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Education courses

If you're thinking of pursuing a career in education with children aged 3–11 or taking the first steps to becoming a primary school teacher, choosing an Open University education course is a smart move. Find out more about our education qualifications below.

Education Degrees  Degrees Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree. Internationally respected, universally understood. An essential requirement for many high-level jobs. Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts. Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.

• Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
• One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
• You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
• For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.

How long will it take?

Education Diplomas  Diplomas Widely recognised qualification. Equivalent to the first two thirds of an honours degree. Enhance your professional and technical skills or extend your knowledge and understanding of a subject. Study for interest or career development. Top up to a full honours degree in just two years.

Education certificates  certificates widely recognised qualification. equivalent to the first third of an honours degree. study for interest or career development. shows that you can study successfully at university level. count it towards further qualifications such as a diphe or honours degree., why study education with the open university.

You'll gain a sound foundation of further study relevant for a range of roles within education. Our primary education courses are suitable if you're working, volunteering or seeking to work in schools or in the wider education sector.

The benefits of studying an education qualification with us are:

• You'll collaborate with other students and debate teaching and learning from around the globe.
• Your learning about primary school education is practice-focused.
• You can gain entry into a PGCE/PGDE as most HE providers consider the BA (Hons) Education Studies (Primary) suitable.
• You can fit our flexible study around your work and other commitments.

Careers in Education

Our education qualifications will give you a foundation for a range of roles relating to primary education, including helping you prepare to apply for teacher training. They're also relevant to other careers within childcare, health, education, play work and working with families and young people.

Our courses in education can help you start or progress your career as a:

• Primary School Teacher
• Teaching Assistant
• Play Worker
• Children's Centre Manager

Looking for something other than a qualification?

The majority of our modules can be studied by themselves, on a stand-alone basis. If you later choose to work towards a qualification, you may be able to count your study towards it.

See our full list of Education modules

All Education courses

Browse all the Education courses we offer – certificates, diplomas and degrees.

See our full list of Education courses

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• Online Postgraduate Qualifications »

Online PGCEs: Distance Learning Teacher Training

Find your perfect postgrad program search our database of 30,000 courses.

An online PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) is an excellent way to gain an internationally recognised teaching qualification without the commitment to campus-based learning. 

Whether you are looking to expand your career prospects or change direction and become a teacher , an online PGCE course offers you the flexibility to study and train from anywhere in the world. 

Becoming a teacher is a challenging and time-consuming process. For some, it can be hard to balance face-to-face learning with other life commitments. If this is the case for you, then an online distance learning PGCE course could be a great choice. 

What is a distance learning PGCE program?

The PGCE allows postgraduate students to work in a variety of educational settings and become qualified teachers in the UK with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Not all online PGCE courses contain the QTS element, but they are still a viable option for many students. Learn more about PGCEs in our guide: What is a PGCE?  

With a distance learning PGCE, the course modules are delivered in an online format, with course providers offering full-time and part-time flexible study options. Part-time courses can be studied over three or four years at a pace that suits you. 

Many universities offer blended learning that combines distance learning and digital face-to-face sessions with your course tutor and other students. In most cases, around 50% of the course will be studied at home and the other half will involve classroom experience.

What type of PGCE can I study online?

It is also possible to specialise in a specific area of study for your expertise, such as Maths, Science, Modern Language, Music or Physical Education. With these options, you can pursue your ideal pathway into teaching and advance your academic career. 

The benefits of a distance learning PGCE 

There are many reasons to study a PGCE . Studying for your PGCE online is a great way to progress further in your career while balancing the demands of the course with your daily life. Some benefits include: 

Continue working at your current job while you study

No commitment to be on campus for lectures or seminars

Study at home or from any remote location

Gain the same value qualification as studying for your PGCE on campus 

Flexible start dates are offered by some universities, meaning you don't have to wait until September to start your course

Universities offering distance learning PGCE programs

Most universities, including the University of Cumbria , the Open University, the University of Nottingham and the University of Sunderland, offer PGCE courses that are delivered by online distance learning. There are also course options in South Africa, such as the distance learning PGCE program at MANCOSA or the Cornerstone Institute.

Countries that offer distance learning PGCE programs

The majority of online PGCE courses are offered by universities in the UK because they are aimed at the British educational system. However, there are also PGCE courses delivered by distance learning, in countries including South Africa and Dubai. Any country where the educational system is based on the British educational system may have an online PGCE program option. 

If you know that you wish to be based in a particular country, then it is wise to follow that country's teaching programs, otherwise you may have to convert your PGCE with additional courses. 

The University of Nottingham runs online PGCE courses, which include a small number of on-site sessions to attend, and these are based all over the world, in locations including Nigeria, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, India, Spain, Peru and Singapore.

Entry requirements for distance learning PGCE courses

Most PGCE courses require the student to have at least an undergraduate (bachelors) degree of at least 2.2 grade (or equivalent) from a UK university. This table shows the entry requirements for studying an online PGCE program at a selection of universities in the UK and South Africa.

How much does a distance learning PGCE program cost?

The cost of an online PGCE will vary depending on where you study the on-campus sessions, for example: 

For UK students, the online PGCE program costs £1,675 at the University of Cumbria and is not available to international students. 

For UK students, the University of Nottingham's online PGCE costs £4,110. For students attending the on-campus sessions in Hong Kong, it costs £4,320. 

The University of Sunderland course is also aimed at students all over the world and the tuition fees are £7,455 for all students. 

At the Cornerstone Institute in South Africa, the online PGCE costs R375.00 per module credit for all students, international students may have to pay an additional student fee depending on which country they are from.

