University of St Andrews

To achieve the PGCAP you must successfully complete four 15-credit modules over a period of 2 to 4 years. This delivery mode of 4 semesters of study over a maximum of 4 years recognises that programme participants will often be working full-time and engaging with the modules on top of existing commitments. It allows you to “pause” your engagement with the programme according to your circumstances; modules do not need to be completed in consecutive semesters. The aim is to provide flexibility to support the needs of a diverse cohort while still ensuring a clearly structured developmental pathway.

To complete the PGCAP, modules must be taken in one of these two sequences:

1. Supporting Student Learning (core) – offered in semester 1 each year
2. Curriculum Design and Assessment (core) – offered in semester 2 each year
3. Elective module (varies according to semester)
4. Capstone Project (core) – offered in both semesters

OR

1. Supporting Student Learning (core) – offered in semester 1 each year
2. Elective module (varies according to semester)
3. Curriculum Design and Assessment (core) – offered in semester 2 each year
4. Capstone Project (core) – offered in both semesters

There are sections dedicated to the first two core modules, electives and the Capstone Project module.

In the launch year (AY21-22), no elective modules were offered. The elective modules and the Capstone Project became available in AY22-23.

Individual module credits may be recognised by other institutions towards their own Postgraduate Certificate requirements.

Enrolment for the PGCAP takes place before the start of semester 1 each academic year; follow this link to apply: Request a place on the PGCAP for AY22-23 [applications for 22-23 are closed]. There is also an enrolment window before semester 2 specifically for those who are able to make a claim of recognition of prior learning towards earlier modules. (See the Frequently Asked Questions section.) Please email teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk if you are considering a semester 2 enrolment. Deadline is mid-December.

Doctoral students who teach may pursue the PGCAP if they are able to meet the teaching requirements and they have the permission of their primary supervisor. (CEED cannot ensure that teaching opportunities will be available.) There is a slightly different registration process for PGRs - please email teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk for more information.

If you are interested in enrolling on a single module rather than on the whole PGCAP, see the Electives and Frequently Asked Questions sections and email teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk if you have any questions. 

To enrol on the core modules ID5106 Supporting Student Learning (sem1) and ID5107 Curriculum Design and Assessment (sem2) you must be teaching concurrently and available to attend all of the synchronous classes (see Core module: delivery format + class dates).

Places will be allocated as completed applications are received, and the number of places on a given module may be capped.

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Guidance on completing your application to enrol on the PGCAP

As you complete each section of the form, make sure you click the "Save" button. This enables you to leave a partially completed application and come back to it later.

Personal details and Contact details pages are self-explanatory.

Education details:

• For “Current or most recent”, list your most recent higher education degree you hold or are currently working towards.
• For “Qualifications”, please list only your most recent degree and then any teaching-related courses and/or qualifications you have done, eg PGCE. We do not require a comprehensive list of every degree or qualification you hold.
• Ignore the “English language qualifications” section. You do not need to upload any English language certificates. (By virtue of the fact that you are already a staff member or PGR student at St Andrews.)
• Upload a copy of your most recent CV. Ignore the “Covering letter” section; you do not need to upload one.

Personal statement:

In this section, please upload a statement that includes all of the following information. If your personal statement is missing any of this information your application cannot be processed.

1. Your reasons for wanting to enrol on the PGCAP.
2. An outline of the nature and quantity of the teaching you will be doing in semester 1 and 2 of this academic year. Note what modules you will be teaching on, the contact hours involved, and when the contact hours occur, ie what weeks of semester. (This is to ensure that you will have sufficient opportunity to achieve all of the module intended learning outcomes.)
3. Confirmation that you will be able attend all of the live classes for a given core module (see "Core modules: delivery format + class dates").

Referees:

We are not looking for a typical academic job reference. Rather, we just require a statement from your Head of School or Director of Teaching for staff, or PGR supervisor for PGR applicants, which confirms all of the following points:

1. You have their permission to enrol on the PGCAP.
2. You will be teaching in the semesters in which you plan to do the core modules. (With the titles and modules codes of the modules on which you will be teaching.)

An email with this information is sufficient, and you can upload this as part of your application. (For question “Do you have a reference to upload?”, select “Yes” and then the “Upload” button.)

