Leading Interprofessional Practice Education

The highlights

• This unique online course is accredited by Advance HE, formerly the Higher Education Academy (HEA), as meeting the Professional Standards Framework (PSF) for teaching and supporting learning, meaning you will be eligible to apply for Associate Fellowship or Fellowship of Advance HE when you graduate from the course
• A postgraduate qualification that enables you to develop your skills and knowledge in education within your practice setting, putting you at the forefront of professional practice education
• The course can be completed in one or two years of part-time online study, making it ideal for your professional development and career advancement
• You’ll benefit from learning alongside a range of health, social care and allied health professionals to help you to develop the interprofessional academic and personal skills needed in future-focused educational practice
• This course provides the opportunity to develop leadership skills and specialise in the teaching and support of undergraduate and postgraduate learners towards, during and following assessment, through constructive feedback
• You’ll develop the ability to support diverse groups of learners with an ‘anti-exclusionary’ approach underpinned by a sound understanding of equality and accessibility
• Increase your digital capabilities through online study, while demonstrating digital technologies in the facilitation of learning, the promotion of independent learning skills and other teaching techniques
• The University has 20 years of experience of successfully delivering this programme under a variety of iterations, to meet the needs of the evolutionary Health and Social Care landscape

This online Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) Leading Interprofessional Practice Education (LIPPE) programme is for registered health and social care professionals who are supporting higher education learning, teaching and assessment across acute and community service provision, within their role.

Many post-registration specialist and advanced practitioners will, once qualified, work autonomously. Whilst training and preparing for their role, they require thorough support to facilitate a range of on-the-job learning opportunities and advanced assessment of their ability to undertake complex assessment and form judgements while making decisions. This course aims to prepare you with the knowledge, skills, values and behaviours required to reflexively facilitate such learning and development across the broad experiential range and academic scope of the health and social care provision.

This is a long-established programme now available as an online course. It has evolved over the years to reflect the changing requirements of educators working across the broad spectrum of Health and Social Care Services.

Grow as an Educator Through Interprofessional Learning

As practice / clinical educators and assessors of practice, you will support higher education level students to meet the demands of practice and academia. You will provide continuous professional development and mandated learning opportunities to the organisational workforce, orientating new staff to their new roles within the practice setting through strong value-based inductions.

This Leading Interprofessional Practice Education Postgraduate Certificate online course looks at the value of interprofessional learning allowing you to develop your knowledge and skills, and to hone your craft as an educator within a safe and supportive environment. You will benefit from studying alongside other registered health professionals, providing an environment for you to develop the professional, academic and personal skills required for educational practice.

Learning through Professional Practice

Alongside your online studies, you will also engage in learning through your current workplace. To join this course, you'll need to be able to facilitate learning in your practice environment and have full support from your employer. You will also need the support of a Practice Education Facilitator within your working environment, who will sign off your evidence and hours accrued towards meeting the programme requirements.

Work towards Advance HE Status for Professional Recognition

This course is accredited by Advance HE, meaning that you will be eligible to apply for Associate Fellow or Fellowship of Advance HE when you graduate from the course, giving you professional recognition as an educator.

The Postgraduate Certificate Leading Interprofessional Practice Education can be obtained upon passing two core level 7 modules totalling 60 credits (one 20-credit and one 40-credit module).

The first module (20 credits) introduces you to theories of teaching, learning and assessment while exploring your value base and role toward supporting Higher Education students across the broad range of Health and Social Care learning environments. Assessment plays an import role in the caring professions and is specifically explored, as the protection of service users is imperative.

The second module (40 credits) investigates the concept of curriculum, the design and quality mechanisms toward the maintenance of currency and credibility.

A focus on interprofessional education toward improving service user outcomes and the application of learning to practice is integral to this programme.

You can view the study plan for this online course.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

You will study online with regular touch points with your module tutor. Live sessions will be delivered to discuss educational issues and engage and debate with fellow students via a community of practice and interprofessional cultural exchange.

Orientation Through a Course Induction

A full course online induction is available for you to familiarise yourself with the virtual learning environment (VLE) and your study materials, the online library resources, our student support services, study skills sessions and more.

Community of Practice and Professional Networks

Built into the course are opportunities for you to build a community of practice as an educator, with like-minded professionals. Our VLE features café forums and digital discussion spaces allowing you to engage in dialogue and debate with fellow students. All this helps you to build a peer support group and develop your professional networks.

Critical Appraisal via Feedback and Observation

Throughout the course there are opportunities for peer assessment and feedback. This will take place virtually and in your workplace. You will observe and critique others and have your own teaching observed to allow for constructive feedforward towards your personal development.

Mentoring from a Practice Education Facilitator

You will need to be supported within your place of work by a Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) / mentor. The PEF/Mentor will observe and assess your progression toward meeting the expectations of the practice requirements of the programme. The PEF/Mentor will sign off your final submission of the required hours and note your fitness for practice as an educator. Upon application, please evidence details of your PEF/mentor. It will be your responsibility to secure a PEF/Mentor who holds a PGCE and Advance HE Fellowship. If this is not possible, we may be able to help with this.

