Education in Further Education

This course is a mandatory requirement for those teaching in Further Education (FE) Colleges and other adult education training providers. This course is a follow-on for those who have successfully completed the Certificate in Teaching.

Advanced teaching skills will be covered on the course and you will apply these to your own subject discipline. Further, you will have the opportunity to explore new structures in terms of processes, design assessment and the support mechanisms that will enhance quality.

Your classroom practice will be observed, and you will be required to draw upon research and academic literature to complete your assignments.

For acceptance to this course, students must meet the entry requirements as set out at ulster.ac.uk and must liaise with their employer in order to provide evidence that they are employed in a further education college or in the work-based learning sector.

For further course details please see "Course Web Page" below.

Year one
Action Research in the Classroom
This module offers learners the opportunity to complete a short action research project within their own subject discipline, drawing upon contemporary literature and theory. They are encouraged to address issues and initiate solutions by being adventurous within their own classrooms and trialling new pedagogic techniques and approaches. They will be able to draw on peer and tutor feedback to implement new ideas and evaluate them for dissemination across the wider FE sector.

Quality Innovation and Change
This module offers learners the opportunity to explore new structures in terms of processes, design assessment and support mechanisms that will enhance quality. Collaborative learning and action based investigative studies will facilitate the transfer of support and information during this module. Quality indicators will be investigated to enhance the future development of learning programmes, configured using customised and accessible units of assessment and outcomes driven objectives.

Exemplar Assessments
Students have completed work on a wide range of themes including:
Essential Skills
Employability
Special Needs
Enterprise and Innovation
Technology Enhanced Learning
Problem based learning
Social Learning
Thinking skills

To apply to our postgraduate taught programmes, you must meet the University's General Entrance Requirements and any course-specific requirements.

These vary depending on the course and are detailed online.

To be eligible to apply all applicants should normally:
- Provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English and Maths (GCSE grade C or equivalent). See DEL circular FE12/09 Annex A;

- have completed the Certificate in Teaching (CIT) from the University of Ulster or have successfully completed the Diploma in the Teaching and Management of Adult Literacy or Numeracy from Queens University Belfast.

You must submit your Diploma to claim this exemption. Please note that it is only the Diploma and not the Certificate which can be used to progress straight to the PGCE (FE) programme.

- meet the general education requirements and experience requirements as outlined in Annex A DEL Circular FE12/09 issued November 2009. (Qualifications required to teach in further education)

- be currently in paid employment as a full or part time teacherin an FE College or the work based learning sector for at least 8 hours per week over one full academic year (Oct – May) with full teaching responsibility for a group of at least 6-8 learners. You will need a statement from your employer stating that you meet this criterion. Unfortunately one-to-one teaching is not acceptable.

If English is not your first language this course requires a minimum English level of IELTS (academic) 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5, or equivalent.

Visit ulster.ac.uk/englishrequirements for more details.

For full entry requirements please see "Course Web Page" below.

Your Application
Application is through the University's online application system (see "Application Weblink" below).

Year of entry: 2020/21

Postgraduate Information Session 11 March 2020
Register at: ulster.ac.uk/pg-information-events

Career options
This is an in-service course and you must be employed to undertake this programme.