Professional Development, BA

Program Overview

---

Professional Development, BA

Introduction

The BA in Professional Development (BAPD) is a flexible programme that offers you as a professional an opportunity to develop as a reflective practitioner. The programme is open to professionals from a wide range of settings, for example in education, community learning, care and related areas.

Study Information

At a Glance

• Learning Mode: Blended Learning
• Degree Qualification: BA
• Duration: 24 months
• Study Mode: Part Time
• Start Month: September

The BA in Professional Development has been designed to promote and encourage the use of workplace activities as the basis for academic study. This is a route to a degree qualification for people with an HNC or HND or professional experience developed over several years. Entry to the programme is considered on an individual basis and may include a Recognition of Prior Learning Claim for which there is a charge.

The part-time degree programme focuses on professional learning and emphasises learning from experience through reflective practice. The degree also includes inquiry as a method of improving professional practice and critical evaluation of professional practice. The programme is designed for people who are working full or part-time, this can be in a paid or unpaid capacity.

What You'll Study

• Professional Learning and Inquiry (30 credits)
• Professional Project 3 (30 credits)

The Teaching Qualification in Further Education (TQFE) can be studied as part of the BAPD or optional courses, totalling 60 credits, either BAPD courses below or other University of Aberdeen courses.

• Hazard and Risk in Professional Contexts (30 credits)
• Broadening Professional Boundaries (30 credits)

Year 1

• Compulsory Courses:
  • Students with 120 credit points from Accreditation or Recognition of Prior Learning will go directly into Year 2.

Year 2

• Compulsory Courses:
  • ED2072 Negotiated Independent Study 2
  • Plus 105 credit points from other courses as agreed with the Programme Director.
  • Students with 240 credit points from Accreditation or Recognition of Prior Learning will go directly into Year 3.

Year 3

• Compulsory Courses:
  • ED302F (Professional Learning and Inquiry)
  • ED3587 (Professional Project 3)
  • ED302E (Hazard and Risk in Professional Contexts)
  • ED4530 (Broadening Professional Boundaries)
• Optional Courses:
  • Students should select 60 credit points from the following list of courses or other courses as agreed with the Programme Director

How You'll Study

Students learn in various ways, for example by:

• working their way through course materials in the virtual learning environment MyAberdeen
• posting comments and blogs in MyAberdeen
• reflecting on their professional practice
• reading
• writing course work
• presenting work to other people on the course.

Learning Methods

• E-learning
• Individual Projects
• Research

Assessment Methods

Students are assessed by any combination of different assessment methods:

• coursework such as blog posts, essays and reports completed throughout the course;
• presentations, using powerpoint and other methods such as posters.

The exact mix of these methods differs between individual courses.

Why Study Professional Development?

This is a flexible, part-time programme designed to fit in with and enhance your professional role.

The BA in Professional Development at the University of Aberdeen is continually reviewed and updated on the basis of student feedback and very positive reports from our External Examiner.

Entry Requirements

The normal minimum qualification for this programme is an HND or equivalent (SCQF8).

A Recognition of Prior Learning Claim may need to be made for those without an HND or equivalent (there is a charge for Recognition of Prior Learning claims).

Each student’s case will be dealt with independently and the Programme Director will have the final decision.

Qualifications

• The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.

English Language Requirements

To study for an Undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:

• IELTS Academic: OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
• TOEFL iBT: OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
• PTE Academic: OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
• Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Fees and Funding

Please refer to our Tuition Fees page for fee information for this programme.

Scholarships and Funding

• UK Scholarship: Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who pay tuition fees may be eligible for specific scholarships allowing them to receive additional funding.
• Aberdeen Global Scholarship: The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme.

Careers

There are many opportunities at the University of Aberdeen to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.

Our Experts

You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change.

Program Outline

---

Outline:

---

Year 1:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Students with 120 credit points from Accreditation or Recognition of Prior Learning will go directly into Year 2.

---

Year 2:

• Compulsory Courses:
• ED2072 Negotiated Independent Study 2
• 105 credit points from other courses as agreed with the Programme Director
• Students with 240 credit points from Accreditation or Recognition of Prior Learning will go directly into Year 3.

---

Year 3:

• Compulsory Courses:
• Professional Learning and Inquiry (ED302F)
• Professional Project 3 (ED3587)
• Hazard and Risk in Professional Contexts (ED302E)
• Broadening Professional Boundaries (ED4530)

---

Optional Courses:

• The Teaching Qualification in Further Education (TQFE) can be studied as part of the BAPD.
• Hazard and Risk in Professional Contexts (ED302E)
• Broadening Professional Boundaries (ED4530)

---

Course Descriptions:

• Professional Learning and Inquiry (ED302F): Covers professional learning through reflection and how to carry out practitioner inquiry.
• Professional Project 3 (ED3587): Allows you to write up a professional project you have been working on.
Addresses planning, implementation, reporting on findings, and reflecting upon your professional project. Encourages engagement with academic literature, policy documents, and the views of colleagues and stakeholders.
• Hazard and Risk in Professional Contexts (ED302E): Encourages students to investigate and develop an understanding of hazard and risk in society and as it applies in their professional context.
• Broadening Professional Boundaries (ED4530): Explores varying definitions of community work and development, competing theoretical perspectives, current debates, and examples of practice from international contexts.
Evaluates the relevance of differing strategies for contemporary and local contexts. Includes interactive enquiry with a peer student or worker in another country.

---

Assessment:

• Coursework: blog posts, essays, reports
• Presentations: using PowerPoint and other methods

---

Teaching:

• Learning through course materials in the virtual learning environment MyAberdeen
• Posting comments and blogs in MyAberdeen
• Reflecting on professional practice
• Reading
• Writing coursework
• Presenting work to other people on the course

---

Careers:

• This program is designed to fit in with and enhance your professional role.
• The program is continually reviewed and updated based on student feedback and external examiner reports.

---

Other:

• Students learn in various ways.
• The exact mix of assessment methods differs between individual courses.

---

EU / International students

• £1,180 per 15 credits

---

UK

• £410 per 15 credits

---

Additional Fees

• In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips.