Postgraduate Certificate Professional Education
Course code
Part-time: X3AU
Qualification
Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education
Duration
5 month submission cycle
Start Date
January 2024 or June 2024
Department of Study
Centre for Teacher Education
Location of Study
University of Warwick
The Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education is a supportive pathway for eligible, experienced teachers to have their work-based learning assessed against the necessary learning outcomes for academic credit towards our MA in Professional EducationLink opens in a new window qualification.
A time-efficient and economical alternative to full or part-time study for the first half of the programme, whilst refreshing and updating candidates’ academic skills in preparation for progressing to the final 2 year MA course.
Course overview
As an experienced teacher, your skill-set is unique and the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education is designed to reflect that.
The programme runs as a five-month cycle every January-June and June to November. It comprises the submission of two portfolios related to Strategic Research and Effective Leadership and Mentoring. The portfolios can be completed together during the same five-month cycle, or separately through two cycles in consecutive years.
Course structure: January - June
January
Complete your application to the course, with a Professional Practice statement.
Application for the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education is accepted. Meet your Postgraduate Certificate Mentor to discuss and agree on an action plan for each Postgraduate Certificate module.
January - February
Attend academic support sessions, including:
- Library Induction
- Academic Writing
- Referencing
- Taught session (Saturday 16th January)
Begin collecting evidence in school.
March - April
Research and write Academic Statement(s).
May
Collect remaining evidence in school. Optional 2nd meeting with your Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education Mentor.
June
Submit Postgraduate Certificate Portfolio(s) for assessment.
July
Receive notification of pass/fail. If both Postgraduate Certificate portfolios are submitted and passed, you will progress onto MA Professional Education, beginning the following January. If only one portfolio is submitted, you can work on the second portfolio to submit by October the following year.
Course structure: June - November
June
Complete your application to the course, with a Professional Practice statement.
Application for the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education is accepted. Meet your Postgraduate Certificate Mentor to discuss and agree on an action plan for each Postgraduate Certificate module.
June - July
Attend academic support sessions, including:
- Library Induction
- Academic Writing
- Referencing
- Taught session (Saturday 8th January)
Begin collecting evidence in school.
August - September
Research and write Academic Statement(s).
October
Collect remaining evidence in school. Optional 2nd meeting with your Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education Mentor.
November
Submit Postgraduate Certificate Portfolio(s) for assessment.
December
Receive notification of pass/fail. If both Postgraduate Certificate portfolios are submitted and passed, you will progress onto MA Professional Education, beginning the following January. If only one portfolio is submitted, you can work on the second portfolio to submit by October the following year.
Contact
For an informal discussion about these routes please contact Dr. Jen Rowan-Lancaster at J dot Rowan-Lancaster at warwick dot ac dot uk.
Teaching
What support and access does the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education provide?
- An experienced mentor supporting the completion of the Postgraduate Certificate portfolio.
- You can access the University of Warwick library, giving you access to thousands of journals and online publications. Including those from the British Educational Research Association, the British Educational Leadership Management, the Administration Society and their international equivalents.
- Access to the Moodle Virtual Learning Platform and Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education handbook.
- An Advanced Academic Skills workshop to help facilitate the completion of the required academic statements.
General entry requirements
Minimum requirements
You must hold a UK Bachelors degree with Honours at 2:2 or above, or equivalent level.
English requirements
Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, you will need a minimum score of 7.0 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see their website for details.
Core Modules
Two Portfolios, each with a unique 'module' theme:
- Strategic Research (30 Credits)
- Effective Leadership and Mentoring (30 Credits)
An academic statement to accompany each portfolio.
What is involved in the academic statement?
- The format of an academic statement is tailored to the experience of the student in discussion with your mentor. If recent (unaccredited) professional development has included writing at length, the quality of these will be assessed, and a short reflective piece may be all that is required.
- An annotated bibliography of a selection of recent journal articles.
- A critical comparison of two texts that are relevant to the professional context.
- A critical review of a longer educational text.
- A rationale for why the academic texts have been chosen and how they relate to professional experience.
- A reflective account of how prior professional learning relates to the teacher’s reading.
Fees and Funding
There are two modules, which you will need to pay for separately.
Total Tuition Fee for 22/23 - £1,370.00
Total Tuition Fee for 23/24 - £1,438.00
Strategic Research in Educational Practice
22/23 - £685.00
23/24 - £719.00
Leadership and Mentoring in Professional Practice
22/23 - £685.00
23/24 - £719.00
Fees are payable upfront of the presentation of the module each year. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.
Please note this course is not eligible for a postgraduate loan and is exempt from the 10% Alumni Discount, however you will pay for each module separately, as detailed above. Should a sponsor, such as your school, be paying your fees, you would need to complete a sponsorship form upon enrolment.
For up-to-date information concerning fees for Home/EU and Overseas students please visit Warwick's Finance pagesLink opens in a new window. These include the published Centre for Teacher Education feesLink opens in a new window.
Your career
Our graduates go on to work in a variety of roles within education, as classroom specialists, mentors, middle and senior leaders, and in pastoral positions. Our teachers also move into related roles outside of school-based education, into Higher Education, social work and alternative education provision for example. Our teachers work across the state, independent and international school sectors.
They have pursued further research through PhD and EdD study and have shared their research widely at conferences and through publication.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted via the Postgraduate Application formLink opens in a new window for course X3AU Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education.
To find the right course add the course code X3UA to the Keyword box. Select Any mode of study from the dropdown and select Postgraduate Taught as the type of course.
There is no application fee for this course.
You should provide full details of your relevant professional experience within the personal statement section of the application form. We advise that you contact us in advance of applying on MA.CTE@Warwick.ac.uk for further details about what is required within the personal statement. Your statement will be used to assess your suitability for the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Education.