The MA in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education programme aims to:

• provide a programme which support participants to meet their professional needs and interests with academic and practical rigour
• provide opportunities for those who teach and support learning in higher education to develop their professional knowledge and understanding in relation to their current and developing roles
• engage participants in key educational processes underpinning development and action, such as critical analysis and reflection, critical enquiry and research, action planning and evaluation and collaborative learning.
• provide access to current knowledge, thinking and practice in the field of learning and teaching in higher education
• provide opportunities for collaborative learning through structured activities and tutor support.
• enable teachers and those who support learning in higher education to achieve greater recognition and credit for their work through membership of the HEA

It is expected that by the end of the programme participants will have the ability to:

Postgraduate Certificate

• Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of theories of learning and a critical awareness of their use in informing approaches to learning and teaching in higher education.
• Evaluate, select and use an increasing range of learning and teaching strategies, and explain why they are appropriate to the teaching context
• Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of issues relating to equality and diversity, inclusivity, and widening participation in higher education.
• Critically evaluate research in learning and teaching in higher education and use it to inform the development of practice
• Evaluate their practice and continuing professional development.
• Engage with and learn from others within the subject and from within the wider higher education community
• Evaluate, select and use an increasing range of strategies used in formative and summative assessment, student feedback and guidance to support student learning
• Engage with and evaluate the effectiveness of policies, quality assurance and learning enhancement initiatives in HE for their effectiveness in supporting student learning
• Demonstrate a critical approach to designing effective environments, student support and guidance, and learning communities, that enhance the student learning experience.

Postgraduate Diploma

In addition to the above:

• Demonstrate depth and breadth of knowledge in a range of critical issues in the practice of teaching and supporting learning in HE
• Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of approaches to research in professional practice and learning and an ability to critique them

Masters

In addition to the above:

• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems
• Demonstrate the ability to plan and undertake a research project relevant to learning and teaching in higher education, in the context of the participant’s role and/or practice.

The typical duration of this programme is 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time. The PgCert is normally completed in one year part-time, the PgDip in a further year on the part-time route, with the masters dissertation can be taken during the final summer semester.

The teaching year is divided into two semesters of roughly equal length. A typical student registered in a part-time attendance mode will study one module per semester. The advanced independent research module may occur during the summer period.

In order to gain an Associate Certificate you will need to complete one module to obtain 30 credits at M level

In order to gain a Postgraduate Certificate, you will need to obtain 60 credits at Level M.

In order to gain a Postgraduate Diploma, you will need to obtain 120 credits at Level M

In order to obtain a Masters, you will need to obtain 180 credits at Level M. These credits will include a 60 credit level M core module of advanced independent research.

Teaching and learning strategies may include:

• Practical workshops - enabling experimentation and the analysis and discussion of issues, documents and materials;
• Lectures – providing the opportunity for the presentation of an extended and coherent line of argument
• Seminars - to generate group and individual creativity, discussion and reflection
• Work based activities – to allow participants to undertake enquiry and/or development work;
• Conferences – to facilitate the opportunity to share ideas and to experience research and enquiry undertaken in areas outside the participants’ immediate professional spheres;
• Guided reading and independent study - to enable participants to engage with relevant and appropriate debate;
• Supported self study using relevant materials - to promote individual enquiry and development;
• Individual tutorials - to enable a more extended, in-depth analysis and support of self study;

Summative assessment
Assessment will vary between modules but will include a mixture of:

• critical engagement with research and current thinking in Education
• critical engagement in professional work-based tasks
• critical reflection
• research and action planning

All modules are assessed by the submission of a single portfolio of 5,000 words.

Formative assessment
There will be opportunities to receive formative assessment throughout the module through:

• self assessment and audit activities during module sessions
• UEL plus discussions and activities
• Tutor feedback on work in progress and a first draft of each segment of the assessed portfolio