Certificate

PGCert Online Doctoral Community and Supervision

Supervise and convene doctoral researchers online—fair clocks, no campus common-room fiction.

Online only

9 months48 creditsEnglish (ES/PT/HI support hubs do not change the language of assessment unless a bilingual pathway is stated)

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PGCert Online Doctoral Community and Supervision

Overview

Online doctorates fail in isolation and in 08:00 ‘catch-ups’ that only work for one city. This PGCert is the operational craft: how often to meet, how to run a writing group that rotates, how to keep a Hindi-speaking hub from becoming an unofficial supervisor, how identity-checked milestones work when the candidate is a digital nomad. You will not be awarded a doctorate here. You will not be licensed as a therapist for ‘doctoral wellbeing’. You will leave with a protocol FollowLap University could actually staff: tuition-free online culture, exam/milestone fees honesty, no fake campus. Pairs intellectually with the PhD Distance Higher Education; it is not a substitute. You will write a supervision agreement in UTC, an async feedback standard that is still supervision, and a writing-group design that rotates meridians. Isolation, power, and quiet hours are named. Recording ethics are named. Milestone integrity for candidates who change country is named. FollowLap University’s tuition-free doctoral culture and examination-fee honesty belong in the protocol, not in a prospectus photograph of gowns on a lawn. The certificate trains convenors and supervisors; the PhD remains a separate, longer research award.

Fifteen credits: supervision cadence, community design, integrity and hubs, and a protocol capstone.

Who This Programme Is For

Online doctoral supervisors and tutors
Research degrees officers in digital providers
PhD programme directors moving fully remote
Experienced researchers new to distributed supervision

How you can study

Digital only

Study online

100% tuition-free online

Every programme can be completed fully online with zero tuition fees — study from anywhere in the world.

✦ Tuition: £0 / $0
✦ Course exams from $60 — 95% sponsorship rate
✦ Learn from anywhere · Live online seminars

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What You Will Learn

Design a timezone-fair supervision cadence
Convene a doctoral community without campus fiction
Specify hub roles versus supervisor roles
Write milestone integrity rules for remote candidates
State that the certificate is not a doctorate

Curriculum

Module 1: Cadence

Code	Course	Credits
FollowLap7001	Supervision Agreements in UTC Students name the methods used in this subject and apply one of them to a short case. The module is Supervision Agreements in UTC. Supervision Agreements in UTC: the core problem A worked case in Supervision Agreements in UTC Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7002	Async Feedback that Is Still Supervision Students compare two cases and explain why the outcomes differed. The module is Async Feedback that Is Still Supervision. Async Feedback that Is Still Supervision: the core problem A worked case in Async Feedback that Is Still Supervision Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7003	Milestone Clocks and Extensions Students produce a professional artefact, with sources and a review of its weaknesses. The module is Milestone Clocks and Extensions. Milestone Clocks and Extensions: the core problem A worked case in Milestone Clocks and Extensions Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7004	Identity-Checked Doctoral Assessment Liaison Students complete a supervised project and defend the method and the result. The module is Identity-Checked Doctoral Assessment Liaison. Identity-Checked Doctoral Assessment Liaison: the core problem A worked case in Identity-Checked Doctoral Assessment Liaison Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3

Module 2: Community

Code	Course	Credits
FollowLap7005	Writing Groups that Rotate Meridians Students name the methods used in this subject and apply one of them to a short case. The module is Writing Groups that Rotate Meridians. Writing Groups that Rotate Meridians: the core problem A worked case in Writing Groups that Rotate Meridians Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7006	Cohort Forums without Extractive Scraping Students compare two cases and explain why the outcomes differed. The module is Cohort Forums without Extractive Scraping. Cohort Forums without Extractive Scraping: the core problem A worked case in Cohort Forums without Extractive Scraping Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7007	Low-Bandwidth Community Design Students produce a professional artefact, with sources and a review of its weaknesses. The module is Low-Bandwidth Community Design. Low-Bandwidth Community Design: the core problem A worked case in Low-Bandwidth Community Design Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7008	No Campus Common-Room Copy Students complete a supervised project and defend the method and the result. The module is No Campus Common-Room Copy. No Campus Common-Room Copy: the core problem A worked case in No Campus Common-Room Copy Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3

