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Page last updated 12 September 2024
Introduction
Progress as a qualified career development practitioner while learning valuable additional skills and knowledge not found on comparable courses, such as enterprise education and delivering career-related learning to large groups of learners.
Accreditations and partnerships:
Follow your aspiration to become a career development professional by choosing one of our Career Development courses. The Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) Career Development, approved by the Career Development Institute (CDI), forms the basis of progression to the Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) Career Development. Progressing to the Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) Career Development offers you the opportunity to complete the Qualification in Career Development (QCD), which is awarded by the CDI.
On completion of the QCD, you'll be qualified to provide personal guidance in schools and colleges. Build on your learning by progressing further onto our master's course, allowing you to specialise as a research practitioner. If you register for the MA from the outset, you'll have the added benefit of being eligible for postgraduate loan funding.
Why study career development?
The demand for career development practitioners is growing. As jobs evolve in an ever-changing world of work, people are in need of additional careers support and career management skills, so they can transition positively between different stages of their careers.
Why UWE Bristol?
Whether you already work in this field, or aspire to, our postgraduate Career Development courses will allow you to professionalise your skills. Each course meets the qualification requirement for the UK Register of Career Development Professionals, broadening your career prospects.
Approved by the CDI, these future-facing courses provide a strong grounding in contemporary career development theory and practice, taught by current and experienced career development practitioners.
Each course brings together expertise from across the University, including UWE Bristol's Careers and Enterprise team and the Department of Education and Childhood. Each course develops your skillset to support the career development needs of clients. You'll also develop your knowledge of contemporary issues, relevant theories and ethical models for practice.
You'll learn to design and deliver career-related activities to groups of learners, including larger groups, as well as providing careers support on a one-to-one basis. Enterprise education is threaded throughout each course, reflecting the need for career development practitioners to have a confident understanding of this area.
The courses are delivered and assessed online, making it a flexible study option that can be fitted in around other commitments. Recognising that practitioners in this area increasingly need to engage with new technology, you'll join our online community of practice, supporting you in your online learning experience.
Where can it take me?
Once qualified as a career development professional, you'll be equipped to succeed in many educational contexts, ranging from life coaching to careers advice for students.
Complete the QCD through our PGDip and MA courses, and you can aim for higher-level roles in schools and colleges. Offer personal guidance as a qualified career development professional at the postgraduate diploma level or fulfil more specialist roles in career and enterprise consultancy at the master's level.
UWE Bristol MA Career Development
Learn more from the Programme Leader about our MA Career Development course.
Structure
Content
PGCert
You will study:
- Frameworks for Career and Enterprise Development
- Careers and Enterprise in Practice.
PGDip
You will study:
- Frameworks for Career and Enterprise Development
- Careers and Enterprise in Practice
- Career Guidance Theory and Practice
- Careers and Enterprise in Context.
MA
You will study:
- Frameworks for Career and Enterprise Development
- Careers and Enterprise in Practice
- Career Guidance Theory and Practice
- Careers and Enterprise in Context
- Developing as a Researcher Practitioner
- Professional Development Project.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we will inform you.
Learning and Teaching
The course is delivered as a flexible online course, using authentic materials and interactive learning methods, including recorded lectures, online discussions and case studies, supported by online tutorials.
Each module includes weekly study units with directed activity, supplemented by additional reading.
As you develop a critical, reflective and enquiring approach to your practice, you'll develop knowledge and understanding of:
- contemporary frameworks for career development courses in a professional context
- contemporary issues related to employment, enterprise, education and training options
- professional, ethical career development practice with individuals and groups
- conducting client-focused career guidance interventions.
You will learn and network with fellow practitioners, offering mutual support, as well as receiving online support from your tutors at UWE Bristol.
See our glossary of teaching and learning terms.
CDI membership
As a student on one of our courses, you'll be eligible for student membership of the CDI, giving you access to further professional development opportunities. The fees to join the CDI and the Register of Career Development Professionals are in addition to your course fees.
If you wish to complete the QCD at PGDip level, you'll need to pay an additional cost for the QCD, which must be paid directly to the CDI. Find out more on the CDI website.
Study time
The courses run from September each year.
As a guide, you will be expected to spend 6-7 hours a week on directed activities and independent study.
Assessment
You'll be assessed using a variety of practice-oriented assessments, which are linked to real-world practice and mapped to the external professional standards required of a qualified careers professional.
See our full glossary of assessment terms.