Education - Professional Studies in Education

Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education
This professional qualification gives an introduction to postgraduate study in the field of education and offers the opportunity to explore one topic in detail. The modules available cover a range of areas within education but all encourage you to draw on your own experiences and undertake enquiry in your own context. You may also qualify for this postgraduate certificate course if you do not complete a full masters degree in education.

Key features of the course
• Offers a rich diversity of modules to suit your professional requirements and interests
• Has an emphasis on professional development through collaborative learning
• Develops and consolidates advanced scholarship and independent learning in the context of your own practice
• Can be used as the first stepping stone towards the MA or MEd in Education on completion.

Modules
To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits from the following:
60 credits from:
Optional modules
• Addressing inequality and difference in educational practice (EE814) 60
Next start: 01 Oct 2022
• Educational leadership: agency, professional learning and change (EE811) 60
Next start: 01 Oct 2022
• Applied linguistics and English language (EE817) 60
Next start: 01 Oct 2022
• Learning and teaching: educating the next generation (EE830) 60
Next start: 01 Oct 2022

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.

To study for this postgraduate certificate course you must hold a bachelors degree from a UK university or other recognised degree-awarding body, or a qualification at equivalent level.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 7 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see their website for details.

You will be encouraged to relate the content of the modules to your own experiences therefore you will need access to an educational setting either through employment or other means such as volunteering and special arrangements for purposes of your study. Apart from schools and colleges, other organisations providing educational services – such as nursing education, youth, play, or early years work – could provide suitable settings to apply your learning and later carry out your dissertation. The various activities embedded in the study guide will help you develop skills of independent study and enquiry.

If you are not sure whether your qualifications and experience are suitable, please contact us for advice.

Minimum - 1 year.

How long it takes
The minimum time to complete is 1 year.

Career relevance
Throughout the world there is an increasing demand for creative, innovative education professionals who have highly developed skills and a deep understanding of learning; in many countries a postgraduate qualification is becoming essential for career advancement in education and training settings.

This qualification is designed to enrich your knowledge and improve your professional practice.

On completing your studies, you should be able to:
• demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems at a professional or equivalent level
• reflect critically and constructively, in the light of ideas and frameworks presented in the modules and how these apply to your practice and organisational context
• be ready to continue your studies and complete the Masters in Education (F70) with The Open University.

You will also acquire qualities and transferable skills that are highly prized by employers within education and related fields, such as:
• exercising initiative and personal responsibility
• the ability to make decisions in complex and unpredictable situations
• the ability to draw on appropriate research and ethical understanding
• the production of reports/outputs for academic and professional purposes.

You will be guided through the materials on how you can recognise and acknowledge these additional skills.

Please note that this postgraduate qualification does not qualify you for teacher registration in any country.

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