Develop your practice. Enhance your teaching. Gain professional recognition.
The University of Portsmouth's Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGCert HE) is designed for colleagues who teach and/or support learning in higher education.
Facilitated by staff from the Centre for Academic and Digital Innovation (CADI), the PGCert HE provides a supportive and practical opportunity to explore your practice, learn alongside colleagues from across the University and develop as an evidence-informed and reflective educator.
The programme consists of two interconnected 30-credit Level 7 modules:
Module 1 – Teach Well: Principles to Practice
Explore effective learning and teaching through Learning Design, Teaching Practice, and Assessment and Feedback. Develop, reflect on and articulate your practice while working towards Associate Fellow (D1).
Successful completion of Module 1 awards 30 credits at Level 7 and Advance HE Associate Fellow (Descriptor 1).
Module 2 – Teach Well: Enhancing and Evaluating Your Practice
Build on Module 1 by critically examining and enhancing your practice through scholarship, inquiry and your own Learning and Teaching Enhancement Project (LTEP), working towards Fellow (D2).
Successful completion of Module 2 awards a further 30 credits at Level 7. Together with Module 1, this leads to the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (60 credits at Level 7) and Advance HE Fellow (Descriptor 2).
Choose your PGCert HE pathway
We recognise that colleagues come to the PGCert HE with different levels of experience, different roles and different professional development goals. That's why there is flexibility in how you progress through the programme.
Everyone begins their PGCert HE journey with Module 1: Teach Well – Principles to Practice. After completing Module 1, there are three pathways available to you.
Complete Teach Well: Principles to Practice as a standalone 30-credit Level 7 module.
On successful completion, you will leave with:
- 30 credits at Level 7
- Advance HE Associate Fellow (Descriptor 1)
After successfully completing Module 1, you can move onto Module 2 if you meet the entry requirements. Successful completion of both modules leads to the PGCert HE and Advance HE Fellow (D2).
On successful completion of both modules, you will leave with:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education – 60 credits at Level 7
- Advance HE Fellow (Descriptor 2)
Complete Module 1 and spend time developing your practice and building your evidence before returning to Module 2 when you are ready and meet the entry requirements.
What our participants say...
Hear from colleagues who have completed Teach Well – Principles to Practice about the difference it has made to their practice:
‘The Teach Well course really motivated me to reflect more on the how, what and why of my teaching, and helped me articulate this better with plenty of exploration of underlying teaching and learning theories’
‘Teach Well helped identify the areas of development required in my own knowledge personal practice which has given me the confidence and skills to support the creation and improvement of teaching and learning activities’
‘The Teach Well course joined up the dots of my prior knowledge and put theoretical concepts into context, the impact it has had on my professional practice has been tremendous. I'm now armed with the ability to ask the right questions when talking to my academic colleagues, so that together we can improve modules and courses from several different aspects’
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Module 1: Teach Well – Principles to Practice is open to University of Portsmouth colleagues in a range of roles who teach and/or support learning in higher education.
Teaching and supporting learning can take many forms and does not need to mean traditional classroom teaching. It might include facilitating workshops or tutorials, designing learning activities, assessment and feedback, or supporting individual learners or groups.
Module 2 has additional prerequisites relating to your experience and current practice, which are explained below.
Students are not eligible to apply for Teach Well.
No. Everyone begins with Module 1: Teach Well – Principles to Practice, but you can choose to finish your PGCert HE journey after Module 1.
Successful completion of Module 1 awards 30 credits at Level 7 and Advance HE Associate Fellow (D1).
If you meet the entry requirements for Module 2, you can progress immediately or return at a later point when you have developed the breadth and depth of practice required for Fellow (D2).
No. Module 1 stands alone, so you can decide whether to progress to Module 2 immediately or return when the time is right for you.
Module 2: Teach Well – Enhancing and Evaluating Your Practice is designed for colleagues who have established experience of teaching and/or supporting learning in higher education and are ready to critically examine, evaluate and enhance their practice.