We recommend that you obtain this statement before applying and upload it as part of your application, to avoid delays in processing your application.

Modules are led and delivered by experienced staff from across the university, from CEED and other units as well as academic staff. As these are 15-credit modules you should expect to put in approximately 150 hours across the semester.

All new PGCAP participants must complete the online course TGAP as part of matriculation; allow several hours to complete all aspects of matriculation.

Once accepted onto the PGCAP you will be advised onto the first core module, Supporting Student Learning in semester 1. Each semester thereafter we will contact you to check whether you plan to enrol on the next module or pause for a semester.

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Teaching requirements

It is a pre-requisite of the first two core modules that you be teaching in the same semester that you take the module, since both modules include teaching observations and the assessment for each module requires reflection on your teaching practice. To ensure that you can engage effectively with the module learning outcomes, you should have a minimum of four sessions with students, spread out over the semester. If you are unsure whether your teaching is sufficient, please contact teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk for advice.

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Class times and format

The first two core modules each include five 3-hour class blocks, as well as extensive self-directed study. Classes focus on sharing and exploring practice with colleagues and applying ideas from readings and lectures to your own disciplinary context. You are expected to attend all of the live classes.

Classes are online on Wednesday afternoons from 14:00-17:00 with a built-in break. The first class for each core module is in week 2 so that you have time to settle into your own teaching.

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Class dates: ID5106 Supporting Student Learning (semester 1)

This module is led by Dr Heather McKiggan-Fee, Head of Educational Development in CEED. This module includes topics such as: Your identity as a university teacher; Becoming a reflective practitioner; Higher education in context; Theories of learning; Creating supportive learning environments; Education for sustainable development; Technology enhanced learning. See the example module handbook for more detail.

Dates for AY23-24 have not yet been set, but are likely to follow a similar pattern to:

• 21 September (week 2)
• 28 September (week 3)
• 12 October (week 5)
• 26 October (week 7)
• 9 November (week 9)

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Class dates: ID5107 Curriculum Design and Assessment (semester 2)

This module is led by Dr Eilidh Harris, Educational and Student Developer in CEED. This module includes topics such as: Quality assurance and enhancement; Higher education in context; Effective intended learning outcomes; Assessment for and of learning. See the example module handbook for more detail.

Dates for AY23-24 have not yet been set, but are likely to follow a similar pattern to:

• 25 January (week 2)
• 8 February (week 4)
• 22 February (week 6)
• 15 March (week 8)
• 29 March (week 10)

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Module Handbooks

The core module handbooks are included below so that you can get a more detailed understanding of the content and requirements for each module. Note that these are AY21-22 handbooks, and the content and structure may change somewhat for AY23-24.

ID5106 Module handbook for AY21-22 (PDF, 795 KB)

ID5107 Module handbook for AY21-22 (PDF, 868 KB)

Peer observing and being observed is a required element of both core modules, and considering how technology can support teaching and learning is embedded in both (eg in the context of inclusive curricula, lecturing, assessment, etc).

Elective modules are led and delivered by experienced staff from across the university, from CEED and other units as well as academic staff. As these are 15-credit modules you should expect to put in approximately 150 hours across the semester. 

PGCAP participants can adivise onto an elective after passing the first core module (ID5106). It is also possible to enrol onto the elective modules as "stand alone" professional development, ie you do not need to be enrolled on the PGCAP, but priority for places will be given to PGCAP participants.

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Teaching Requirement

To enrol on either of the current electives (Exploring Teaching and Learning Online or Embedding Inclusive Practice in Teaching and Learning) you must either be teaching concurrently or have taught in the preceding semester.

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Class times and format

Classes are typically online on Wednesday afternoons within the period from 14:00-17:00, to minimise clashes with teaching. Frequency and length of classes varies between electives, and some classes may run in person. In some cases the specific weeks in which classes run may only be finalised after the start of semester.

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Class dates: ID5108 Exploring Teaching and Learning Online (semester 1)

This module is led by Margaret Adamson, Head of Learning Technology & IT Skills Development in CEED. This module is structured around 5 key themes or "lenses".

