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The Postgraduate Certificate in Career Guidance at the University of Derby is a fully online, Level 7 qualification designed for both aspiring and practising career guidance professionals. The course develops the core skills, theoretical knowledge and professional identity needed to work effectively across education, community and workplace settings.

Completed over one year on a part-time basis, the programme comprises three 20-credit modules covering career development theory, personal guidance practice, and the identity of the career guidance practitioner. On completion, graduates can apply for Registered Career Development Practitioner (RCDP) status with the Career Development Institute (CDI), and the 60 postgraduate credits earned can be used to progress towards a full master's degree.

The course is assessed entirely through coursework, with no exams, and is taught by qualified practitioners and active researchers, combining academic rigour with real-world application. With intakes in September, January and May it offers a flexible and accessible route into the profession. Suitable for career advisors in schools, colleges and universities, those seeking a change of career, and practitioners requiring a DfE-recognised qualification.

Please see our Career Guidance PG Cert course page for more information, including how to apply.

iCeGS have designed two programmes which build on our experience of delivering Careers Leaders training. iCeGS have a track record of delivering in-person and online programmes since 2018. Both of these have funding options available through the Careers and Enterprise Company.

(Non-accredited) Certificate in Career Leadership

This non-accredited programme is taught in person at various venues around the UK. This is normally arranged directly with local career hubs. This course provides an introduction to a wide range of aspects of career practice and is suitable for new career leaders and more experienced leaders alike. The programme is assessed through a series of reflective exercises and a portfolio. This course is non-accredited. Completers will receive a certificate from iCeGS.

Accredited Programme

The CPD Certificate in Career Leadership at the University of Derby is a fully online, Level 7 postgraduate qualification designed for Career Leaders in schools, colleges and independent training providers. Delivered by the internationally respected International Centre for Guidance

Studies (iCeGS), the course meets the Department for Education's statutory requirement for a trained Careers Leader.

Completed over two trimesters, the programme comprises two 20-credit modules mapped to the Careers and Enterprise Company's framework for Careers Leadership and aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance.

The course is assessed entirely through coursework, with a focus on contextual, reflective tasks that can be applied directly to your own school or college setting. Teaching is delivered by qualified practitioners and active researchers, combining academic depth with practical relevance through live virtual classrooms, guest lectures, and collaborative online forums.

On successful completion, graduates earn 40 credits at Level 7 and can be funded through the Careers and Enterprise Companies Career Leaders fund.

The CPD Certificate in Career Leadership course is ideal for Careers Leaders, senior leaders, and pastoral or employability leads in schools, colleges and academies across the UK and internationally.

The Centre supports doctoral study related to our areas of interest and expertise. Information about this can be found on our website and on the individual pages of the team’s profiles.

Doctoral students will be supported to pursue their research interests and contribute to the evidence base around career and career development. The programmes are open to national and international students with relevant qualifications and experience.

Example topics from recently completed doctorates:

• Tom Staunton - The Platformisation of Career
• Siobhan Neary - Constructing professional identity: the role of postgraduate professional developement in asserting the identity of the career practitioner
• Esther Galfalvi - "It's not a career": Platform work among young people aged 16-19
• Chris Percy - Quantifying the economic impact of career guidance in secondary education
• Catherine Brown - Business Leaders: Career Capital and Role Transitions
• Rosie Alexander - The Impact of Island Location on Students' Higher Education Choices and Subsequent Career Narratives: A Case Study of the Orkney and Shetland Islands
• Louise Rutherford - University and Employer Collaboration to Improve Graduate Employability
• Antony Steven Hope - Communities that care: an insight into male career patterns in a small neighbourhood
• Anna Maria Francisca Adriana Oomen - Parental involvement in career education and guidance in senior general secondary schools in the Netherlands

To discuss ideas for doctoral study, please contact Professor Tristram Hooley (Head of iCeGS) at t.hooley@derby.ac.uk 

You can also find out more about doctoral programmes of study on our research degrees pages or learn more about our self-funded options that are aligned to the research interests of our staff.

All iCeGS training utilises research undertaken by the Centre to provide participants with skills and knowledge that is on the leading edge of practice. The training packages have been constructed to allow content and materials to be customised and delivered in a variety of settings to meet the specific needs of the commissioning organisation. Current training and support packages include:

• Advanced Interview Skills - a three-day training package supporting experienced practitioners to review, refresh and enhance their guidance skills;
• Interview Skills for Advisers - a two-day programme providing an introduction to guidance for information and advice workers;
• Introducing Guidance - a one-day training course aimed at managers and those interested in learning about guidance which develops an understanding of the guidance process and how it supports individual progression;
• Effective Advice and Guidance by Telephone - a one-day workshop to introduce and support practitioners in the delivery of quality provision using the telephone;
• Theory for Effective Careers Guidance - a one-day workshop supporting advice and guidance practitioners in developing a better understating of career theory and how it supports practice; and
• Using social media for careers work - this one-day introductory training course provides a basic overview of what is meant by social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and provides a series of ideas and examples of how these technologies can be used in careers work. The course is hands-on and participants will need to be able to access a computer throughout the day.
• Evaluating school and college career guidance programmes – This one-day workshop will introduce the concepts and approaches of evaluation. The workshop will demonstrate how evaluation tools can be used to measure and demonstrate impact. Delegates will consider the evaluation strategies required to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks of good career guidance. Delegates will leave with a draft evaluation plan for their organisation.

To discuss any short or bespoke courses, please contact Dr Tom Staunton (Senior Lecturer in Career Development) at T.Staunton@derby.ac.uk

The team at iCeGS are happy to welcome visitors to the Centre for periods of unpaid study. Study visits are self-directed. iCeGS does not offer a structured programme of study, but we can help you to make the most of your stay by supporting you to think through your research methodology, data collection and analysis. iCeGS also has an extensive reference collection of historical and contemporary materials which students can access during their visit.

Some visitors wish to visit the Centre to learn about our taught programmes. The Centre offers a full range of level 6 (final year undergraduate), postgraduate and doctoral programmes as well as several non-accredited, commercial training opportunities and a calendar of events which support the continuing professional development needs of the sector.

Visiting scholars are invited to consider what they can contribute to the work of iCeGS during their visit. For example, you could provide a guest lecture on one of our taught programmes, a seminar, and a presentation at one of our Associate's meetings or by contributing to a journal article or report.

For extended visits of more than one week, iCeGS will allocate a desk (we operate a hot desk system) and access to a computer, WiFi access, and a supervisor/mentor who will be your point of contact during your visit.

You will need to identify your own accommodation for the duration of your visit.

If you are interested in visiting iCeGS for a period of study, you will need to consider several things:

1. How will your visit to iCeGS complement and enhance your studies or your understanding of the career guidance sector?
2. How will you fund your visit?
3. Where will you stay?
4. What can you contribute to the Centre during your visit?

Visiting iCeGS to help you develop an understanding of the UK career guidance sector

iCeGS welcomes groups of international visitors who wish to make a study of the career guidance sector in the UK. These visits require considerable coordination and may involve visits to organisations offering career guidance such as companies who supply career guidance services, universities, vocational training providers, schools and professional organisations.

We provide this service under our commercial business stream where visitors wish to undertake this type of programme. If you want to make this type of visit, please get in touch with us to discuss a bespoke programme and the associated costs.