Professional Practice in Higher Education

By sharing ideas, knowledge and expertise about our professional practices, we can deepen our understanding of the challenges we face, and realise opportunities to make improvements through innovations and the adoption of best practices.

The PPHE programme will help you evidence your commitment to professional development, and enhance the quality of your work, as well as the development of higher education in your workplace.

The programme is based on a credit system; you’ll select modules and patterns of study to suit your needs and interests, building up credit module by module during the options stage before the final research stage. All modules are credit rated and lead to the following possible exit qualifications:

Postgraduate Certificate requires 60 credits from any combination of modules. A further 60 credits will give you your Postgraduate Diploma. Finally, the Master’s award requires 180 credits in total including 30 credits on research methods, plus 60 for a Research Project / Dissertation.

Most modules (subject to availability) can be taken in any order and in any combination, though we'd advise new BSU teachers (including professional services staff who engage in suitable teaching) to include the Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education module among their initial options. A small number of modules is available only to those with specific teaching or research responsibilities. The Master’s Project or Dissertation should be taken as the final module. Tutorials will be available to help you plan your course of study.

This course includes or offers the following modules. Please check the programme document for more information on which modules are core, required or optional.

• Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education
• Technology and Innovation in Higher Education
• Researcher Development
• Supervising Research
• Mentoring and Coaching in Higher Education
• Digital Learning in Higher Education
• Independent Study
• Education and Society
• Leadership in Practice
• Research Methods in Social Science
• Research and the Professional Part 1
• Research and the Professional Part 2
• Dissertation

Assessment for all modules is by coursework, based on the completion of assignments designed to promote understanding, enhancement and/or application of professional practices in higher education for your own practice.

Most modules are delivered through three/four half-day sessions, including mini-lectures, seminars, workshops and presentations, supported where appropriate by online discussions and activities. Throughout the programme, you’ll be supported by individual and small-group tutorials.

Sessions are designed to promote the sharing of ideas, expertise and experiences within a professional community of practice, so we will encourage participation and contributions from everyone. One module ('Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, for new teachers) includes some teaching observation sessions, and some modules provide opportunities for peer mentoring. Dissertation and Independent Study modules will be primarily supervision supported

The teaching sessions for some modules will be delivered within a few weeks, some over a period of several months, and some throughout the academic year. 

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

You’ll have opportunities to network, and share knowledge and experience within a community of practice focused on understanding and enhancing higher education.

The PPHE programme is designed to support the development of both academic and professional staff, teaching, managing or supporting HE students, at a time when evidence of professional development is increasingly expected of all staff, not least for new appointments and promotions.

The programme provides academic credit for CPD and further study connected with your role, and the ability to build on prior learning in this area towards a higher qualification and recognition. 

New academic staff at Bath Spa will take a core selection of the modules to gain a specific PGCHE qualification and FHEA status as part of their contract, but are welcome to continue with the PPHE programme to gain higher qualifications, as are those who have gained HEA fellowships through PRO-SPACE or similar recognition schemes.

The course is taught at our Newton Park campus. Some modules are taught online.

Learning resources for the programme will be available through the University's library and information services.

Modules have been designed to make the most of the wide range of scholarly material that is now freely available online, and participants will have access to the online resources and learning opportunities afforded by the University's Virtual Learning Environment (Ultra), which will provide links to key resources for each module.

The programme is led by the Subject Leader, Higher Education Practice, in the School of Education, and is supported by tutors with a wide range of teaching, research, management, and leadership experience within and outside higher education.