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SPECIAL REGULATIONS

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SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION

  1. 1. Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education shall be qualified teachers in the United Kingdom, or recognised by the Graduate Studies Committee as being of equivalent status overseas. They shall normally have had not less than three years' educational experience acceptable to the committee. The committee may in exceptional cases admit to the examination candidates with other qualifications.
  2. 2. Each candidate for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education will follow a course of study approved by the Graduate Studies Committee. Each candidate shall be required to follow one of the following options:
    1. (a) A full-time course involving a programme of study of three terms in duration which will consist of: an introduction to research methods; an individual programme of study leading to the submission of the dissertation; and a common programme of studies embracing topics from amongst the following areas of study upon which he will be required to submit essays; the development of the educational system of England and Wales; the nature and control of the curriculum; the organisation, administration, and management of schools; contemporary work in sociology and psychology in relation to the practice of pedagogy in schools; assessment in education; teacher education; comparative education.
    2. (b) A course involving a programme of study of three terms in duration in which each candidate will spend at least 40 per cent of the days of these terms in university-based study, and the remainder of these terms working in his or her own school or local education authority and engaged in a research and development project. Each programme of study will consist of an introduction to research methods, a research and development project concerned with a signficant aspect of educational practice, which will lead to the submission of the dissertation, and a programme of studies which shall be equivalent in weight to the common programme of studies indicated in 3(a) above, which shall incorporate part of that common programme and which shall be related to the research and development project being undertaken by the candidate. The whole programme for each candidate shall be approved by the Graduate Studies Committee, which shall satisfy itself that the programme is suitable in its standards and scope for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education and is practically viable for the candidate for whom it is proposed. Application for approval of programmes is to be received not later than six weeks before the beginning of the term in which the course starts. The Committee, having considered a proposed programme, will inform the candidate of its decision not later than two weeks before the beginning of that term.
    3. (c) A course extending over a minimum period of two years and a maximum period not normally exceeding three years from the beginning of the term in which the candidate is admitted for the Postgraduate Diploma course, with no requirements for full-day attendance, but otherwise involving the same requirements as those prescribed in 3(b) above.
  3. 3. Each student for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education will be assigned to a supervisor, who will be responsible for directing the student's course of study, including the dissertation. The title of the dissertation is to be submitted to the examiners for approval. The examiners shall notify candidates of the date by which the title must be submitted for approval.
  4. 4. All candidates for admission as students for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education and must apply to the department not later than two weeks before the start of the term in which the Postgraduate Diploma Courses start.
  5. 5. Every candidate for admission to the examination must apply to the Graduate Studies Committee for entry to the examination by the first day of Hilary Full Term in the academic year in which he wishes to take the examination. Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education must, at the same time, state the subject on which he or she proposes to submit the dissertation.
  6. 6. Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education must offer a dissertation of between 15,000 and 20,000 words. Two typewritten copies of the dissertation must be delivered to the Postgraduate Diploma Examiners, Department of Education, 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford, OX2 6PY, not later than noon on 30 September after the completion of the course of studies. Candidates wishing to submit dissertations later than 30 September must obtain the approval of the Departmental Board by the last day of the preceding Trinity Term, but no dissertation may be submitted later than noon on 30 September in the year following, unless the Departmental Board approves a later date for submission. One bound copy of the dissertation of each candidate who passes the examination shall be retained by the department for deposit in the departmental Library.
  7. 7. Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education may also be required to attend an oral examination.
  8. 8. The examiners for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education shall also consider, as part of the examination, reports on the candidate's work submitted by his or her supervisor. Reports shall be submitted at the end of each Full Term except that, in the term in which the candidate takes the examination, a report shall be submitted by the end of the seventh week of Full Term.
  9. 9. Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education who fail the examination may be re-examined on not more than one occasion which normally shall be within one year of their initial failure.

SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN LEARNING AND TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

  1. 1. Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (‘the Diploma’) shall be engaged as teachers in higher education.
  2. 2. All candidates for admission as students for the Diploma must apply to the Course Director at the Oxford Learning Institute not later than March 31st in the calendar year in which they wish to start the course. The Course Director shall forward his or her recommendations for decision to the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Education.
  3. 3. All candidates for the Diploma shall follow a course of study approved by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Education.
  4. 4. Every candidate for admission to the examination must apply to the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Education by submitting an examination entry form to the Course Director at the Oxford Learning Institute no later than the first day of Hilary Full Term preceding the Michaelmas Term in which he or she wishes to be examined. No candidate shall be examined later than in the seventh term following the start of his or her course of study except with the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Education following written application via the Oxford Learning Institute.
  5. 5. Candidates for the Diploma must submit a portfolio of written work of between 12,000 and 15,000 words in total. Two typewritten copies of the portfolio and a certificate from the Oxford Learning Institute confirming that the candidate has participated in no fewer than six of the full-day seminars in the Diploma programme must be delivered to the Postgraduate Diploma Examiners, Department of Education, 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford OX2 6PY, not later than noon on the Monday of the first week of the Michaelmas Full Term in which the candidate is to be examined. In exceptional circumstances, following written application in advance via the Oxford Learning Institute, the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Education may allow late submission by specifying a revised deadline not later than noon on the Friday of the first week of that Michaelmas Term. One bound copy of the dissertation of each candidate who passes the examination shall be retained for deposit in the Oxford Learning Institute.
  6. 6. Candidates for the Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education may be awarded a distinction.
  7. 7. Notwithstanding the provisions in clause 4 above regulating the time allowed for completion of the course, candidates for the Diploma who fail the examination may be re-examined on not more than one occasion which shall be in the Michaelmas Term following their initial failure.

SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN LEARNING AND TEACHING (PART-TIME)

  1. 1. The Postgraduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching is open only to candidates who are admitted to follow the required programme of study with the intention of proceeding to the M.Sc. in Learning and Teaching. The required programme of study will comprise Part I and Part II of the M.Sc. in Learning and Teaching (or Part II for those candidates who are exempt from Part I), as specified in the examination regulations pertaining to the programme for the degree of Master of Science in Learning and Teaching. 2. As candidates registered for the Diploma, students will follow a course of study that will allow them to progress, on successful completion of Part II, to the MSc in Learning and Teaching. Students who, having successfully completed Part II, choose not to continue with their programme of study will be awarded the Diploma. Those who progress to, and successfully complete Part III of the M.Sc. programme, will be awarded the degree of Master of Science which will subsume the award of the Diploma.

SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN UNIVERSITY SETTINGS

  1. 1. Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching English Language in University Settings (the Diploma) shall normally have successfully obtained an honours degree. They shall be engaged as teachers of English as a second or foreign language at the time of application, and shall expect to continue this engagement during the Diploma course.
  2. 2. All candidates for admission as students for the Diploma must apply to the Course Director at the Department of Education. The Course Director shall forward his or her recommendations for decision to the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Education.
  3. 3. All candidates for the Diploma shall follow a course of study approved by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Education.
  4. 4. Every candidate will be required to complete all eight summatively assessed online modules of the course by carrying out tasks and participating in discussions as directed by the Course Director. Every candidate will also be required to complete both formatively assessed residential modules, or, in exceptional cases and as determined by the Course Director, to give evidence of equivalent learning for one of these two modules.
  5. 5. Every candidate will be required to satisfy the examiners in the following:
    1. (i) Satisfactory participation in the appropriate web-based tasks and discussions for each module
    2. (ii) Satisfactory performance in the take-home examinations. Every candidate must complete all eight take-home examinations, each examination consisting of an essay which will be given a numerical mark and a reflective portfolio which will be marked on a pass/fail basis.
    The overall mark for the Diploma shall be the mean of the seven best marks of the eight essays completed in the take-home examinations. Interim marks will be released to candidates during Hilary Term and Trinity Term of each year after a meeting of the Examination Board for the Diploma.
  6. 6. In each of the two years of this part-time course, an electronic copy of each of two module take-home examinations must be sent to the Chair of Examiners, PG Diploma in Teaching English Language in University Settings, Department of Education, no later than noon on the Monday of Week 1 of Hilary Full Term, and an electronic copy of each of two module take-home examinations must be sent in the same fashion no later than noon on the Monday of Week 1 of Trinity Full Term. Each take-home examination must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate’s own work.
  7. 7. No candidate shall be examined later than in the seventh term following the start of his or her course of study except with the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Education.
  8. 8. Candidates for the Diploma who fail the examination may be re-examined on not more than one occasion which shall be in the year following their initial failure. Notwithstanding the provisions in clause 7 above regulating the time allowed for completion of the course, in the case of failure of a student to reach an average passing mark over the seven highest-marked module essays, a resit of all module take-home examinations must be submitted electronically by noon on Monday of Week 1 of Trinity term of the year following the student’s final year of taught modules.
  9. 9. The examiners may award a distinction for excellence on the whole examination.

Schedule

  1. Summatively assessed modules by distance learning:
    1. Module 1 Individual and group differences in language learning
    2. Module 2 Listening to and reading English in university settings
    3. Module 3 Understanding and teaching the grammar of English
    4. Module 4 Speaking and writing in university settings
    5. Module 5 Learning and teaching of vocabulary
    6. Module 6 Evaluating and designing English language teaching materials for university settings
    7. Module 7 New technologies and language learning and teaching
    8. Module 8 Assessing language learning
  2. Formatively assessed residential modules:
    1. Module 0 Induction
    2. Module 9 Research methods