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This Graduate Diploma has been developed to enable participants to reflect on their own educational practice, taking a professional academic approach. The programme's presentation is either fully online for individual students or mixed mode for those joining a school-based cohort group (minimum of 20 participants for the whole programme which includes MA participants).
Key information
Programme starts
September 2021, January 2022
Modes and duration
All students usually study the Graduate Diploma online where attendance is recorded through responses to Keep In Touch (KIT) tasks.
Application dates
Tuition fees (2021/22)
Note on fees:
The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees. The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website.
Please note: students starting study in January 2021 will pay fees at the 2020/21 rate.
Modular fees are pro-rated based on the credit value undertaken each year.
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).
English language requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.
The English language level for this programme is: Good
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.
International students
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.
Select your country:
About this degree
This programme has been developed to respond to educational practitioner needs in both UK and international settings. Students 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.
Students 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.
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 is subject to change.
Compulsory modules
There is no compulsory module in the Advanced Educational Practice Graduate Diploma programme. Students may study up to four optional modules in any order.
Optional modules
Students choose four of the following:
- Developing Mentoring Practices
- Independent Study
- Supporting Learners and Learning
- Teacher as Author: Curriculum Design and Development
- The Action Researcher: Exploring Contexts and Issues
- Developing the Role of the Higher or Further Education Tutor
- Assessing Colleagues' Learning
Visit the UCL Institute of Education website for more information, including module descriptions, which can be seen by clicking on the module title.
Dissertation/report
Not applicable.
Fieldwork
Students 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.
Teaching and learning
This programme is delivered fully online through our virtual learning environment (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 through forums. On some modules we offer synchronous discussion opportunity through the VLE software, Blackboard Collaborate. 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 student's time is in independent study.
Additional costs
For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.
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.
Funding
Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.
IOE Centenary Masters Scholarships
- Value:
- Full tuition fees and accommodation (1 year)
- Eligibility:
- Overseas
- Criteria:
- Based on both academic merit and financial need
IOE-Clarke Scholarships
- Value:
- Tuition fees, stipend, flights (1 year)
- Eligibility:
- Overseas
- Criteria:
- Based on both academic merit and financial need
IOE Windle Trust Scholarship
- Note:
- Deadline: 31 December 2020
- Value:
- Full tuition fees and some allowances (Up to 3yrs)
- Eligibility:
- Overseas
- Criteria:
- Based on both academic merit and financial need
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
Careers
The majority of students 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.
Employability
The programme is designed to empower students as education practitioners through development of transferable academic skills in practitioner research and engagement with literature.
Why study this degree at UCL?
Through an established virtual learning environment, students 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 students are encouraged to respond to each other.
Students 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 students are involved in through engagement in reflection and critical analysis of those practices.
Department: Curriculum, Pedagogy & Assessment
Application and next steps
Applications
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.
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. Further information regarding references can be found in our How to apply section.
For programmes commencing in the 2020/21 academic session, e.g. before 1 August 2021, there is an application processing fee of £80 for online applications and £105 for paper applications. For programmes commencing from 1 August 2021 (in the 2021/22 academic session), there is an application processing fee of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications.
Who can apply?
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.
Application deadlines
- September 2021 entry; visa nationals
- 31 May 2021
- September 2021 entry; non-visa nationals
- 30 July 2021
- January 2022 entry
- 20 November 2021
For more information see our Applications page.
Apply nowWhat are we looking for?
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.
UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.
Page last modified on 28 August 2021
