Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice

Welcome to the Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice course at Birmingham Newman University.

Studying in either blended* or online mode, we are very excited to be welcoming you to the course and look forward to working with you over the academic year.

*Birmingham Newman staff are expected to study in blended mode

Timetable

Week commencing 29 September 2025

On campus: Wednesday 1 October

Online: Monday 29 September

Pre-induction activities

It would be useful to have accessed and taken a look at:

Phil Race’s 2019 book ‘The lecturers toolkit: A practical guide to Assessment, Learning and Teaching‘
Glynis Cousin’s ‘Strategies for Researching Learning in Higher Education‘
Mike Seal’s 2020 edited book ‘Hopeful Pedagogies in Higher Education‘

All are available as a e-book in Birmingham Newman’s library, which you can access once you have completed the enrolment process.

Your teaching team

Expertise is drawn from across the University so the teaching team is varied.

You can also expect to be supported by a Course Mentor: these are colleagues with extensive teaching experience and/or have completed the PG Cert in HE Practice at Birmingham Newman.

The programme leader is Dr. Sarah Parkes.

Sarah is Reader in Collaborative Pedagogies and Practice at Birmingham Newman University, teaching and supporting learners across a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as the Continuing Professional Development route to Fellowship against the 2023 Professional Standards Framework in HE.

She is a 2020 National Teaching Fellow; Senior Fellow of the UK’s Higher Education Academy; Newman Distinguished Teaching Fellow 2018 and an Advance HE CATE 2019 award winner.

Module delivery

The first semester’s module introduces the issues and principles relating to Higher Education Practice.  It examines the purposes of Higher Education, relevant adult learning theories, and encourages you to critically reflect on how these interact with your values that shape your teaching and/or practices that support learners in HE. 

The practices explored will include session design cognisant of your discipline, support for informal learning, as well as evaluation and enhancement of your own teaching and/or practices that support student learning. You will also be encouraged to start thinking about a small, situated research study into an element of your practice.

Paying your student fees

Online enrolment

Welcome Week Services Fair – Your Chance to Meet the Teams

As part of your induction to Birmingham Newman University, our Services Fair is your opportunity to meet the teams who will support you throughout your studies and explore the services available to help you succeed.

Dates & Times

1 September – 11am – 2pm
4 & 5 September – 11:30am to 1pm
15, 17, 18 & 19 September – 11am to 2pm

Note: The Students’ Union Welcome Fair will take place on 16 September – see their website for more details.

You’re welcome to drop in and take part on any of the fair dates — it doesn’t have to be the day of your induction.

Chat with Careers about your future plans, grab some sweets and an employability bag, and register on My Career for a chance to win a £25 Amazon voucher.
Make a badge with our Environmental Officer, download the OurNewman app to spin the wheel and win a prize, and join the Library for Q&A activities and their Prize Every Time Lucky Dip.
Advice & Wellbeing will be offering stress tests, sound therapy, and an Affirmation Station, while E-Learning invites you to take their “Who You Gonna Call?” quiz for a prize draw entry.
Try the Sport team’s exercise bike challenge and visit the Chaplaincy to choose the “word of the day” and share some positivity.

And that’s just the start — there’ll be many more services, activities, and opportunities to explore each day of the fair. Come along, get involved, and make the most of what’s on offer!

The Disability & Inclusion team and the Advice & Wellbeing team will be holding drop-in sessions on campus from 15–19 September.