There are several PGCE funding options available to help students get started with online teacher training. Find out more about how much a PGCE costs in our guide.

What does online PGCE course content include? 

The online PGCE course at the University of Nottingham is widely available to students around the world and approximately 900 students complete the course each year. Modules include topics such as Educational Aims and Values in International Contexts, Inquiring into Educational Practice in International Contexts, and Understanding Learning and Teaching in International Contexts. 

Modules at the PGCE course at MANCOSA in South Africa include Education Studies: Curriculum, Teaching and Learning and Education Studies: Sociology and Philosophy. 

Do you have to do any on-campus or teaching modules?

Obtaining Qualified Teaching Status (QTS) in the UK may require you to take an in-classroom course or complete teaching modules. Many courses assume you have access to classroom-based teaching, or experience of it, to draw on during the assessments. 

The University of Nottingham courses all include short sessions – of a few days to a week – that students need to attend on campuses around the world. 

The University of Sunderland’s distance learning PGCE program includes a module of extended teaching practice, which is entirely based in your workplace in an educational facility.

How long does it take to complete a distance learning PGCE?

The length of time it takes to study an online PGCE varies, and this depends on whether you choose to study full time or part time. The courses last between eleven months when choosing to study full time, and up to four years studying part time.

Find online PGCE courses

Discover a range of online PGCE courses at Postgrad. We list full-time and part-time course options from a variety of universities. Start building your teaching career today.

Related articles

5 Great Reasons To Study A PGCE

Getting Into Teaching

Are There PG Programs That Can't Be Studied Online?

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Education Studies Online BA (Hons)

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Interested in helping shape and change young lives through education? Our BA (Hons) Education is offered online, allowing you to study when and where it suits you. This program provides a fantastic foundation, incorporating the very latest developments in the field of education studies.

• Flexible Online Learning: Access materials and complete weekly topics using our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which includes slides, audio recordings, and interactive online materials.
• Interactive Discussions: Engage with online discussion forums to communicate with fellow students and resolve issues related to your studies.
• Expert-Led Education: Learn from practising teachers and take an active role in important current debates on children's education.
• Real-World Experience: Our course is strongly rooted in the real world, with plenty of opportunities to experience education in action in our community. This will ease your transition into a teaching environment when you leave us.

Find out more

• Book for an open day
• Order a prospectus
• Make an enquiry Close

Course options

• September 2024

Degree with distance learning

Entry requirements, academic requirements, accepted qualifications.

112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification listed on the UCAS tariff calculator including:

• A Levels in at least two subjects
• BTEC Extended Diploma – DMM
• BTEC Diploma – DD
• Access to HE Diploma
• International Baccalaureate – 24 points including a minimum of 15 points at Higher Level

We also welcome applications from students who are taking Level 3 or higher qualifications not on the UCAS tariff calculator, and will assess the suitability, on a case by case basis.

In addition to one of the above, you should have:

• GCSE English Grade 4/C or Level 2 Functional Skills in English
• GCSE Mathematics Grade 4/C or Level 2 Functional Skills in Mathematics

International Qualifications

We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit our International page for full details.

English Language requirements

IELTS 5.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking (or recognised equivalent).

If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a Pre-sessional English course .

The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 11-week pre-sessional course.

Mature applicants and those without formal qualifications

As an inclusive university, we recognise those who have been out of education for some time may not have the formal qualifications usually required. We welcome applications from those who can demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment to study and have the relevant life/work experience that equips them to succeed on the course. We will assess this from the information provided in your application or may request additional information such as a CV or attendance at an interview. Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined.

You may also be a suitable candidate to access one of our courses by completion of a UEL Pre-Entry programme (for mature learners). For more information and eligibility, please contact our Pre-entry Information, Advice and Guidance team.

Admissions policy

We are committed to fair admissions and access by recruiting students regardless of their social, cultural or economic background. Our admissions policy sets out the principles and procedures we use to admit new students for all courses offered by the university and its partners.

Further advice and guidance

You can speak to a member of our Applicant Enquiries team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Alternatively, you can visit our Information, Advice and Guidance centre.

BA (Hons) Education Studies Online

Ba (hons) education studies online, home applicant, full time.

• Home Applicant
• Full time, 3 years
• 9250 per year Pound 9250 per year

BA (Hons) Education Studies Online, home applicant, part time

• Pro-rata full time fee Pro-rata full time fee

BA (Hons) Education Studies Online, international applicant, full time

• International Applicant
• 14820 Per year Pound 14820 Per year

Fees, funding and additional costs

Uk/home students.

You don't need to pay the fees upfront.

Find out more about paying your fees. 

Fee status after Brexit

EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course from September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees.

However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fee regulations. 

Further information can be found at UKCISA .

*Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.

UK fee status holders

Find out all the ways you can receive funding for your studies:

• Government funding
• UEL funding
• External funding

The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.

We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.

• Phone: 020 8223 4444, M onday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm
• Live chat: Click the live chat icon in the bottom left of the screen

International fee status holders

• UEL scholarships
• Ways to pay

Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements.

• Email:  [email protected]

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to, or be required to, buy your own copy of key textbooks.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences.

Free WiFi is available on each of our campuses.

In the majority of cases, coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees.

Travel costs are not included but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses and halls of residence.

For this course, you will be:

• involved in processes of making, as a means of exploration, experimentation, and understanding your practice, by using a diverse range of media and materials
• required to purchase your own copy of books, for required reading
• required to produce physical artefacts for assessment 
• able to participate in optional study visits and/or field trips

However, over and above this you may incur extra costs associated with your studies, which you will need to plan for. 

