Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) PGCert

Course in brief

The Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) course is designed for mainstream teachers or those working in an educational setting (including practitioners with a particular responsibility for supporting children, young people and adults with dyslexia) who wish to deepen their understanding of dyslexia and link this learning to the School Improvement Plan.

A flexible framework combines academic study with work-based action learning and action research, where your day-to-day professional activity informs your development through reflection and peer discussion.

The PGCert is a stand-alone qualification and counts as one-third of a masters degree.

The course is accredited by the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) and qualifies students to apply for Approved Teacher Status (ATS) or Approved Professional Status (APS) as long as they have completed two years (or equivalent) as a teacher or educational professional by the end of the course.

The programme is arranged to fit in with your working patterns and usually include Saturday sessions.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

Part-time 1 year
Part-time Flexible and distributed learning

Accredited by the British Dyslexia Association

Apply online

Please make sure that you meet the entry requirements before applying. If you have any questions the course team will be happy to help.

Apply now for your place

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Degree and experience

You will need to have a good honours degree and experience within an education setting.

To qualify for Approved Teacher Status (ATS) or Approved Professional status (APS), students must have completed two years (or equivalent) as a teacher or educational professional by the end of the course.

All applicants are interviewed – this may be in person or by telephone.

Course in detail

Areas of study

This course will focus on the following areas of study:

developing knowledge of the theoretical basis of contemporary approaches to dyslexia
the identification, assessment and practical support for learners with dyslexia
creating and delivering specialist intervention programmes and developing dyslexia friendly environments.
the application of learning to practice and evaluation of impact on yourself, your learners or others affected by your study.

This will enable you, as a practitioner, to:

extend and enhance your current practice
gain knowledge of current thinking in the understanding of dyslexia
develop frameworks for understanding the range of issues surrounding working with learners with dyslexia
increase your confidence and effectiveness in supporting learners with dyslexia
learn how to implement change in a range of policy contexts.

Course structure

This postgraduate certificate is a one-year part-time programme comprising three 20-credit modules.

Module 1 focuses on developing criticality in thinking and approaches to learning in the context of dyslexia.

Module 2 provides students with an understanding of how dyslexia is identified and of effective pedagogy for learners with dyslexia in the context of inclusive practice. Students consider the practical application of this learning to their own context and are expected to deliver 10 hours specialist teaching 1:1 with a learner with dyslexia.

Module 3 embeds and develops specialist knowledge, skills and practice while considering the wider issues and debates around inclusion of learners with dyslexia. Teachers will develop a further teaching programme and teach a series of 10 lessons to an individual learner or two learners who are part of a small group.

Students will be expected to deliver 20 hours of evaluated specialist teaching.

The Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) PGCert is based at our Falmer campus. It can also be offered off site to your school or organisation, or delivered as a bespoke programme for a cluster of schools.

To discuss this further, please contact Rosie Moore.
Email: r.moore2@brighton.ac.uk

Staff profiles

Rosie Moore Course Leader

Rosie began teaching primary school children in London in 1990, developing a particular interest in children who had a different way of learning. In 2000 she completed a PGDip in Literacy and Dyslexia and began working as a SENCo in a school in the centre of Brighton, working with a range of diverse learners and training school staff in working with learners with dyslexia.

In 2002 she began working for the Speech and Language Support Service as a Specialist Teacher/Consultant. Rosie joined the University of Brighton in 2010, working as a senior lecturer with a particular responsibility for inclusion across Initial Teacher Education programmes, and Postgraduate programmes with an SEN focus. She works closely with trainee teachers to support them in knowing how to respond to the needs of all learners, exploring how they and other professionals embody and respond to notions of difference and identity.

Rosie has recently completed an MA in International Education.

Other key members of the teaching team:

Caroline Roberts
Caroline manages a regional Access Centre which assesses university students who are eligible for the Disabled Students Allowances. She has 20 years experience of working as a specialist study support tutor with dyslexic learners in primary, secondary and higher education.

In higher education Caroline has worked as a dyslexia advisor, devised study skills workshops and worked as a DSA needs assessor. She has three grown up children, one of whom is dyslexic.

Catherine Parfitt
Catherine is a lecturer in special educational needs and inclusion. She is currently the specialist lead lecturer in inclusive and assistive technology, and dyslexia and specific learning differences at Canterbury Christ Church University.

She has worked in a variety of contexts, including prison education, mental health services and higher education. Catherine is working towards a doctorate in education, through researching the impacts of visual stress on learning.

Careers and employability

Our PGCerts are designed to support your career progression, increase your subject knowledge and help you to make a direct difference to your school and students.

Graduates of the course are well placed to take on subject development and leadership positions.

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (part-time) 2,090 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

The fees listed here are for the 2018–19 academic year.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the option modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding, scholarships and other financial support provided by the university as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.

The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Surrounded by the South Downs National Park and just five miles from the centre of Brighton, our Falmer campus has benefited from over £60million of investment over the past 10 years. 7,000 students are based here, studying subjects including English, education, social science, nursing and medicine.

Recent developments include the Falmer Sports Centre – with its fitness suites and sports hall – and the innovative Checkland Building, which has natural ventilation systems and an insulating green roof.

Falmer has also recently installed more than 600 solar panels, which reduce the campus’s carbon emissions by more than 80 tonnes. The renovation has made us one of the top universities in the UK for on-site renewable energy production.

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Accommodation

Brighton

Our Brighton halls of residence are located across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

Grand Parade is in central Brighton and has one hall of residence, Phoenix Brewery, within walking distance.
Moulsecoomb is two miles from the city centre and also has one hall of residence, Moulsecoomb Place, on campus.
Varley Park offers the biggest choice of student accommodation with ten halls of residence.
Falmer campus has two halls of residence: Great Wilkins and Paddock Field.
Varley Park and Falmer are around four miles from Brighton centre; there are good public transport services nearby.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. We recommend Unihomes and House Share when you’re balancing learning with placements, shifts and other commitments, because they give you more choice and flexibility.

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accommodation@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 644100.

Paddock Field

Moulsecoomb Place

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Falmer campus

Find out more

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Student views

Tessa Richardson

"I am the head of a pre-prep school with children from 2 to 7 years old in my care. I teach and advise across the age range and take small intervention groups for literacy and maths as required.

"I have been interested in supporting dyslexia type students for many years and find myself gravitating towards these students in school. I also have empathy as I have found difficulties in many related areas myself.

"I chose to study at the University of Brighton as it offered a course within reach which included plenty of face to face support and interaction with tutors and other students. It’s healthy to encounter different thinking and leads to continual informed improvement and change.

"The tutors were very professional, approachable and supportive and led us out of our comfort zone at times and posed questions. They encouraged reflection on our practice and settings, as well as self-evaluation. I enjoyed applying what I learned at university to classroom practices as well as the interaction with other students and tutors.

"The course is really worthwhile though quite demanding on top of full-time employment. You need to be committed and self-disciplined; if you can get into a good reading routine this helps. The course is intensive but is set up to be manageable with the assignments coming within school holidays - and you need to remind yourself that it is only for a year!"