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Teaching and Reflective Practice PG Dip

London, Bloomsbury

The PG Dip provides a comprehensive teacher education course fostering academic rigour as well as practical understanding and application of theories. The approach integrates academic theory with a well-supported teaching practice. UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is working in partnership with the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS). The IIS offers a Secondary Teacher Education Programme (STEP) to train prospective and practising teachers in Ismaili schools worldwide in the IIS secondary curriculum. Applicants for the Postgraduate Diploma shall be required to apply via IIS using the relevant application processes of IIS for the STEP Programme.

UK students International students
Study mode
Part-time
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
Fees to be confirmed
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
Fees to be confirmed
Duration
2 academic years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
All applicants: 28 Aug – 20 Oct 2025

Applications closed

All applicants must submit via The Institute of Ismaili Studies. For apply details and information about application dates for this course, please visit The Institute of Ismaili Studies' website.

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Entry requirements

Applicants will need to satisfy meet both IIS' and UCL's academic requirements. UCL’s academic requirements are a minimum of a UK lower second class Bachelors (Honours) degree or overseas qualification of equivalent standard. Applicants with international qualifications can check if their qualification is equivalent to a UK lower second class Honours degree by selecting their country in the drop-down below. For full details on the academic entry requirements for this programme, please visit IIS' website: https://www.iis.ac.uk/study/graduate-studies/step/entry-requirements/.

The English language level for this course is: Level 2
For full details on the English language requirements for the STEP programme, please visit IIS' website: https://www.iis.ac.uk/study/graduate-studies/step/

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

At the heart of the Teaching and Reflective Practice PG Dip are the concepts of teaching, reflective practice, practical approaches to teaching as well as scholarship of teaching, learning, and teacher agency.

The Teaching and Reflective Practice PG Dip is designed to promote the idea of a professional learning network in which participants interact in a spirit of critical engagement.

The two main strengths of the Teaching and Reflective Practice PG Dip are a) its capacity to offer student teachers a much stronger teaching practice component and b) incorporation of modules that will provide student teachers with skills and support offered in an initial teacher education course. Although the proposed model does not lead to a qualified teacher certification, it will equip our student teachers with knowledge, skills and experiences very similar to those required by such qualifications. The course differs from traditional teacher education courses with regard to its focus on broader educational practices that will enable graduates to continue their personal professional development beyond the duration of the course.

The PG Dip provides a comprehensive teacher education course, fostering academic rigour as well as practical understanding and application of theories. The approach integrates academic theory with a well-supported teaching practice.

Who this course is for

Candidates are recruited from the Ismaili community only.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

As a STEP student you will be provided with learning opportunities to develop high academic and professional standards and to apply critical reflection as a basis for personal continuous professional development beyond the course. We will encourage you to learn how to contextualise curricula and transfer theories and practical strategies from one context to another.

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

The foundation of your career

STEP is aimed at practising and prospective teachers wishing to embark on a career in teaching, with a particular focus on teaching the IIS’ Secondary Curriculum at Ismaili Religious Education Centres. Following completion of the academic programme in London, students are contracted for a minimum of five years to serve as professional teachers with the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Boards (ITREB), in the students’ countries of origin, unless agreed otherwise. As all STEP students receive their employment contract before they start their studies at the IIS, they can focus on preparing themselves for a successful transition into a secure professional environment upon completion of the programme, without the need of worrying about their employment. 

Student employability is supported by the Institute beyond the time students spend in London. A detailed multi-pronged approach to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) informs the ongoing needs of STEP teachers, supporting them in their ongoing growth and development, and includes: 

  • Ongoing individualised mentorship including an IIS facilitated CPD 
  • Professional Learning Communities 
  • Access to online and physical resources 
  • Funding for research  
  • Conferences and related activities 
  • Secondment to other countries 
  • Networking and professional activities in their own or other contexts.

As part of their ongoing professional development, STEP teachers are supported to: 

  • follow a career in education leadership 
  • specialise in specific education-related areas such counselling or education research 
  • work as teacher trainers for primary level classrooms 
  • work in the further development of the programme at the IIS or its sister organisations, such as the Aga Khan Academy or schools run by the Aga Khan Education Services 
  • conduct research in education or related fields. 

