Young man studying
Course type
Certificate
Credits
60

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Minimum 1 year
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education

Course code: K27

This professional postgraduate qualification introduces the field of education. It offers you the opportunity to explore one specialism from a choice of modules covering a range of areas, all of which encourage you to draw on your own experiences and undertake enquiry in your own context. This certificate is also the first stage of a study programme that progresses to a postgraduate diploma and a masters degree. This gives you the choice to step off at any point with the Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education, a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Studies in Education, or continue studying the whole programme towards the MA or MEd in Education.

  • Offers a rich diversity of specialisms to choose from to suit your professional requirements and interests.
  • Has an emphasis on professional development through optional collaborative learning.
  • Develops and consolidates advanced scholarship and independent learning in the context of your own practice.
  • Is a stepping stone towards a postgraduate diploma or MA/MEd in Education.
Course type
Certificate
Credits
60

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Minimum 1 year
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

How to register

Select the module you will study first, read the full description, and follow the instructions to register.

Modules

To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits from the following:

Optional modules Credits Next start
Educational leadership: concepts, change and challenges (EE841) NEW

Explore educational leadership and management concepts, change, and challenges in local and global contexts.

See full description

Register
60 05 Oct 2024
Equity, inclusion and social justice in educational practice (EE844) NEW

This module introduces contemporary issues in equity, inclusion and social justice in educational practice, including disability, gender, poverty and race.

See full description

Register
60 05 Oct 2024
Learning and teaching: educating the next generation (EE830)

This masters module will challenge you to think about what purposes of education could have and how education can be made fit for the future.

See full description

Register
60 05 Oct 2024

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules EE811, EE814 and EE817.

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.


Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes.

Credit transfer

For this qualification, we do not allow you to count credit for study you have already done elsewhere.


On completion

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education. You’ll be entitled to use the letters PGCPSE (Open) after your name.

You can progress from this Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education to our Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Studies in Education (E88) or our Masters Degree in Education (F70).

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website. 


We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 19 March 2024.

To study for this postgraduate certificate, you must hold a bachelors degree from a UK university or other recognised degree-awarding body or a qualification at an equivalent level.

Your spoken and written English must be of an adequate standard for postgraduate study. If English is not your first language, we recommend that you will need a minimum score of 7 under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Please see their website for details.

In order to study this qualification, you do not need to be employed in an educational setting.  However, it is important that you have some experience in engaging or working with learners, children or young people, as our pathway disciplines (Learning and Teaching, Inclusive Practice, and Leadership and Management) are all explored through the lens of education. Therefore, you will need to be able to apply your learning to a relevant context or learning environment.

This can be through employment or other means, such as volunteering and/or special arrangements undertaken for the purposes of your study. Apart from schools and colleges, other organisations providing educational services – such as health and care education environments, youth, play, or early years work, armed forces, business and commercial environments – all could provide suitable settings to apply your learning and later carry out your dissertation should you decide to continue towards a full masters degree. The various activities embedded in the study guide and supporting examples and literature will help you develop skills of independent study and enquiry.

If you are not sure whether your qualifications and experience are suitable, please contact us for advice.

How long it takes

The minimum time to complete is 1 year.

Career relevance

Throughout the world, there is an increasing demand for creative, innovative education professionals who have highly developed skills and a deep understanding of learning. In many countries, a masters degree is becoming essential for career advancement in education, training and professional development settings.

This qualification is designed to enrich your knowledge and improve your professional practice. On completing your studies, you should be able to: 

  • demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems at a professional or equivalent level
  • reflect critically and constructively in the light of ideas and frameworks presented in the modules and how these apply to your practice and organisational context
  • be ready to continue your studies and complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Studies in Education (E88) and progress to the Masters in Education (F70) with The Open University.

You will also acquire qualities and transferable skills that are highly prized by employers within education and related fields, such as: 

  • exercising initiative and personal responsibility
  • the ability to make decisions in complex and unpredictable situations
  • the ability to draw on appropriate research and ethical understanding
  • the production of reports/outputs for academic and professional purposes.

You will be guided through the materials on how you can recognise and acknowledge these additional skills.

Please note that this postgraduate qualification does not qualify you for teacher registration in any country.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.

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Our prospectuses help you choose your course, understand what it's like to be an OU student and register for study.

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