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Lifelong Learning CertEd in-service

2025-26

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Start date

22 September 2025

Duration

2 years part-time

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About the course

Reasons to study

  1. Progress your career: you could be eligible to gain Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.
  2. Focus on your particular subject specialist area, with a significant amount of your learning happening in your place of work.
  3. You will gain experience of learning and teaching alongside other professionals with support from tutors and mentors.

If you’re already working as a teacher or trainer at a recognised training or educational establishment within the education and training sector (former post-14 sector) and looking to progress your career, then this course will help you on your way.

Why Lifelong Learning?

  • Upon successful completion of this course, you’ll be eligible to proceed, following a process of professional formation through the Society for Education and Training to gain Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status. This is the full professional status for teachers in the Lifelong Learning Sector.
  • On this course you’ll have the opportunity to develop the skills to play a full part in teaching and curriculum development. The course allows you to focus on your particular subject specialist area, alongside general teaching in the lifelong learning sector and a significant amount of your learning happens in your place of work – allowing you to put theory into practice.
  • You’ll also have access to our extensive professional and academic network, which feeds directly into course design and delivery, and to excellent facilities and specialist equipment.

Please note:

Course detail

Core modules:

Research Informed Teaching, Learning and Assessment

This module aims to develop your understanding of how people learn in the Lifelong Learning Sector and of the role of assessment in enabling learning and achievement. It introduces theories and principles of learning and assessment and develops your ability to apply research evidence in designing effective learning and assessment strategies and materials. It seeks to develop positive approaches to the management of group and individual behaviours and promotes an inclusive approach to teaching, learning and assessment. It introduces the role of key transferable skills and the ways in which people learn English, Maths and digital skills. The module is assessed by means of a practical micro-teaching assignment and the design of an intervention, strategy, activity or resource, underpinned by an understanding of key principles of teaching, learning and assessment.

Becoming a Subject Specialist Teacher

The module reviews your practice as a trainee teacher. It explores your teaching values, knowledge of your subject specialism, and your knowledge and understanding of how you're learning to teach. You'll have the opportunity to learn how to identify and respond to students’ needs, and how to use suitable teaching, learning and assessment strategies to develop inclusive teaching and learning environments. You'll have the chance to evaluate your teaching effectiveness and develop as a reflective practitioner as well as engage in personal and professional development planning, against the appropriate Professional Standards, to recognise and develop relevant subject specialist knowledge, behaviours and skills. This will include further development of English, Maths and digital skills for you and your students.

Being a Subject Specialist Teacher

This module builds on previous generic and subject specialist development in two ways. Firstly, it contributes to your development of more advanced strategies and methods for promoting learning and, secondly, it involves a focus on specific specialist areas and the critical analysis of subject specialist pedagogy. The module seeks to enhance your ability to reflect critically on, and to evaluate, teaching and learning; by recognising particular curriculum and professional challenges; and by developing your ability to respond to these concerns in sophisticated, innovative and creative ways. Key learning activities of the module are practical teaching experience and the engagement with other specialists through collaborative practice. The module is assessed through a Teaching Portfolio and a Conference Paper dealing with teaching and learning in the specialist subject.

Option modules:

Curriculum and Context

This module will develop your understanding of policy and issues relating to curriculum development in lifelong learning. You will explore the impact of policy on curriculum development and draw on appropriate evidence to evaluate curriculum practice and discuss possible improvements. The module will cover the internal and external factors that drive curriculum change and consider key contemporary issues in lifelong learning that impact upon curriculum development and design. It aims to engage trainees in reflection on the policy and practice of education and training for lifelong learners. The module promotes an analytical and reflexive understanding of the factors that inform curriculum development and delivery in lifelong learning provision.

English as an Additional Language (EAL): Curriculum and Context

This module will develop your understanding of provision for learners with English as an additional language (EAL) in the lifelong learning sector. You will explore the policy and practice of education and training for EAL learners and the impact on curriculum practice. The module will explore ways of working effectively with and supporting the achievement of learners with English as an additional language. You will engage with evidence-based research on the EAL curriculum to evaluate – and enact improvements to – professional practice.

SEND: Curriculum and Context

This module will develop your understanding of special educational provision in the lifelong learning sector and disability equality in the lifelong learning curriculum. You will explore ways of working effectively with and supporting the achievement of learners with SEN/D in mainstream and specialist contexts within lifelong learning. You will examine education reform and UK policy on post-16 SEN/D provision along with the ways in which national, local and organisational policy influence the SEN/D curriculum. You will draw on appropriate evidence to evaluate – and enact improvements to – professional practice.

EDI and Social Justice: Curriculum and Context

This module explores the ways in which lifelong learning can address inequity and disadvantage. It introduces some key conceptual frameworks for understanding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and social justice within a lifelong learning context. You will explore the sociopolitical ideologies that impact upon curriculum design and implementation in the lifelong learning sector. You will consider the sectorial expectations around inclusion, equality and participation that guide the work of the lifelong learning practitioner and the ways in which lifelong learning can extend opportunities for students from a range of backgrounds. You will explore some of the key philosophical positions in the field of inclusive education and consider your own values in relation to inclusive and socially just practice.

Entry requirements

You should normally:

  • be in employment as a teacher or trainer at a recognised training or educational establishment for a minimum of 250 hours (at least 125 hours in any one year). Voluntary teaching/training may be acceptable in some circumstances (please check with your local centre).
  • have qualifications at Level 3 or above, for example HNC, CGLI Advanced, NVQ level 3/4 or other recognised professional qualification.
  • have Level 2 Maths and English.
  • have the ability to demonstrate appropriate work experience in the area you wish to teach.

In addition you must also:

  • provide confirmation of an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
  • provide one satisfactory reference.
  • complete a satisfactory interview.
  • identify a work-based mentor who can support you in your subject specialism.

The course is particularly suitable if you have work experience and/or qualifications in industry, including business and administration, hair and beauty, health and social care, uniformed services or armed forces, construction, engineering and many other vocational areas.

We also offer this course at professional graduate (honours) and postgraduate (masters) if you hold a degree (or recognised equivalent). If you already have a degree (2:2 or above), you may be eligible for our Lifelong Learning PGCE In-Service.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

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We know you\'re coming to university to undertake your course, meet new people and broaden your horizons. However, we also help you to focus on life after you have graduated to ensure that your hard work pays off and you achieve your ambition. 

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So while you\'re here (and after you graduate) the Careers and Employability Service offer professional help, support and guidance. Find out more about the Service.

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95% of our undergraduate students go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating.** 

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 **HESA Graduate Outcomes 2020/21, including both UK and non-UK domiciled, other activities excluded. 

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Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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