To help you budget, the information below indicates what activities and materials are not covered by your tuition fees:

• personal laptops and other personal devices 
• personal copies of books 
• optional study visits and field trips (and any associated visa costs)
• printing costs
• your own chosen materials and equipment
• costs of participating in external events, exhibitions, performances etc.

The costs vary every year and with every student, according to the intentions for the type of work they wish to do. Attainment at assessment is not dependent upon the costs of materials chosen.

Learn about applying

Important information about your application, uk full-time starting sept.

How to apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our Applicant Engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

UK Part-time starting Sept

How to apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

International Full-time starting Sept

Submitting your application please read and consider the entry and visa requirements for this course before you submit your application. for more information please visit our  international student advice pages .  .

How to Apply We accept direct applications for international students. The easiest way to apply is directly to UEL by clicking on the red apply button. Please be sure to  watch our videos  on the application process.

When to Apply Please ensure that you refer to the international admissions deadline . We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer.

International students who reside overseas Please ensure that you have read and considered the entry requirements for this course before you submit your application. Our enquiries team can provide advice if you are unsure if you are qualified for entry or have any other questions. Please be sure to read about the  Tier 4 visa requirements .

Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone.

+44 (0)20 8223 4354 Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm)

+44 (0)20 8223 3333

About our foundation years

Our Foundation Year courses are perfect for you if you... 

• are returning to education after a long time, or you don't have the qualifications for direct entry into our degree programmes
• are thinking of re-training and would like an introduction to the area
• are an international student wanting an additional year to adapt to the UK academic system
• are still evaluating which degree pathway at UEL is the right one for you

Please note: Foundation years can only be studied full-time. However, you can transfer to part-time delivery once you have completed your foundation year. Please apply to the full-time option if you wish to study in this way.

What makes this course different

Our overall student satisfaction score (NSS, 2018).

Specialist academics

You'll be taught by enthusiastic and expert staff who focus on the needs of our students through innovative teaching methods, as well as academic writing and publishing.

Percentage of our graduates who go on to work and/or further study (Unistats, 2017).

Course modules

Mental wealth: academic and professional skills for life 1.

This module will provide you with the opportunity to identify the skills, competencies and experiences required for youth work and a range of potential future career areas.

You will be supported to recognise the areas for your own personal professional development (including emotional, social, physical, cultural and cognitive intelligence) through taught and workshop activities.

Central to the developmental process is for each student to cultivate their reflective skills, openness and self-awareness to enable themselves to assess what they are doing, identify areas for improvement and confidently receive and give constructive feedback. You will additionally develop knowledge and strategies for advancing your own emotional, social, physical, cultural and cognitive intelligence and improve your health and well-being.

Exploring Social Worlds

This module will develop your understanding of people's social and cultural experiences in a range of contexts and will prepare you to think about practical support for children's, and young people's lives and rights. You will learn about a range of theoretical perspectives that will help you understand the experiences of children, young people and young adults. As part of this module, you will present key recommendations for improvements to their lives.

Key Principles for Inclusion and Diversity

• To provide a broad and critical historical review of the development of the field of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), and the legislative frameworks underpinning its practice.
• To introduce and develop awareness of concepts, terms, definitions and debates within the field
• To introduce critical disability studies and consider the experience of SEN and Disability for diverse social groups
• To provide a critique of the individual deficit model of disability and a critical focus of social oppression theory in the context of commitment to equal opportunities and human rights.

Emerging Research Communities

This module will provide you with the opportunity to develop skills associated with problem-solving, critical thinking, logical reasoning and researching.

Over the space of twelve weeks, you will work with experienced researchers and academics in the Education subject area at the  School of Education and Communities. You will build an active research community of your peers, which will be cultivated over your three years at the University of East London. Staff will continue to support and scaffold this community of research in Level 5, culminating in your own independent research project at Level 6.

During lectures, you will explore the most appropriate research methods within your discipline accounting for ethical, cultural and social issues. You will be introduced to the key concepts, principles and stages of the research process, engaging with real-life examples from existing and ongoing research in your field of study. During workshops and tutorials, you will work collaboratively with your peers. You will develop the ability to read and compare current and ongoing research literature in your discipline. You will determine the credibility of sources and reflect on the research process used.

The assessment for this module will be in the form of collaborative group work. It will be submitted as an e-portfolio consisting of two sections (i) an infographic/e-poster (ii) 1,500 written comparison of two pieces of academic research. You will be guided by experienced staff members to achieve the digital proficiency necessary for this assessment, skills which will be beneficial to a future career in any industry.

Philosophy of Education

This module has the following aims:

• to introduce ‘philosophy ’ to students and to compare it to other foundation disciplines in education studies: psychology and sociology
• to encounter a range of philosophical perspectives on education
• to address the foundational questions in philosophy
• to provide a context for considering your own attitudes as to the purpose of
• to develop skills in critical reading and reflection.

Sociology of Education

• To provide you with an introduction to the sociology of education and a range of sociological and theoretical perspectives that have developed within education.
• To explore issues of race, class or gender in terms of educational access and achievement.
• To encourage you to critically reflect upon your own educational backgrounds, experiences and contexts.
• To develop skills of critical reading and reflection.

Mental Wealth: Academic and Professional Skills for Life 2

This module seeks to develop the key psychological determinants of human performance which are increasingly critical for successful graduate-level employment, entrepreneurship and career progression in the 4th industrial era.

