Thomas Briggs

I had been considering postgraduate study for some time and I saw a conversation about the PGCert in Digital Leadership at the University of Northampton on Twitter. Living in Northampton, a local university appealed to me; a Postgraduate Certificate seemed like it would be a good “taster” of postgraduate study having completed my undergraduate degree in 2004 and doing very little academic work since; and the Digital Leadership course aims aligned both with personal interests and some of my appraisal targets at work.

I felt that the course was a good choice: it provided me a structure within which to develop my own knowledge and understanding of themes associated with the course aims, but with flexibility that enabled me to tailor assignments to my interests and work goals. Although a distance learning course that was delivered online, there were regular video conferenced tutorials in which we were encouraged to make contributions and interact with each other, and there were opportunities to get together on-site as well. This ensured that the social aspect of university-level study was present, meaning that opportunities for networking and peer-support still existed regardless of our geographical separation.

My participation in the course was to be much more relevant than I could have anticipated as shortly after finishing the first module the Covid-19 pandemic began to unfold and the digital skills involved in online learning changed suddenly from emergent and gaining traction to absolutely essential. My final project was completed whilst furloughed from work and focused on digital skills requirements for people in roles similar to mine: requirements that were changing before our eyes. Throughout this period our course tutor kept us informed of the university’s response to the pandemic and helped us to understand how that affected our studies. Being delivered entirely online meant that receiving tuition was unchanged, but our tutor and the university recognised that the wider situation was affecting our access to research materials and our ability to collect data, and that for many of us our working conditions were very uncertain. They were forthcoming and proactive with support including deadline extensions, and such considerations helped to smooth what could have otherwise been a very bumpy road.

Having been made redundant shortly after completing the PGCert I decided to set myself up as a freelancer with an educational focus, and the skills developed whilst completing the course — not just the explicit themes of digital development and leadership but also general research and study skills — have contributed towards making sure that I am able to provide services that are relevant even in this unprecedented working environment. Having the completed PGCert to add to my CV has also provided applications and tenders with a little extra clout as proof that I have a modern skillset and attitudes.

Beyond its helpfulness to my working life, successfully completing the PGCert in Digital Leadership convinced me that I am capable of postgraduate study to the extent that I have since begun working towards a full Master’s in Education. Given my experiences during the PGCert I chose without hesitation to do this with the University of Northampton.

If I could offer some advice to people considering entering postgraduate study at the University of Northampton it would be:

• A PGCert is a great introduction to the world of Postgraduate study as it is a smaller commitment yet involves a genuine taste of Master’s level work and study: the modules are exactly the same; you just do more of them if you sign up for an MA. This means that if you decide that you do enjoy this level of study it is possible to complete extra modules and “upgrade” your PGCert to an MA (rather than starting an entirely new course).
• The University of Northampton’s Faculty of Health, Education and Society are research-led and conduct specific research projects looking into online teaching and learning. This means that their practice is up-to-the-minute and continually developing, rather than clinging to outdated teaching styles.
• From my experience, the attitude to teaching, learning and study is progressive and mature: I am spoken to by staff as an equal, and I have been given opportunities to experience educational research outside of my explicit studies: I feel part of the University, rather than just someone who studies there.