Post-graduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice (PgCHEP)

Course Overview

PgCHEP is accredited by Advance HE in line with the Professional Standards framework (PSF), 2023.

PgCHEP ensures effective professional practice aligned with the Professional Standards Framework (PSF, 2023) at Descriptor 2, through the provision of contemporary and fit-for-purpose curricula and accreditation, that is recognised both internally and across the higher education sector. The PgCHEP is thus designed to develop Ulster educators’ capacity to be effective practitioners.

The programme has the dual purpose to enhance the potential of everyone through education, by delivering both an excellent learning experience for our educators, and also empowering and inspiring them to enhance the learning and social experiences of their own students.

Who can apply for the PgCHEP?

If you already hold Associate Fellowship see Exemptions section below

Ulster staff including academic and other categories of staff who teach and support learning AND meet the minimum professional practice requirements set out below.

Professional Practice Requirements

Prior to making an application, please ensure* that you meet the following minimum professional practice requirements for the available course options (see modules below).

Full PgCHEP Programme (3 modules across two academic years: runs October 2024 - May 2025). On successful completion of the PgCHEP participants attain Fellowship HEA (FHEA)

The full PgCHEP programme comprises three modules, PHE705, PHE708 and PHE707. There are minimum requirements that participants must meet in terms of opportunities for a breadth and depth of learning, teaching and assessment practice in order to undertake the programme and meet the assessment criteria, in line with PSF (2023) at D2, which “is suitable for individuals whose practice with learners has breadth and depth, enabling them to evidence all Dimensions”. Prior to making an application, applicants must ensure, in conjunction with their line manager, that they meet the following minimum requirements:

1. A substantive L&T role, which indicates that participants have had, and/or currently have a breadth and depth of higher education teaching, learning and assessment experiences.
2. Have at least 25 hours work based experience of teaching/ learning support of higher education-based learners during each of the three modules, and concurrent with their undertaking of modules within the Programme.

Module 1 of the PgCHEP, PHE705, can be taken as a standalone module: runs October 2024 - April 2025). All participants who complete Module 1 attain Associate Fellowship HEA.

Participants undertaking Module 1, PHE705, as a standalone module are typically staff with a more limited L&T role or academic staff on fixed-term contracts that do not extend to the timeframe of the full PgCHEP. There are minimum requirements that participants must meet in terms of professional practice in order to undertake the standalone module and meet the assessment criteria, in line with PSF (2023) at D1, which “is suitable for individuals whose practice enables them to evidence some Dimensions”. Participants must ensure, in conjunction with their line manager, that they meet the following minimum requirements:

1. A learning and teaching support role with practice that enables them to evidence PSF 2023 dimensions A2 and A3 as a minimum.
2. Have at least 25 hours work based experience of teaching/ learning support of higher education-based learners during the first module, PHE705.

*For both the full PgCHEP and standalone module options, you may be required to meet with the PgCHEP Course Director to discuss and ensure that you meet the professional practice requirements before being accepted on to the course.

If your L&T role is more limited than the requirements set out above, then you may wish to apply separately for the course First Steps to Teaching.

We recommend that you attend the Orientation to Learning and Teaching at Ulster session prior to commencing the PgCHEP or Module 1 as a standalone.

PgCHEP Delivery & Attendance

Hybrid delivery through a combination of (mostly) online and campus-based live sessions to support and promote engagement in learning and equity of opportunity for all participants.

Please note that attendance at all live sessions is compulsory and line managers may request information about attendance.

Staff on fixed-term contracts

Colleagues with a contract of employment that extends until at least May 2026 can apply for the full two-year PgCHEP beginning September 2024 until May 2026.

Alternatively, staff with a contract of employment that extends until at least April 2025 can apply for Module 1, PHE705, as a standalone module, beginning October 2024 until  April 2025.

Please contact the Course Director by emailing pgchep@ulster.ac.uk if you need further advice before submitting your application.

Exemptions

Any staff member seeking exemption from the PgCHEP will be expected to align their practice to the PSF at Descriptor 2 (i.e. FHEA), and to provide evidence of having achieved this.This would normally only apply to staff with more than three years substantive teaching experience in higher education settings. Further details about PgCHEP exemption

Accreditation of Prior Learning (available for Module 1, PHE705, ONLY)

Participants who wish to register for Year 2 of the PgCHEP (Descriptor 2 of the PSF), but who have not completed Module 1, PHE705, will be required via an APL process to:

• further demonstrate and evidence their prior achievement of Descriptor 1/ Associate Fellowship, within the last three years
• where necessary, provide additional evidence to show how they have met the precise dimensions of practice mapped against this first module (PHE705).

Further details on the APL Process for PHE 705

PgCHEP Subject Advisor

All applicants will be required to identify, in consultation with their Line manager, a suitably experienced colleague who is willing to  undertake the role of PgCHEP Subject Adviser, which entails undertaking authentications of practice in the form of Observations of Teaching Practice. Subject Advisers must be named before commencement of the course.

Further details about Subject Adviser Role

If you wish to discuss this further please contact pgchep@ulster.ac.uk