• Wed 20 Sepember 14:00-15:00 (Week 2, in person): Introduction
• Wed 27 September 14:00-16:00 (Week 3, online): The Teacher
• Wed 11 October 14:00-16:00 (Week 5, online): The Learner
• Wed 25 October 14:00-16:00 (Week 7, online): The Institution
• Wed 08 November 14:00-16:00 (Week 9, online): The Sector
• Wed 22 November 14:00-16:00 (Week 11, online): The Wider Context
• Optional field trip (by arrangement)

Please use this link if you wish to apply to do Exploring Teaching and Learning Online as a "stand alone" module (ie if you are not on the PGCAP). [applications for AY23-24 will open in August]

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Class dates: ID5109 Embedding Inclusive Practice in Teaching and Learning (semester 2)

This module is led by Dr Fiona Whelan, Assistant Director (Accessibility & Inclusion) in Student Services. The class dates/times for AY23-24 have not yet been set, but are likely to have a similar pattern as below.

• 14.00-15.00, Week 1 - Meet and greet
• 14.00-16.30, Week 2 - Understanding Inclusion (seminar)
• 14.00-16.00, Week 4 - Inclusive pedagogy: Universal design for learning (guest lecture)
• 14.00-16.00, Week 5 - Action Learning Set
• 14.00-16.30, Week 7 - Discourses in disability: Understanding additional needs (seminar)
• 14.00-16.00, Week 8 - Inclusive curriculum: Anti-colonial practice and lateral forms of knowledge (guest lecture)
• 14.00-16.00, Week 10 - Action Learning Set

Please use this link if you if you wish to apply to do Embedding Inclusive Practice as a "stand alone" module (ie if you are not on the PGCAP). [applications for AY23-24 will open in late semester 1]

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Future elective modules

As the PGCAP cohort grows we will introduce additional elective modules. Electives under consideration or development include:

• Enterprise and entrepreneurship education
• Graduate attributes
• Supervising taught/research postgraduate students

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Capstone project module (semester 1 or 2)

In this module, participants will focus on a project or action research of their choice related to their teaching or research supervision. Personalised learning goals and how these will be assessed will be agreed with an assigned mentor and overseen by appropriate quality monitoring processes. The capstone project will allow participants to draw on and synthesise all of the knowledge and skills they have developed during the programme to a meaningful project of their choice that will have direct relevance to their own teaching practice.

Is there a cost to enrol on the PGCAP or individual modules?

Enrolment on the PGCAP or individual modules is free for all University of St Andrews staff, including postgraduates who teach.

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Can I start the PGCAP in semester 2?

To be awarded the PGCAP you must successfully complete four 15-credit modules in the following order: ID5106 Supporting Student Learning, ID5107 Curriculum Design and Assessment, elective, Capstone Project. If you did not do ID5106 (Supporting Student Learning) in semester 1, you would only be able to start in the PGCAP in semester 2 if you are able to make a claim for recognition of prior credited learning towards module ID5106. (See the questions below about modules that can be counted towards the PGCAP.) Please email teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk for more information; we will provide the 2nd semester PGCAP application link to those who are able to make a recognition claim.

The deadline for semester 2 applications is mid-December.

If the semester 2 module Curriculum Design and Assessment is the only module you are interested in, see the next question.

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Can I enrol on individual modules without enrolling on the PGCAP?

It is possible to enrol on single modules so long as you can demonstrate that you have the necessary background knowledge and skills to engage effectively with the module intended learning outcomes. However, priority for module places will be given to those already enrolled on the PGCAP.

To enrol on either core module (ID5106/07) you must:

• be teaching in the semester you take the module
• be available to attend all of the synchronous classes
• have the permission of your line manager (for staff) or supervisor (for PGRs)

To enrol on ID5107 you must have either successfully completed ID5106, or successfully completed another course or module which included reflective writing as an assessed component.

The application form to request a place on just the Supporting Student Learning module in semester 1 will be available here in the summer. We take a phased approach to enrolment for the PGCAP modules, with the first phase for participants who are enrolled on the full PGCAP, and the second phase for anyone who wants to enrol on individual modules.

The application form to request a place on Curriculum Design and Assessment in semester 2 will be available here mid-way through semester 1.

The application form to request a place on just the Embedding Inclusive Practice module will be available here in due course. (See the Electives section for more details. You must have the permission of your line manager or supervisor, and be teaching concurrently or have taught in the previous semester.)