For those interested in deepening their studies and contributing intellectually to the academic world in general, and to the academic advancement of the IIS and the Ismaili community in particular, the IIS offers a limited number of scholarships to pursue research at a doctoral level. Great attention is given to research areas that are traditionally considered part of Islamic Studies. Among these, the most relevant to the Institute’s research needs are: Ismaili Studies, wider Shi‘i Studies, Qur’anic Studies, Islamic Law, Education and Manuscript Studies. In addition, scholarships are also open to any area in which Islam can be analysed in one of its various manifestations (historical, theological, philosophical, legal, educational, political, ritual, or cultural). STEP teachers are eligible to apply for the doctoral scholarship once they have completed their initial five year employment contract with ITREB. 

Employability

The IIS Alumni Association offers our graduates a number of services and benefits, including:

  • Professional development and networking opportunities at Annual Chapter Group meetings of the IIS Alumni Association, Alumni Lecture, and Local Meet & Greet events;
  • Access to funding of up to £1000 for research, publishing monographs and articles, presenting research papers at conferences, and attending courses supporting their research activities;
  • Access to customised Career Support Programme;
  • Leadership opportunities to become a regional President or Secretary for the Alumni Chapter Groups in Asia, Europe or North America;
  • Access to facilities at the Aga Khan Centre, including the Aga Khan Library, London;
  • Access to global job opportunities, conferences and events, as well as the international alumni directory via the IIS Alumni Online Community Portal;
  • Opportunities to publish articles in the annual Alumni Newsletter which features academic and professional contributions of IIS alumni and much more;
  • The opportunity to become an alumni mentor to current IIS students and new graduates through the IIS Alumni Mentorship Programme; A range of Continuing Professional Development initiatives are in place for the STEP graduates, enabling them to enhance their skills and capabilities.

A range of Continuing Professional Development initiatives are in place for the STEP graduates, enabling them to enhance their skills and capabilities. As the STEP initiative takes root in different countries across the world, many opportunities for teacher exchange are emerging, offering international experience as well as facilitating knowledge-transfer across cultures. Further, with the growing network of Aga Khan Academies and partnerships with schools operated by the Aga Khan Education Services, graduates of STEP have opportunities to teach beyond the religious education system, contributing to the education of secondary students in the wider community. 

Read further information on our alumni page. 

Networking

You will work with other students and tutors drawn from across the IOE Faculty and University.

STEP caters directly for students wishing to embark upon a career in teaching within the wider Aga Khan network of institutions, with a particular focus on teaching at the Ismaili Religious Education Centres (RECs) at the secondary level worldwide.

Teaching and learning

On campus there are a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops - supported by independent study and a rich online learning environment.

Assessment includes written assignments and presentations. Please refer to individual modules for more details on the type and length of assessment, along with the specific aims and outcomes for each module.

Learning activities on this programme include formal learning and teaching events such as lectures, seminars, and tutorials, as well as independent study. In addition, students undertake school placements both in the UK and in their home countries. Contact hours therefore vary each term and year of study. Students typically have 10 - 17 contact hours a week in year 1. In addition, students are expected to engage in self-study for 10 - 15 hours a week in year 1, Self-study includes preparation for classes, additional reading; searching for and sourcing learning readings/learning materials, academic reflection, assignment preparation and submission. In year 2 contact hours vary due to the overseas teaching placement.

Modules

The PG Dip is offered within the Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (CPA). The full course name is Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Reflective Practice (PG Dip). STEP students study this programme part-time over two consecutive years. The course consists of four compulsory modules. Each module carries the UCL Credit value of 30 credits.

Students undertake modules to the value of 120 credits over two consecutive years.

Compulsory 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 PG Dip in Teaching and Reflective Practice.

Placement

PG Dip students will have the experience of a school placement in one of our London based partnership schools. This is scheduled to begin in January and continue until mid-July. 

The school placement is an integral part of the UCL PG Diploma. Its aims are to develop students’ pedagogical knowledge, skills and understanding which complement the modules taught across the course and underpins each module assessment.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) Fees to be confirmed
Tuition fees (2026/27) Fees to be confirmed

Additional costs

All students are placed in a UK school so they all require DBS. The DBS application cost will be covered by UCL, but offer holders will also need to have their ID checked and verified at a Post Office, for which they will incur a charge of £15 (note this was the fee for 2025 so may change).

Please see www.IIS.ac.uk for more information.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

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

Next steps

Please refer to the IIS website for further information: 

https://www.iis.ac.uk/study/step-admissions/entry-requirements/

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

Got questions? Get in touch

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment
Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

Admissions@iis.ac.uk

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