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What is a short course?

A short course is a course that doesn’t take long to complete! Our short courses run over 12 weeks and are a great way to gain skills and knowledge quickly without having to commit to a full degree programme.

Our short courses are all credit bearing. This means you will be awarded a certificate of academic credit on passing the course which could potentially be used towards degree study in the future. Each course is worth 30 credits at Level 4, Level 5 or L6. To put this in perspective; a total of 360 credits would be needed for a full honours degree (120 credits at L4, 120 credits at L5 and 120 credits at L6).

Our short courses have all been designed with employers to ensure that they provide the knowledge and skills needed in the education, early years and children’s services sector.

How will I study?

All of our short courses begin with a full day in-person launch conference where you can meet the other students on your course and related courses. We aim to locate the conference at a venue convenient for most students, however, should you need to travel the night before you will need to source and pay for Friday nights’ accommodation and breakfast for the Saturday.

For Semester Two courses the launch conference is on Saturday 25th January 2025.

This is followed by weekly evening live-online teaching sessions in the virtual classroom each lasting 2 hours 15 minutes (times and days vary among courses).

You will also complete weekly online learning activities which are designed for you to access flexibly to fit around your work and commitments.

Who are short courses for?

Anyone aged 18 or over; there is no upper age limit.

Education short courses are particularly suitable for those employed in education settings such as schools, further education colleges and early years settings; and children’s services such as family support and youth services. Short courses can help you to upskill in a new area or refresh knowledge and skills you have not used for some time.

If you are already a qualified professional such as a teacher, short courses offer continuing professional development opportunities to help you build your portfolio and progress in your career.

The courses are also suitable for those considering a change of vocation or a totally new career. Perhaps you are part of the wider school community; a parent or a childminder and would like to work within the education sector. Maybe you intended to stop studying at L3 but are now tempted to ‘dip your toe into the water’ of higher education. Short courses allow you to try out a new subject without having to commit to a full degree.

If you are unsure whether a short course is right for you please contact Sarah Hutchins at s.hutchins@worc.ac.uk.

Do I need to be employed in education or children’s services to do an education short course?

There is no requirement to be employed in the sector to enrol on a short course. However, as the courses offered are intended to have a strong focus on developing practice, we would encourage you to do some voluntary work (which we could support you to find) if you are not employed in a relevant field.

What qualifications and experience do I need to do a short course?

We are committed to providing education to all those who can demonstrate the potential to benefit and succeed.

Applicants will be considered on evidence of relevant experience and related prior learning provided in their application and personal statement.

Normally applicants with no prior higher education credit will start with a Level 4 course.

Applicants who do not have formal GCSE/A Level or equivalent qualifications should contact Sarah Hutchins at s.hutchins@worc.ac.uk to discuss their application.

Who teaches on short courses?

Our short courses are of high quality and taught by academic staff who are experts in their field and who have backgrounds in or are currently working on the frontline of education and children’s services. This ensures the courses are informed by research, employers, and current developments within the discipline.

As well as the opportunity to explore and discuss a subject of your choice, you will have access to appropriate materials for your courses including our vast digital resources. You will also be able to use The Hive library and borrow books as well as other resources if you wish.

What technologies are used to deliver the course?

Blackboard Collaborate® is used to deliver the online sessions. It is a licensed 'online classroom' and encompasses web conferencing, mobile collaboration, instant messaging, and additional features relevant to your course.

It is expected that you will have access to your own computer. As much of the learning is online it will be necessary for you to have a secure internet connection and an up-to-date web browser to enable you to access materials and engage with the virtual learning environment.

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How will I be assessed?

Our courses have one or two formal assessments such as essays, presentations or portfolios. There are no exams on any of our short courses. If you satisfactorily complete the assessments, you will be awarded 30 higher education credits at the relevant level.

Our courses also include formative assessments which provide you with opportunities to receive feedback on your work to help you understand your strengths and areas for development before you submit your formal assessments.

What support is available to help me succeed on my short course?

If you have not previously studied a short course, a pre-course workshop (with some in-person and live-online options) will be offered to introduce you to higher education study skills, our virtual learning environments (VLE), and each other, so you can begin to develop a community of practice as a HE student.

Self-directed study resources are interwoven into all our short courses and will enable you to explore higher education study skills independently to support your own academic development.

You will be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor to support your needs and you will have access to a full range of .

We want to provide an inclusive learning experience and have worked hard to provide a digitally accessible experience for all students. Within our Virtual Learning Environment, you can download content in a range of . This is available for all students regardless of whether you have a specific learning difficulty – just select a format that works for you at the time you need it.

How much does a short course cost?

The course fee for a one of our short courses is £2,312 for the year 2024/25.

You will be not expected to purchase any key texts for your short course as they will be available via the online library services. You might choose to purchase some texts as you become familiar with your area of interest.

It will be necessary to provide your own personal stationary throughout the course however, printed handouts will be provided at the in-person Saturday launch conference.

We aim to locate the Saturday conference at a venue convenient for most students, however, should you need to travel the night before you will need to source and pay for Friday nights’ accommodation and breakfast for the Saturday.

Can I get a tuition fee loan for the short course?

These short courses are part of the government’s pilot of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement which is a new student finance product. Therefore, they are eligible for .

You must normally live in England to be eligible for a Higher Education Short Course loan.

You may be eligible for Higher Education Short Course Loans even if you have had student finance for degree level study in the past.

Taking a Short Course Higher Education Loan as part of the pilot will not affect your eligibility for higher education loans in the future if you decide to do a full degree.

You do not have to borrow the full cost of your course; you can pay for some of it yourself or ask your employer to fund some of it.

You can receive up to a maximum of four Higher Education Short Course Loans and you can get more than one at the same time.

You will be due to start repaying your loan the April after you finish your course. However, you’ll only start making repayments if your income is over the repayment threshold, which is currently £27,295 a year.

The Student Finance England contact centre has opened a Higher Education Short Course telephone line for students on 0300 100 0085 so that they can speak to an Adviser about any Higher Education Short Courses query they may have – this line is open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

The University’s Money Advice Service can also provide information about student money; this can be accessed through .

I'd like to speak to someone about short courses – how do I get in touch?

For short course enquiries please email Sarah Hutchins at s.hutchins@worc.ac.uk.

The Student Finance England contact centre has opened a Higher Education Short Course telephone line for students on 0300 100 0085 so that they can speak to an Adviser about any Higher Education Short Courses query they may have – this line is open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Teaching and Learning

The conference and live-online learning, both synchronous elements of learning, will be composed of a range of teaching and learning strategies. Peers alongside the module tutor are seen as resources to support the learning process. Synchronous teaching and learning activities may include:

• whole group lectures
• tutor led seminars – whole & small group discussion
• peer group learning including
  • peer discussion
  • peer reviewed presentations
  • peer led seminar groups
• visiting speakers
• group tutorials
• assessment practice and production

Tutor mediated online learning, guided independent study and preparations for assessment, the asynchronous elements of learning, will be composed of a range of teaching and learning strategies which could include:

• engagement with Blackboard
• self-directed and tutor directed
  • reading and learning activities
  • activities designed to develop and extend skills in evaluation and reflection
• the use of visual, auditory technologies and electronic VLE platforms

To ensure inclusivity, the short course’s structure encourages individual engagement through the guided development of knowledge and skills in a supportive manner. Reasonable adjustments will be made for students who disclose their disability and the tutor will discuss how best to address individual needs. The short course supports employability through developing the knowledge, skills and understanding of the student.

Programme Specifications

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