Academic Professional Apprenticeship (APA)
Learn more below
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Viewing course details for 2024 year of entry
- Attendance
- Full-time
- Start
- January 2025
- Fees
- Apprenticeship levy
- Duration
- 18 months
- Location
- Hendon campus
- Placement year
- No
Why choose Academic Professional Apprenticeship (APA)
The Academic Professional Apprenticeship (APA) programme is an apprenticeship which is funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The programme at Middlesex University has been specifically designed to enable the development of the exact Knowledge, Skills and professional Behaviours (KSBs) required by the nationally approved Level 7 Apprenticeship Standard.
Why study the APA at Middlesex University?
On successful completion of your degree apprenticeship you will have gained:
- A Middlesex University degree (PGCert HE / APA);
- An Apprenticeship Certificate demonstrating that you have met the national
Apprenticeship Standard for full occupational competence as an APA; - Professional recognition/status as a FHEA with the Advance HE;
- 18 months’ applicable work experience working in the professional sector of your choice.
Degree apprenticeships at Middlesex take an integrated approach to your work and your education and therefore your programme has been designed with consideration for the typical work duties you will carry out as your time in employment progresses.
All apprenticeships delivered in England require that a minimum of 20% of your overall programme hours be categorised as ‘Off-the-Job training’. The remaining 80% (or less) of the training hours within your programme take place through the completion of your regular workplace duties. We believe as a University that this integrated approach will make for an effective and coherent learning experience for you by learning applicable KSBs in a structured way which makes sense with your employer’s business goals and will as a result, allow you to hold a more positive, impactful position in the workplace.
The main benefit to you is that you will be allocated protected time during the period of the apprenticeship (minimum 18 months) where you will engage with a range of learning tasks, workshops, and time spent with a designated mentor. Of course, you will also benefit through achieving a nationally recognised higher education teaching qualification (PGCert HE) and the award of FHEA.
Key Benefits for the NHS Trusts
The apprenticeship allows the Trusts to draw down apprenticeship levy funding for this important staff development activity. It will provide an enriched professional development programme for staff new to learning and teaching at HE level. The implementation of the APA demonstrates a commitment to educators and academic staff and their CPD, raising levels of staff satisfaction. Importantly, if staff feel well equipped and confident to provide learners with innovative and learner-centred experiences then everyone will benefit.
Course highlights
Teaching
The easiest way to conceptualise the APA is to think of it as ‘wrapping around’ the PGCert HE to provide you with a complete support and development system that enables you to demonstrate that you have met the academic requirements of the PGCert HE and that you have the knowledge and skills to be an effective Academic Professional (e.g. Professional Educator or Lecturer in most cases) and to meet the APA Standard. The APA is designed to be undertaken in about 18 months. For the first 12 months you will complete the PGCert HE and then for the remaining 6 months you will engage in more independent learning planned and agreed locally within your workplace as well as receive support from the APA programme team as you prepare for your End Point Assessment (EPA).
All apprenticeships in England are required to include an End-point Assessment (EPA) to test that apprentices have demonstrated all the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for full occupational competence as specified in the nationally approved Apprenticeship Standard. For degree apprenticeships, the EPA can either be integrated within the degree or separate to the degree programme.
The specific requirements for EPA for the APA is detailed in the nationally approved End-point Assessment Plan and this can be found on the Institute for Apprenticeships website.
Learn more about the PGCert HE and check out the timetable for next year.
Fees
There is no cost to do a higher or degree apprenticeship for the apprentice/student. They will earn at least the minimum wage for apprentices but many companies pay more than this, particularly for higher and degree apprenticeships.
Entry requirements
- We normally make offers on second class honours degree 2:2 or above in an appropriate subject
- Applicants are required to be employed in a role that will enable them to engage in work activities that are relevant to developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to operate as an APA
- It is essential that applicants are already teaching students in Higher Education. Applicants should have a minimum of 100 hours of teaching at university level 4 or above over the duration of the course to be able to reflect on their current teaching experience and thus be able to reflect on their current teaching experience and thus complete the course assignments, including teaching observations
- Level 2 English and Maths
Interviews, entrance tests, portfolios and auditions
Applicants to the course will have to complete an application form and may be invited to an interview.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.