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University of Liverpool Online
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University of Liverpool Online

Academic Practice

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Award Attendance Study Duration Start Domestic fees International fees
Postgraduate Certificate, MA, Postgraduate Diploma Online Part-time, Online 24 - months January, March, May, July, September, November £17357 in total £17357 in total
Course fee notes
  • The tuition fee is fully inclusive of all costs: teaching materials, core textbooks, assessments and resits
  • You will receive a 5% discount if you choose to pay the full tuition fee upfront
  • If not, you will be offered a simple monthly payment plan to spread the cost of your tuition over the duration of your studies
  • A Regional Scholarship of up to 20% is available for international students based overseas from the United Kingdom in eligible countries for January 2026 intake.
  • A Executive Scholarship of up to 15% is available for January 2026 intake.
  • Corporate discounts of 10% are available for organisations looking to invest in the skills of three or more employees. For more information, please visit our website where you can speak to one of our admissions advisors to learn how you can upskill your team for organisational success. 

*All tuition fees shown are net of any applicable sales tax payable by you in your country of residence. Where we are required to add sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the tuition fees shown and confirmed during the payment process.

About Academic Practice, Postgraduate Certificate - at University of Liverpool Online

The online Academic Practice programme is designed for applicants with limited or no experience teaching or supporting learning in higher education. Through this programme, students will develop their academic practice and build employability skills to enhance their teaching careers in higher education in the UK and around the world.

There are three study awards for the online Academic Practice programme – starting with the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) and progressing to the Postgraduate Diploma in Academic Practice (PGDAP) and full Master of Arts in Academic Practice (MA AP).  

On the PGCAP award, students will develop their academic practice and build employability skills to enhance their teaching careers in higher education in the UK and around the world. Gaining a PGCAP that will provide you with the theory and practice of teaching and supporting learning in higher education in a global context.

The Postgraduate Diploma Academic Practice builds on learning from the PGCAP to further develop academic leadership, scholarship, and pedagogic research in preparation for progression to the MA AP which gives participants the opportunity to complete a supervised academic practice project.

Throughout the programme you will acquire a comprehensive understanding of academic teaching concepts, such as utilising international educational frameworks to design lessons and assignments as well as applying learning outcomes to your own context. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge by articulating pedagogical theories in the classroom. The extensively diverse cohort of international peers will provide you with a global outlook on higher education practices and allow you to interchange experiences across a variety of educational contexts.

Why study this subject? 

This programme is for those who are interested in transactional education and in developing a toolkit to work with international students and faculty. Beyond the curriculum-specific knowledge, you will also become more proficient in communication, digital literacy, teaching and research, ultimately opening doors to many new professional opportunities. 

The University of Liverpool achieved Gold in the Times Higher Education (THE) Online Learning Rankings 2024.

Programme structure

Students are required to complete 60 credits to achieve the PGCAP, 120 credits to achieve the PGDAP and 180 credits to complete the MA AP.   

PGCAP Award

  • Foundational Approaches to Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (15 credits)
  • Contemporary Approaches to Teaching in a Global HE Context (15 credits)
  • Designing Learning and Assessment in a Global HE Context (15 credits)
  • Enhancing Academic Practice in a Global HE Context (15 credits) (Elective)
  • Developing Your Career in a Global HE Context (15 credits) (Elective)

PGDAP and MA AP Awards

  • Developing Academic Leadership (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP
  • Developing Scholarship (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP   
  • Evidencing Academic Leadership (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP  
  • Pedagogic Research Design (15 credits) – PGDAP and MA AP
  • Academic Practice Project (60 credits) – MA AP

Teaching methods and style 

This programme is designed to be studied online and part-time. Teaching is delivered through our state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which provides students with access to all resources required for interactive study online. On this platform, you will be encouraged to work collaboratively with classmates and actively read around your topic through our comprehensive library of eBooks and journals.  

Programme modules, apart from the academic practice project, are delivered over an eight-week period with one module studied at a time. The student’s learning journey is facilitated by the use of written materials, lecturecasts (video presentations), interactive individual activities, case studies, and discussion boards.

Methods of assessment 

Assessment is exclusively through online assignments rather than examinations. You will be assessed through a range of activities, including written assignments, presentations, discussion forum participation and journal entries.  

Career destinations 

Upon completion of the programme, you will gain initial training qualifications that are transferable to other HE institutions. You will have the opportunity to dive into learning, providing case studies and perspectives from their local contexts while creating a strong global active learning experience and a global network of contacts for all students. The expertise you will acquire by studying this online programme is directly applicable to a workplace. 

Love what you've read so far? 

Download a prospectus or visit our website for more information on this programme. Alternatively, you can contact one of our admission advisers to get your questions answered. 

One of the best ways to see if the programme is right for you is to join one of our regular virtual events where you will be introduced to our range of online programmes, our online learning facilities, and Q&A’s with staff to help you make the best decision about the future of your education.   


Entry requirements

Contact University of Liverpool Online to find course entry requirements.


Why study at University of Liverpool Online