Overview
On our Educational Leadership PGCert programme, you’ll develop both ‘know how’ and ‘know why’ in relation to educational leadership.
On completing the course, you’ll have a good, critical understanding of:
- current thinking and key issues of leadership and strategic management of educational institutions
- relevant leadership theories and their significance for educational leadership
- national and global trends to inform strategic planning and decision making
This course will help you to study and plan approaches of practitioner enquiry as a means for:
- professional practice
- educational effectiveness
- improvement of educational organisations
At the beginning of the course, we’ll ask you to complete a formative reflective professional development statement. This is to tailor the teaching and reading list to your development needs. Previous students and external examiners have identified this personalised approach as a particular strength of the course.
Our Educational Leadership PGCCert course tutors are active scholars. They have had or currently hold leadership roles within various educational settings. They all teach and supervise across a range of courses. This provides them with a broad knowledge base and a genuine understanding of the challenges of educational contexts.
The course draws on the expertise developed in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, and in particular in the:
- Educational Leadership Centre
- Research Centre for Learning and Teaching
As a teacher and educational leader in England, you may have already engaged with one of our programmes through the Early Career Framework (ECF) or one of the National Professional Qualification courses. The Educational Leadership Centre offers these in partnership with the North East Teaching Schools Partnership (NESTP). NESTP is the regional provider for:
- Early Career Framework (ECF)
- National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Executive Leadership
- National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Headship
- National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Senior Leadership
- National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Early Years Leadership
- National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Leading Behaviour and Culture
- National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Leading Teacher Development
- National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Leading Teaching
- National Professional Qualification (NPQ): Leading Literacy
If you have completed an NPQ qualification, you may be able to transfer credits into this qualification. This means that your module choice may vary. Learn more about converting your NPQ qualification into Master’s credits and the available discounted costs.
Please email our team at pgteducation@ncl.ac.uk to discuss your individual prior learning achievements.
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Important information
We’ve highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Your course and study experience – disclaimers and terms and conditions
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
What you’ll learn
You’ll be taught through a range of compulsory and optional modules.
If you have successfully completed an NPQ qualification you may be able to transfer credits into this qualification and therefore your module choice may vary. Please contact the team by email at pgteducation@ncl.ac.uk to discuss your individual prior learning achievements.
Modules
You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.
Course content changes
Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Optional modules availability
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
Educational Leadership PGCert modules
Modules
Compulsory modules
You take the following compulsory modules:
Leadership and Strategic Management (20 credits)
Future of Educational Leadership and Practitioner Research (20 credits)
You also take one of the following modules:
Curriculum, pedagogy and assessment as foundations of teaching and learning (20 credits)
OR
Investigating Technology Enhanced Learning (20 credits)
Additional optional module information
You select optional modules based on your National Professional Qualification.
How you’ll learn
To be awarded the PGCert, you will be studying three 20-credit modules.
The Leadership and Strategic Management module will be taught in eight afternoon/evening sessions (from 4.00pm to 6.30pm) during the autumn term. Four of the seminar sessions will be delivered on campus. The other four sessions will be online seminar sessions.
The Future of Educational Leadership and Practitioner Research module will be taught in nine sessions. Four of these sessions will be online seminar sessions.
For the third module, you will be able to choose from a small selection of modules. Study mode may vary.
For all modules, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with our academics through tutorials. Sessions are taught interactively. Weekly tasks are built into the course so that you actively contribute to each session. The learning from the modules extends into practical and reflective engagement with the workplace.
Conversion modules from National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) may also be transferred into the PGCert (see optional modules).
Modules can be combined with other Master’s level credits (including the PGCE) to complete a full Master’s with a dissertation.
Depending on your modules, you’ll be assessed through a combination of:
- Essay
- Portfolio
Additional assessment information
Group Presentation
Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You’ll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:
- module handbooks
- course materials
- groups
- course announcements and notifications
- written feedback
Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:
- peers
- academics
- personal tutors
- our University Student Services Team
- student representatives
You’ll also be assigned an academic member of staff. They will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.
Our staff
Professor René Koglbauer leads the Educational Leadership PGCert course. René is a Professor of Professional Learning and Leadership and the Director of the Educational Leadership Centre.
Dr Lisa Ramshaw acts as module leader of the leadership modules. She is also the Co-Degree Programme Director for the Master in Education International Perspectives.
Your development
Professional skills
Through your critical reflection on leadership literature in the field of education, you’ll acquire a critical understanding of:
- methods and theory of leadership research
- current debates in the field
- research methodologies
- data as well as national and global trends as a vehicle to inform the educational leader’s strategy
- planning and decision making
This will prepare you for practical implementations of such approaches to encourage educational effectiveness and improvement.
Your future
Our PGCert is for practising educators, leaders and aspiring leaders in any educational setting. This Educational Leadership course will allow you to develop and hone your leadership skills.
You will develop an appreciation of how theory can impact practice. This will help you implement change within your current context and consciously plan for future strategic endeavours.
Our Careers Service
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Quality and ranking
- 42% of our research is classified as 4* world-leading research – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- 65% increase in research power since 2014 – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- Global Top 130 University – QS World University Rankings 2025
- Global Top 170 University – Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
- Top 150 for Education – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- Top 25 in the UK and Top 100 in the world for sustainable development – Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024Â
Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Facilities
You’ll typically be taught in the King George VI Building. You’ll have access to the Education Resource Centre and associated borrowing rights.
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.
Academic entry requirements
An undergraduate degree and relevant professional experience in an educational context.Â
We don’t need your employer’s permission for entry to the course, but you should discuss the focus of your assignments (where necessary) with appropriate colleagues/line managers.Â
You will need to have current access to educational workplaces (eg through employment or educational consultancy), but you do not need to be in a leadership role.
