This online academic practice programme has been designed for students from both teaching and non-teaching backgrounds in higher education (HE) to provide an opportunity to enhance their academic practice, academic leadership and ability to support learning and teaching in a global context.  

Depending on a student's background, the online PGCAP offers two pathways. 

Standard Pathway 
If you do not hold a teaching position in a higher education institution you can gain a PGCAP that will provide you with the theory and practice of teaching and supporting learning in higher education in a global context. 
 
FHEA Pathway 
If you do hold a teaching position that enables you to demonstrate Descriptor Level 2 of the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF), you can obtain a PGCAP and through our partnership with Advance HE, gain recognition as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), the UK’s foremost agency for driving excellence in higher education.  

A UK Scholarship of 10% is available for students residing in the United Kingdom. This scholarship is available for our October 2023 intake for all full master’s awards.
 

Develop a comprehensive understanding of academic teaching concepts, such as utilising international educational frameworks to design lessons and assignments as well as applying learning outcomes to your own context with this online academic practice postgraduate programme. There are three study awards for the programme – the Postgraduate Certificate Academic Practice (PGCAP) and progressing to the Postgraduate Diploma Academic Practice (PGDAP) and full Master of Arts Academic Practice (MA AP).  

Students are required to complete 60 credits to achieve the PGCAP (both pathways), 120 credits to achieve the PGDAP and 180 credits to complete the MA AP.  

PGCAP Award
•    Foundational Approaches to Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (15 credits) - PGCAP (Standard Pathway)
•    Contemporary Approaches to Learning and Teaching (15 credits) - PGCAP (Standard and FHEA Pathway)
•    Alternative Approaches to Supporting Learning (15 credits) - PGCAP (Standard and FHEA Pathway)
•    Enhancing Teaching and Learning (15 credits) - PGCAP (Standard and FHEA Pathway)
•    Extending your HE Career in a Global Context (15 credits) – PGCAP (FHEA Pathway)  

PGDAP and MA AP Awards
•    Developing Academic Leadership (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP  
•    Developing Scholarship (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP      
•    Evidencing Academic Leadership (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP     
•    Pedagogic Research Design (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP   
•    Academic Practice Project (60 credits) – MA AP   
 

All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you want to discuss your previous qualifications and experience before applying, please contact our admissions team.

For both PGCAP pathways, applicants must have:  
•    A degree equivalent to an upper-second class UK bachelor’s degree or equivalent. 

For pathway two leading to Fellowship (FHEA), applicants must also: 
•    Hold a teaching position in a higher education institution that enables them to demonstrate Descriptor level 2 of the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF).

All applicants must provide evidence that they have an English language ability equivalent to an IELTS (academic) score of 6.5.
If you don’t have an IELTS or equivalent certificate, you can take our free online English test to assess your proficiency. You don’t need to prove your English ability if you are a national of, or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.
 

The MA AP enables participants to develop employability skills to enhance their teaching careers in higher education in the UK and around the world.  The authentic assessments throughout the programme are relevant to higher education and will enable participants to develop their academic practice, leadership and scholarship.  The expertise you will acquire by studying this online programme is directly applicable to a workplace. The second FHEA pathway offers the postgraduate certificate and automatic professional recognition (FHEA) to successful graduates, which can fast-track your career in higher education.