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  • Considering doing the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Higher Education (PCTHE)? 


    What’s involved?

    There are two modules, Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (LTHE) and Inquiry and Reflection in Higher Education (IRHE). LTHE is a 20-credit module which runs twice a year, once in semester one and again in semester two, and leads to Associate Fellowship of the HEA. IRHE is a 40-credit module which runs across both semesters, and leads to Fellowship of the HEA. Both modules run in blended mode, which means there are both face-to-face and online activities, and you can choose to participate entirely online if you prefer. 

  • For LTHE you should have at least 50 hours of teaching or learner support activity in the semester, which can include things like demonstrating, leading seminars, giving student feedback, designing sessions. Participants on LTHE typically include PhD students, librarians, learning technologists, and new lecturers.

    For IRHE you should have at least 200 hours of teaching across the year. Many people who have already completed LTHE go on to take IRHE. Others who have three years teaching experience, or an existing teaching qualification (such as QTS, or AFHEA) can claim credit for prior learning and enter directly onto IRHE.


    Year 1    		 Year 2 Award    
    Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 1 Semester 2    

    Option 1:

    MU80 
    Semester 1

    		 LTHE       Associate Teachers certificate,
    Associate Fellowship of the HEA    		  

    Option 2:

    MU80 
    Semester 2

    		   LTHE     Associate Teachers certificate,
    Associate Fellowship of the HEA    		  

    Option 3:

    MU61 
    2 year mode

    		 LTHE   IRHE Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Higher Education, 
    Fellowship of the HEA    		  

    Option 4:

    MU61 
    18 month mode

    		   LTHE IRHE Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Higher Education, 
    Fellowship of the HEA    		  

    The course is accredited by Advance HE to award Associate Fellowships and Fellowships of the HEA, and course activities and assessments are mapped to the UKPSF to allow you to demonstrate your engagement with the areas of activity, core knowledge, and professional values of the framework. 

    When you successfully complete LTHE, if you are a member of staff at Oxford Brookes or one of our partner colleges, we will apply to Advance HE on your behalf for Associate Fellowship, and similarly, when you complete IRHE, we will apply for Fellowship for you. Read more about HEA Fellowships here: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/individuals/fellowship

    • If you are a student or member of staff at Oxford Brookes, or teaching on a Brookes module at one of our partner colleges there is no cost to you to complete the course.

    • If you are a member of staff at one of our partner colleges who is not currently teaching on a Brookes module, LTHE costs £450 and IRHE costs £750.

    • If you are an external customer, LTHE costs £950 and IRHE costs £1600. Please note that we are not able to award Fellowships or Associate Fellowships to external customers.

    Fiona Smith is the course administrator, and will be able to answer your questions, or pass them on to someone else to help. Contact her on flsmith@brookes.ac.uk or +44 1865 485902.