Skip to Main Content

Continuing Professional Development

Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PgCAP) and Level 7 Academic Professional Apprenticeship (APA)

The University of Suffolk Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice has recently been reaccredited by AdvanceHE, and responds to current sector agenda, including Access and Participation and the University pedagogy, including focus on block and blend, inclusive and liberated curricular and the embedding of employability, enterprise and entrepreneurship. There is also a parallel programme, the Academic Professional Apprenticeship. These programmes are open to any staff involved in the teaching and the support of students’ learning across the University of Suffolk and its partners. PgCAP is aligned to Descriptor 2 of the UKPSF, meaning that upon completion and achievement of all learning outcomes you will receive both the PgCAP and Fellowship of HEA (FHEA). 

Entry requirements

To be eligible for the programmes, we ask that you are leading, teaching on our supporting the teaching of modules, for at least 10 hours per year, at FHEQ Level 4 or above. There are additional entry criteria for the apprenticeship route. AdvanceHE are the awarding body for the APA.

Course information

The PgCAP and APA consist of three 20 credit modules at Level 7 (FHEQ). These are:

  1. Learning, Teaching and Curriculum Design
  2. Research and Evidence Based Practice
  3. Enhanced Learning and Teaching

Below you will find the course handbook, the module handbooks and course calendar for 23-24, and you can also access here the course reading list, aligned with the UKPSF and with the different units of content. Please note that there is only one intake this year, with the course starting in October 2023, while the next cohort will be starting in October 2024.

The programme also includes peer review and enhancement of learning and teaching activity, and also, the completion of additional activity between study blocks such as

  1. Digipaths 1 and 2
  2. Personal Academic Coach
  3. Join a relevant academic or professional practice network
  4. Contribution to the annual Learning and Teaching conference. 

Induction will be held on the 4th of October (10am to 14pm) and the course starts on the 11th of October and is delivered as block and blend. For this academic year, the PgCAP taught sessions are scheduled on one Wednesdays from 2-4 pm on a fortnightly basis. Also, there are a series of group tutorials scheduled some Wednesdays from 4-5 pm. Participants can find information about course schedule in Brightspace and their student calendars once registered.

If you have any questions, please refer to the programme and module handbooks below, or contact the Programme Lead, Dr Javiera Atenas: j.atenas@uos.ac.uk or the course administrator Ms Laura Wood l.wood2@uos.ac.uk