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How much and what kind of teaching do I have to be doing in order to enrol on the core modules?

We don't want to be overly prescriptive; our aim is to ensure that you have sufficient teaching experience that you can engage effectively with all of the module requirements, such as linking activities and teaching observations, so that you will be able to achieve the intended learning outcomes. This will be easier if you have regular contact with students (eg weekly or fortnightly). At a minimum, you should have at least four sessions with students, preferably spread out over the semester. If you are unsure whether your contact hours are sufficient, please contact teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk for advice.

Teaching can include: lecturing; facilitating tutorials, seminars or honours project classes; supporting lab or practical classes; project or thesis supervision, etc. You can also enrol if you support student learning in other ways that involve regular contact with students, eg delivering skills workshops. Please contact teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk if you have any questions about whether the modules/PGCAP is suitable for you.

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What are the dates for the synchronous classes for the different modules?

Please see section "Core modules: delivery format and class dates". The class times for elective and Capstone project modules will be available by the end of May. Note that class times may vary from year to year.

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I've done one or both of the 10-credit Introduction to University Teaching modules. Do those count towards the PGCAP?

The ID5101 (Supporting Student Learning) and ID5102 (Curriculum Design and Assessment) modules have been revised and re-validated at 15 credits each, and now form the core modules (ID5106 and ID5107) of the new PGCAP.

Anyone who has successfully completed ID5101 and/or ID5102 (which ran prior to the 2021-22 academic year) may be eligible for recognition of prior learning (RPL) towards the PGCAP core modules. The modules must have been completed within 5 years of the RPL request. The following information must be submitted and will be considered on a case-by-case basis:

• Evidence at least one semester of teaching after completing ID5101/02
• Provide a short (~250 words) written reflection on a teaching observation and the impact that has on your approach to teaching (for each module being RPL'd)

Please email teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk to request the teaching observation forms that must be included as part of an RPL submission.

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I have done one or more modules on another university's Postgraduate Certificate. Do those count towards the PGCAP?

This will depend on a number of factors, such as how long ago the modules were taken, the credit-weighting of the modules, and how closely the content aligns with our core modules. Modules taken more than 5 years' ago cannot be counted towards the PGCAP. Please email teachingdev@st-andrews.ac.uk to discuss your particular circumstances.

If you have done a 10-credit module elsewhere, it may still be possible to get recognition of prior learning by submitting additional evidence as noted above.

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My contract will end before I am able to complete the PGCAP. Can I remain on the programme if I am no longer employed by the university?

At this point in time we are not allowing external participants on the programme, so if you were to leave the university, you would need to withdraw from the programme. But you would have the taught postgraduate credits for any modules that you successfully completed to that point.

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Can I transfer credits from individual PGCAP modules to another university's postgraduate certificate programme?

You would need to check directly with the programme leader in the other university. Credit transfer is possible, but depends on a variety of factors such as how long ago the modules were taken, the credit-weighting of the modules, and how much alignment there is between the content on the different modules. The final decision rests with the other institution.

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Does completing the PGCAP automatically confer a category of AdvanceHE (HEA) Fellowship?

The PGCAP is not currently accredited by Advance HE, but we are planning to apply for such accreditation in due course. If successful, then completing the whole PGCAP would confer the recognition Fellow, and completing individual core modules would confer Associate Fellow. It is possible to apply directly to Advance HE to evidence that you have met the criteria for a category of Fellowship; you do not need to complete a taught programme to do a direct application. See Applying for HEA Fellowship for more information.

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By developing our teaching staff, the PGCAP will promote teaching excellence across the university. It will support the People Strategy priority of “Valuing and developing our people” as well as the Education Strategy aims of ensuring that learning and teaching at St Andrews is:

• World-leading (by developing staff as reflective practitioners who adapt their teaching methods to suit the context in which it is delivered, based on a sound evidence base, and are confident users of technology to enhance learning).
• Global (by providing a space where colleagues from varied disciplines and backgrounds can discuss the latest approaches to education).
• Diverse (by modelling a welcoming and supportive educational environment marked by respect, tolerance, and fairness with a focus on the development of a diverse and inclusive curricula at the core of the programme).
• Entrepreneurial (by encouraging participants to draw connections between what they teach and their students’ lived experiences and design appropriate and authentic learning tasks and assessments).