This module will provide you with the opportunity to apply several of the skills, competencies and experience required for successful development to, and in a range of potential career areas.

You will continue to build upon and advance the skills and concepts you learnt in Level 4 to further develop your emotional intelligence, emotional literacy, reflective skills, and self-awareness.

You will have the opportunity to explore the skills and knowledge involved in entrepreneurial activities by practising and engaging with self and others in analysis, critical thinking, problem-solving and research.

Contemporary Issues in Education

During this module, you will engage in discussing and analysing contemporary issues in education and heighten their awareness of the relationship between empirical evidence and academic arguments in advancing their understanding. You will be able to develop your skills in evaluating the evidence and arguments related to contemporary debates. Also, you will be able to construct theoretical arguments in advancing public representations of educational issues.

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to evaluate and demonstrate different positions in some contemporary debates about issues in education. Also, you will be able to use a range of sources to further extend your knowledge and understanding of issues relating to education, and to critically examine contemporary debates and issues in education.

Identity and Social Justice

In this module, you will extend your critical understanding of theory and research from a range of social science disciplines used to explore and analyse the lives and experiences of children and young people (including education, psychology, sociology, human geography and social policy). You will explore issues of social justice, critically considering:

• how these aspects are addressed within key policies, organisations (including grassroots and third sector), and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child;
• the micro- and macro- influences on the lives of children and young people, such as biological, social, economic, political, cultural and/or generational influences, with particular attention paid to issues of inequality and intersectionality;
• the extent to which educators/practitioners influence these aspects of the lives of children and young people;
• children and young people's rights and the extent to which they actively influence these aspects of their own lives.

During the module, your campus-based studies will be complemented by engagement in educational and community settings, allowing you to develop a critical awareness of current issues relating to the lives of children and young people, and to actively engage in consideration of how drawing upon research evidence from social science disciplines can enable you to affect change in the lives of the children and young people with whom you work/may work in the future.

Building Research Communities

Building Research Communities develops knowledge and understanding of research theories, concepts and processes and the research skills required for independent, ethical and applied research. This module is rooted in the principles of research informed teaching which includes learning about research findings in their field of study; learning research processes and methodologies and learning to work in research 'mode' which builds on pedagogical principles of enquiry-based, active, collaborative and experiential learning, supporting students to engage in critique and discussion in a 'research community of practice' (Lave and Wenger, 1998).

At Level 5: Developing Research Communities focuses on developing students' understanding of research theories, concepts and processes and the research skills required for independent, ethical and applied research. The module will introduce students to key issues in research methodology and design, such as how to develop research questions, using research literature, addressing ethical issues, designing data collection tools and organising and analysing data. Students will explore a range of qualitative research techniques, including interviews, questionnaires, observational studies and documentary research. Students will also be encouraged to reflect on wider questions about how educational and early childhood research helps us to understand social worlds and can impact on policy and practice. This module will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out an applied research project at Level 6.

In this module students will be supported by a range of resources to develop research, analytical, and presentation skills, alongside ongoing reflective writing. The module is assessed entirely by coursework with a mixture of individual and group learning experiences. Students are assessed individually.

Ideology, Politics, and Policy in Education

This is a highly innovative module that draws strongly on aspects of politics, philosophy, economics, sociology, social policy, and comparative education, as well as activism. You will be introduced to historical and new national and educational developments focusing on policy agendas to try and understand these in the context of the neo-liberalisation of education in England, and the possibility for social change.

This module challenges you to be critical, and this is specifically in the context of making sense of the current education policy agenda in England by understanding the political-economic ideology of the Government that drives education policymaking.

Education Practice

The aims of the module are to:

• enable students to develop their learning about the various career progression opportunities in the education sector
• engage students with knowledge and understanding of contemporary practice issues facing the education sector
• provide students with the opportunity to engage with and learn from professionals from the education sectors
• support students to identify their aspirations and plan for the remainder of their studies
• enhance students employability skills
• increase knowledge and confidence and employability prospects

In your final year, you'll carry out an independent research project on a relevant topic, There's also an optional volunteering module.

Mental Wealth: Academic and Professional Skills for Life 3

This module will provide you with the opportunity to apply a full range of skills, competencies and experience required for successful development in a range of potential education-related career areas. You will advance the areas identified in your level 5 studies for your personal professional development (including emotional, social, physical, cultural and cognitive intelligence) through taught and workshop activities.

Through engagement with the Career Passport, you will reflect upon the success of the strategies that you employ to further develop your reflective skills, self-awareness, ‘life style’ ‘self-care’ approaches and where necessary improve these.

Critical and Global Perspectives on Education

• To develop critical awareness of current educational policy, practices and provision relating to special and inclusive education
• To develop critical awareness of the similarities and differences between contexts in terms of special and inclusive education developments in policy and practice
• To consider the inclusion of children with special educational needs from an international perspective

Language, Pedagogy and Cultural Diversity

This module aims to:

1. Consider issues in language, culture and pedagogy from individual and societal perspectives

2. Understand the links between professional practice, subject-related concepts and the lived experiences of bilingual and multilingual learners

3. Examine/analyse policy and practice in culturally and linguistically diverse learning and teaching environments locally, nationally and/or internationally.

Volunteering

• enable students to have their learning from volunteering accredited as part of their study
• engage students with critical knowledge and understanding of the motives for voluntary action.
• provide students with the opportunity to critically reflect upon their learning and development whilst undertaking voluntary activity
• support students to identify their strengths and areas for development
• enhance employability prospects

Independent Research Project

You will have the opportunity to initiate a small-scale applied research study that addresses an issue, topic or challenge within the broad field of education, special education or early childhood. The applied research will support professional formation and contribute to knowledge within the wider community.

