Professional Graduate Certificate in Education – Lifelong Learning (Level 6)

Categories: Teacher Training

The Professional Graduate Certificate in Education – Lifelong Learning (Level 6) is an award of the University of Huddersfield.

Our mission for Initial Teacher Education (Lifelong Learning) is:

To develop professional educators whose purpose is to transform the learning and life opportunities of the children, young people and adults with whom they work. Through inclusive practice, reflection and commitment to continuous personal development, our trainees are empowered to become autonomous practitioners who enable all learners to realise their potential.

We develop teachers who:

Have a holistic understanding of the role of a teacher both within and beyond the classroom, and a strong moral purpose for teaching
Use inclusive teaching approaches and philosophies
Use evidence-informed pedagogy
Have strong subject & curriculum knowledge and see their professional learning as a continuous journey beyond their initial training
Apply reflective and critical thinking to their teaching
Are effective and engaging practitioners
Become autonomous, confident professionals who are able to make informed decisions in collaboration with other stakeholders

Entry Requirements

All applicants must have:

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (this can be completed through the College before the start of the programme, but costs will need to be met by the trainee)
Satisfactory references
Complete a satisfactory interview

In addition, the entry requirements for this course are:

Have a UK degree or equivalent related to your specialist area
Level 2 maths and English, eg GCSE grade 4/C or functional skills
Relevant work experience in some specialist subject areas
If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent.
If you already hold a teaching qualification at level 4 or above, or have substantial knowledge and experience of teaching, you may be able to make a claim for accreditation of prior learning

Applications are welcomed from those from under-represented groups and diverse backgrounds

Course Overview

These courses are for teachers or trainers who are working with, or wish to work with, young people or adults aged 14+ in the education and training sector and are particularly suitable for those who have work experience and/or qualifications in industry including IT, business and administration, hair and beauty, health and social care, early years, uniformed public services, construction and allied trades, engineering, catering and hospitality and many other vocational areas.

You will be supported in developing your teaching skills, reflect on current ideas about education and training and creatively explore the professional opportunities open to you. You will learn alongside other teachers and trainers and develop the necessary skills to teach in the education, training and skills sector. You will have the opportunity to develop the skills to play a full part in teaching and curriculum development. The course allows you to focus on your particular subject specialist area, alongside general teaching in the lifelong learning sector. A significant amount of your learning happens in your place of work or work placement, allowing you to put theory into practice.

These courses do not award the status of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS), however, there is an option to gain QTLS through a process of professional formation through the Society for Education and Training. QTLS is the full professional status for teachers in the Lifelong Learning Sector.

Trainees will need to undertake a minimum of 250 hours of paid or voluntary work as a teacher or trainer at a recognised training or educational establishment and identify a work-based mentor who can support them in their specialist subject.

For more information, contact John Aston, Centre Programme Manager for Initial Teacher Education at j.aston@s6f.org.uk or Tracey Herridge, Centre Programme Lead for Initial Teacher Education at t.herridge@s6f.org.uk

Course Modules

There are four core modules:

Research Informed Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Becoming a Subject Specialist Teacher
Being a Subject Specialist Teacher
Curriculum and Context

Duration

2 years part-time

Delivery Model

Part-time – 3 hrs per week + tutorial (Wednesday evenings)

Assessment

Assessment includes a variety of methods such as practical micro-teaching sessions, resource design, portfolio, conference paper and written assignments.

Costs

2026/27 - £4,895 per year (total £9,790)
2027/28 - £5,020 per year (total £10,050)

Tuition Fees and Financial Support

All tuition fees are funded via Student Finance England (SFE) for both full and part-time study (subject to meeting criteria).

Repayments only begin once the course is finished or the trainee leaves the course. For more information on paying back student loans, go to https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan

Additional training bursaries are available for pre-service trainees studying specific subjects.

Go to Funding and Finance for Students for more information.

Bursaries

A tax-free pre-service bursary of up to £31,000* is available for initial teacher education trainees studying the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education – Lifelong Learning (Level 6) who choose to teach the following subjects: