PGCert Practice Education
- Study Mode: Part Time
- Location: High Wycombe / Uxbridge
- Duration: One Year
- Start Date: September 2026 and January 2027
This course will help you to develop the essential skills to successfully support learning and teaching in contemporary professional contexts. You'll have the opportunity to tailor learning to your individual environment and graduate with a recognised postgraduate qualification that allows for further study or professional recognition.
While studying with us, you'll have opportunities to reflect on and showcase your practice in the workplace. This ‘real life’ aspect of the programme ensures that your studies support your continued professional development in a way that's relevant to your role and professional aspirations.
Through engagement with course content, I have been able to apply theory directly to practice and now feel confident in delivering effective, high quality training. Learning alongside peers from diverse clinical backgrounds was particularly valuable, broadening my perspectives on practice. As I near completion, I am motivated to continue onto a MA Education at BNU to further develop my professional practice and career progression.Poppy Rees-Smith
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
This course is unique in its outward facing approach and engages with contemporary issues in practice education. BNU can draw on the significant experience of its team to deliver professional education and up to date skills, working alongside key local healthcare trusts.
Collaboration between fellow students and lecturers plays a big part in the learning and teaching strategy of this course. This way, we showcase how best to develop professional relationships and give a broader perspective on critical issues.
Professional conversations in the form of supervisory meetings with an appropriately qualified and experienced member of the course team, will also be scheduled throughout the programme. These discussions will provide you with opportunities to tailor your studies to meet your requirements and interests.
In addition to the unique benefits this course at BNU brings you, there are other benefits to studying at BNU too, such as our prime location 30 minutes from London, our apps anywhere service that allows you to work at home, and the big deal which offers you free events, trips and societies.
I've thoroughly enjoyed the programme so far since it has enlightened me on educational theories, teaching assessment, planning and engagement and applied them to my practice. I feel I've grown and developed my confidence as an educator as well as my interpersonal skills. This has enabled me to pursue more public speaking opportunities and to build my professional profile as well as presentation skills and to network seeking new career opportunities.Shallini Anand
How will I be taught and assessed?
The course is delivered via blended mode. This means that all timetabled, taught sessions are synchronous, face to face at High Wycombe Campus and online. These are followed by asynchronous guided independent study on BNU’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) to enable you to continue the classroom discussions with more evidence-based conversations at your own pace, contributing towards the assessments.
The focus of your engagement with the assessment process will be negotiated with a member of the course team, this will ensure that assessed work both meets your interests as well as evidencing the programme learning objectives. Assessments are designed to provide opportunities to show off your professional development against the relevant sector frameworks.
Some of the ways you will be assessed include:
- practical and oral assessment, such as observed teaching sessions
- presentations
- professional conversations with a course team member
As a paramedic, I applied educational theory and within the unique, unpredictable context of paramedic practice. The programme deepened my understanding of inclusive education and effective learner engagement. Group work, discussions and tutorials contributed to my becoming a confident educator applying evidence based approaches in my day to day role and can clearly identify a tangible shift in my practice as an educator.Oliver Brown
What will I study?
The Postgraduate Certificate Practice Education is aimed at you if you are working in education and taking on training responsibilities in the practice setting. Our programme is focused on learning and teaching in professional environments and may also suit you if you work in adjacent fields, including social work or allied health care education.
The course provides you with a sound understanding of the fundamental elements of learning and teaching: designing and planning learning, teaching and supporting learning, and assessment and feedback.
Important topics are explored which link directly to your current work. We explore many contemporary issues, such as mental health and wellbeing in education, and the impact the digital world has had on our practice. Inclusivity is a central theme to the programme, and you will actively consider both your responsibilities in promoting an inclusive environment and the impact of your approaches on minority and discriminated groups.
Education is a valued and recognised certificate for professional development. You will be encouraged, through your assignments, to show your own professional development and its impact on learners and your organisation. Our teaching process is designed to support you and to help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
What facilities can I use?
We’ve invested in a range of state-of-the-art facilities across our campuses to support your learning.
Our library is the perfect place to find the resources you need and a quiet place to study, filled with four floors of books, journals, computer suites and study rooms. Or, if you’d rather work off campus, e-Journals and resources are only a few clicks away using our Virtual Learning Environment.
On this course, I have an amazing cohort of fellow students who are supportive, smart and non-judgmental. We have freedom to be our authentic selves in a safe space and I feel confident in sharing ideas, thoughts and uncertainties without worry. The course leader is patient, knowledgeable and experienced which has helped my progression.Tracy Nanquil
What are the course entry requirements?
The University’s general entry requirements will apply to admission to this programme.
- Individuals with an undergraduate degree, typically 2.1 or higher, with an interest in developing a career in practice education or relevant adjacent field and substantial relevant (ongoing) professional experience.
- Individuals without an undergraduate degree but significant experience within an appropriate profession and evidence of being prepared for L7 study will be considered. This may include, for example, qualified nurses who entered the profession prior to the degree requirement being introduced. In this case, applicants will be required to demonstrate the necessary knowledge and understanding for entry onto the course.
- Previous study, professional and / or vocational experiences may be recognised as the equivalent learning experience and permit exemption from studying certain modules in accordance with our accreditation of prior learning (APL) process.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
What are the tuition fees
Home
-
Home, Academic Year 2026 - 2027: £3,115 *
Please note all of the 2026/27 fees stated are subject to parliamentary procedure. Tuition fees are expected to increase each academic year in line with the maximum permitted value set by the Government for that academic year. The expected rise for Home undergraduate students (including those on a foundation year course), may impact both new and continuing students.
Please note, distance learning and international fees are subject to change for 2027/2028 intake.
Additional costs
Your tuition fees cover most course costs, but you may need to budget for additional expenses. These can include specialist equipment, project materials, professional memberships, field trips or placements, as well as everyday student costs like printing, books and stationery.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the fees above, contact our enquiries team by completing this form.
What are my career prospects?
A postgraduate certificate is a recognised qualification that will provide you with opportunities for further study and career development. Once you complete the PGCert Practice Education you might choose to go on to study our MA Education.
This course will prepare you for a wider range of responsibility in your current role and is really designed to push you to the next level of practice. Should you choose to pursue a different career later in your life, you will find the academic process of study and the transferable skills you gain here at BNU useful to you.
You may also use the programme as a framework to support your progression to further leadership roles within your organisation or another organisation.
I’ve developed a much clearer understanding of supportive and inclusive learning in the clinical environment. I’ve enjoyed being a part of the course, the discussions, shared experiences, and peer support have been a big part of it. I’ve been able to bring new ideas back into my team, from clearer learning outcomes to fairer assessment approaches.Alicia Brockington