The module is designed to guide you towards the design, implementation and completion of an applied research project undertaken in collaboration with a relevant external organisation (the nature of which will be discussed and agreed upon with the relevant module leader). You will develop a range of theoretical, methodological, academic and practical skills and knowledge.

You will apply these in a practice context to address a real-world problem through ethical research practice, professional engagement and problem-solving leading to research dissemination.

The chosen area of applied research will be demonstrably linked to your personal interests and professional aspirations within the field of education, special education or early childhood. Through supervision, you will shape and agree on a proposal for a viable and ethical applied research project.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Download course specification

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PDF, 132.2kb

Your future career

Once you've graduated successfully, you'll have the option to train as a teacher, for example through a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) programme. At UEL, we offer PGCEs in Primary Education and a wide range of secondary subjects. With a teaching qualification, you'll have the choice of teaching in a mainstream school, a special school, or a different kind of educational setting such as an environmental education centre. The skills you gain are transferable to a wide range of working environments. Some of our graduates have gone on to teach English as a foreign language abroad. Others have moved into fields outside of education such as journalism. You could also choose to embark upon postgraduate research at UEL in areas such as educational psychology or the philosophy of education.

Industry links

During the course, you'll have frequent opportunities to meet practitioners and potential employers, and we also arrange dedicated careers workshops and events. 

Graduate employers

Our graduates have gone to work for such organisations as the Sarah Bonnell School, Sir Frederick Gibberd College, Havering Council and Reeson Education, to name a few.

Typical roles which our graduates have gone on to do include: special needs teacher, primary school teacher and teaching assistant.

We offer postgraduate courses for further specialisation and you can explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal .

Further study

We offer a wide range of masters degrees in special education , early childhood or leadership in education , should you choose to specialise further.

The job I am doing right now was advertised through the UEL careers service."

Early Childhood graduate

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

This digital platform provides you with careers and employability resources, including: 

• Jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work 
• Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts 1-2-1 career coaching services 
• Careers workshops and employer events 
• Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme which issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you've mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top: 

• Work-based projects 
• Networking and visits to leading organisations 
• Support in starting a new business 
• London on our doorstep

How you'll learn

This course investigates contemporary education in a lively and stimulating way. We study primary and secondary through to higher and adult education. It's sociology-based. It looks at sociological factors affecting the family, social policy for young people, education, and the national curriculum. We look at it from an international perspective to reflect the diversity of our student intake. You'll explore how people develop and learn. You'll learn about how the education system has evolved and continues to evolve. You'll learn to critique the purpose of educational interventions and to think about arguments related to educational issues. We'll give you an understanding of how political ideologies influence education policy. You'll look at faith schools, special needs education, and multiculturalism along with the sociology, psychology, and philosophy of education. You'll learn how to check research, enriching your studies and giving you the knowledge and confidence to do your own research.

Guided independent study

Our distance learning programmes cover the same content as our on-campus equivalents. In order to meet your potential in this programme, you'll be expected to take responsibility for the way you learn. You will need to motivate yourself throughout the course and undertake independent learning and research, including individual reading, preparation of assignments, and completion of assessed course work.

Distance learning on this course is supported by our virtual learning environment (VLE), Moodle. You'll be given a full introduction to the use, nuances, and scope of the VLE. This will help you to feel comfortable and confident in your online classroom. Your module leader/tutor will contact you at the beginning of each module to provide basic information and check for questions. Each module has a site in Moodle structured around a sequence of weekly topics. These topics contain a lecture - typically, a series of slides and accompanied audio recordings or interactive online material. This is supported by guidance on key learning outcomes, self-assessment questions, and links to core and additional readings. Modules run concurrently so you would need to balance your time across a number of modules at the same time rather than just one.

Academic support

You'll be taught by staff with relevant experience and practice to ensure you learn from real-life experience and research. We offer dual delivery which combines traditional on-campus face-to-face teaching and online teaching simultaneously, allowing you to interact as if you were there in person. You can move smoothly between online and on-campus teaching subject to your individual timetable (and health requirements). Students can interact and collaborate in person and online in any of these live-streamed sessions. Live-streamed sessions will also be recorded, so you can log in when you want, playback, and watch from the comfort of your home and whilst on the go.

Dedicated personal tutor

If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, English, maths, or statistics, academic tutors offer workshops, drop-in sessions, and one-to-one appointments to help you achieve your potential. 

You can receive advice and guidance on all aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks located on all three campuses. 

Our Student Support hubs feature centralised helpdesks. UEL provides support and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties (SPDs).

Your overall workload consists of class and online tutor-led sessions, individual learning, and practical activities. 

Your timetable

Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9.00am and 6.00pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible.

Class sizes

Approximate class sizes:  30 in seminars  200 in lectures

How you'll be assessed

We assess all modules through different forms of coursework. Assessment methods include group work, exams and individual work including essays. In addition to writing traditional essays, you'll be required to write reports, policy reviews and give presentations. This is to ensure you gain skills that are relevant to and can be transferred to the workplace. 

In your final year, you'll write a research dissertation. 

All grades count towards your module mark. More details will be included in the student handbook and module guides. 

Feedback is provided within 15 working days in line with UEL's assessment and feedback policy.

Coursework will include presentations, video reports, research-based assignments, and learning logs.

Campus and facilities

Gallery of campus and facilities.

