MA in Academic Practice

This online academic practice programme has been designed for applicants with limited or no experience teaching or supporting learning in higher education. Through this programme, students will develop their academic practice and build employability skills to enhance their teaching careers in higher education in the UK and around the world. There are three study awards for the programme: the Postgraduate Certificate Academic Practice (PGCAP), the Postgraduate Diploma Academic Practice (PGDAP) and full Master of Arts Academic Practice (MA AP). On the PGCAP award, students will develop their academic practice and build employability skills to enhance their teaching careers in higher education in the UK and around the world.  The PGDAP builds on learning from the PGCAP to further develop academic leadership, scholarship, and pedagogic research in preparation for progression to the MA AP which gives participants the opportunity to complete a supervised academic practice project.  Throughout the programme you will acquire a comprehensive understanding of academic teaching concepts, such as utilising international educational frameworks to design lessons and assignments as well as applying learning outcomes to your own context. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge by articulating pedagogical theories in the classroom. The extensively diverse cohort of international peers will provide you with a global outlook on higher education practices and allow you to interchange experiences across a variety of educational contexts.

Modules  Students are required to complete 60 credits to achieve the PGCAP, 120 credits to achieve the PGDAP and 180 credits to complete the MA AP.   PGCAP Award

• Foundational Approaches to Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (15 credits)
• Contemporary Approaches to Teaching in a Global HE Context (15 credits)
• Designing Learning and Assessment in a Global HE Context (15 credits)
• Enhancing Academic Practice in a Global HE Context (15 credits) (Elective)
• Developing Your Career in a Global HE Context (15 credits) (Elective)

PGDAP and MA AP Awards

• Developing Academic Leadership (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP
• Developing Scholarship (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP
• Evidencing Academic Leadership (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP
• Pedagogic Research Design (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP
• Academic Practice Project (60 credits) – MA AP

Teaching methods and style  This programme is designed to be studied wholly online and part-time. Teaching is delivered through our state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment  (VLE), which provides students with access to all resources required for interactive study online. On this platform you will be encouraged to work collaboratively with classmates and actively read around your topic through our comprehensive library of eBooks and journals.

Methods of assessment  Assessment is exclusively through online assignments rather than examinations. You will be assessed through a range of activities, including written assignments, discussion forum participation and journal entries.

Introduction

Welcome to the University of Liverpool Online.

Our postgraduate programmes provide an affordable and convenient route to further your learning and progress in your career. You will receive a highly regarded qualification from a prestigious UK university and a member of the Russell Group, a group of 24 research-led UK universities committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of research and education.

Why study with the University of Liverpool Online

All our programmes have been specially designed for online learning. Teaching and assessments are flexibly delivered through our state-of-the-art learning platform, providing you with access to all the resources and support required to complete your studies online. Upon successful completion of your programme, you will be invited to graduate at the University of Liverpool’s beautiful campus in the north-west of England.

About us

The University of Liverpool has been offering online programmes since 2000. We are recognised as one of Europe's leading providers of wholly online postgraduate degrees. With a focus on career progression and global collaboration, our programmes are designed for ambitious professionals with several years of on-the-job experience, who wish to gain a prestigious qualification while not compromising on their existing commitments.

All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you want to discuss your previous qualifications and experience before applying, please contact our Admissions Team. Applicants should possess either:

• a degree equivalent to a lower-second class UK bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

All applicants from outside the UK must provide evidence that they have an English language ability equivalent to an IELTS (academic) score of 6.5 (with all parts of the score being above a minimum of 6). If you don’t have an IELTS or equivalent certificate, you can take our free online English test to assess your proficiency. You don’t need to prove your English ability if you are a national of, or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of the countries listed on our website.

• Regional Scholarships of up to 20%. To find out the scholarship offered in your region, please make an enquiry now.
• 10% discount for University of Liverpool alumni.
• 5% discount for up-front full tuition fee payment.
• 10% employer discount available when three or more of your employees study with us.

Please note that scholarships cannot be combined. However, it is possible for students to combine discounts or use them with scholarships depending on eligibility. For example, the Up-Front Payment Discount can be used with the Alumni Discount or Corporate Discount or an individual scholarship (e.g., Regional Scholarship).

The content of the University of Liverpool online Academic Practice programme includes the necessary knowledge, skills and values to teach effectively in higher education to enhance student learning outcomes and experiences. The programme is open to applicants from around the world and the part-time, online delivery method is designed to suit individuals with busy lives and other commitments.  The programme takes into consideration the diverse nature and location of participants and their diverse disciplinary and teaching contexts. Students are expected to contribute to the content by sharing their knowledge and experience of their own global perspectives of academic practice in higher education.  Alongside the subject-specific knowledge gained, students will also develop professional skills such as communication, digital literacy, teaching and research, which could improve career prospects and open access to new opportunities.