Guide to CPD courses
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is vital for your progression no matter what sector you’re working in.
CPD offers benefits for both employees and employers
For employees, it helps you to:
- keep your skills up to date
- work towards your goals
- build your confidence and credibility
For employers, by encouraging staff development, it helps:
- maintain high standards
- increase employee engagement
- highlight changes to working practices and standards
CPD courses
One of the most popular ways to undertake CPD is to carry out a structured course to develop key skills. These are available from a variety of providers, covering different industries and areas of expertise.
These courses meet the growing demand for professional skills development. Many address skills shortages in specific industries, or provide the certifications required by regulatory bodies.
Different types of CPD courses are available, including:
These are accredited by the organisation delivering the course, sometimes by a relevant professional body. These courses involve a formal assessment. Once completed, you will receive a certificate of credit achieved. This shows the number and academic level of credits awarded.
These do not have a final assessment and offer no credits. You may be able to count them towards a CPD accreditation from a professional body. Once completed, you will receive a certificate of completion.
These are degree modules that are taught independently. It means professionals can join them as part of their CPD. They usually cover very specific topics. It makes them helpful for professionals looking to improve on a particular area of their knowledge.
A degree apprenticeship is an alternative to short courses and combines on-the-job training and study. At the end of the apprenticeship, you’ll be awarded a qualification at degree or Master’s degree level alongside your apprenticeship.
These apprenticeships are developed by employers, universities, and professional bodies. Throughout the programme, you will be employed, and will spend part of your time studying at university, and part working with the employer.
At Newcastle University, our apprenticeships include:
- Level 7 MSc Digital Technology Solutions with specialisms in Data Analytics, Cyber Security and Software Engineering
- Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeships from Newcastle University Business School leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies or Strategic Leadership
A Level 7 apprenticeship is the same level as a Master’s Degree.
Structured CPD is based on interactive study and participation. This type of learning includes:
- online training courses
- classroom training courses
- conferences and meetings with a focus on learning
- workshops, seminars, lectures and webinars
- group events
- peer coaching
Self-directed, or unstructured, CPD involves learning activities you complete on your own. These include:
- studying publications from industry experts
- reading articles, whitepapers, and case studies
- listening to industry and sector-specific podcasts
- reading industry news and updates
- writing on key industry topics
CPD courses at Newcastle
As a world-class, research-intensive University, we facilitate learning of the highest quality. Our CPD programme builds on our rich history and international reputation for excellence and innovation.
We work with a wide range of businesses and organisations around the world to support CPD. These include high-profile organisations such as the NHS and the Environment Agency.
Our courses cover a range of sectors and industries, including:
- Medicine and healthcare
- Dental Sciences
- Science, Agriculture, and Engineering
- Education, Communication, and Language Sciences
- Leadership, Management, Coaching and Mentoring
- Data Science
Many of our courses award academic credit and some carry professional body accreditation. You will find information about accreditation on the individual course pages.
Things to consider when choosing CPD
If you’re thinking about furthering your career with CPD, it’s important you consider the following factors:
- will the training help you reach your goals?
- is the training suitable for your industry?
- have you got the time to commit to the course or training?
- would you prefer classroom or online learning, or perhaps a mix of both (blended learning)?
Some of our CPD courses are delivered online, while others are delivered in person on campus. We also deliver some courses in a blended mode. This is a combination of online learning and face-to-face study.
Our in-person courses are taught through a mixture of:
- lectures
- seminars
- discussions
- research
- practicals
- independent learning activities
Check the specific course page you’re interested in for full details.
We offer a range of short online courses designed to suit busy working professionals.
They allow us to offer innovative and relevant CPD training that can be accessed quickly as and when you need it.
These short courses are available online, at any time, from any location, so you won’t need to visit our campus.
Our online short courses are delivered in a dedicated online learning environment. They are delivered using a combination of articles, animations, video, and interactive quizzes.
Short courses are not formally assessed. Once you’ve completed your course, you’ll receive a certificate of completion. This can be added to your professional development record.
Any accredited CPD courses have specific learning outcomes, and these are formally assessed. Assessment may vary but often includes a combination of essays, exams, portfolios, and coursework. Check the specific course page for full details.
Our online CPD courses are available to study wherever you are in the world. However, all courses are delivered in English and some content may not be relevant for international students.
In-person courses are currently delivered on campus, either in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK or in Singapore. Our Singapore campus is home to the Newcastle Research & Innovation Institute. This hosts postgraduate and CPD training programmes, masterclasses and workshops on a variety of subjects.
The way you enrol will depend on the specific course you choose. For many of our short online courses, you can sign up online in your own time. Some will need to be booked in advance, such as the webinars on our Dental CPD programme.
For other courses, such as modules offered by our School of Engineering, there will be an application process. Dates will be set out for joining teaching cohorts.
Each CPD listing will have more detail about how it is offered, and how to apply.