Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCertHE)

The programme is delivered via on-campus workshops and asynchronous Moodle-based activities in which participants share practice and experiences with colleagues across the School. 

Compulsory modules

All participants will study:

• Module 1 - Teaching in our disciplines
• Module 2 - Course design

Participants choose one further module from those listed below:

• Module 3 - Student learning
• Module 4 - Assessment and feedback
• Module 5 - Contemporary issues in Higher Education
• Module 6 - Independent enquiry into pedagogic practice
• Module 7 - Creative pedagogies for the social sciences

The PGCertHE requires participants to prepare a portfolio which includes:

• reflective pieces on the development of their teaching practice;
• short written tasks on effective disciplinary teaching and student learning;
• the development of a new or revised course design; 
• two teaching observations.

To facilitate preparation of their portfolios, participants are expected to attend regular workshops that explore different aspects of teaching and learning linked directly to the programme assignments. Participants also have the opportunity to attend a range of other workshops offered as part of LSE's Atlas programme. Upon completion successful participants are eligible for HEA accreditation at Fellow level. 

The PGCertHE is a practice-based programme and is aimed at early career academics, including assistant professors, LSE fellows, assistant professorial lecturers and other colleagues who have substantive responsibilities for student learning. The PGCertHE is a requirement for newly appointed assistant professors unless they hold an equivalent qualification from another university. The programme needs to be completed before your interim review. Any exceptions from this requirement are usually negotiated at the time of appointment. If you are unsure as to whether you need to complete the programme, check your letter of appointment (under the heading 'Teaching'). 

Once you have enrolled on the programme it is possible to apply for accreditation of previous learning (APL). Details of how to complete this process, including the evidence you will need to provide, are available from the programme handbook. If you have over three years teaching experience before joining the School and/or have completed accredited relevant professional development you may be exempt from completing certain modules. 

It is possible to apply for accreditation of previous learning (APL). If you have over three years teaching experience before joining the School and/or have completed accredited relevant professional development, you may be exempt from completing certain modules.  

If you would like details of how to apply for APL , please indicate this on the registration form.  

You are eligible to join the TC503 programme if you: 

• can attend at least 20 hours of PGCertHE sessions. Please note: the completion of the  PoTHE programme (TC501) counts for 10 hours towards this total.
• can be observed teaching at LSE and
• have at least 20 hours of scheduled teaching during the year of enrolment (not including preparation time or office hours).  

Briefings

If you think that you might like to participate in the PGCertHE then we encourage you to come along to one of our programme briefings, which will be held on Zoom. The briefings this year were held on Wednesday 21 and Friday 23 September. 

At the briefing you will meet the programme team and they will talk through the programme structure and requirements, and you will also have the opportunity to discuss any questions that you might have. 

Registration 

There are 2 steps to register on the PGCertHE: 

• Step 1: Please complete and submit the registration form. 

The deadline for submitting your registration form was 30 September 2022. 

• Step 2: Confirming your registration and completing your opening year statement (OYS) 

Once we have received your registration form, we will get in touch with details of how to enrol on the Moodle site, download your reflective practice journal and complete your opening year statement. 

The deadline for the completion of the OYS is Friday 7 October 2022. 

If you have any queries please email either Dr Jenni Carr (j.carr4@lse.ac.uk) Programme Director or contact us on eden@lse.ac.uk.