Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education
Examine teaching, curriculum and assessment in higher education.
About the course
Examine teaching, curriculum and assessment in higher education. You will review your disciplinary teaching and develop inclusive learning experiences for adult students in campus, blended and online settings.
What you'll learn
Explain how students learn within your discipline.
Align outcomes, learning activities and assessment.
Evaluate teaching resources for access and participation.
Use student evidence and feedback to improve teaching.
Present a critically reflective teaching portfolio.
Requirements
Prepare with a relevant degree or approved equivalent and the ability to read research critically. BMIT must confirm admission, recognition of prior learning and any professional prerequisites.
Course content
The complete subject sequence below moves from foundations to specialist application. Stages show learning progression. Practical work and the final project draw together the subjects studied.
2 learning stages 10 subjects
1Stage 1: Foundations7 subjects
2Stage 2: Core subjects3 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The complete subject sequence below moves from foundations to specialist application. Stages show learning progression. Practical work and the final project draw together the subjects studied.
10 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Stage 1: Foundations
- Higher Education Teaching and Curriculum. Connect disciplinary knowledge with student participation. You will examine disciplinary learning, curriculum coherence, seminar teaching. Design and peer-review a higher-education unit.
- Adult and Vocational Learning. Connect adult experience with occupational competence. You will examine adult learning, prior experience, competence. Design a vocational sequence for a specified adult learner group.
- Curriculum Studies. Translate curriculum intentions into a coherent learning sequence. You will examine curriculum aims, knowledge selection, progression. Map outcomes, content and assessment for a learning unit.
- Educational Assessment. Design fair assessments and use results to guide teaching. You will examine assessment purpose, task design, marking criteria. Produce an assessment task, rubric and feedback plan.
- Inclusive Education. Identify participation barriers and plan accessible learning support. You will examine learning barriers, universal design, differentiation. Adapt a lesson and assessment for a specified access need.
- Educational Technology. Select digital tools according to learning purpose and access. You will examine learning platforms, digital resources, interaction. Build an accessible digital activity and test the learner flow.
- Quality Assurance in Education. Use evidence to improve programme quality and learner experience. You will examine quality criteria, self-evaluation, learner feedback. Complete a programme review and prioritised action plan.
Stage 2: Core subjects
- Research Methods and Evidence Analysis. Plan an enquiry suited to a specific social or organisational question. You will compare qualitative and quantitative approaches, prepare ethical data collection and assess evidence quality. The module connects research questions to sampling, analysis and clear reporting of uncertainty and limitations.
- Classroom Action Research. Investigate a teaching problem through an ethical enquiry cycle. You will examine problem identification, evidence review, action planning. Conduct an approved classroom enquiry using anonymised evidence.
- Teaching Practice III: Professional Integration. Integrate planning, teaching and assessment in an approved placement. You will examine independent planning, supervised delivery, learner support. Complete supervised teaching and defend a professional portfolio.
Assessment and practical learning
- A critical review of disciplinary teaching.
- A designed course unit and assessment plan.
- Observed teaching evidence and a reflective portfolio.
Practical application
Design, teach and evaluate a proposed higher education learning sequence where access is arranged. Include peer observation, student feedback and an evidence-based reflection. A simulation supports design practice but does not replace any approved teaching requirement.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Stage 1: Foundations
Higher Education Teaching and Curriculum
Connect disciplinary knowledge with student participation. You will examine disciplinary learning, curriculum coherence, seminar teaching. Design and peer-review a higher-education unit.
Learning outcomes
- Explain disciplinary learning in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between curriculum coherence and seminar teaching.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing academic support, assessment and programme review.
Main topics
- Disciplinary learning
- Curriculum coherence
- Seminar teaching
- Academic support
- Assessment
- Programme review
Practical task
Design and peer-review a higher-education unit.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Adult and Vocational Learning
Connect adult experience with occupational competence. You will examine adult learning, prior experience, competence. Design a vocational sequence for a specified adult learner group.
Learning outcomes
- Explain adult learning in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between prior experience and competence.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing workplace context, motivation and learning support.
