Enhancing practitioners professional development in education.
Learning and teaching takes many forms in practice and accounts for a sizable portion of any healthcare professionals role. This interprofessional postgraduate certificate is designed to enable healthcare professionals to facilitate learning and teaching in their practice. The course is facilitated through linking your practice to the university sessions. It prepares the professional to engage in learning and teaching in the workplace with colleagues, peers, other professionals and service users.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
The course consists of two modules and is provided face to face in Belfast Campus for commissioned/domestic applicants. For those from further afield the course is provided online, subject to numbers.
To undertake this course you need to be involved in the teaching and/or support of learning with undergraduate and or postgraduate students, or in the continuing professional development of professional staff.
This course is accredited by Advance HE, this means that upon successful completion students are eligible to be recognised as an Associate Fellow of Advance HE (AFHEA). You will be able to use AFHEA after your official title along with your qualification. The Advance HE provides a benchmark for teaching and learning practice across the UK, so in receiving recognition from them, you are demonstrating that the educational elements of your practice are at a national standard.
The first module introduces students to the principles that underpin learning, teaching and assessment and enables them to understand the rationale behind decisions made about teaching practices. The module explores student engagement and evaluation of learning and teaching. The module will facilitate feedback from self, peers and lecturer and provides opportunity for reflection on learning and teaching.
The second module builds on the first module and introduces students to a variety of learning, teaching and assessment techniques used in practice such as coaching, supervision, small group teaching, facilitative learning, patient education and skills teaching. Students will also design and deliver a bespoke teaching session exploring an innovation in their practice that is congruent with their educational role.
The staff who contribute to the course are experienced educators in healthcare and are Senior Fellows of the HEA (SFHEA).
Blocks of teaching time in person, on the university campus, will occur across the academic year, normally delivered over six days each semester (structure can be subject to change). Further details will be provided during induction.
An equivalent amount of contact time is provided for those undertaking the course online.
A variety of learning and teaching methods are used. This gives you the opportunity to experience different approaches and reflect on them. One of the key skills to be developed in this course though is the extent to which you will be able to self-assess.
A variety of assessment techniques are used such as essays, portfolios, and poster presentations.
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
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Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
The purpose of this module is to enable you to develop your understanding and skills around learning and teaching in practice. The module will provide you with opportunity to construct professional knowledge about the fundamental principles of learning, teaching and assessing and directly impact upon how you use these skills to develop learning activities in your practice.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
The purpose of this module is to enable you to develop your understanding and skills around learning and teaching in practice. The module will provide you with opportunity to construct professional knowledge about the fundamental principles of learning, teaching and assessing and directly impact upon how you use these skills to develop learning activities in your practice.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module provides the opportunity for healthcare professionals to develop their understanding of effective learning and teaching in professional practice. It enables participants to develop and enhance their skills in practice-based learning, teaching and assessment. It provides the opportunity for participants to reflect critically on their own experience as a learner, a practitioner and an educator, and to identify aspects of their own practice that could be developed and/or improved.
Status: O
Year: 1
This module is optional
This module provides the opportunity for practitioners who undertake an educational role, facilitating others' learning in the practice setting, to develop their understanding of effective learning and teaching. It enables participants to develop and enhance their skills in practice-based learning, teaching and assessment. It provides the opportunity for participants to reflect critically on their own experience as a learner, a practitioner and an educator, and to identify aspects of their own practice that could be developed and/or improved.
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
Applicants must hold a degree or equivalent in a healthcare related subject or demonstrate their ability to undertake the course through the accreditation of prior experiential learning.
English language requirements for international applicants
The University has a standard English language entry requirement of IELTS 6.0 with the added provision that no individual band score (in the four bands of reading, listening, speaking and writing) be below 5.5.
Accreditation of previous learning is an important concept in the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences. If you have any queries about this you should contact the Course Director directly.
In this section
The course is an attractive option for those wishing to develop their career. The primary function of the course is to enable you to develop a skill set in learning and teaching that will be immediately relevant to your current practice.
The course also enables you to progress to further study at postgraduate level
In addition, there are colleagues who practice in areas that have a substantial educational component and have found that having a qualification in education at a postgraduate level has been very beneficial.
Whilst there is no placement as such it is recognised that the majority of students undertaking this course will be embedded in practice. Thus a lot of what you study at the university will be interpreted through the lens of its applicability to your clinical practice.
The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year.
For modules commenced in the academic year 2024/25, the following fees apply:
| Credit Points | NI/ROI/GB Cost | International Cost* |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | £194.45 | £474.70 |
| 10 | £388.90 | £949.40 |
| 15 | £583.35 | £1,424.10 |
| 20 | £777.80 | £1,898.80 |
| 30 | £1,166.70 | £2,848.20 |
| 60 | £2,333.40 | £5,696.40 |
| 120 | £4,666.80 | £11,392.80 |
| 180 | £7000.20 | £17,089.20 |
NB: A standard full-time PGCert is equivalent to 60 credit points per year. A standard full-time PGDip is equivalent to 120 credit points per year.
*International student access to courses is subject to meeting visa requirements. More information can be found in the Visas and Immigration section.
The Valerie Morrison Memorial Cup is attached to this course. This cup is awarded to the student who demonstrate leadership, actively engaged in the course and obtains a distinction.
The course has a second award - Ann Snee Memorial Prize. The prize is awarded to Registered Nurses who have demonstrated excellence in the course as evidenced by: achieving the highest course result as an aggregated mark from both modules
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
“Undertaking these two modules in the PGCEHP has opened my eyes to the world of education and importantly the special consideration that needs to be given to the education of healthcare professionals”
“Undertaking the PGCEHP has enabled me to become a more authentic teacher.”
“Reading and becoming engaged in learning has reawakened my thirst for knowledge and self-improvement.”
‘I am a strong advocate for this course and would encourage anyone in a teaching role to do the course’.
In relation to the interprofessional nature of this programme students said:
“I feel this was a key element of the programme. The support from peers in other professions undertaking the course was invaluable.”
“Was very beneficial to get different perspectives and experiences of teaching and learning in practice.”
“I found this very beneficial. It was really useful to get an insight into other peoples roles, work, training schedules and how they assess and manage students.”
Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
