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Advanced Educational Practice Grad Dip

Distance learning programme

This Graduate Diploma has been developed to enable participants to reflect on their own educational practice, taking a professional academic approach. It works as excellent continuing professional development for teachers, teaching assistants and others working in educational settings. The flexibility is ideal for those working full-time, such that modules can be studied in any order. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
£7,900
The published Full-time fee is for 120 credits. The published Part-time fee is for 60 credits and will apply each year for two years, with an inflationary increase of up to 5% in Year 2.
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
£16,200
The published Full-time fee is for 120 credits. The published Part-time fee is for 60 credits and will apply each year for two years, with an inflationary increase of up to 5% in Year 2.
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 academic year
5 academic years
Programme starts
January 2023
September 2023
January 2024
Applications accepted
January 2023 entry: 07 Feb – 07 Oct 2022

Applications closed

September 2023 entry: 17 Oct 2022 – 31 Mar 2023

Applications open

January 2024 entry: 06 Feb – 06 Oct 2023

Applications not yet open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

An ordinary degree or level 5 equivalent qualification (e.g. Cambridge International Education Professional Development Qualification studied in English) as this is an Honours level award (i.e. level 6).

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This programme has been developed to respond to educational practitioner needs in both UK and international settings.  It serves as excellent professional development for teachers who would like to update their practice with developments in research. Participants will reflect on learning, curriculum and practitioner inquiry within their educational settings.  It is also designed as pre-masters level teaching so enabling those whose undergraduate qualifications do not meet master's level entry the opportunity to gain a qualification which will prepare them for master's level.

Who this course is for

This award has been developed alongside master's awards for teachers, teaching assistants, educational administrators, lecturers, tutors, educational psychologists and other professionals such as those in medicine, the police force, librarians and support staff working in educational settings. It is particularly focused on professional development in practice. This programme only requires one reference in support of your application. Your reference should be academic unless you have been out of university education for more than four years.
Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Through an established virtual learning environment, participants follow directed tasks including reading, video and audio clips and full lectures presented by IOE academics. Responses are then shared with the online community and participants are encouraged to respond to each other.

Participants are supported in exploring their practice through engagement with research including academic and professional literature, so examining updated knowledge about theories and practices in education.

The study is expected to support the everyday educational practices participants are involved in through engagement in reflection and critical analysis of those practices.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The programme is designed to empower participants as education practitioners through development of transferable academic skills in practitioner research and engagement with literature.

Employability

The majority of participants on this programme are currently working as teaching assistants in the UK and others as teachers in international settings.  It is expected that study on the programme will support promotion in their roles as well as application for master's level awards.

Teaching and learning

The pedagogical approach to the programme enables the participant to lead their own learning supported by peers and tutors through the virtual learning environment (VLE). The introduction of virtual face-to-face tutorials and seminars enhances the experience. The experienced programme team use both distance learning and online learnng strategies to ensure that all participants are supported to achieve their Graduate Diploma.

This programme is delivered fully online through our VLE, Moodle, to individuals. All participants are assessed by coursework (which may be an essay, portfolio or presentation) on completion of each module and receive both formative written assessment on a draft and summative written assessment following final submission.

Each module studied will have taught elements online which will include engagement with tutors and peers through forums. On some modules we offer synchronous discussion opportunity through Zoom or Microsoft Teams, but all synchronous discussion is recorded to allow asynchronous engagement. Learning through the online elements will take up to 25% of their time. A further 10% of time may include individual tutorial through digital software (e.g. Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, FaceTime etc.). The remainder of a participant's time is in independent study.

Modules

This is a full-time, flexible, modular programme which means that you lead your learning. The learning is alongside those studying on the MA Education (Advanced Practice) routes and study will be within modules offered in each term. The ‘subject’ of the programme is practice which involves some element of teaching, training or educational development. This allows you to choose areas of study around learning, reflective practice, curriculum design, inquiry and researching practice.

Within the general educational context of the programme, you will have the opportunity to focus specifically on either one or two themes: reflective practice and/or inclusion, curriculum design and development, and undertake independent study.

Participants undertake modules to the value of 120 credits. The programme consists of four optional 30-credit modules. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a Graduate Diploma in Advanced Educational Practice.

All participants usually study the Graduate Diploma online where attendance is recorded through responses to Keep In Touch (KIT) tasks.

As a flexible, modular programme you lead your learning over a period between two and five years. The learning is alongside those studying on the MA Education (Advanced Practice) routes and study will be within modules offered in each term. The ‘subject’ of the programme is practice which involves some element of teaching, training or educational development. This allows you to choose areas of study around learning, reflective practice, curriculum design, inquiry and researching practice.

Within the general educational context of the programme, you will have the opportunity to focus specifically on either one or two themes: reflective practice and/or inclusion, curriculum design and development, and undertake independent study.

Participants undertake modules to the value of 120 credits. The programme consists of four optional 30-credit modules. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a Grad Dip in Advanced Educational Practice.

All participants usually study the Graduate Diploma online where attendance is recorded through responses to Keep In Touch (KIT) tasks.

Optional modules








Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 120 credits. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a Grad Dip in Advanced Educational Practice.

Fieldwork

Participants are expected to be working in educational settings, or have access to educational settings as a volunteer. Some modules have an expectation that participants will carry out an inquiry or project in their educational setting.  This can be as a volunteer but the team do not make placements or arrange field opportunities.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Visit us

All open days and events

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Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society Virtual Event series

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Please note that there are 27 sessions across a range of subject areas. IOE is ranked number one for education for consecutive nine years and the world's leading centre for research and teaching in education, culture, psychology and social science. If you’re interested in enhancing and progressing your career in education and related social sciences, why not join our open events? You’ll get to meet the programme team, ask any questions you have and find out what it’s like studying at UCL.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2023/24) £7,900
Tuition fees (2023/24) £16,200

The published Full-time fee is for 120 credits. The published Part-time fee is for 60 credits and will apply each year for two years, with an inflationary increase of up to 5% in Year 2.
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Additional costs

Participants should take into account any travel, accommodation and expenses involved in their report or dissertation.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

IOE Centenary-Windle Trust Scholarship

Value: Full tuition fees and stipend (online study only) (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE Windle Trust Scholarship

Value: Full tuition fees and stipend (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-Clarke Scholarships

Deadline: 2 May 2023
Value: Tuition fees and a stipend of £17,609 (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-ISH Centenary Masters Scholarships

Deadline: 2 May 2023
Value: Tuition fees and accommodation at International Students House (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Advanced Educational Practice at graduate level
  • why you want to study Advanced Educational Practice at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Normally applicants for the Graduate Diploma in Advanced Educational Practice are working in educational settings.  This may be full-time, part-time or as a volunteer.

Most applicants are teachers, tutors or teaching assistants, but we welcome applicants from other professions who support learning in their settings.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2023-2024

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

Ioe.aep@ucl.ac.uk

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