Main topics
- Adult learning
- Prior experience
- Competence
- Workplace context
- Motivation
- Learning support
Practical task
Design a vocational sequence for a specified adult learner group.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Curriculum Studies
Translate curriculum intentions into a coherent learning sequence. You will examine curriculum aims, knowledge selection, progression. Map outcomes, content and assessment for a learning unit.
Learning outcomes
- Explain curriculum aims in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between knowledge selection and progression.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing integration, contextual adaptation and curriculum evaluation.
Main topics
- Curriculum aims
- Knowledge selection
- Progression
- Integration
- Contextual adaptation
- Curriculum evaluation
Practical task
Map outcomes, content and assessment for a learning unit.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Educational Assessment
Design fair assessments and use results to guide teaching. You will examine assessment purpose, task design, marking criteria. Produce an assessment task, rubric and feedback plan.
Learning outcomes
- Explain assessment purpose in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between task design and marking criteria.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing feedback, moderation and use of results.
Main topics
- Assessment purpose
- Task design
- Marking criteria
- Feedback
- Moderation
- Use of results
Practical task
Produce an assessment task, rubric and feedback plan.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Inclusive Education
Identify participation barriers and plan accessible learning support. You will examine learning barriers, universal design, differentiation. Adapt a lesson and assessment for a specified access need.
Learning outcomes
- Explain learning barriers in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between universal design and differentiation.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing assistive resources, referral and family collaboration.
Main topics
- Learning barriers
- Universal design
- Differentiation
- Assistive resources
- Referral
- Family collaboration
Practical task
Adapt a lesson and assessment for a specified access need.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Educational Technology
Select digital tools according to learning purpose and access. You will examine learning platforms, digital resources, interaction. Build an accessible digital activity and test the learner flow.
Learning outcomes
- Explain learning platforms in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between digital resources and interaction.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing accessibility, data privacy and technology evaluation.
Main topics
- Learning platforms
- Digital resources
- Interaction
- Accessibility
- Data privacy
- Technology evaluation
Practical task
Build an accessible digital activity and test the learner flow.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Quality Assurance in Education
Use evidence to improve programme quality and learner experience. You will examine quality criteria, self-evaluation, learner feedback. Complete a programme review and prioritised action plan.
Learning outcomes
- Explain quality criteria in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between self-evaluation and learner feedback.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing programme review, moderation and improvement planning.
Main topics
- Quality criteria
- Self-evaluation
- Learner feedback
- Programme review
- Moderation
- Improvement planning
Practical task
Complete a programme review and prioritised action plan.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Stage 2: Core subjects
Research Methods and Evidence Analysis
Plan an enquiry suited to a specific social or organisational question. You will compare qualitative and quantitative approaches, prepare ethical data collection and assess evidence quality. The module connects research questions to sampling, analysis and clear reporting of uncertainty and limitations.
Learning outcomes
- Formulate a research question
- Select a defensible research design
- Prepare an ethical data collection plan
Main topics
- Research questions
- Literature review
- Design choices
- Sampling
- Ethics
- Data analysis
Practical task
Submit a research proposal, instruments and a worked analysis of a pilot dataset.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Classroom Action Research
Investigate a teaching problem through an ethical enquiry cycle. You will examine problem identification, evidence review, action planning. Conduct an approved classroom enquiry using anonymised evidence.
Learning outcomes
- Explain problem identification in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between evidence review and action planning.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing classroom evidence, evaluation and revision.
Main topics
- Problem identification
- Evidence review
- Action planning
- Classroom evidence
- Evaluation
- Revision
Practical task
Conduct an approved classroom enquiry using anonymised evidence.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Teaching Practice III: Professional Integration
Integrate planning, teaching and assessment in an approved placement. You will examine independent planning, supervised delivery, learner support. Complete supervised teaching and defend a professional portfolio.
Learning outcomes
- Explain independent planning in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between supervised delivery and learner support.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing professional collaboration, evidence of learning and development planning.
Main topics
- Independent planning
- Supervised delivery
- Learner support
- Professional collaboration
- Evidence of learning
- Development planning
Practical task
Complete supervised teaching and defend a professional portfolio.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Instructors
