internal and external stakeholder expectations. |
| B3 | Critically ngage in scholarly activity to inform my teaching, learning and assessment, to enhance my professional learning and practice, and to contribute evidence-informed academic practice in the Higher Education sector. |
| B4 | Develop and critically evaluate my professional values, skills, and knowledge and their impact on learning processes and on wider social contexts related to diversity and equity |
| B5 | Critically apply and evaluate the requirements of the HE sector, professional bodies, and other stakeholders to collaboratively design inclusive, innovative, and impactful curricula that support effective learning. |
| B6 | Critically use and evaluate digital technologies and AI enhanced tools to create accessible, inclusive, and engaging learning environments, and to support ethical, effective, and evidence informed teaching, assessment, and scholarly practice. |
| B7 | Actively engage with and evaluate my approaches to teaching, learning and assessment practices in response to students’ needs, priorities and formal and informal feedback, and communicate these effectively. |
| C1 | Critically evaluate and apply academic practices that integrate my roles as a disciplinary expert and an educator, informed by societal and organisational structures shaping higher education in local, national and global contexts. |
| C2 | Apply and evaluate pedagogical theories, concepts, digital technology and subject expertise to inform teaching, learning, and assessment decisions in relation to curriculum design, student needs, quality assurance, and internal and external stakeholder expectations. |
| C3 | Critically ngage in scholarly activity to inform my teaching, learning and assessment, to enhance my professional learning and practice, and to contribute evidence-informed academic practice in the Higher Education sector. |
| C4 | Develop and critically evaluate my professional values, skills, and knowledge and their impact on learning processes and on wider social contexts related to diversity and equity |
| C5 | Critically apply and evaluate the requirements of the HE sector, professional bodies, and other stakeholders to collaboratively design inclusive, innovative, and impactful curricula that support effective learning. |
| C6 | Critically use and evaluate digital technologies and AI enhanced tools to create accessible, inclusive, and engaging learning environments, and to support ethical, effective, and evidence informed teaching, assessment, and scholarly practice. |
| C7 | Actively engage with and evaluate my approaches to teaching, learning and assessment practices in response to students’ needs, priorities and formal and informal feedback, and communicate these effectively. |
Teaching and Assessment
Learning and Teaching Methods
The approach to learning and teaching is underpinned by a developmental, research-informed framework that aligns closely with institutional strategies, particularly the USW 2030 Strategy’s focus on challenge-based, inclusive, and professionally engaged learning. The course is structured as a progressive journey, enabling participants to build confidence in designing, delivering, and evaluating teaching practices while developing a critically reflective professional identity.
This progression begins with the module Designing Impactful and Inclusive Learning Experiences, where participants explore key principles of curriculum design in higher education and apply these to the creation of schemes of learning and session plans. They engage critically with their teaching philosophy and classroom practice, supported by mentor and alumni feedback, fostering meaningful professional dialogue and alignment with institutional priorities around engagement and inclusivity.
Building on this foundation, the Practitioner Inquiry module advances participants’ development by positioning them as researchers of their own practice. They identify a pedagogical challenge, design and implement an intervention, and evaluate its impact through action research. This staged progression from design to inquiry supports increasing independence, criticality, and confidence, as well as alignment with Advance HE Fellowship expectations.
Student engagement and independent learning are promoted through a challenge-based approach, where authentic, contextually situated problems encourage active participation and deeper understanding of how learning is shaped by wider educational environments.
The course also supports diverse learner needs through an inclusive curriculum that v32 This is reinforced through varied and appropriate teaching methods, including flipped classrooms, interactive online workshops, digital tools, peer collaboration, and cross-disciplinary group work.
Overall, the course integrates theory, practice, and inquiry to create an engaging, inclusive, and progressively challenging learning experience that prepares participants to become reflective, autonomous educators.
Employer Engagement
Means of Assessment
The assessment strategy is designed to support participants in working independently while remaining actively engaged within a supportive learning community. Participants are required to respond constructively to formative feedback provided by mentors, tutors, and peers through structured professional dialogue. This approach promotes ongoing reflection and the development of professional judgement.
The portfolio assessment enables participants to reflect critically on their professional experiences and to articulate their developing expertise within their subject discipline and the wider higher education context. The inclusion of a range of assessment components within the portfolio offers an inclusive and flexible approach to summative assessment, accommodating diverse professional roles and learning preferences.
The action research project provides participants with an opportunity to introduce and evaluate change within their own teaching practice. Through this process, participants demonstrate proficiency in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). GenAI is embedded as a research tool across each phase of the inquiry, supported by explicit guidance on ethical, transparent, and responsible use. This ensures that participants critically reflect on, and develop, principled approaches to the use of GenAI within educational research and practice. Student choice is embedded within the assessment design, enabling participants to exercise agency and personalise their learning.
