Course Summary
This professional postgraduate qualification explores education through the lens of your chosen specialism and you will be encouraged to relate your learning and theoretical content to your own experiences and context.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
To study for this postgraduate diploma course, you must hold a bachelors degree from a UK university or other recognised degree-awarding body, or a qualification at an 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.
In order to study this qualification, you do not need to be employed in an educational setting. However, it is important that you have some experience in engaging or working with learners, children or young people as our pathway disciplines (Learning and Teaching, Inclusive Practice, and Leadership and Management) are all explored through the lens of education. Therefore you will need to be able to apply your learning to a relevant context or learning environment.
This can be through employment or other means, such as volunteering and/or special arrangements undertaken for the purposes of your study. Apart from schools and colleges, other organisations providing educational services – such as health and care education environments, youth, play, or early years work, armed forces, business and commercial environments – all could provide suitable settings to apply your learning and later carry out your dissertation should you decide to continue towards a full masters degree.
If you are not sure whether your qualifications and experience are suitable, please contact us for advice.
Application Details
See Course Web Page link for next start date.
Fees
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Social
The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.
Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.
Career Progression
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 masters degree is becoming essential for career advancement in education, training and professional development 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, on 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 critically draw on appropriate research
have an understanding of ethical considerations in research
the ability to produce 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.
Duration
How long it takes
Most students study the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Studies in Education part-time, completing 60 credits a year over two years. Typically, this means 13–19 study hours each week.
You must complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Studies in Education within four years.