If you're currently employed in a teaching or student-facing role where a bachelor's degree is not available or required for the sector (such as a vocational subject or professional practice), this online course will allow you to enhance your knowledge and skills. Our expert team will guide you as you 'top-up' your subject or education-related Level 5 qualification to achieve an honours degree, opening the door to postgraduate-level study and career advancement.

Key information

Award:

BA (Hons)

Mode of Study:

Part-time Distance Learning

Duration:

2 years

Location:

University of Bolton

UCAS code:

0939

Start date:

To be confirmed

Course Details

The online BA (Hons) Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Professional Practice (top-up) provides a valuable way to use your existing qualifications and knowledge to obtain a degree at the University of Bolton. You'll have the chance to study a balanced combination of current educational policy and issues, drawing in relevant aspects of sociology, philosophy and psychology. It's an excellent opportunity to explore in-depth some of the key current issues affecting education in the UK and abroad.

By thinking about how we learn, we'll help you explore how formal learning and acquired knowledge shapes our lives, interests and value structures. We'll also encourage you to research and analyse a range of educational practices, reflecting on your own and others' experiences of education. This will help you think critically about teaching, learning, assessing, and how education is perceived and received.

Highlights

Our Education courses are ranked first in the UK for student experience and seventh in the UK for teaching quality by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022, so you can be assured that we offer high standards of tuition and pastoral care.
In addition, the Guardian University Guide 2022 rated our Education courses first in the UK for course and feedback satisfaction.
This course offers you the opportunity to use your existing experience, qualifications and knowledge to obtain a University degree by completing only two years of additional study.
Small class sizes mean more keenly focused attention on your learning needs and strategies for success.
Our experienced professional and approachable tutors will guide and support you throughout your course, delivering online sessions and offering attentive one-to-one support.
You'll be studying at a University known for its supportive atmosphere and become part of an online community of students from various backgrounds, each with an individual and unique perspective on education.

Key Features

You'll have the chance to take on a systematic and reflective study of education illustrated and informed by the diversity of teaching and learning approaches in different education sectors.
You'll reflect on your current roles and responsibilities to build on the experience you've gained in educational settings and learn from the learning and teaching you've observed.
This course draws on your personal learning experiences as a starting point for understanding the formal educational process. We'll expect you to contribute to research and discussion through critical reflection on your own education and by listening to the experiences of others.
When you successfully complete this course, the University of Bolton will award you the BA (Hons) Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Professional Practice online qualification.

Normally, you should have successfully completed a relevant qualification with 120 credits at Level HE5, such as a foundation degree or HND, or a professional qualification at an equivalent level. We'll also require evidence that you've achieved 120 credits at Level HE4 if this isn't part of your Level HE5 qualification. We'll be happy to consider evidence of recognised prior experiential learning (RPEL).
You must have current relevant employment, which includes teaching in your area of professional practice.
You'll be required to attend an online interview and provide a digital portfolio of work evidence and academic work at level HE5.
As this is an online course, you'll need access to a computer with the appropriate software and accessories, including a webcam, microphone and a sufficient broadband connection. You'll also need basic IT skills. In particular, you'll need to be able to access and use the University of Bolton's virtual learning environment, Moodle. Please contact the programme leader for details if you are uncertain that you'll be able to meet these requirements.
If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

The University of Bolton's online BA (Hons) Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Professional Practice (top-up) course offers you the opportunity to top-up your existing Level 5 qualification, such as a foundation degree or HND, to the honours degree level. Gaining honours-level skills and knowledge in education and research can help you advance your teaching career or widen your career horizons.

What can I do with this qualification?

As a graduate of this top-up course, you may pursue higher-level roles in your current field of teaching. Completing this top-up course will also prepare you for postgraduate study. You could develop a deeper understanding by studying for a master's degree in education or social science; for instance, the University of Bolton offers postgraduate courses such as MA Educational Leadership and MA Inclusive Education that may be of interest. Ultimately, you might consider a PhD in an education-related subject.

You will not be limited to working in education, however. Possessing an honours degree opens new doors and offers the possibility of changing your career entirely. For instance, as a graduate of this course, you could apply for postgraduate study to qualify as a Social Worker, undertake an MSc in Entrepreneurship and Innovation or pursue conversion courses in subjects subject as psychology or law. Completing an honours degree is an investment in your future that can unleash your potential.

Alternative career options

Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include:

Education officer
Family liaison
Educational psychology
Educational administration
Educational writing
Careers guidance
Training and development
Quality standards
Community engagement
Youth work
Social work
Market and policy research
Achieving Teacher Status
Cover supervisor
Educational management
EYFS roles

Course fees

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

For 2023-2024 entry, the maximum government approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year. The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2023-2024 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework.

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:

Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom

Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

The University welcomes applications from international students from all over the world. We try to make the application process as simple and as fast as possible for our international applicants.

This course is not currently accepting international online applications.

Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom

Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

This course is taught online through live tutor-led online sessions and access to online resources. We'll help you develop your research skills while you mould your own approach to individual learning and independent research. You'll also have lectures, seminars and group work to help you progress successfully. One-to-one tutorial support will also be made available to you as appropriate. All activities are designed to offer you a great learning opportunity.

Assessment tasks will be linked to the learning outcomes for each module. All assignments will be based on coursework and will vary from academic essays to e-discussions, portfolios, presentations and seminars. The assessment tasks will involve research exercises and possibly the use of reflective journals and case studies. Reflective activities, including using relevant theories and reflective tools, will help you to relate theory to practice. Formative assessment feedback on written assignment preparation will be given orally in online tutorials and immediately following presentations, with practice presentations encouraged in some modules.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

Developing Professional Practice and Promoting Wellbeing
Research in Professional Practice
Psychology of Education in Professional Practice
Educational Leadership in Professional Practice
Illusion of Inclusion in Professional Practice
Philosophy of Education in Professional Practice
Professionalism and Qualified Status in Education
Supervising Research

Assessment methods

Level	Assesment method
Level one	Coursework 100%
Level two	Coursework 100%

Learning activities

Level	Learning activity
Level one	Guided independent study 55%, Placement/study abroad 30%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 15%
Level two	Guided independent study 75%, Placement/study abroad 2%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 23%

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.