Hallam Academic Award

What is the Hallam Academic Award (HAA)?

The Hallam Academic Award (HAA) has been designed to provide the basis of a coherent developmental offer for all new academic staff and will include the development of skills in research, teaching and professional and business engagement.

The course aims to develop an evidence based, reflective and critical approach to learning, teaching and assessment in higher education.

The HAA starts with modules from our existing PgCert Teaching in Higher Education and continues into a second year of a PgDip in Academic Practice, alongside research focused CPD.

Further details on the first taught modules can be found here

As well as the academic credit gained, the HAA enables participants to meet the requirements of the Academic Professional Higher Degree Apprenticeship. It also leads to Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) status. Find out more on how this route meets the TALENT Principles.

The accredited part of the programme is led by staff from the Sheffield Institute of Education with guest speakers from across the wider institution. Peer networking is a key and much appreciated part of the course which has proven to be beneficial in making useful connections between subject disciplines and across departments and colleges.

Staff are entitled to remission on work plans to attend the HAA/PG Dip. course. Workplanners will allocate 20% per year of the 1576 worked hours per year (655 hours over 2 years). Year 1 (i.e. Modules 1 and 2) is front loaded to account for the additional taught hours and assessment on Modules 1 and 2. Specific details of hours per academic year of study are available in the AWP Manual.

As part of the HAA, staff will be provided with a mentor in their department who will be key in supporting their development over the programme. A work-based learning coach will also work with each course participant to support their development towards the apprenticeship end-point assessment where appropriate.

Who is the HAA for?

It is aimed at academic staff members who do not hold a teaching qualification in higher education and are new or relatively new to teaching in higher education. Most lecturers will be eligible for the HAA but part time, temporary, or international lecturers should apply for the PG Dip (please contact Sarah Rawding if you are not sure whether to apply for the HAA or PG Dip version of the course).

Check if you are eligible to apply for the HAA

When does the HAA start?

The next intake of the Hallam Academic Award (PgDip in Academic Practice) will be in January 2023.

Module 1 starts in January 2023 with 2 mandatory study block days (10am-4pm) on Friday 6 and Friday 13 January 2023. It continues with half days (9am-12pm Friday 20 January – Friday 7 April 2023.
Module 2 runs September – December 2023
Module 3 runs January – April 2024
Module 4 runs September – December 2024

Please note this course now runs once per year, starting in January.