Online Contact us Undergraduate virtual open events Postgraduate open events

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by School of Education and Communities

The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.

Katie Ketcher-Room

Iona Burnell Reilly

DiscoverUni

The banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).

Statistics for BA (Hons) Education Studies Online Degree with distance learning, Full Time

What our students and staff say

As a former University of East London New Beginnings and undergraduate student, I feel privileged to be able to work with our current and future students in the university that supported my academic journey."

Lisa Taylor

Senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies and Education Studies

I've been able to gain a new perspective looking through a child's eyes and I've learned more about children’s rights. I've especially loved exploring the enchantment of child literature. The intimate lectures of about 30 people are great. You can have some interesting debates and almost everyone has a chance to speak."

Vikki Silvers

Education Studies, BA (Hons)

Related courses

This course is part of the Teacher Education and Training subject area.

BA (Hons) Education Studies

This course provides you with an excellent foundation for a career in education. The course also equips you for a career in educational administration or a support role in education. 

MA Leadership In Education

This course will enable you to develop your leadership skills and ability to lead change to meet the needs of staff and students in education.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Modal

Terms of Admittance to the University of East London

The Terms of Admittance govern your contractual relationship with the University of East London ("UEL"). A contract between you, the Student, and us, UEL, is entered into once you accept an offer of a place on a programme at UEL and this contract is subject to consumer protection legislation. You are entitled to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment onto your programme.

1) Student enrolment

Enrolment at UEL is the process whereby you officially become a UEL student. The enrolment process requires you to:

• Ensure that we are holding the correct personal details for you
• Agree to abide by our regulations and policies
• Pay your tuition fees/confirm who is paying your tuition fees

You are expected to enrol by the first day of your academic year (click on "Discover") which will be notified to you in your enrolment instructions. Failure to enrol by the deadline contained in our Fees Policy (for most students by the end of the second week of teaching) may lead to the cancellation of student status and all rights attached to that status, including attendance and use of UEL's facilities. If you do not complete the formal process of enrolment but, by your actions, are deemed to be undertaking activities compatible with the status of an enrolled student, UEL will formally enrol you and charge the relevant tuition fee. Such activities would include attendance in classes, use of online learning materials, submission of work and frequent use of a student ID card to gain access to university buildings and facilities. Late enrolment charges may be applied if you do not complete your enrolment by the relevant deadline.

2) Tuition fees

Your tuition fee is determined by:

• the programme you are studying;
• if you are studying full or part-time;
• whether you are a UK/EU or International student; and when you started your studies with us.

We will tell you the tuition fee that you are due to pay when we send you an offer as well as confirm any additional costs that will be incurred, such as bench fees or exceptional overseas study trips. Unregulated tuition fees (where the UK government has not set a maximum fee to be charged) are generally charged annually and may increase each year you are on the programme. Any annual increase will be limited to a maximum of 5% of the previous year's fee. Regulated tuition fees (where the UK government has set a maximum fee to be charged) may also be subject to an annual increase. Any annual increase will be in line with the increase determined by the UK government. You will be notified of any increases in tuition fees at re-enrolment in the programme. Further information on tuition fees and payment options is contained in our Fees Policy .

3) Student ID Cards

To produce an ID card, we need a recent photograph of you that is not obscured and is a true likeness. We will either ask you to send us/upload a photograph in advance of enrolment or take one of you at the point of enrolment. The photograph will be held on our student records system for identification purposes by administrative, academic and security/reception staff. By accepting these Terms of Admittance you are confirming that you agree to your photograph being used in this way. If you object to your photograph being used in this way please contact the University Secretary via email at gov&[email protected] . You are required to provide proof of your identity at initial enrolment and prior to the issue of your UEL student ID card. This is usually a full and valid passport but instead of this you may bring two of the following:

• A (full or provisional) driving licence showing current address
• An international driving licence
• An original birth certificate (in English)
• A debit or credit card (one only)
• A benefit book or benefit award letter (dated within the last 3 months)
• An Armed Forces Identity card
• A police warrant card

You are required to carry and display your student ID card whilst on UEL premises and must keep it safe so that it is not misused by others.

4) Proof of qualifications

You are required to produce evidence of having satisfied the entry requirements for your programme. Such evidence must be in the form of the original certificates or certified notification of results from the examining body. All qualifications must be in English or supported by an official certified translation. If you fail to provide evidence of having satisfied the requirements for the programme you are liable to be withdrawn from the programme.

5) Non-academic entry requirements

You may need to demonstrate that you have met non-academic entry requirements prior to enrolment by providing additional information to UEL. For example, if you:-

• are under 18 years of age at the time of initial enrolment,
• are applying to a programme that requires health clearance for study as stated in the programme specification,
• have declared a relevant criminal conviction,
• will be studying a programme that involves contact with children and/or vulnerable adults or leads to membership in a professional body that deals with children and/or vulnerable adults.

You will not be permitted to enrol and any offer will be withdrawn if UEL deems that you are unsuitable for study following assessment of this additional information in line with published policies. These policies will be provided to you when the additional information is requested.

6) Criminal convictions

UEL has a responsibility to safeguard staff, students and the wider community. You are required to inform UEL of any relevant criminal convictions you have and provide further information relating to these as requested. This includes any relevant criminal convictions received whilst studying at UEL. UEL will assess all information received in line with published policies and may remove you from a programme if the conviction makes you unsuitable for study in UEL's opinion. Failure to declare a relevant criminal conviction or provide further information about you may result in expulsion from UEL.