Module 3: Boundaries

Code	Course	Credits
FollowLap7009	ES/PT/HI Logistics versus Intellectual Work Students name the methods used in this subject and apply one of them to a short case. The module is ES/PT/HI Logistics versus Intellectual Work. ES/PT/HI Logistics versus Intellectual Work: the core problem A worked case in ES/PT/HI Logistics versus Intellectual Work Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7010	Wellbeing Referral without Therapy Claims Students compare two cases and explain why the outcomes differed. The module is Wellbeing Referral without Therapy Claims. Wellbeing Referral without Therapy Claims: the core problem A worked case in Wellbeing Referral without Therapy Claims Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7011	Power, Isolation, and Quiet Hours Students produce a professional artefact, with sources and a review of its weaknesses. The module is Power, Isolation, and Quiet Hours. Power, Isolation, and Quiet Hours: the core problem A worked case in Power, Isolation, and Quiet Hours Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7012	This Award Is Not the Doctorate Students complete a supervised project and defend the method and the result. The module is This Award Is Not the Doctorate. This Award Is Not the Doctorate: the core problem A worked case in This Award Is Not the Doctorate Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3

Module 4: Protocol

Code	Course	Credits
FollowLap7013	Case Clinic Students name the methods used in this subject and apply one of them to a short case. The module is Case Clinic. Case Clinic: the core problem A worked case in Case Clinic Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7014	Writing for Research Committees Students compare two cases and explain why the outcomes differed. The module is Writing for Research Committees. Writing for Research Committees: the core problem A worked case in Writing for Research Committees Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7015	Ethics of Recording Supervision Students produce a professional artefact, with sources and a review of its weaknesses. The module is Ethics of Recording Supervision. Ethics of Recording Supervision: the core problem A worked case in Ethics of Recording Supervision Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3
FollowLap7016	Capstone: Online Doctoral Community and Supervision Protocol Students complete a supervised project and defend the method and the result. The module is Capstone: Online Doctoral Community and Supervision Protocol. Capstone: Online Doctoral Community and Supervision Protocol: the core problem A worked case in Capstone: Online Doctoral Community and Supervision Protocol Evidence, sources, and limits An assessed task a reviewer can mark	3

Career Paths

Online doctoral supervisor (practice development)
Research degrees coordinator
Doctoral community manager (digital HE)
PGR quality officer
Supervision trainer

Programme Highlights

15 credits / 9 months
Not a PhD
No common-room myth
Hubs ≠ supervisors
Tuition-free online culture

Assessment

Modules are assessed through a published mix of coursework, applied projects, and examinations. Exam windows are announced in advance so students in other time zones are not forced into overnight sittings. Alternative arrangements are available where documented.

Admission requirements

Academic entry

Bachelor's degree or three years of relevant professional experience
Identity document for remote identity-checked assessment
Supervision, PGR administration, or doctoral-candidate experience should be stated

English language

English proficiency: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 46, or equivalent (waived for prior English-medium study). Spanish, Portuguese, or Hindi support hubs do not replace the language of assessment unless the programme explicitly offers a bilingual assessment pathway.

Documents

Brief statement of interest (250 words)
CV or résumé

Programme questions

How long is the PGCert Online Doctoral Community and Supervision?

The published duration is 9 months. Teaching language: English (ES/PT/HI support hubs do not change the language of assessment unless a bilingual pathway is stated). Actual time-to-complete depends on mode and any recognised prior learning.

Can I study this from my country?

This is a fully online award. You study from your country. No student visa and no campus relocation are required.

What does it cost?

Degree tuition for this award is published as £0 / tuition-free on the online pathway. Examination or administrative fees may apply at checkout — never an annual tuition invoice. Check the Fees page for any extras.

What are the entry requirements?

Requirements are grouped on this page (academic, English, documents). Equivalent qualifications are considered. English may be waived after prior English-medium study.

How is the programme assessed?

Assessment is typically a mix of coursework, projects, and examinations. Doctoral awards include a thesis or dissertation and an oral examination. Details sit in the programme specification and module outlines.

Will this award be recognised where I live?

Recognition of the award for local employment, professional licence, or ministry attestation is decided by your employer or regulator. FollowLap University publishes verification pages for certificates. We do not claim automatic equivalence in every country.

How do I apply?

Start an application on this website. Progress is saved from the first step. Admissions: admissions@followlap.com.

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