Postgraduate Diploma in Education In-Service (Lifelong Learning)

You’ll be taught by a team of experienced teacher educators with a wealth of knowledge from the education sector.

Our whole team regularly update their knowledge and skills, with strong links to The University of Huddersfield. All staff have or are working towards higher level Master’s and Doctorate qualifications in Education.

You’re required to attend an interview, including a literacy assessment and short presentation, and should provide two satisfactory references and evidence of your existing qualifications.

You should ideally be in employment as a teacher or trainer at a recognised training or educational establishment. The course is particularly suitable if you have work experience and/or qualifications in industry, including business and administration, hair and beauty, health and social care, uniformed services or armed forces, construction, engineering and many other vocational areas.

You should identify a work-based mentor who can support you in your subject specialism.

You should have 100 hours of teaching practice in place, to run across the duration of the course. Employed volunteer teachers are required to arrange their own teaching placements as this is an in-service course.

Mature applicants (aged 21 or over) who are able to demonstrate relevant skills or knowledge gained in employment or vocational activity will be considered and may be invited to interview.

Year 1: Research-informed teaching, learning and assessment (30 credits)
This module develops your understanding of how people learn in the lifelong learning sector and of the role of assessment in enabling learning and achievement. It introduces theories and principles of learning and assessment and develops your ability to apply research evidence in designing effective learning and assessment strategies and materials. It develops positive approaches to the management of group and individual behaviours and promotes and inclusive approach to teaching, learning and assessment. It introduces the role of key transferable skills and the ways in which people learn English, maths and digital skills.

Becoming a subject specialist (30 credits)
This module reviews your practice as a trainee teacher. It explores your teaching values, knowledge of your subject specialism, and your knowledge and understanding of how you are learning to teach. You will learn how to identify and respond to students’ needs, and how to use suitable teaching, learning and assessment strategies to develop inclusive teaching and learning environments. You will evaluate your teaching effectiveness and develop yourself as a reflective practitioner. You will engage in personal and professional development planning against the appropriate Professional Standards, to recognise and develop relevant subject specialist knowledge, behaviour and skills. This will include further development of English, maths and digital skills for yourself and for your students.

Year 2: Becoming a subject specialist teacher (30 credits)
This module builds on previous generic and subject specialist development in two ways. Firstly, it contributes to your development of more advanced strategies and methods for promoting learning and secondly, it involves a focus on specific specialist areas and the critical analysis of subject specialist pedagogy. The module achieves these purposes by enhancing your ability to reflect critically on, and to evaluate, teaching and learning; by recognising particular curriculum and professional challenges; and by enabling you to develop critical responses to these concerns in sophisticated, innovative and creative ways.

Policy and professional issues (30 credits)
This module will develop your understanding of policy and issues relating to professionalism in lifelong learning. You will explore the impact of policy on professional practice and curriculum developments, drawing on appropriate evidence to evaluate professional practice and discuss possible improvements. You will also discuss key issues of professionalism in lifelong learning, including debates on reflective practice and a discussion of your own educational values and the extent to which these promote social justice.

Avis, J, Fisher, R and Thompson, R (2010) Teaching in Lifelong Learning : A Guide to Theory and Practice
Jarvis, Peter (2006) The Theory and Practice of Teaching
Petty, Geoffrey (2009) Evidence Based Teaching : A Practical Approach

The course is run in a classroom environment, allowing you to share your ideas and reflections with your peers. You’ll receive tutorial support and sessions focused on wider areas in lifelong learning throughout your course. In addition, you’ll need to complete at least 50 hours of teaching per year.

Examples of assessments on the course include:
• Micro teach to peers
• Personal skills presentation
• Written assignments including essays, reports and reflective journals
• Reflective journals and accounts of your teaching
• Online personalised portfolio identifying skills development and areas to improve
• Teaching observations, evaluations and reflections
• Specialist conference paper supported by an online subject specialist tutor
• Self and peer assessment

Once you have completed the course, apply for fully-qualified teacher positions in your qualified subject area, and secure a career in a range of settings in the lifelong learning sector, including colleges and training providers. You could also gain employment in secondary schools teaching 14-19 year olds.

Many volunteer students have gained full time teaching employment following successful completion of the course.

Learn more

All of the books required for the course are available either from the library or as e-books. However, many students choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop. You may also need to print assignments and other documents.

Campus printing costs start from 5p per page.

Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop and up to £50 each year for books and printing

There is a requirement to attend a two-day specialist conference at The University of Huddersfield in year 2 of the course, so you will need to factor in travel expenses and accommodation expenses if you intend to stay overnight

As an employed volunteer teacher you may also need to factor in travel costs to your place of work

You will be required to have an enhanced DBS check for this course to ensure you meet our safeguarding requirements