Academic Practice MEd: Online distance learning
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
- 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 & 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 2023-24
MEd
- UK: £1,117 per 20 credits
- EU/International: £2,460 per 20 credits
Tuition fees for January 2023 start
- UK: £1,056 per 20 credits
- EU/International: £2,267 per 20 credits
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.
Postgraduate Student Loan (Scotland and EU)
Eligible full-time and part-time students, undertaking an eligible postgraduate course, can apply for a tuition fee loan up to a maximum of £5,500 towards their course. Eligible full-time postgraduate students can apply for a living-cost loan of up to £4,500.
This support extends to online Masters or Postgraduate Diplomas, and not to the online Postgraduate Certificate courses.
For more information visit the SAAS website.
Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loans England only (PTFL)
If you’re an English student looking to study a taught Masters programme in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan. Students from England are able to apply for a non-means tested Postgraduate Master’s Loan of up to £11,570 to help with course fees and living costs. You have to repay your Postgraduate Master’s Loan at the same time as any other student loans you have. You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.
If you’re studying by distance learning, you can also apply.
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
Postgraduate Master's Finance
If you’re starting a full-time or part-time Postgraduate Master’s course (taught or research based) from 1 August 2019, you can apply for Postgraduate Master's Finance and receive up to £17,000 as a combination of grant and loan:
- a maximum grant of £6,885 and loan of £10,115 if your household income is £18,370 and below
- a grant of £1,000 and loan of £16,000 if your household income is not taken into account or is above £59,200.
For more information visit Student Finance Wales
Postgraduate Doctoral Loan
If you’re starting a full-time or part-time postgraduate Doctoral course (such as a PhD) from 1 August 2019 you can apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan of up to £25,700.
For more information visit Student Finance Wales
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 2023/24. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad 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 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 2023 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 module (not General Training)
- 6.5 with no subtests under 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.
Common equivalent English language qualifications
All stated English tests are acceptable for admission to this programme:
TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)
- 90 with minimum R 20, L 19, S 19, W 23.
- 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, this includes TOEFL mybest.
PTE (Academic or Academic Online)
- 60 with minimum 59 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.
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.
Glasgow International College English Language (and other foundation providers)
- 65%.
- Tests are accepted for academic year following sitting.
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 complete their degree in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years
- Undergraduate 2+2 degree 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 and 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 also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:
- School of Modern Languages and Cultures: English for Academic Study
- BALEAP guide to accredited courses
For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
How to apply
You must include and upload a completed Additional Information Form (2023-24) otherwise your application will not be considered.
Application deadlines
September 2023
- 30 August 2023 or whenever places are filled (whichever is sooner)
January 2024
- 30 November 2023 or whenever places are filled (whichever is sooner)
