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PgCert Advancing Practice in Professional and Higher Education (Advancing Professional Practice Framework)

Postgraduate Taught

Course entry year:

Advancing Practice in Professional and Higher Education - PgCert

The PgCert Advancing Practice in Professional and Higher Education pathway, part of the Advancing Professional Practice Framework, is designed for professionals who teach and support learning at higher education level (SCQF Level 7 or above). It supports the continuing professional development needs of those working in health and social care, higher education, and other professional settings who wish to enhance their effectiveness as educators and learning facilitators.

Suitable for nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, social workers, doctors, lecturers and professional services staff, the course helps participants develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to become authentic, reflective and effective educators. Key areas of study include facilitation of learning, assessment for learning, feedback and feedforward practices, professional learning design, and the use of quality assurance, leadership and digital practices to enhance learning.

Delivered fully online and part-time, the course offers flexibility to fit around professional and personal commitments. Through an interactive, work-based approach and engagement with a community of learning and practice, participants are supported in applying their learning in the workplace, creating transformative learning experiences, and leading positive change within their profession and wider communities.

Why QMU?

Learn alongside a range of professionals: This pathway brings together professionals from a range of disciplines, cultures and workplace settings. You will benefit from learning alongside people working in different professions and roles. 
Contemporary, creative and interactive learning approaches: The online learning environment will generate an ethos of engagement where you can explore and challenge theories, practices and different sources of knowledge creatively in an atmosphere of high challenge and high support.
Career progression and professional links: This course aims to support learners to undertake CPD within their current professional role or towards future career aspirations.
Advancing Professional Practice through learning: This pathway is also part of the Advancing Professional Practice Framework, so you may choose to apply for a single option module, the full PgCert award or potentially continue on a master's pathway within the framework.

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Admissions FAQs How to Apply

Structure and exit awards

You can opt to study for the full PgCert Advancing Practice in Professional and Higher Education (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.

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will be supported to advance your understanding and application of the 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 to facilitate learning/teaching in an area of practice that enables them to meet the pathway or module outcomes.

Teaching hours and attendance

The course is fully online and part-time, so no attendance at QMU is required. Each 20-credit module equates to approximately 200 hours of study, or 15-20 hours 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 for this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

You will complete the following modules: 

Advancing Facilitation 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.

Modules run consecutively as follows:

September 2027 (semester 1): Assessment for Learning
January 2028 (Semester 2): Design for Professional Learning
September 2028 (Semester 1): Advancing Facilitation of Learning

For these modules you will require access to an appropriate post 16-year-old learning environment/teaching opportunities within the context of your role (eg 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.

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

Entry requirements

Normally a degree (SCQF level 10 or equivalent).
You will require access to an appropriate post-16-year-old learning environment/teaching opportunities within the context of your 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 that as this course is fully online, the University cannot sponsor International students to study here on a 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 considering studying full-time, we strongly recommend that 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 2027/28 Entry - Terms and Conditions (Postgraduate).
The information on this page is correct at the time of posting (October 2026) but is subject to change. 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.

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