Overall, the assessment strategies are varied and practice focused, reflecting the range of authentic academic activities encountered in professional contexts. These include critical reflections, the design of a module or curriculum enhancement, oral presentation, and the completion of an ethics application for educational research. The assessment types, including student choice, are designed to be inclusive in nature and provides evidence informed professional development as a basis for effective reflective practice that aligns to Advance HE PSF 2023. Together, these approaches ensure coherence, authenticity, and alignment with professional practice in higher education.
Learning Support
Induction
An online induction event would be required via MSTeams where participants will actively engage with induction activities in the first week of their course. The University’s BlackBoard is used together with VERO to provide access to the course handbook, module information, an assessment schedule and their timetable.
Induction information is uploaded to course pages on Blackboard. All synchronous sessions are recorded and made available on Course Pages/module pages as relevant, to ensure late starters can catch up with any information missed. Attendance records are kept, to enable course leaders to identify students who missed induction and may require additional support when they arrive. Each participant is allocated a personal tutor from week 1.
The expectation is that the induction programme does not just last for one week and that course teams continue to develop course identity, a sense of belonging and opportunities for participants to collaborate with peers and academics throughout the course.
This would be organised through scheduled tutorial meetings for participants to catch up with course team and staff.
Learner Analytics
This course utilises learner analytics to support our participants by identifying non-engagement and taking corrective steps to re-engage in their learning. This data relates to attendance as recorded in the attendance register platform ‘Learning Analytics’, engagement with Blackboard Ultra our virtual learning environment (VLE), access to our library services and formative and summative assessment submissions.
The course uses ‘Steam’, a USW project which acts as a dashboard in collecting the various streams of data and presents course leaders with an alert on non-engagement to take further action.
Office hours
Typically, staff advertise their availability for participants to contact them, on Blackboard. Participants are provided with a course handbook which details the arrangements for contacting staff. Normal office hours as Monday to Friday between the hours of 09:00 and 16:00 UK time. In addition to this, Participants can make formal appointments to meet with staff.
Tutorials
3 personal tutorials are scheduled per module, with participants booking appointments via Blackboard. This offers a tailored academic support programme.
Formative Assessment
Each module has an element of formative assessment designed into its delivery program. This is to enable participants and staff to monitor progress and to relieve assessment pressure by allowing participants to become acclimatised to the level of study expected of them.
Research Supervision
As part of the tutorial programme, participants review their action research projects with their personal tutor.
Online Resources and Digital Support
Learning, teaching and assessment materials are made available on-line through the University’s virtual learning environment (BlackBoard Ultra).
Staff email students via BlackBoard to announce course and module related information.
CELT Digital partners support delivery of the course.
Library Services
Library Services provides a wide range of high-quality library and information services to USW students, academics and researchers. They also provide a dedicated Subject Librarian, who produces subject specific guides and in class library research sessions.
Learner Development Services
Participants are supported by module teams and personal academic tutors to engage effectively with the University’s Learner Development Services. Academic staff embed skills development with learning, teaching and assessment, actively signpost relevant workshops and resources, and provide timely guidance that enables participants to seek targeted support aligned to their academic and professional development needs.
Advice Zone
The University operates advice zones located in the libraries of each campus. The Advice Zone supports participants with anything that might affect their ability to study and achieve their goals. They help with both personal and academic issues. If they cannot help directly, they guide participants towards the specialist support they need.
Disability Advice Team
USW has a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments in relation to education and services as required by disabled participants. It does this using individual support plans. The Disability Service provides information, advice and guidance to and co-ordinates support for USW students who have disabilities, including physical, sensory, mental health or unseen disabilities, specific learning difficulties (e.g., dyslexia) and autism. The Disability Service also has a key role in ensuring the University meets its commitment to providing an inclusive environment for disabled students.
Mental Wellbeing
Participants are supported via their personal tutorials and directed to USW services were applicable.
Student Success
Participants are supported by academic teams through proactive monitoring of progress, formative feedback, and academic guidance. Module teams work closely with Student Success services to identify emerging needs, provide early intervention, and ensure participants are guided to appropriate support that promotes retention, attainment, and successful progression.
Careers Service
Academic teams support participants in engaging with the University’s Careers Service by integrating employability within the curriculum and assessment. Staff signpost careers guidance, industry engagement opportunities, and professional development activities, enabling participants to make effective use of careers support in planning and achieving their career goals.
Course Exit Points
| Award | Criteria | Final |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching in Higher Education | 60 credits with at least 40 at Level 7 and no more than 20 at Level 6 | Final |
Progression Route
Entry Requirements
Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:
This course is aimed to be inclusive in its design for both academic and professional service staff and as such prior experience is considered as a pre-requisite for the course as much as previous qualifications. Applications are triaged by the Course Leader to ensure that the course is aligned with their experience and role.
Inclusive Curriculum Statement
The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/
Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution
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Methods Of Quality Standards
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Quality Of Standards Indicators
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