To undertake Module 2, you will need to:
-
have successfully completed Module 1: Teach Well – Principles to Practice and achieved Associate Fellow (D1)
-
undertake at least 10 hours of teaching and/or supporting learning during the teaching block in which you study Module 2
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have sufficient breadth and depth of recent higher education practice to draw on a range of examples and demonstrate the requirements of Fellow (D2).
The 10 hours is a minimum requirement and, on its own, may not provide sufficient experience to demonstrate the breadth and depth expected at D2.
We recognise that teaching and supporting learning can look different depending on your role. If you are unsure whether your experience or current opportunities meet the requirements for Module 2, please contact jamie.meekins@port.ac.uk before applying. We will be happy to discuss your individual circumstances with you.
That's absolutely fine. You can complete Module 1 and spend time developing your experience and evidence before returning to Module 2. There is no expectation that everyone progresses immediately.
Successful completion of both 30-credit modules awards the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (60 credits at Level 7) and Advance HE Fellow (Descriptor 2).
Yes. Participants are expected to attend all face-to-face sessions. We recommend discussing your availability with your line manager before applying. However, we understand that full attendance may not always be possible and encourage you to contact us to discuss any potential conflicts prior to applying.
The Professional Standards Framework 2023 (PSF23) describes professional practice in higher education teaching and supporting learning. Teach Well is aligned to the framework, with Module 1 leading to Associate Fellow (D1) and completion of both modules leading to Fellow (D2).
You don't need to be familiar with the PSF23 before starting – you'll explore it throughout Teach Well.
A professional conversation is a structured and supportive discussion about your practice.
Rather than testing your ability to memorise the PSF23, it gives you an opportunity to use examples from your experience to explain what you do, why you do it, what informs your decisions and the difference your practice makes to learners.
You will have opportunities to prepare for the professional conversation throughout the modules.
Please get in touch with chris.wood1@port.ac.uk. We are happy to discuss your role, experience and professional development goals and help you decide which pathway is most appropriate for you.
Application Guidance
- Check you can attend all the face-to-face sessions
- Complete the external application form, preferably using a non-UoP email address
- Submit your application through SITS
- Accept your offer and complete registration before the cohort begins
- Provide references, personal statements or passport documents
- Add qualifications
- Complete a fee assessment
- Respond to automated qualification requests
- Pay fees at registration
Ready to start your PGCert HE journey?
Applications for Teach Well: Principles to Practice open ahead of each new cohort.
We are currently recruiting for the January 2027 cohort of Teach Well: Principles of Practice (Module 1).
Before applying, please discuss your participation with your line manager to ensure you have appropriate support and time to engage fully with the programme.
| Date | Session | Format and Time |
|---|---|---|
| 26 January 2027 | Introduction Session | Face-to-face · 9am–5pm · ULC 5.09 |
| 9 February 2027 | Pillar 1: Learning Design | Face-to-face · 9am–5pm · ULC 5.09 |
| 16 February 2027 | Personal Pedagogies | Online · 10am–12pm |
| 2 March 2027 | Pillar 2: Teaching Practice | Face-to-face · 9am–5pm · ULC 5.09 |
| 9 March 2027 | Online Teaching Using Digital Tools | Online · 10am–12pm |
| 23 March 2027 | Pillar 3: Assessment and Feedback | Face-to-face · 9am–5pm · ULC 5.09 |
| 30 March 2027 | AI in Education | Online · 2–4pm |
| 6 April 2027 | Optional Drop-in Session | Face-to-face · 1–3pm · ULC 5.09 |
| w/c 26 April 2027 | Assessment 1: Micro-teach | Individual dates and times TBC |
| w/c 3 May 2027 | Assessment 2: Professional Conversation | Individual dates and times TBC |
If you have questions about the PG Cert HE, the different pathways or whether the programme is appropriate for your role and experience, please contact chris.wood1@port.ac.uk.