University of Kent

Introduction

Welcome to the programme, which is run by the University's Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching. It is intended to support you as an academic or academic-related member of staff and to help you develop your knowledge and skills as a teacher and researcher. It does this through modules which aim to enhance your understanding of the principles of effective teaching and research in higher education, applying those principles to the development of your practical teaching and research skills and making links between principles and practice.

The programme is located within the University's Credit Framework and is worth 60 credit points at ‘M' level. It is structured to take account of different levels of previous experience, to enable you to choose modules relevant to your work and interests and to offer a degree of flexibility in the order in which you take these modules. The normal period of registration – for fulltime and part-time staff - is two years. This may be extended to a third year. If you wish to extend it beyond three years you will need to make an application to do so. Successful completion of the programme gives you a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education. For Graduate Teaching Assistants we offer the Associate Teacher Accreditation Programme - a one-year programme studying the two core PGCHE modules in order to gain 30 credits. Upon completion you will be invited to upgrade to the PGCHE if you wish.

The intention of the programme, however, is not just to give you a qualification but to support you in your work as a member of academic staff and to help you to build on and learn from your experience. It seeks to balance theory and practice. It is intended not for educational theorists but for reflective practitioners. It will draw on theories of teaching and learning, and on educational research, but will bring these to bear on your own work and experience. The work which you do for the programme should therefore be continuous with your own work in teaching, research and administration, providing an added dimension to it.