Postgraduate Advanced Certificate in Educational Studies: Educational Assessment

Each student takes three units in total. Units 1 and 3 are taken by all students. Unit 2 offers a choice for students, depending on their particular professional interest. Students will select their optional unit during the application process. A summary of the units is provided in the table below:

Further details of the course units and their content can be found in the unit topics summary.

The course is part time, and learning takes place via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and four interactive day schools. The online day schools provide an opportunity for students to hear from, and debate with, eminent academics in the educational assessment field. This is an important and enriching part of the course. Also included in the course are six tutor-led online Research Methods sessions.

You'll explore assessment literature, adopting an analytic and critical approach, conferring with colleagues and experts at interactive and structured input sessions at the day schools. You will also have opportunities to share, reflect and try out your new understanding at work through course assignments.

The VLE provides the course materials and you'll work with your colleagues there throughout the course. The rich environment of the online forums is a key part of this programme.

As a course participant you'll develop:

• An in-depth understanding of key concepts and issues within the field of educational assessment.
• A critical and reflective approach to academic enquiry on issues of educational assessment.
• The ability to link collected data and theoretical perspectives in assessment in order to make new insights
• Understanding and skills related to research methods, including critical awareness of methodological issues, ethical principles and data collection methods
• The ability to evaluate the impact of research enquiry on their own professional context 
• Skills in planning, organisation and academic writing.

As an employer you will:

• Support your staff through accredited CPD, engaging with experts
• Gain staff who have a deep, wide-ranging and evidence-based understanding of educational assessment

There are three methods of teaching for each of the course units.

Online learning – each unit for the course has weekly materials and activities to support students in their learning. Each unit has a dedicated Unit Tutor, who provides guidance for students in how to get the most out of the course materials and activities. The Unit Tutor facilitates forum discussions through the virtual learning environment (VLE). For some weeks of the course, students will also be supported by a Research Methods Tutor.

Day schools – Each unit has one day school which takes place early on in the unit, with the exception of Unit 1, which will have two consecutive day school days. 

The dates for the day schools for the 24/25 academic year are given below:

• Friday 4 October 2024
• Saturday 5 October 2024
• Saturday 8 February 2025
• Saturday 6 September 2025

The online day schools are an enriching learning experience, where students are able to hear from, and debate with, eminent academics in the educational assessment field.

Supervision – each student is given a supervisor for each unit assignment. Supervisors provide support for each stage of the assignment writing process. They give guidance on developing an effective assignment title, offer feedback on draft versions of assignments, and provide written feedback on submitted work.

Course teaching is led by a teaching team of staff from the Faculty of Education and Cambridge Assessment. The team is chaired by Dr Ayesha Ahmed.

Assessment comprises three 4000 word assignments – one for each unit.

• Unit 1 – a critical review of the literature regarding a validity issue that is relevant to the professional context of the student (3500 words), plus a critical reflection of their learning from Unit 1 (notional 500 words).
• Unit 2 – a report of a small-scale research enquiry. The enquiry undertaken will focus on an issue of professional or personal interest related to the course content and is informed by the student’s study of research methods.
• Unit 3 - an enquiry based essay related to an issue or debate in assessment of professional interest to the student.

For each unit, feedback on assignment drafts and final submissions is provided by the supervisor.

As part of their application, prospective students should evidence that they:

• Have relevant experience of working in an education or related professional setting.
• Demonstrate a reflective and enquiring approach to their work which supports improvement in professional practice and/or policy.
• Demonstrate the ability to work independently and collaboratively with the support of Faculty supervision.
• Demonstrate a willingness and ability to engage with academic and professional literature that will support empirical and/or literature-based enquiry into policy and/or practice.

It should be noted that Accredited Prior Learning (APL) (i.e. credits gained from other institutions) are not accepted to gain accelerated entry to the PPD programme, although these credits can be considered as part of an applicant’s entry qualifications to support the application, if considered relevant.

Please apply via the Faculty of Education PPD Application portal.

More information on your application and entry requirements can be found on the Faculty of Education course page and the Top tips on preparing your application blog.

This course is part of the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education's Practitioner Professional Development Programme (PPD) and is worth 90 credits. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be eligible to apply to undertake the part-time Master of Education (MEd) in just one year if they wish to do so. The PPD and MEd parts must be completed within 5 years of starting the PPD course.