Programme summary for Foundation Degree Professional Development

About the programme

This programme is specifically designed to appeal to learners in employment who seek personal and professional development and a degree-level qualification. The programme will enable you to become more effective at work by developing your skills of reflection and offers flexible learning opportunities to learners from a variety of backgrounds and with a range of educational experiences. There is an emphasis on blended learning, which uses a range of face-to-face sessions, distance learning and e-learning. You will also negotiate work-based learning focused around the demands of your employment.

Programme structure

Work-based Learning (WBL) and the Negotiated Programme Plan (NPP)

The FDPD is a part time programme of study which allows a student to follow an individually negotiated programme plan to pursue professional and personal development, improved career opportunities and varied educational interests and goals.

There are three components that make up the programme:

professional development and work-based learning;
graduate skills development; and
individually chosen subject modules.

The FDPD has a total of 12 modules. The professional development and work-based learning component provides the ‘backbone’ of the programme and consists of 4 core modules which focus on active and reflective engagement with work activities.

ED1029 - Introduction to Professional Development and Work-based Learning;
ED2034 - Work, knowledge and the university; and
ED1020 and ED2020 – Negotiated work-based learning modules (work place projects).

The graduate skills development component consists of 3 core modules and together they provide the UEL Skills Curriculum which is designed to ensure that students are taught, have the opportunity to practice and are assessed in skills for academic learning, employability and research;

ED1000 - Critical Reading and Writing;
ED2001 - Professional Development; and
ED2000 - Research Design and Method.

Where the modules for components 1 and 2 of the programme are core and therefore compulsory, the remaining component consists of 5 modules which are ‘optional’. This means that a student can select modules to study from across the entire university. All Schools in UEL have what are referred to as ‘university wide’ options which are available to any student. As well as the on-campus modules which are delivered by the various schools in UEL, FDPD students will also be able to select from a range of distance and e-learning modules.

The first module which is studied by students (ED1029 - Introduction to Professional Development and Work-based Learning) guides and supports students in the process of choosing modules and identifying outlines of topics for the work-based learning modules in order to create a negotiated programme plan (NPP). This plan will be supported by a rationale based upon occupational standards where appropriate, organisational aims and objectives, and personal career planning and goal setting.

FDPD Negotiated Programme Plan

Areas for negotiation

In these spaces, student will need to clearly identify their intended choices which can be seen to be informed by their rationale based upon their individual professional development

Level 1	Level 2
Introduction to Professional Development and Work-based Learning ED1029	Work, knowledge and the university ED2034
Critical Reading and Writing ED1000	Research Design and Method ED2000
Negotiated Work-based Learning ED1020	Negotiated Work-based Learning ED2020
University Wide Option module or Distance Learning module	Professional Development ED2001
University Wide Option module or Distance Learning module	University Wide Option module or Distance Learning module
University Wide Option module or Distance Learning module	University Wide Option module or Distance Learning module
When this is submitted for assessment and approval, at the end of the first semester, a student will have made a number of decisions in liaison with their employer, the module tutor and their blended learning student mentor which will give shape to the individual programme based upon particular workplace requirements. Four of the core modules will need to be approached with the workplace in mind: ED1020 and ED2020 (the negotiated work-based learning modules) are designed to enable on the job learning and a student will need to have an idea as to what projects they would like to focus on. Although these choices are not written in stone, it is important that there is an initial idea or two as this might inform the choices to be made with other modules. For ED2000, the research module, students will need to consider what value could be added to their workplace in terms of research topic, and for ED2001, the professional development module, students will need to link this to their future career plans and select a particular profession or job to research. Students are then free to select their university wide options. These choices can be informed by what they think they need to learn about in order to complete their work-based learning projects but equally they can be chosen by relevance and appropriateness to current or future work or by personal interest and development. Students will be supported and guided to identify progression routes within subject areas if required and also the meanings of co-requisites and pre-requisites so that the move between levels is coherent. It will also be pertinent from the outset to consider progression to level 3 modules to ensure that students are prepared for their application for direct entry to level 3 on the BA Honours Applied Professional Studies (to be validated).

