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Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Coaching

The Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Coaching is accredited by the Association for Coaching and brings together professional coaching practice and academic research. 

Overview

DMU's Professional Coaching methodology offers a human-centric approach to engage with the world around you. By studying, you will improve your:

  • Self-Awareness, by boosting the quality of your listening, curiosity and levels of enquiry. This is a transformational process in personal development, one that guides you through positive changes in circumstances and perspectives.

  • Social skills, through coaching practice that offers methodologies to enquire, learn about and encourage others around you, supporting them to achieve their full potential.

  • Critical skills, by enhancing your ability to analyse, critically reflect and understand organisational environments, which brings more cohesion to the world of work, improving the quality of projects and working relationships.

You will experience content delivered by both coaching professionals and university academics.

You will be part of a community of learners and a network of practitioners: the programme includes immersive days so you can learn from each other as well as from our experienced coaches.

This course offers distinct advantages to businesses, professionals and coaches:

For businesses, you can improve the skills of your executives, from team managers to project leads, with coaching tools and interventions that develop team resilience and make for good stakeholder management.

For professionals, you can expand your leadership skills, explore your full potential and progress your career. This transformational programme offers a new methodology for asking questions, problem-solving and developing positive relationships. It will raise the quality of your day-to-day learning. 

For coaches, you can combine the coaching curriculum with insights delivered by our faculty, encouraging you to grow and position your professional practice. Join our business development day where business school academics and senior coaches take you through models to develop your business.  

Optional extras

This course includes student membership of the Association for Coaching but does not include your individual professional accreditation fees. You can apply for individual accreditation at an additional cost, dependent on the type of accreditation you require. Details of accreditation types and associated costs can be found on the Association of Coaching - Accreditation website.

*Costs for completing the accreditation options by the Association for Coaching are not included in the course fees.

 

“I’m delighted to be leading this innovative and comprehensive coaching programme. The programme is unique in it’s design and approach and appeals to coaches, and aspiring coaches, from diverse backgrounds. The programme is experiential in nature and offers considerable self-development and personal growth opportunities, whilst at the same time leading the student towards becoming a professional coach”.

-Alex Morgan, Programme Leader

 

“I’ve always been passionate about mentoring leaders and developing high performing teams. This certificate offered the best combination of practical learning and academic theory. I’ve learnt the human brain has the capacity to rewire itself to new, more positive ways of thinking, which gives individuals the power to step out of their conditioning.”

- Andrew White, Professional Coaching Certificate alumnus

 

“The course has really helped me focus on finding solutions rather than worrying about the problem. I’ve learnt that solutions to most business problems come from within you, it’s just a question of approaching the problem in the right way.”

-Helen Donnellan, Professional Coaching Certificate alumna

  • UK
  • EU/International

Institution code: D26

Programme code: N61272

Start dates: October 2022

Duration: 10 months (part-time)

Location of study: Leicester Castle Business School, or online/distance learning

Fees and funding: 2021/22 tuition fees for UK students: £4,450

2022/23 tuition fees for UK students: £4,700

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Institution code: D26

Programme code: N61272

Start dates: October 2022

Duration: 10 months (part-time)

Location of study: Leicester Castle Business School, or online/distance learning

Fees and funding: 2021/22 tuition fees for EU and international students: £4,450

2022/23 tuition fees for EU and international students: £4,700

Find out more about course fees and available funding

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course.

Please note this course is delivered part time and therefore there may be restrictions on visas.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

Option 1

Hold an undergraduate degree in any subject with a minimum pass of 2:2 and are currently employed in an HR/Learning & Development/Organisational Development function or leadership/ managerial/consultancy or related role.


Option 2


Have a minimum of five years subject relevant experience and can demonstrate the ability to work at postgraduate level.

English Language requirements

Applicants are required to have gained an IELTS score of 7.5 

 

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessments

Accreditations

 

Module 1: Coaching Fundamentals

The first module focuses on developing coaching skills and techniques, using models to support practice, and discusses ethical and professional issues. We will look at coaching mind-set, relationships and setting an effective coaching environment. There is a strong focus on developing skills and so a portfolio of evidence including critical self-reflection and analysis is a core component of this part of the course. 