7) Providing false information to UEL

If you are discovered to have falsified or misrepresented information presented to UEL at application, enrolment or during your studies, you may be expelled from UEL.

8) Continued enrolment and student status

You are expected to abide by all UEL policies and regulations, both those in force at the time of first and subsequent enrolment and as later revised and published from time to time. UEL reserves the right to make reasonable changes to its policies and regulations and any substantial amendments will be brought to your attention. You are also required to take personal responsibility for your studies; this includes undertaking all studies in support of your programme as prescribed by UEL. Key policies include: Manual of General Regulations This describes the general regulatory framework of UEL and gives information about how UEL confers its degrees, diplomas and certificates. It includes important information about academic performance requirements for continued study. Engagement Attendance Policy This outlines UEL's expectations of students in relation to attendance on and engagement with taught programmes. These students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and engage fully with learning materials and resources provided to them - failure to do so may result in withdrawal from module(s) and/or the programme. Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees The purpose of this code is to provide a framework for the successful organisation and implementation of good practice in all matters relating to postgraduate research degrees at UEL. It aims to ensure that all students are effectively supported and supervised so that the full scope and potential of their research is realised; that their thesis is submitted within regulatory periods and that they complete their programme with a suitable and sufficient portfolio of research and employment-related skills and competencies. Health and Safety Policy This describes the structures and processes by which UEL protects the health and safety of its staff, students and visitors. It confirms that students will receive sufficient information, instruction and induction in relation to health and safety. All students should take reasonable care of their health and safety. They must abide by UEL’s rules and regulations and cooperate with supervisors to enable them to fulfil their obligations. Students must not interfere intentionally, or recklessly misuse anything provided for health and safety. UEL has consulted with its students and staff and has adopted a No Smoking Policy to safeguard the health and well-being of its community. Students are required to comply with this policy which restricts smoking to designated shelters and prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes within any UEL building or near building entrances. For further information on our Healthy Campus initiatives and support please visit the Health and Safety pages . Student Disciplinary Regulations and Procedures (incorporating the student code of conduct) This code is more than a list of things that we should and should not do: it reminds us that we should always consider how our behaviour affects others. The code applies:

• to all students;
• at all sites throughout our estate, and;
• when we represent UEL on business beyond our campus, both in real (face-to-face) and virtual environments.

And outlines expectations of students:

• verbal and physical behaviour should always be polite and respectful;
• behaviour should not impair the engagement, learning or participation of others;
• anti-social behaviour by individuals and groups will not be tolerated.

9) Changes to scheduled programmes

UEL will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the programme of study that you have accepted will conform to the programme specification published on our website and will ensure that the necessary resources required to enable you to meet the required learning outcomes and pass the relevant assessments are available. In order to ensure that our programmes are current and relevant, they are subject to regular review. From time to time, to ensure the maintenance of academic standards and/or compliance with professional body requirements, it may be necessary to amend a module or make adjustments to programme content. Major changes to programmes that in the reasonable opinion of UEL, will have a significant impact on students will involve consultation with students already enrolled on the programme when the changes are proposed. Once any changes are confirmed, UEL will notify all students and applicants of the changes. When UEL reasonably considers that the change may only impact one or more cohorts on the relevant programme, UEL may decide to only consult with the relevant cohort. In the event that we discontinue a programme, we will normally permit existing students to complete the programme within the typical duration of study. In these circumstances, UEL will use reasonable endeavours to continue the programme for existing students without making major changes. If this is not possible, we will support students in changing to another UEL programme on which a place is available, and for which the student is suitably qualified, or assist with transfer to another HEI to complete the programme elsewhere.

10) Changes to these terms

We may change these terms from time to time where, in UEL's opinion, it will assist in the proper delivery of any programme of study or in order to:- (a) Comply with any changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; (b) Implement legal advice, national guidance or good practice; (c) Provide for new or improved delivery of any programme of study; (d) Reflect market practice; (e) In our opinion make them clearer or more favourable to you; (f) Rectify any error or mistake; or (g) Incorporate existing arrangements or practices. No variation or amendment to these Terms of Admittance may be made without our prior written agreement. In the event that we agree to transfer you to an alternative programme of study, the transfer will be considered to be a variation to the Terms of Admittance, which shall otherwise remain in full force and existence. If we revise the Terms of Admittance, we will publish the amended Terms of Admittance by such means as we consider reasonably appropriate. We will use reasonable endeavours to give you notice of any changes before they take effect.

11) Data Protection

UEL is committed to adhering to its obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and will act as a Data Controller when it processes your personal data. You can find our registration to the Data controller register on ico.org.uk . UEL processes your personal data to fulfil its contractual and legal obligations to students. Personal data that we process about you includes:

• Your contact details and other information submitted during the application and enrolment processes;
• Details of courses, modules, timetables and room bookings, assessment marks and examinations related to your study;
• Financial and personal information collected for the purposes of administering fees and charges, loans, grants, scholarships and hardship funds;
• Photographs, and video recordings for the purpose of recording lectures, student assessments and examinations and for the purposes of university promotion that is in our legitimate interest but still fair to you;
• Information about your engagement with the University such as attendance data and use of electronic services such as Moodle, Civitas and YourTutor;
• Contact details for next of kin to be used in an emergency;
• Details of those with looked-after status or those who have left the care system for the provision of support;
• Information related to the prevention and detection of crime and the safety and security of staff and students, including, but not limited to, CCTV recording and data relating to breaches of University regulations;

This is not an exhaustive list, for further information please refer to our fair processing notice pages on uel.ac.uk. In all of its data processing activities, UEL is committed to ensuring that the personal data it collects stores and uses will be processed in line with the data protection principles which can be summarised as:

• Being processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
• Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes;
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary;
• Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
• Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary;
• Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal information;
• Be accountable for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, the six principles above.

