Bath Spa University
Professional Practice in Higher Education MA
Bath Spa University

Key Course Facts

Course Description

A programme to help staff and research students address the key challenges of working in higher education.

  • Opportunities for accredited professional development designed to meet the needs of those working in higher education contexts, by building on prior relevant credit or HEA fellowships.
  • Undertake professional development at your own pace. We offer flexible patterns of enrolment, course delivery and credit accumulation.
  • Learning activities and assessment tasks have a practical orientation and can be tailored to reflect the needs of your work environment.

This flexible Master’s course is designed to support your continued professional development through a range of module options, and offers both intermediate qualifications and external (HEA) accredited status (for those with suitable teaching practice in HE only). You'll choose modules based on your role and interests and study over a two to five year period.

The course is suitable for academics, professional services staff and research students and can build on previous relevant PGCerts (in HE practice) or HEA Fellowships via accreditation of prior learning. As a staff member or research student, the PPHE programme will help you meet the key challenges of working in the rapidly changing world of higher education while gaining credit and postgraduate qualifications for your professional development.

These challenges – of teaching, supporting student learning, employability, sustainability, new technologies, team management, enterprise, quality assurance and external accountability – range across the whole business of higher education, and can rarely be addressed in isolation. They raise many questions about how best to enhance teaching and research within particular contexts, and about how managers and administrators can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of current practices, not least in terms of addressing students’ needs and aspirations, enriching their learning experiences, and raising the enduring value of their learning outcomes.

Assessment for all modules is by coursework, based on the completion of assignments designed to promote understanding, enhancement and/or application of professional practices in higher education for your own practice.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

Requirements for international students / English requirements

IELTS academic test score (similar tests may be accepted as well)

    • 5.0
    • Foundation
    • 6.5
    • Mphil / PhD
    • 7.0
    • PGCE
    • 6.5
    • Graduate Degrees
    • 6.0
    • Undergraduate Degrees
Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Professional Practice in Higher Education, MA, if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

You must be working, or a research student, in a Higher Education Institution (including HE in FE) during your part time study on this course. Activities and assessments are based on your current HE professional practice. This includes both academic and professional services staff. Enquire with the course team to discuss.

You’ll normally be required to possess an undergraduate degree awarded by a UK higher education institution, or equivalent qualification from overseas. Applicants who do not possess an undergraduate degree, or equivalent professional qualification, but who have at least two years of work experience relevant to the programme are also welcome to apply and will be invited to attend an admissions interview.

If you already hold a qualification such as a PGCert in HE (learning and teaching or academic practice), or a fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, the course can build on this towards a higher qualification. This course is consequently suitable primarily for those living and working in the UK, able to travel to Bath regularly for part time study alongside their work in HE.

Costs

Tuition Fees Professional Practice in Higher Education MA

England UK £4298 year 1
Northern Ireland £4298 year 1
Scotland £4298 year 1
Wales £4298 year 1
Channel Islands £4298 year 1
Ireland £4298 year 1
Source: UCAS Dec 4, 2023

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

Source: Own research based on surveys and university data

University Rankings

Positions of Bath Spa University in top UK and global rankings.

See all 9 university rankings of Bath Spa University

About Bath Spa University

Bath Spa University is located in the rural outskirts of the English city of the same name, Bath. This institution of higher education takes pride in that they have the faculty resources and initiative to treat students as individuals, by learning their strengths and weaknesses, and thus being able to help them find work placements that align with their goals. In your free time, you can find academic and social experiences through Bath Spa’s more than 70 student clubs and societies.

List of 240 Bachelor and Master Courses from Bath Spa University - Course Catalogue

Student composition of Bath Spa University

Total number of students enrolled at Bath Spa University by level Academic year 2021/22 - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
undergraduates:
7335
postgraduates:
1285
Total:
8620
Number of students enrolled in courses of subject “Higher Education”: Academic year - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
Source: Academic year 2021/22 - Full-time equivalent student enrollments published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on February 2022
  • Bath Spa University Bus Service
  • Why Bath Spa University?
  • LLB (Hons) Law at Bath Spa University
  • Bath Spa University - advice from graduating students
  • BA Theatre, Festival and Event Production

Where is this programme taught

Newton Park Campus
map marker Show on map

Similar courses

Program University Student satis­faction Unem­ployed Drop­out Tuition (UK) Tuition (Inter­national) UCAS Tariff City
Higher Education MA University of Huddersfield - - - £6900 £17600 - Huddersfield On campus Full-time
Higher Education MA (PG) Middlesex University - - - £8400 £11000 - London On campus Full-time
Professional Practice in Higher Education MA Bath Spa University - - - £4298 - - Bath On campus Part-time
Higher Education PgDip University of Kent - - - - - - Canterbury On campus Part-time
Higher Education MA University of Surrey - - - - - - Guildford On campus Part-time
International Education (Higher Education) MA The University of Manchester - - - - - - Manchester On campus Full-time
Education (Higher Education) MSc University of Oxford - - - - - - Oxford On campus Full-time
Career Education, Information and Guidance in Higher Education PgCert The University of Warwick - - - - - - Coventry On campus Part-time
Higher Education Administration, Management and Leadership PgCert Nottingham Trent University - - - - - - Nottingham On campus Part-time
Admission advice for international students