Learning outcomes

  • Introduce and critically discuss the key skills and frameworks used in coaching
  • Critically apply the theory of coaching to the practice of a coach
  • Place coaching in the context of learning and development and critically discuss the underlying influences and perspectives (both empirical and theoretical)
  • Critique the main models of coaching and the principal skills required to be an effective coach
  • Understand how to utilise a coaching approach to enhance self-awareness
  • Develop a coaching mind-set

Module 2: Coaching Exploration and Discovery

This module explores human psychology and its relevance to coaching.  It will cover psychological approaches to coaching, personality theory and neuroscience.  We will also explore creative coaching interventions to elicit further self-discovery.  This module addresses the impact of change, stress and the importance of resilience, and explores the attributes of different coaching approaches.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the importance of human psychology to coaching outcomes
  • Discover impediments to change and how to overcome these in coaching
  • Critically review and evaluate alternative coaching approaches, e.g. Gestalt, Somatic and Systems Coaching
  • Explore creative coaching interventions and discuss their application to coaching
  • Analyse and reflect on the impact of coaching to develop resilience in a complex and changing environment

Module 3: Organisational Coaching

This module covers the potential organisational applications of coaching and developing as a professional coach. It covers developing a coaching practice, which includes contracting, ethics, boundaries, stakeholder management and ROI/ROE.  The focus of this module is on the realities and integration of coaching in action.  Additionally it covers professional accreditation and continued professional development. 

Learning outcomes

  • Critically discuss organisational applications of coaching, e.g. leadership, team and group coaching
  • Consider the potential multiple impacts of developing coaching relationships including contracting and stakeholder management
  • Understand and apply the use of psychometrics and 360 degree feedback in a coaching context
  • Discuss ethical and boundary issues from both a theoretical and practical perspective
  • Review the importance and relevance of professional accreditation, CPD and supervision
  • Apply and integrate the skills, tools and techniques of professional coaching 

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

Teaching and assessments

This module employs a range of teaching and learning strategies to optimise learning. We will utilise a coaching style and through this questioning approach, students will start to develop key coaching skills. The material will be delivered over 2 x 3 day block teaching Wednesday - Friday and 1 x 4 day teaching block Tuesday - Friday including a live assessment combining tutor-led input with student centred interactive activities, including experiential learning, personal reflection, group discussion and peer coaching. We have a body of experienced coaching professionals contributing to the course allowing you to learn from a variety of different coaching styles and techniques. Guest speakers will be incorporated to enhance the learning experience, along with optional evening activities.

Outside of the module students' self-study will be supported by:

  • Comprehensive Blackboard site: course materials, discussions, networking, self-tests, virtual classrooms
  • Textbook readings
  • Skills practice and application
  • Completion of a learning journal and reflection on coaching practice

The assessments for the course will be as follows:

  • Personal Coaching Approach (1000 words)
  • Critical Evaluation of Approaches to Transformational Coaching (2500 words)
  • Client Case Study (1000 words)
  • Critical Analysis And Evaluation Of Effective Organisational Coaching Practice (2500 words)
  • Live Coaching Assessment (1 hour plus 1000 word critical appraisal) 

Teaching contact hours

Teaching is block taught in 2 x 3 day block teaching Wednesday - Friday and 1 x 4 day teaching block Tuesday - Friday including a live assessment

These will be:

2021 Start:

Module 1: Coaching Fundamentals, HRMX5000 - Wednesday 6th, Thursday 7th, Friday 8th October (Week 1)

Module 2: Coaching Exploration and Discovery, HRMX5001 - Wednesday 8th, Thursday 9th, Friday 10th December (Week 10) 

Module 3: Organisational Coaching, HRMX5002 - Tuesday 15th,  Wednesday 16th, Thursday 17th, Friday 18th February (Week 20)

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Association for Coaching. You can gain student membership to the Association for Coaching (1 year).

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Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

Hugh Aston Building

Students will be taught in the Hugh Aston Building, which was purpose-built at a cost of £35 million. Facilities include break-out spaces for group work, quiet study zones for individual work, high-spec IT labs and a café.  Learning will be supported by access to DMU’s excellent facilities.

Library

We have 1,500 study places and 650 computer workstations across four sites on campus. During term time the main Kimberlin Library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, giving access to more than half a million publications and a wide range of DVDs, as well as e-resources and thousands of electronic journals. Award-winning staff are on hand to help and there is a café for study breaks. We offer a range of workshops, drop-ins and one-to-one sessions, plus our Just Ask service provides email or telephone support.

Learning Zones

Our comfortable and well-equipped study areas provide a range of environments to suit your needs.

Originally set up in our main Kimberlin Library, the learning zones proved so popular that more were created in the Eric Wood building and Greenhouse. These flexible spaces are ideal whether you are working as a group, practising a presentation or working quietly on your own.

They feature workstations with power supplies for laptops, plus bookable syndicate rooms with interactive whiteboards and DVD players. Eduroam wi-fi is available across all campus locations.

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Works
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#DMUglobal

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through #DMUglobal, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

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Graduate careers

We recognise that a significant majority of students on the programme will already be employed in demanding leadership and managerial roles. The Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Coaching may assist you in introducing and developing a coaching culture into your teams, departments and organisations. Equally, it will also provide a platform for you to progress towards other roles in your organisation, new places of employment or in establishing your own business. Importantly, the programme is intended to facilitate self-awareness and the development of capabilities and skills which will help participants thrive throughout their career journey.

Take your next steps

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