Professional Practice (PGDip)
The Professional Practice Postgraduate Diploma at the ÃÜÌÒ´«Ã½ offers a unique and flexible learning experience that can be tailored to meet your personal or organisational needs.
Designed with working professionals in mind, this course allows you to develop your skills while earning a postgraduate qualification.
This part-time course focuses on recognising your prior experiential learning — the knowledge and skills you have already gained through your work and life experiences. Rather than starting from scratch, the Personalised learning approach allows you to build on what you already know. You can gain credits for the learning you’ve already done, which means that your existing expertise is valued and put to use throughout your studies.
One of the key features of this programme is its emphasis on work-based learning. This means you can apply what you learn directly to your current job or workplace. As you work on assignments and projects, you will be encouraged to reflect on your professional experiences and make improvements based on the new knowledge you acquire. This helps you grow both personally and professionally, ensuring that your career progression remains a central focus.
The Professional Practice course is highly flexible. It can be tailored to suit a wide variety of professional backgrounds and career goals, whether you are looking to improve your professional development or advance in your current job. You can choose modules that fit your career path, allowing you to create a learning experience that is relevant to your personal and organisational needs. This level of tailored learning means that no two students have exactly the same experience, as each programme is customised to match their goals.
This approach ensures that learning is not just theoretical, but practical and directly applicable to real-world situations. You will have the opportunity to engage in reflective practice, where you analyse your own work and identify areas for growth and improvement. This helps you develop a deeper understanding of your role, refine your skills, and prepare for future challenges in your career.
By the end of the course, you will have a Postgraduate Diploma that not only recognises your academic achievement but also highlights the practical skills you have developed throughout your learning journey. Whether you are aiming to progress within your current role or shift to a new career, this course offers the tools to help you succeed in today’s competitive job market.
This Professional Practice Postgraduate Diploma provides the flexibility and support you need to take the next step in your career, while allowing you to draw on your existing knowledge and skills. The focus on work-based learning and career progression makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking to enhance their professional development.
Course details
- Part-time
- English
Why choose this course?
What you will learn
At the ÃÜÌÒ´«Ã½, we believe in a flexible, personalised learning approach that integrates academic study with real-world experience. The Professional Practice Postgraduate Diploma is designed to support your professional development, allowing you to tailor your learning to suit both your individual needs and your career goals. Each year, you will gain new skills and insights that will help you progress in your career.
Year 1
In the first year, you will develop a strong foundation in work-based learning, focusing on practical skills that are directly applicable to your job. You will engage in reflective practice, examining your current professional role, identifying areas for improvement, and enhancing your ability to solve real-world problems. You will also start building your tailored learning journey, focusing on the specific skills that will drive your career progression.
Year 2
The second year focuses on refining your leadership and management skills. You will apply the knowledge you gained in Year 1 to larger, more complex projects within your organisation. The course will help you take on higher-level responsibilities by exploring strategies for driving organisational change and leading teams. You will further develop your professional practice through a combination of coursework, reflective commentary, and work-based projects, enhancing both your practical and academic skills.
Year 3
In the final year, you will have the opportunity to work on an in-depth work-based project. This will allow you to tackle real-world challenges in your field, using the theories and skills you have acquired. You will also continue your journey of personalised learning, ensuring that the programme meets your career goals. You will leave with a Postgraduate Diploma that not only acknowledges your academic achievements but also your enhanced professional capabilities.
Optional
(20 credits)
(15 credits)
(20 + (40-160 credit claim))
Optional
(30 credits)
(20 credits)
(30 credits)
(15 credits)
(20 credits)
(30 credits)
(30 credits)
(20 credits)
Optional
Year 2
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The modules outlined above provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this course based on recent academic teaching. We continuously review our courses to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed.
You’ll typically complete 120 credits per year of study on a full-time course. For more information visit our Student Agreement.
Year 3
Year 4
Our People
You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for Teaching, Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support (NSS 2024) meaning that the support and feedback you get will help you learn and develop strong academic skills. Our students have placed us 1st in Wales for Learning Opportunities and Student Voice (NSS 2024) meaning that there are a wide range of opportunities available to enhance your studies and that students play an active role in shaping their learning experiences. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students place us as 1st in Wales and joint 3rd in the UK for student satisfaction (Times Higher Education, 2024, ‘Overall Positivity’ measure). Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses.
Further information
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Minimum of 5 years’ level-appropriate work-based or voluntary experience.
Alternative entry routes-
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCert). This is the first part of the full Master’s degree.
Once you have successfully completed your PGCert studies, you will be eligible to progress for the remainder of the Master’s degree.
These are ideal routes if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied this subject, or if you did not achieve the grades you need for a place on this degree.
Admissions Advice and Support  &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
For specific advice and support you can contact our enquiries team for more information about entry requirements.
As a potential student the Admissions Team will arrange a meeting to discuss the options open to you. This normally takes place online at a time convenient to you.
English language requirements 
If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Visit the International Applications section of our website to find out more about our English Language Requirements and pre-sessional English Language Courses.
Visa and funding requirements
If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
For courses of more than six months’ duration you will require a Student visa.
International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship.
For full information read our visa application and guides.
Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.
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A variety of assessments will be used to challenge learners. There is a strong academic focus within the programme alongside the development of practical skills.
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Some modules in this course are available to study through the medium of Welsh either fully or partially. In all cases students will be able to submit written assessments through the medium of Welsh.  &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
If you choose to study your course either fully or partially through the medium of Welsh, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships and bursaries to support you with your studies. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
We are continuously reviewing our Welsh medium provision, the precise availability of modules will vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Where your course offers modules available through the medium of Welsh this may vary from year to year, and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means the availability of specific Welsh medium modules cannot be guaranteed. 
Extracurricular Welsh Opportunities &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
There are many ways to engage with Welsh culture and life at UWTSD, including joining clubs and societies for Welsh speakers and becoming a member of our vibrant Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol branch. 
Opportunities to Learn Welsh &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
We also provide a variety of opportunities to learn and develop your Welsh language skills.   &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
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There are no additional required costs for the course. There is the option to undertake an Insights Psychometric assessment.
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You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit our Scholarships and Bursaries section on our website.
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Graduates are equipped for leadership roles in various industries.