Course duration

The online Postgraduate Certificate Leading Interprofessional Practice course has an annual intake in September and can be studied over one or two years. The academic year is made up of three 12-week trimesters, which start in September, January and May. We recommend doing about 20 hours of study per week to complete 20-credits each trimester.

To complete the course over one year, you will undertake 20 credits per trimester: Innovating learning, teaching and assessment toward enhanced professional practice (20 credit module) in the first (September) trimester and Leading and Evaluating the Curriculum (40 credit module) across trimester two (January) and three (May) ending in August.

To complete the course over two years, you would complete Innovating learning, teaching and assessment toward enhanced professional practice (20 credit module) in the September trimester or year one, and then Leading and Evaluating the Curriculum (40 credit module) across the January and May trimesters of year two, finishing in the August.

Assessment method

This course is assessed through 100% coursework using a range of methods such as essays, presentations, a Professional Practice Portfolio, and practical teaching observation reports from within the practice setting.

You will be able to further develop and build on your Portfolio of Professional Practice after the course to underpin your career aspirations and development.

You should normally have:

• a degree qualification in a health or social care-related subject demonstrating successful previous study
• A teaching aspect to your role and be a registered professional currently working within the health or social care setting
• a written statement from your employer / sponsor committing to financial support and protected practice-based study time. If you are self-funding this will need to be clear in the application, but you will still need to secure protected practice-based study time
• the availability of a suitably qualified, annotated mentor / practice teachers / practice educator to support you during the programme and formally 'sign off' your practice on completion

We will also consider your application if you have evidence of level 6 study (minimum 20 credits) plus at least 6-12 months experience of working in a relevant field.

Recognition of prior learning

Have you already studied at another institution, completed a training course, or does your work experience appear equivalent to one or more modules of your chosen course?

If so, applicants who meet the standard entry requirements may be able to translate this prior learning into credits towards your course modules, so you don’t have to study them again.

This will be assessed on an individual basis and you will need to evidence your knowledge, skills and/or certificated awards that are directly comparable to a module or modules on the Leading Interprofessional Practice Education PG Cert programme.

Further information about applying for credits for prior learning can be found in our recognition of prior learning section.

English language qualifications

If English is not your first language, or you have not successfully completed your highest level of qualification in English, you will need an English language qualification. For this course you will need at least one of the following:

• IELTS 7.0 (6.5 score in the Writing section of the test will be accepted alongside a 7.0 score in each of the Reading, Listening and Speaking sections of the test)
• TOEFL: 600 (paper based), 250 (computer based) or 100 (internet based)
• Pearson Test of Academic English: 51
• Cambridge Advanced Certificate: Pass
• London Tests of English: we accept level 4 for undergraduate courses
• International GCE O Level English Language: Grade C
• International GCSE English/English as a Second Language: Grade C

^‡2025/26 for new entrants

Starting between September 2025 and August 2026.

About your fees

This figure would be the total cost of this course based on the fee in the current academic year. However, please note that fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase if your course lasts longer than one year.

If you are required to undertake any associate study or additional study as a condition of your offer for the programme, please be aware that the cost for this may be in addition to the programme cost stated above.

Additional costs

Any costs or expenses incurred for the end of module presentation are not included in the course fees.

Your application to Advance HE for Associate Fellow and Fellowship status is made direct to Advance HE upon successfully completing this course unless you are employed by an affiliated organisation. Fees incurred are not included in the course fee.

Flexible payment plans available

Choose from two payment plan options:

• Pay monthly and only for the modules you are studying

• Pay your full course fees upfront and avoid annual increases

Apply directly to the University.

Apply now

For support with completing your application, view our guide to the application process.

Documents to support your application

In order for your application to be assessed, you will need to provide the following documents when you apply:

• Official photo identification such as a passport or driving licence
• Copies of certificates and transcripts or a letter of testimony for previous qualifications*
• Evidence of employer support for study and any funding support on an organisational headed letter
• Evidence of professional qualifications e.g copy of certificates
• Current CV
• Details of your Practice Education Facilitator / mentor
• Written reference supplied on headed paper from either a manager, supervisor, tutor or teacher

*Documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a certified translation by a professional translator/translation company. Each translation must contain:

• Confirmation from the translator that it is an accurate translation of the original document
• The date of the translation
• The full name and signature of the translator, or an authorised official of the company
• The translator’s contact details

A list of approved translators can be found on the UK Government website.

Please note: failure to submit any documentation when requested, may result in your application being withdrawn.

This programme will increase your knowledge of the broader education sector including HE and promote your employability opportunities. You will develop competency and capability to assess at a higher level than pre-registration and work autonomously as an educator. This qualification will evidence your development and demonstrate your ability to work within education across a breadth of health, social care, charitable, voluntary, private, general and higher education settings.

You will be able to use this Postgraduate Certificate as a benchmark of evidence, demonstrating your ability to study at master's level. You could embark on further educational study using these 60 credits toward a full MSc award.

Contact us

Contact the University of Derby Online Learning:

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• Leading Interprofessional Practice Education-Academic Professional Apprenticeship