Program Overview
The Professional Certificate in University Teaching and Learning equips educators with skills and knowledge to enhance their teaching practices. This in-service program emphasizes critical reflection, active learning, and collegiality. Participants expand their repertoire of strategies, personalize learning, collaborate with peers, and develop an evidence-based approach to teaching.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Professional Certificate (15 ECTS credits) in University Teaching and Learning is an in-service program designed for those currently teaching in higher education (NQF level 7 or above).
Objectives:
The program aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to deliver effective and high-quality educational experiences for their students. It values academic rigor and practice relevance, employing research-led and evidence-based approaches to address contemporary issues and challenges in higher education.
Key Features:
- Critical Reflection: Emphasis on critically reflecting on one's own practice to plan, implement, and review new teaching and learning initiatives in disciplinary contexts.
- Active Learning: Participants engage in active discursive and collaborative learning approaches.
- Collegial Learning: A key feature is learning from peers in collegial interdisciplinary groups.
Program Outcomes:
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:
- Expand their repertoire of teaching, learning, assessment, and education technology strategies to promote a more engaging and enjoyable experience for teachers and students.
- Personalize their learning to make it relevant to their disciplinary teaching contexts.
- Approach teaching more creatively through discussion and collaboration with peers.
- Utilize relevant research and data to support an evidence-based approach to their teaching practice.
- Design effective and efficient learning opportunities at module and/or program level.
- Devise a critically reflective portfolio of teaching practice.
Teaching:
- Experienced Academic Staff: The program is taught by experienced academic staff.
- Research-Informed and Experiential Approaches: The program utilizes research-informed and experiential approaches to developing participants' repertoire of teaching, learning, and assessment strategies.
Other:
- Part-Time Option: The program offers a part-time option suitable for domestic (EEA) applicants.
- Vision and Values Statement: The program emphasizes academic rigor, practice relevance, research-led and evidence-based approaches, critical reflection, active learning, and collegial learning.
- Testimonial: Participants can hear testimonials from UCD Faculty participants who have completed the program on the webpage http://www.ucd.ie/teaching/professionaldevelopment/universityteachingqualification.
- Duration: The minimum course duration is 1 year, and the maximum duration is 3 years.
- Mode of Delivery: Blended. The program fee is waived for UCD faculty and staff enrolling in UTL programs.
University College Dublin
Overview:
University College Dublin (UCD) is a leading research-intensive university located in Dublin, Ireland. It is known for its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and global engagement. UCD offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various disciplines.
Student Life and Campus Experience:
UCD provides a vibrant and diverse campus experience for its students. The university emphasizes the holistic development of its students, offering a range of opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Key Reasons to Study There:
Research Excellence:
UCD is renowned for its strong research output and collaborations with industry partners.Global Partnerships:
The university boasts a vast network of partner institutions worldwide, providing students with opportunities for international study and exchange.Transformational Learning:
UCD focuses on providing a transformative learning experience that fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills.Other:
UCD is actively involved in promoting sustainability and social responsibility. The university is committed to creating a positive impact on society through its research, teaching, and engagement activities.
Entry Requirements:
- Eligibility: The Professional Certificate and the Certificate of Continuing Professional Development are open to faculty and academic related staff who are:
- Currently teaching in higher education: This means teaching within a university or at NFQ level 7 or above.
- In an active teaching role: This includes design, delivery, and assessment of modules.
- Undertaking a significant teaching commitment: This is defined as a minimum of 2 hours teaching per week per trimester or 48 hours over the course of the academic year.
- Professional staff: Professional staff who teach as part of their brief and meet the above criteria may apply for the programme and will be considered on a case by case basis.
- Final decision: The final decision on eligibility of all candidates will be made by the Board of Studies on the recommendation of the Programme Director.
- Alternative options: UCD Teaching and Learning offers the module University Teaching and Learning for Tutors, Demonstrators and TAs (UTL40230) and the University Teaching & Learning Practice seminar series.
- Postdoctoral Research Fellows: In exceptional circumstances where a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (level 2) is approved as module coordinator by Academic Council (or its relevant subcommittee) and has completed the Seminar Series for Post Doctoral Researcher Fellows they are eligible to apply to the programmes. Evidence to support these criteria will be required.
- General requirement: Normally applicants to these programmes will hold an honours degree or equivalent in any discipline.
Huge and always expanding. Lots of course options and the professors care a lot about what they teach. Huge amount of students and clubs so there is something for everyone.
Finished my Masters in Food Safety here in 2019. Quality of education is pretty good. Facilities are on point. One of the better universities in Ireland. A lot of extra curricular activities organised all round the year. No racism or any other issue as per my experience. Teaching staff is quite knowledgeable. I loved my time there. 10/10