Career opportunities

All participants will already be in employment. The programme will equip you with a formal qualification to enhance your career development and provides the basis for further study and professional development. The programme shows employers that you have developed critical skills in your field of work and that you are a flexible and thoughtful practitioner. You will have also developed transferable, practical skills in researching, leadership and management, and writing, presenting and organising ideas, alongside applying theory to practice in your work setting.

Support

During your studies, you will be supported by our team of Student Advisors in UELconnect. These advisors act as a first point of contact for you, addressing the majority of student queries and referring only those that relate to academic matters to the module tutor. The Student Advisors will also contact students who seem to be falling behind and will offer advice and encouragement to them.

You will be allocated a module tutor. Your module tutor is the person who will help you and will work with you to plan your learning and ensure that you are making progress. Your module tutor will also help you with any academic difficulties you may be having. Tutorials may be held with other students or individually.

In addition to the core teaching and support staff on the Foundation Degree in Professional Development you will also be supported by Fieldwork tutors from the Cass School of Education who have tutorial responsibility for the support of students whilst on field work, including work-based learning.

We will all work together with you to enhance your learning experience. All staff attempt to help students identify any additional learning needs at the earliest opportunity so that appropriate help and guidance can be sought. You will also be encouraged to identify a critical friend / employer representative. You will have access to all the support available to students at the university, including guidance on fees, loans, time management and study skills.

The programme fully implements our Skills Curriculum, and one of the first modules that you will be expected to undertake is our level 1 Academic Study Skills module, which will provide you with additional support in your study habits and in being an effective distance learner.

UEL is committed to promoting full participation for disabled students in all aspects of the academic and social life here and our disability policy is based on the QAA Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality and Standards. As part of this policy we want to ensure that no student who has a disability is disadvantaged. The Cass School of Education has a Disability Coordinator and administrator. Either of them can advise students and offer technological, practical or financial support; advice and guidance, and liaison with tutors and other staff.

Admission

Learners will require sufficient work-based experience and opportunity to undertake work-based projects.

A letter from the employer should accompany any application. The letter must support the application by confirming the applicant’s role in the organisation and state that every effort will be made to support the learner in undertaking the work-based activities required by the programme.

Consideration of eligibility will include:

Suitable employment;
Recommendation of the employer;
Commitment to completing programme requirements;
Evidence of a desire for professional development;
Access to relevant professional contexts; and
Ability to succeed and likelihood to benefit.

If employment should cease during the programme then participants may carry on as long as they resume employment (paid or voluntary) in an appropriate capacity. Students should contact UEL immediately, to advise of any change in employment status and to consider options. It is essential that the two work-based learning modules are completed within a work setting but this does not necessarily need to be in a paid employment context. Suitable voluntary work would be appropriate for these modules.

In order to be able to complete this programme, a good level of English is required. The IELTS requirements are a minimum of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in both reading & writing (and a minimum of 5.0 in listening & speaking). Where English is not your first language, you may be required to provide a written example of your work in order to ensure your suitability for the programme.

To participate in the programme you need:

Regular access to a PC or Mac, capable of running standard MS Office software (or equivalent) for producing word-processed documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
Reliable Internet access; at least a 56K modem connection, but broadband is highly recommended.
An Internet browser capable of running UEL Plus (based on Blackboard Learning System Vista 4.0), the platform used by UEL in delivering this programme. For further information, see UEL Plus’s tune-up page at: http://www.webct.com/tuneup/viewpage?name=tuneup_browser_tuneup_information
Access to reliable email. (Email facilities are provided by UEL Plus, but additional email is recommended in case of any technical problems with UEL Plus.)
Access to a printer is recommended.

Accreditation of prior learning

Students may be admitted through Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes.

The accreditation of prior learning is a process that enables people of all ages and backgrounds to receive formal recognition for skills and knowledge they already possess to gain exemption from certain parts of a programme of study and up to 50% of the programme. The School has well developed procedures for considering prior learning and can provide guidelines and help with your application.