SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
PgDE (SECONDARY)
www.uws.ac.uk
This course prepares you for a career as a secondary school
teacher. With a strong practical bias, this course provides the
formal teaching qualification for provisional registration
with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).
ABOUT THE COURSE
Teachers must be able to plan, implement and evaluate
learning courses within their chosen discipline whilst
recognising that their specialism contributes to a wider
curriculum that includes interdisciplinary studies. Teachers
must have a fundamental commitment to the welfare of
pupils, meeting learning needs to encourage personal and
educational development.
Secondary teacher education is carried out in partnership
with schools in which you will spend substantial
periods of placement. University-based study focuses on
curriculum content, methods of teaching, learning, and
assessment, alongside the theoretical and practical aspects
of professional studies in education, psychology and
educational technology.
The course has been reviewed to take account of the views
of the Scottish Government and the GTCS, which include
the importance of continually developing close collaboration
between the University and schools, building upon the
established partnerships and the strengths of the course.
Student attainment will be progressed against a set of
benchmark statements established as part of ‘The Standards
for Registration in Scotland’, producing teachers who can
develop their subject work from an informed, broader
perspective on the nature of learning, the wider curriculum,
and the educational system as a whole.
Teaching qualifications are offered in the following areas*
and you may select one of the following subjects, depending
on qualifications:
• Art and Design
• Biology with Science
• Chemistry with Science
• English
• Mathematics
• Modern Languages
• Physical Education
Primary students too. Please note that the 40 credits for
this module is to be offered at both SCQF levels 10 and 11,
giving the option of 40 credits of internationally recognised
Masters level study (further updates will be available on our
website).
You will also undertake the appropriate subject studies
courses for your subject(s) in which you will consider a
range of approaches to teaching, learning and assessment
in your chosen discipline(s). There are also opportunities to
undertake learning experiences relevant to school crosscurricular and extracurricular activities, and opportunities to
progress ICT-related skills.
OUR CAREERS ADVISER SAYS
Most UWS graduates remain in mainstream teaching either
in the UK or abroad, others find employment opportunities
within: specialist educational areas; working with children
with additional learning support needs; adult training;
educational aspects of charities, museums, science centres
etc; the commercial sector; employee training, customer
relations, presentation of products and services, research
and management, writing and publishing etc; the public
sector; health education, school management, curriculum
development, and social services.
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
Successful students receive the formal teaching qualification
necessary for provisional registration with the General
Teaching Council for Scotland, a requirement for entry into
the guaranteed one-year Induction Scheme.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
PGDE courses are funded in the same way as undergraduate
courses. You can apply to SAAS to have tuition fees paid.
Eligibility conditions apply, check www.saas.gov.uk for
details.
Applications
Places on this course are limited and selection is currently
based on performance at an interview together with
information from application forms and referee reports.
From 2014, applications will be made through UCAS with
priority given to applications submitted by January 15th
2015. For further information, contact University Direct on
0800 027 1000 (+44 141 849 4101 out with UK) or
email uni-direct@uws.ac.uk
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
The UCAS application process will commence in September
2014 for entry in August 2015.
• Physics with Science
Eighteen weeks are spent on school experience placements
in at least two schools; a two week introductory placement
followed by five weeks in the first school; then six weeks
in a second school and concluding with a final five week
placement usually in this second school.
YOUR LEARNING
University-based study is divided into a number of blocks
of several weeks in between school experience placements.
All students take the cross curricular course, School and
Professional Studies, which considers broader aspects of:
educational theory; whole school policies and procedures;
general features of secondary education and of teaching
as a profession, and involves collaborative work with PGDE
Successful applicants who gain a place on this course will
need to register on the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG)
Scheme, managed and delivered by Disclosure Scotland. For
more information, see www.disclosurescotland.co.uk
Campus
Ayr
Intake
August
Duration
Professional Graduate
Diploma in Education
(full-time) 9 months
Contact
Admissions
+44 (0)1292 886206
or 0800 027 1000
(+44 141 849 4101
out with UK)
uni-direct@uws.ac.uk
Entry
All applicants for PGDE
Secondary should hold
a degree that has been
validated by a university in
the UK or a degree of an
equivalent standard from
outside the United Kingdom
plus have an English
qualification of at least SCQF
level 6 (e.g. Higher English
or ESOL) and Mathematics
of at least SCQF level 5 (e.g.
National 5, Intermediate 2 or
Credit Standard Grade).
The degree qualification must
contain a minimum of 80
credit points relevant to the
teaching qualification that
they plan to qualify for in
Secondary, with at least 40
of the credit points studied at
Level 8 or above (i.e. around 2
years full-time study in Higher
Education).
Applicants are strongly
advised to visit the Teaching
in Scotland website for
full information on what
is required to become a
teacher in Scotland: www.
teachinginscotland.com/
Please see page XXX for more
details.
Please note that the course was revalidated in March 2014
that has resulted in some changes to course structure,
however the broad content is largely the same. It is however
anticipated that the options for internationally recognised
Masters level credits being offered will continue to increase.
*The University reserves the right to withdraw certain
subjects, depending on the quotas set by the Scottish
Funding Council.
www.uws.ac.uk