Course Description

Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice

The Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice is an innovative and flexible professional development programme for those who teach in Higher Education. This fully online/blended programme aims to encourage and promote best practice in Higher Education teaching, learning and assessment that empowers staff and students to be responsive to the changing needs of the Higher Education landscape and broader society. It is designed for all those who teach in Higher Education, both new to the sector, those with more experience or in leadership roles, and those in professional services roles which include teaching and supporting student learning. It offers a highly flexible, experiential and contextualised learning experience which includes individualised learning pathways, grounded in academic practice.

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College	Mary Immaculate College
Course Location	Limerick
Course Category	Education & Teaching
Course Duration	1 year
Course Time	Typically, the course is offered over two semesters and is one academic year in duration. Students take one module of 15 ECTS credits in each of the two semesters and the programme is assessed through the creation (or updating) of a teaching and learning portfolio. Students have the choice of beginning the programme in either the autumn or spring semesters, thus offering maximum flexibility to accommodate varying workloads and availability. Enhancing Academic Practice 1: The first module aims to provide learners with a flexible, practice-based approach to enhancing academic practice in higher education. Through critical reflection, with reference to the National Professional Development Framework, learners will self-select an area of enhancement focus, grounded in current working contexts. In consultation with a mentor from the Learning Enhancement and Academic Development Centre (LEAD) and guided by scholarly literature, students will engage in professional learning activities which allow them to create an informed action plan to enhance student learning, grounded in their own working context. Enhancing Academic Practice 2: The second module builds on the previous module and aims to provide learners with the opportunity to apply contemporary pedagogical approaches to learning and teaching in practice. Learners will reflect on the capacity of such approaches to enhance student learning in an evidence-based manner. The module will provide learners with the time and space to engage in professional development in a critical, reflective manner while at the same time enhancing the student learning experience. Given the self-directed nature of the modules, students will largely self-select activities of professional development integral to their professional role–in consultation with a mentor–and which are designed to support the creation of an informed action plan to enhance practice. PD activities used in the context of the module could be generic and/or subject-specific and/or role specific, examples of which include (but are not limited to): Participating in and/or leading staff development sessions, e.g. seminars or workshops, face-to-face, blended or online; Participating in internal or external formal PD activities including webinars, digital badges, open courses etc.; Engaging in peer observation of teaching; Self-directed developing through accessing and studying online resources, papers or books; Attending and/or presenting at an event or conference; Coaching and/or mentoring colleagues; Student support sessions; and, Participating in and/or leading exchange/sharing practice workshops.
Course Fee	Please see www.mic.ul.ie/study-at-mic/fees-charges-grants?index=1
Entry Requirements	The programme is intended to enhance the practice of all those who teach as part of their role in Higher Education, e.g. academic staff across disciplines, educational/learning technologists, educational/academic developers, research staff, library staff, support staff and students who teach others, including graduate teaching assistants and those who engage in peer assisted learning. In order to gain maximum benefit from the practice-based focus of the programme, applicants are required to be currently active in a teaching and learning context, which can be interpreted broadly at the discretion of the Programme Co-ordinator. Prospective applicants should contact the programme coordinator to discuss entry requirements. The minimum academic entry requirement is an undergraduate degree at Level 8 (QQI). English Language Requirements Applicants for whom English is not a first language must provide evidence of their proficiency level English in the form of an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) composite score of 6.5 – 7.0 with no less than 6.0 in any one component, or IELTS equivalent accepted by UL. Such applicants may also be required to undergo an interview through English.