Education

Postgraduate Certificate in Online and Distance Education
This certificate is presented by The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology and is open to students from countries all over the world. It offers the unique opportunity to study the theory and practice of online and distance education through modules created by experts from the Institute who are reinventing digital learning through the innovative use of new media and technologies.

Key features of the course
• Designed to meet the needs of practitioners using new technologies in their professional context
• Deepens your understanding of online teaching and learning, and learning that blends face-to-face and distance education
• Encourages you to link your studies with your own practice throughout
• Relevant for non-practitioners with an interest in online learning.

Modules
To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits as follows:
60 credits from:
Module
• Technology-enhanced learning: foundations and futures (H880)* 60
Next start: 06 Feb 2023

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules H800, H801, H802, H803, H804, H805, H806, H807, H808, H809, H810, H817, H818 and H819.

*This module is presented on the FutureLearn platform.

You should note that the University's unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

You must be prepared for study at postgraduate level. This usually means holding a bachelors degree - whether from a UK university or from one outside the UK - or its equivalent. However, if you have successfully completed two-thirds of a bachelors degree (an HND in the UK, for example) and have professional experience in technology-enabled learning, you may still be eligible for the programme. You will be asked to provide further information and evidence of your eligibility as part of the registration process for the programme.

All teaching is in English, and your proficiency in the language needs to be adequate for postgraduate study and for contributing to online discussions by text and voice. If English is not your first language, we strongly recommend that you make sure you can achieve a score of at least seven in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). To assess your English Language skills in relation to your proposed studies, you can visit the IELTS website. Although experience of distance education may be an advantage, it is not essential. If you are not sure whether your qualifications and experience are suitable, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice.

Minimum - 1 year.

How long it takes
The minimum time to complete this qualification is one year.

Career relevance
Workplaces and work roles increasingly involve media-rich and technology-enhanced forms of learning, professional practice and personal development, often summarised in the term 'elearning'. Accordingly, the experience of achieving this certificate has proved vocationally relevant across a wide range of occupations and locations, from managers in business organisations, teachers of languages, consultants, trainers and teachers at any level of the education sector.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Online and Distance Education requires study using a range of tools and learning environments. You will improve your personal skills in using these tools and this makes a positive impact on your own practice. You will experience the implications of learning technology choices made across a wide range of contexts and organisations, both formal and informal. You will advance not only your skills of selection and design of technology, but also your understanding of how technologies engage learners and how they can be evaluated and developed on a continuing basis.

If you want to further explore this subject area, take a look at our range of online teaching microcredentials. These are sector-endorsed courses studied over 12 weeks, and are designed to help you build professional skills. They cover topics such as creating online courses, embedding mental health in the curriculum, evaluating online learning, accessibility, and equitable online learning.

The vocational relevance of a qualification in Online and Distance Education goes well beyond the obvious category of teacher and trainer, and previous alumni have included librarians, media professionals, project managers, consultants, entrepreneurs, practice educators in nursing, web developers and other professionals in commerce.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.