Advancing Practice in Professional and Higher Education - MSc/PgDip

This course will develop your understanding and skills of:

• advancing facilitation of learning;
• assessment for learning;
• feedback and feedforward practices;
• design for professional learning; and
• quality assurance, leadership and digital practices to enhance learning

 
You will also be supported to advance your understanding and application of facilitation of learning; And encouraged to lead and influence change in the context of your practice and wider communities through your development as an advancing facilitator of learning. 

Structure and exit awards

You can opt to study for the full Advancing Practice in Professional and Higher Education PgCert Award (60 credits), register as an associate student to complete a single module for CPD or choose a module as an optional module which may be available as part of your chosen Advancing Professional Practice pathway.

 You may also wish to complete further modules to progress your studies to a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) or MSc (180 credits) pathway within the Advancing Professional Practice Framework.  

Modules run consecutively as follows: 

• September 2025: Design for professional learning 
  January 2026: Advancing facilitation of Learning 
  September 2026: Assessment for learning 

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will be supported to advance your understanding and application of facilitation of learning. This will be fostered through critical and creative thinking, transformative learning and being part of a community of learners and practice.  

You will learn through synchronous and asynchronous learning activities which may include online discussion, reflection on practice, reading, challenge and debate, independent directed and self-directed learning activities. 

Assessments may include reflective commentaries, recorded presentations, poster or seminar paper development.

Placement

There are no placements on this course. Participants are expected to have access to opportunities for facilitating learning / teaching in an area of practice that allows them to meet the pathway or module outcomes. 

Teaching hours and attendance 

No on-campus attendance is required at QMU, the pathway is a fully online, part-time pathway. Each 20-credit module equates to approximately 200 hours of study, approximately 15-20 hours of study per week per module per semester.  
 

Class sizes

You will join a multi-professional online community of learners and will have the opportunity to interact and share your experiences.

Teaching staff

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

You will complete the following modules:  

• Advancing Facilitating of Learning (20 credits): This module aims to support you to develop and demonstrate robust and creative approaches to advancing facilitation of learning and applying this to teaching and learning practice.  
• Assessment for Learning (20 credits): This module aims to support you to advance approaches to assessment, feedback and feedforward for learning in the context of your role and wider practices. 
• Design for Professional Learning (20 credits): This module aims to support you to advance your knowledge and develop skills in designing curriculum within the context of your role. 

*For these modules you will require access to an appropriate post 16-year-old learning environment/teaching opportunities within the context of your role e.g. practice, strategic or leadership educational contexts. We may ask you, as part of the admissions process, for a CV and a reference from your line manager to evidence that you have the support required to undertake the module.   

Graduates from this course have gone on to develop their educational practice within their current role, to teach in higher education, to work in practice development and CPD. International students have developed education courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level in their home countries. 

Many graduates have gained promoted posts or gained additional responsibilities as a result of undertaking the course. Some graduates have continued onto further studies through doctoral research programmes. 
(Please could the link be integrated to graduate stories on QMU website).

Learners may wish to use aspects of their learning from the modules to support independent application for Advance HE fellowship. 

Entry requirements

Normally Degree (SCQF level 10 or equivalent). Plus, applicants will require access to an appropriate post-16-year-old learning environment/teaching opportunities within the context of their role. This may relate to a practice, strategic or leadership educational context. 

International students:

• You will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 6.5 with no individual component score less than 6.0.
• Please note as this course is fully online, the University cannot sponsor International students to study here on Student visa.

Other requirements

Some modules require individuals to be working in the specific area of practice and/or have access to a suitable workplace setting along with the support of a line manager and workplace mentor.

For applicants thinking of studying full-time we strongly recommend you contact the Pathway Lead for an initial discussion.

Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at QMU. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.

Applying for this course

For more information on applying, or to apply for this course, please follow the links in the 'Start your application' box at the top right of this page. 

Application deadline

Typically December for a January start and August for a September start.

Contact Admissions or Anna Buckby, Advancing Practice in Professional and Higher Education Pathway Lead or Kim Christie, Associate Pathway Lead for more information. 

More information on our forthcoming open events

• The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2025/26 Entry - Terms and Conditions (Postgraduate).
• The information on this page is correct at the time of posting (October 2024) but is subject to change following routine re-validation in 2025. In the event that modules change, QMU will seek to use reasonable endeavours to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on students. Please keep an eye on this page for updates.