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Advanced Educational Practice Grad Dip

Distance learning programme

This Graduate Diploma has been developed to enable participants to reflect on educational practice, taking a professional academic approach. It works as excellent continuing professional development for teachers, teaching assistants and others working in educational settings. It has been developed to help educational practitioners in both UK nd international settings respond to professional needs they identify. Study on this fully online programme therefore supports participants to be more articulate about the educational practices they are involved in, which may support promotion and further opportunities for life long learning.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£8,500
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 (2024/25)
£17,300
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
September 2024
January 2025
Applications accepted
September 2024 entry: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

January 2025 entry: 06 Feb – 07 Oct 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications 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.

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. Its field of study is pedagogical practice examined through the different lenses of learning, assessment, the curriculum and action research. Learning is presented through using the community of practice as a tool to share and enhance understanding.

Participants may study their modules in any order but there are no core or compulsory modules. The programme 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

Anyone with a level 5 or above qualification who has access to a learning environment e.g., school or college.

The award has been developed for teachers, teaching assistants, educational administrators, tutors in FE Colleges as well as those in other professions such as medicine, the police force, librarians, and support staff working in educational settings.

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, as well as full lectures presented by IOE academics. Responses are then shared with the online community and participants are encouraged to respond to each other, thereby enriching their understanding of practice in different educational settings globally, from the perspective of practitioners or learners.

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

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.

Successful participants in this programme have moved onto master's level study, and where appropriate may transfer 30 honours level credits to that study.

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.

Moving forward we expect to attract those from the Further Education community (Tutors and Teachers working in FE Colleges) who are interested in continuing their professional development.

Networking

Studying on this programme means that you will meet with others who are working in the same or similar areas. As the programme is mainly taught online, this networking will be through module forums and opportunities for synchronous engagement, for example live discussion groups. However, as a registered student at IOE, you are able to join face-to-face open seminars or Special Interest Groups (SIGs) which are advertised through your UCL email.

Teaching and learning

The team have developed a range of distance and online strategies to support the learning and teaching within this programme. Distance learning involves engagement with texts written by the team, readings accessible through the library and engagement with online forums. It can also include links to videos and other online resources. Distance learning is distinctive in that it tends to be 'self-study' and uses less interactive activity. Online learning is subtlety different and involves both synchronous and asynchronous teaching including lectures, seminars and opportunities for tutorials. Both modes use a range of tools to support learning and teaching, such as 'Padlet' or 'Zoom'.

Modules are normally taught fully online through our VLE, Moodle alongside participants on the MA Education (Advanced Practice) programme. Attendance is measured through access to the material and activities, responses in forums and completion of tasks shared online.

The GD AEP is situated in a formative assessment approach to learning so throughout module teaching there are opportunities for feedback from tutors and peers. Participants are also encouraged to engage in self-assessment, using Assessment for Learning tools such as 'audits' and quizzes introduced through Moodle. The formative assessment activities can be used to help complete the summative assessments which occur at the end of each module.

All modules have an essay (usually 4,000 words) as the standard summative assessment. In addition, two modules offer alternative assessments of presentation (Teacher as Author) and portfolio (Independent Study Module). There are no examinations in this programme.

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 participants' 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 programme can be studied full-time or flexible/modular which means that you lead your learning. The learning is alongside those studying on the MA Education (Advanced Practice) route 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 examined through the lens of practitioner or learner.

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.

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 examined through the lens of practitioner or learner.

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.

All participants usually study the Graduate Diploma online where attendance is recorded through responses to Keep In Touch (KIT) tasks. In some cases, modules may also be available in a fact-to-face mode.

Optional modules






Developing the Role of the Higher or Further Education Tutor


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.

Placement

All participants should normally have access to an educational setting either as paid work, or as a volunteer. Placements are not arranged by the programme team.

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 and Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £8,500
Tuition fees (2024/25) £17,300

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 need to have access to an appropriate device with good access to the internet. Whilst a smart phone may be appropriate, it does not accommodate typing long essays or documents.

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

If participants decide to undertake the placement and fieldwork, it must be self-funded.

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-Clarke Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024
Value: Tuition fees, return flights and stipend (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-ISH Centenary Masters Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024
Value: Tuition fees and accommodation (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: 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 qualification

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: 2024-2025

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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