Grad Cert in HE Academic Practice

Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Academic Practice (GradCertHEd)

Increase your skills and understanding of teaching in higher education to ensure you meet the standards

Available 100% online and undertaken over 6 months full-time or 1 year part time, the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Academic Practice is specifically designed to enhance the knowledge, skills and understanding of academic practice in the higher education sector.

Three subjects in this course are also offered face-to-face at HELI’s Melbourne campus.

Graduates of this course will be able to reflect critically on their educational practice; explore scholarship and research related to higher education learning and teaching; construct effective pedagogies drawn from best practice principles; and understand the nature and purposes of higher education course and assessment design to enhance delivery and the achievement of student learning outcomes.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course graduates will be able to:

• Apply an advanced, systematic, and coherent body of knowledge of good practice in independent higher education providers and universities, with cognitive skills to understand the quantitative and qualitative aspects of effective academic practice.
• Critically review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise relevant academic practice information for effective decision-making and to identify and provide innovative solutions to complex problems and challenges.
• Apply specialised technical and creative skills to teach within a complex and multi-faceted higher education provider and monitor the achievement of stakeholder performance targets and outcomes.
• Communicate complex knowledge, concepts, ideas, and skills clearly and succinctly including through the full range of communication media.
• Demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills in relation to complex and diverse academic practice issues through initiating, planning, implementing and evaluating based on informed judgements.
• Demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills with responsibility and accountability for personal performance outcomes and for the overall performance outcomes of relevant stakeholders.

Course details

The course consists of four core subjects:

• Students must successfully complete all 4 subjects listed above and accrue a total of 16 credit points to be awarded the qualification.
• Subjects can be taken in any order (subject to availability).
• Domestic students may study full-time or part-time and take all their subjects online or opt to undertake designated subjects (^) face-to-face at HELI’s Melbourne campus.
• Onshore international students (studying on a student visa) must study full-time face-to-face at HELI’s Melbourne campus with the exception of the designated online subject (*) which is not offered face-to-face and must be studied online for alignment with subject focus.
• Offshore international students will complete the course 100% online and may study full-time or part-time.
• Full-time students (including onshore international students) normally complete 2 subjects per Term and complete the course in 6 months or 2 Terms.
• Part-time students normally complete 1 subject per Term and complete the course in 1 year.

Each subject is delivered over a study period of 10 weeks which includes 9 weeks of structured activities and 1 week for finalising and submitting assessments. Each subject has 4 hours of structured educator-directed activities per week and you should allow an average of 8 hours per week of self-directed activities for reading, additional study and preparing assessment tasks.

Details of subject aims, content and assessment tasks can be found via the subject code in the table above.

When can I start?

There are four intakes a year, one each quarter, so there is no need to wait to enrol.

Term start dates for 2022 are:

31 January 2022  |  26 April 2022  |  18 July 2022 |  10 October 2022

See the current Academic Calendars.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees payable for each subject are the fees published on our website for each academic year. The schedule of tuition fees payable for each subject are published on our website for each academic year.

Tuition fees are subject to review and may change over the duration of a course.

Eligible students may apply for FEE-HELP assistance in order to help pay all or part of their tuition fees.

Course admission requirements

Applicants for this course must provide evidence that they hold a bachelor degree (or equivalent or higher) in any discipline (subject to verification by the Course Coordinator).

Students may study from anywhere in the world, however, applicants whose highest qualification was not delivered in English must demonstrate English equivalency by providing evidence of one of the following:

1. IELTS Academic: Overall band score of 6.5 or higher, with a minimum score of 6.0 in each module; OR

2. IBT (Internet-based TOEFL): Overall score of 79 with Listening section minimum of 12, Speaking 18, Reading 13, Writing 21; OR

3. Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Overall score 180, minimum score of 180; OR

4. Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Overall 176 with a minimum score of 169 in each module: OR

5. PTE Academic Module with a minimum score of 58 with a minimum of 50 in each module.

As participants will be investigating their own teaching practices and contexts, it is highly desirable that they are already engaged in tertiary teaching in some way.

Further information

As all or part of this course (depending on the mode of study you choose) is delivered online you will need to have access to an electronic device (such as a laptop, tablet or smart phone) with internet access to successfully undertake this course.

We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the documents on the Important Information page before submitting your online Expression of Interest to undertake the course as they contain important information of your rights and obligations and our obligations to you.

If you have any questions about this course please feel free to contact our admissions officers at: [email protected] providing your preferred contact details and we will get back to you as soon as practical.

Expressions of Interest to apply for the course can be made at any time.

Community Development Scholarships

HELI offers two Community Development Scholarships every year to enable selected domestic students to undertake the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Academic Practice.

These scholarships may be awarded to domestic students who can demonstrate the significant contribution that they could make to their communities as a graduate of the course.

For more information about these scholarships go to our Community Development Scholarships page.

Credit for prior learning

Students who have completed certain TAE Training Package qualifications and meet the course entry requirements will be granted credit for prior learning as follows:

Also, if you have completed formal studies in a similar area or have extensive work experience you may be eligible for credit for prior learning.

The Credit for Prior Learning Policy and Procedure can be found on the Important Information page along with an application form.

If you wish to apply for credit then it is highly recommended that this is done at the time of application for admission.

Credit transfer

Students who have completed subjects in the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Academic Practice will be eligible for 4 subjects credit into the Master of eLearning as follows:

Accreditation

HELI is a registered Higher Education Provider under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Act 2011 and the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Academic Practice is accredited by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).

Provider registration number: PRV14266        Course ID: CRS1400528  

This course is also available to international students studying in Australia: CRICOS Course ID: 102193D

The Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Academic Practice is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework

Graduate Attributes

Through this course HELI is committed to graduating professional practitioners who through their life and work will strive to be:

Humane: professionals who are compassionate, who communicate and work collegially and respectfully with awareness of cultural diversity and sensitivities.

Ethical: professionals who exercise social responsibility and accountability, and manage challenges and uncertainty with integrity and professional confidence.

Leaders: practitioners who actively contribute to best practice in their professional community and guide the development of disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise through scholarly activities.

Inspiring: practitioners who influence others through their innovative, critical and independent thinking and who continue to learn throughout life.

Student orientation

Following enrolment and prior to commencing the course, students are given access to a comprehensive Student Orientation and Study Support Guide in HELI’s Canvas LMS. The Guide introduces students to various aspects of studying with HELI, including how to access support, how to use the Canvas LMS, how to access the HELI Digital Library, study techniques and tips, and other important information.

Student support

All HELI staff are available to support you, both before you enrol and following your enrolment. You can contact us on 1300 00 4354 (1300 00 HELI) or alternatively HELI’s Student Support Officer is available by emailing [email protected].

After enrolment you can contact the Student Support Officer via the Canvas LMS or on-campus (depending on your mode of study).

Our support services cover academic issues, study assistance, help with personal / social issues, special needs assistance and hardship related issues.

Intellectual Property

HELI makes no claim to ownership of intellectual property created by students in the course of their studies.

Student representation

Students are represented on HELI’s Academic Quality Committee (AQC) to provide input about the learning and teaching environment and any other matters that directly, or indirectly, affect students. This provides a mechanism for students to participate in the academic decision-making processes of the Institute.

A graduate of the Institute is nominated as a member of the Academic Board.

The Dean will contact students and alumni directly regarding membership of the AQC and Academic Board. 

Indicative student numbers 

Indicative student numbers for this course are 100 enrolled students at any one time.