Academic Practice MEd: Online distance learning
For University of Glasgow staff only. If you are internal to the University and want to extend your studies beyond PGCAP towards MEd or PgDip, please email add-medap@glasgow.ac.uk
Our blended Academic Practice programme is designed to support the professional development of staff involved in teaching and supporting learning in higher education at various points in their career. The programme strives to provide a variety of practical advice and support to enhance the competence, confidence and professional development of teachers in higher education as well as provide an opportunity to engage in scholarly practice, theory and research and scholarship related to higher education. The programme is taught through a combination of ‘Online Live’ classes and ‘Online Anytime’ activities, meaning you have flexibility in your engagement and a high degree of accessibility is ensured to facilitate your study alongside your normal work in higher education.
- Online distance learning
- Academic contact: add-medap@glasgow.ac.uk
- Teaching start: January or September
- Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus and Online
- MEd: 60-72 months part‑time maximum 96 months
Why this programme
- The programme aims to engage participants in both initial and continuing professional development related to learning and teaching, with the aim of enhancing your practice and student learning.
- It will enhance your understanding of a variety of higher education pedagogies through practice, reflection and engagement with theory.
- We will support you to gain professional recognition of your teaching through engagement with the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF) for teaching and supporting learning and the University of Glasgow’s Recognising Excellence in Teaching (RET) framework.
- We have flexible blended and online study options to suit your needs, with opportunities to study regardless of your location.
Programme structure
The programme is built around four phases of study. Phase 1 is initial professional development in learning, teaching and assessment in higher education and comprises three core courses. Phase 2 explores continuing professional development and comprises eight optional courses.
Phase 1: core courses
- Introduction to Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
- Course Design in your Discipline
- Assessment and Feedback
Phase 2: optional courses
- Supervising Students
- Creative Pedagogies for Active Learning
- Debates in Technology Enhanced Learning and Teaching
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning I: designing a practice enquiry
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning II: undertaking a practice enquiry
- Impact and Influence in Learning and Teaching
- Inclusive Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
- Designing Online Education: MOOCs, micro-credentials and online, distance learning
- Intercultural Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
Successful completion of all Phase 1 and two Phase 2 courses will result in the professional recognition as a RET Fellow, aligned against Descriptor 2 of the UKPSF. Phase 3 continues your learning journey. You will take five courses in total including the core ‘Approaches to educational enquiry’ course as well as four other courses drawn from the remaining Phase 2 and Phase 3 offerings.
Phase 3 (online)
Core course
Elective courses
Phase 4 requires the completion of a Masters project related to your own academic practice and is delivered by distance.
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
The professional recognition and qualifications you gain through completion of this programme are designed to support you in advancing your academic career.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2025-26
MEd
There are no fees for University of Glasgow staff.
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Funding opportunities
UK Study Online Scholarship
The UK Study Online scholarship is open to UK, EU and international students taking online undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Please see UK Study Online for more details.
Alumni Discount
In response to the current unprecedented economic climate, the University is offering a 20% discount on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni, commencing study in Academic session 2025/26. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, International Summer School programme or the Erasmus Programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships.
Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students
If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
For more information visit Student Finance Wales
Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)
If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.
Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.
For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
The Clan Gregor Society Prize
The Clan Gregor Society is offering an award to new entrants to the University of Glasgow who descend from Clan Gregor. Prospective students will be asked to submit an application highlighting areas of consideration such as academic excellence and financial need. The award is open to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate applicants for 2024 entry.
The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
- You should have a confirmed teaching related workload of at least 30 hours for the duration of the first year of the programme. This equates to 10% of the notional learning hours for the Introduction to Learning and Teaching in Higher Education course. (A typical academic contract might have in the region of 2-400 hours of ‘teaching related workload’ per annum, though individual workloads do vary greatly.)
- Your ‘teaching related workload’ must include student contact hours (these can be online) and assessment responsibilities. It is also expected that ‘teaching related workload’ will include some degree of curriculum design responsibilities.
- ‘Student contact hours’ should normally equate to at least one third of the minimum teaching related workload (i.e. around 10 hours).
- Where ‘student contact hours’ are considered to be ‘online teaching’ then a calculation based on ‘notional learning hours’ will be conducted to quantify approximate contact. Typically, around 10% of the notional learning hours attributed to a course can be considered as ‘student contact hours’.
For University of Glasgow staff members, it is expected that the first 60 credits will be achieved through completion of the PgCert in Academic Practice (PGCAP). PGCAP forms part of the Early Career Development Programme (ECDP) and is equivalent to Phases 1 and 2 of this programme.
English language requirements
Please note: for external applicants only.
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)
- 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
- IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Common equivalent English language qualifications for entry to this programme
TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)
- 90 overall with Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements, this includes TOEFL mybest.
Pearsons PTE Academic
- 59 with minimum 59 in all subtests
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)
- 176 overall, no subtest less than 169
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Oxford English Test
- 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
LanguageCert Academic SELT
- 70 overall with no subtest less than 60
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Password Skills Plus
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Trinity College Tests
- Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses
- Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.
Alternatives to English Language qualification
- Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
- Undergraduate 2+2 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:
- direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
- essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
- flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.
For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:
We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:
- Heriot Watt
- Kingston Upon Thames
- Middlesex University
- Manchester University
- Reading University
- Edinburgh University
- ST Andrews University
- UCL
- Durham.
For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
How to apply
If you are internal to the University and want to extend your studies beyond PGCAP towards MEd or PgDip, please email add-medap@glasgow.ac.uk
Application deadlines
January 2025
- International & EU applicants: 30 August 2024
- UK applicants: 30 September 2024
September 2025
- International & EU applicants: 31 May 2025
- UK applicants: 31 July 2025
January 2026
- International & EU applicants: 30 August 2025
- UK applicants: 30 September 2025