Professional Practice in Higher Education MA

A programme to help staff and research students address the key challenges of working in higher education.

• Opportunities for accredited professional development designed to meet the needs of those working in higher education contexts, by building on prior relevant credit or HEA fellowships.
• Undertake professional development at your own pace. We offer flexible patterns of enrolment, course delivery and credit accumulation.
• Learning activities and assessment tasks have a practical orientation and can be tailored to reflect the needs of your work environment.

This flexible Master’s course is designed to support your continued professional development through a range of module options, and offers both intermediate qualifications and external (HEA) accredited status (for those with suitable teaching practice in HE only). You'll choose modules based on your role and interests and study over a two to five year period.

The course is suitable for academics, professional services staff and research students and can build on previous relevant PGCerts (in HE practice) or HEA Fellowships via accreditation of prior learning. As a staff member or research student, the PPHE programme will help you meet the key challenges of working in the rapidly changing world of higher education while gaining credit and postgraduate qualifications for your professional development.

You must be working, or a research student, in a Higher Education Institution (including HE in FE) during your part time study on this course. Activities and assessments are based on your current HE professional practice. This includes both academic and professional services staff. Enquire with the course team to discuss. You’ll normally be required to possess an undergraduate degree awarded by a UK higher education institution, or equivalent qualification from overseas. Applicants who do not possess an undergraduate degree, or equivalent professional qualification, but who have at least two years of work experience relevant to the programme are also welcome to apply and will be invited to attend an admissions interview. If you already hold a qualification such as a PGCert in HE (learning and teaching or academic practice), or a fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, the course can build on this towards a higher qualification. This course is consequently suitable primarily for those living and working in the UK, able to travel to Bath regularly for part time study alongside their work in HE.