About the course
This course enables you to develop and evidence your competence as a dental educator. It combines face to face, on-line and practice based learning opportunities (through teaching observation). The course explores approaches to teaching, learning and assessment in both university and practice settings.
The course is concerned with the contemporary practice of dental education in both Higher and Professional Education contexts.
The Course has been designed with the diverse educational roles and responsibilities of dental educators in mind.
It therefore focuses on how you can develop an informed approach to the design, delivery and evaluation of dental education and training, whether you are new to education or have considerable prior experience.
Specifically, this course aims to
- enable you to adopt a critical, analytical and reflective stance towards dental education and its practice
- support the development of dental /healthcare educators working in Higher Education and Professional Education contexts
- position dental education in both historical and contemporary theoretical, policy and professional contexts
- promote students' critical self-awareness and reflexivity in relation to the practice of dental education and their current and /or future educational/supervision roles

Unit Information - What will I learn?
Units
- Dental Education In Practice (MEC009-6) Compulsory
- Educational Perspectives For The Workplace (MEC004-6) Optional
- Understanding Learning In The Workplace (MEC014-6) Optional
How will I be assessed?
The assessment strategy for the course combines formative and summative elements ie assessment for learning and assessment of learning. It is designed to foster strong links between learning on the course and the lived realities of Dental and healthcare educators working in Higher and Professional education contexts. It is also designed to enable you to evidence your competence as a dental educator, in order to satisfy requirements of professional bodies and regulators. The choice of assessments is determined on the basis of their fitness for purpose i.e. to evidence achievement of unit learning outcomes at Level 7. However, they also rehearse writing for a range of academic purposes; an early assessment point in the core unit is designed to rehearse writing in the reflective genre and Harvard referencing conventions. Later assessments move to writing in the academic genre, within the traditions of the social sciences. Increasing emphasis is placed on academic literacy and the ability to present complex ideas coherently with reference to appropriate literature. Plentiful opportunities are built in to the course to rehearse these skills, e.g. exercises in problematizing, practice in assessing exemplars of actual (anonymised) assignments, using the criteria we use on the course. By modelling and analysing best practice in educational assessment, we hope students will gain confidence and skills in critiquing, using and developing their own approaches to assessment. The assessments for the core unit (Dental Education in Practice) focus on your own approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. Formative teaching observations provide opportunities for a sustained professional dialogue. The final summative assessment takes the form of a teaching portfolio. The assessments for the core unit move you from writing in the reflective genre to the academic. Formative assessment opportunities arise around the collaborative peer group work that leads to the student presentation. You will also have opportunities to produce detailed plans for your academic paper (Contemporary Educational Perspectives) or case study (Work Based Learning) and received feedback on these. You will always receive feedback on written work within 15 working days.
Why study in the School of Nursing and Health Education?
- Placements in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire
- Simulation labs for real life scenarios
Entry Requirements
Applicants should have a good undergraduate degree at Honours level, or equivalent.
To apply for a place on a postgraduate course (MA/MSc/MBA) at the University of Bedfordshire you should have a good first degree and the required English language qualification
Find out more about specific entry requirements for your country
To apply for a postgraduate degree (MA/MSc/MBA/LLM) at the University of Bedfordshire you should have a good honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in an appropriate subject from a recognised university or HE institution.
We will also consider candidates with other relevant qualifications or appropriate work experience.
You also need to have the required English language qualification
Contact your country’s International Admissions Team for more information.
Entry Requirements
UK
Applicants should have a good undergraduate degree at Honours level, or equivalent.
EU
To apply for a place on a postgraduate course (MA/MSc/MBA) at the University of Bedfordshire you should have a good first degree and the required English language qualification
Find out more about specific entry requirements for your country
International
To apply for a postgraduate degree (MA/MSc/MBA/LLM) at the University of Bedfordshire you should have a good honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in an appropriate subject from a recognised university or HE institution.
We will also consider candidates with other relevant qualifications or appropriate work experience.
You also need to have the required English language qualification
Contact your country’s International Admissions Team for more information.
How will this course improve my career prospects?
You will be able to expand and develop your educational roles and responsibilities within your current employment.
You may be able to move on to more senior roles
in education by continuing your academic studies and completing a postgraduate diploma or full masters in Dental Education.
Fees and funding
The standard fee for a Postgraduate Certificate for the Academic Year 2021/22 is £2,750
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
Scholarship Available
The University of Bedfordshire is proud of its alumni and is delighted to offer a tuition fee discount for those who choose to continue or return to the University for on campus Postgraduate level studies.
We offer a 20% discount on full and part-time Masters courses to those who were successful in completing an Honours Degree with the University of Bedfordshire, DMU’s Bedford campus or the University of Luton.
The standard fee for a Postgraduate Certificate for the Academic Year 2021/22 is £2,750
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
Fees and funding
UK
The standard fee for a Postgraduate Certificate for the Academic Year 2021/22 is £2,750
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
Scholarship Available
The University of Bedfordshire is proud of its alumni and is delighted to offer a tuition fee discount for those who choose to continue or return to the University for on campus Postgraduate level studies.
We offer a 20% discount on full and part-time Masters courses to those who were successful in completing an Honours Degree with the University of Bedfordshire, DMU’s Bedford campus or the University of Luton.
EU
The standard fee for a Postgraduate Certificate for the Academic Year 2021/22 is £2,750
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
Extra Costs
Facilities
Putteridge Bury campus
Our Putteridge Bury campus is a magnificent neo-Elizabethan manor house built in 1911 in the style of Chequers, with beautiful grounds and a reflecting pool.
It is home to University events including graduations, academic research symposia and seminars such as those held by our business school's postgraduate programmes, as well as a wide variety of public and private events including conferences, weddings, funeral receptions and public holiday functions.
Find out more about Putteridge Bury's public and private events
Location
Ideally located only four miles from Luton town centre, Putteridge Bury is set in picturesque parkland just off the A505 and enjoys a tranquil rural environment and ample parking within the grounds.
Putteridge Bury is a short drive from the University Square campus, London Luton airport, the train station and bus station.
A free shuttle bus service operates between Putteridge Bury and the University Square campus in Luton town centre .
How to Apply
UK students applying for most postgraduate degrees at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form
International students applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country. You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
International students applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country. You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
How to Apply
UK
UK students applying for most postgraduate degrees at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form
EU
International students applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country. You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
International
International students applying for a full-time postgraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country. You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student