Student Responsibilities You must ensure that:

• All personal data provided to UEL is accurate and up-to-date. You must ensure that changes of address etc. are notified to the Student Hub.
• Students who use UEL's computing facilities may process personal data as part of their studies. If the processing of personal data takes place, students must take responsibility for that processing activity to ensure that it is in line with the data protection principles above.
• Students who are undertaking research projects using personal data must ensure that:
• The research subject is informed of the nature of the research and is given a copy of UEL's Fair Processing Notice and this Data Protection Policy.

12) Legal basis for use of data

By agreeing to these Terms of Admittance and enrolling at UEL, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of a contract for the use of your personal data relating to your enrolment, and if appropriate, registration and ongoing participation in a programme of study. Your personal or special category data will be collected, processed, published and used by UEL, its online learning and teaching services and/or its partners and agents in ways which support the effective management of UEL and your programme of study, to allow for the delivery of bursary schemes and to support improvements to student experience and progression, and are consistent with: The terms of the Data Protection Act 2018; Any notification submitted to the Information Commissioner in accordance with this legislation; and compliance with any other relevant legislation. You have fundamental rights associated with how organisations use your personal data. Further information on data protection and use of your personal data can be found in our Data Protection Policy and on uel.ac.uk.

13) Intellectual property

You are entitled to the intellectual property rights created during your time studying at UEL that would belong to you under the applicable law. There are some programmes where the assignment of certain types of intellectual property to UEL is appropriate. UEL will require the assignment to it of intellectual property rights relating to postgraduate research that is part of an ongoing research programme. Where the nature of the research programme means that some assignment of intellectual property rights to UEL is appropriate, we will take what steps that we can to ensure that your interests are protected. UEL will take reasonable endeavours to ensure:-

• the scope of the assignment is narrow, and is restricted to what is necessary, for example, to protect UEL’s legitimate interests in the intellectual property created as party to a research programme;
• the application of the assignment is clearly defined so that it is clear to you in which circumstances the assignment will apply;
• where the assignment of the intellectual property is appropriate in the circumstances, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the rights of the parties are evenly balanced (for example, your work being acknowledged in a publication and, where appropriate, subject to an appropriate revenue sharing scheme)
• where UEL claims ownership of intellectual property rights in relation to a taught programme of study, such treatment of those rights will be made clear in the published information relating to that programme.

14) How we communicate with you

UEL will communicate with you via a variety of channels, including postal letters, e-mail, SMS text messages and online notices. To enable this, we request that you provide us with your e-mail address, postal address, and contact telephone number when you first enrol. Throughout your studies, it is important that you keep your contact details up to date. You can view and edit this information by logging into our student portal, UEL Direct at https://uel.ac.uk/Direct . We will create a UEL e-mail account for you after you enrol. Your e-mail address will be your student number, prefixed with a ‘u’ and followed by ‘@uel.ac.uk’ – e.g.: [email protected]. UEL will use this e-mail address to communicate with you and it is important that you regularly check and manage this mailbox for important updates and information. You can access your email account, plus information about our services, news and events by logging into our Intranet, intranet.uel.ac.uk. At the login screen, enter your email address (as above) and password. Your default UEL password will be your date of birth, formulated as DD-MMM-YY, e.g. 31-jan-84. Your UEL email account and associated UEL IT accounts will be deleted not more than 6 months after you graduate or withdraw from your programme of study (if earlier).  

15)University of East London Students' Union

The University of East London Students' Union (UELSU) represents students at UEL. By enrolling at UEL you are automatically granted membership of both UELSU and the National Union of Students (NUS). If you wish to opt-out from this membership, please inform UELSU in writing at either [email protected]  or by writing to Chief Executive, UELSU, University of East London, Docklands Campus, 4-6 University Way, London E16 2RD. UELSU provides a range of services and support to students and can provide advice and representation on any matter affecting the contract between you and UEL. For further information on this support, please visit www.uelunion.org

16) Students studying at partner institutions

If you are undertaking a programme of study at a partner institution you will need to generally abide by the above terms and also those of the partner institution. Further information and support in understanding these terms is available from the Academic Partnership Office -  [email protected] .

17) International students - additional responsibilities

All international students must also comply with UK Visa and Immigration requirements. All international students are required to hold a valid visa which permits study in the UK or hold a Tier 4 visa/have applied for a Tier 4 visa with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies issued by UEL. Students who are being sponsored under a Tier 4 student visa must also understand and comply with the responsibilities of their student visa and cooperate with UEL in fulfilling our Tier 4 duties .

18) Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

UEL is committed to working together to build a learning community founded on equality of opportunity – a learning community which celebrates the rich diversity of our student and staff populations and one in which discriminatory behaviour is challenged and not tolerated within our community. Within the spirit of respecting difference, our equality and diversity policies promise fair treatment and equality of opportunity for all regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability or religion/belief (or lack of). In pursuing this aim, we want our community to value and to be at ease with its own diversity and to reflect the needs of the wider community within which we operate. For further information on this inclusive approach to education please visit our Student Policies page .

19) Complaints

We welcome feedback on our programmes and services and facilitate this in a variety of ways, including programme committees, module evaluation forms and surveys. However, if you are dissatisfied with a particular service or programme or the manner in which it has been delivered, you must let the person responsible for that service know as we will always try to resolve matters at the earliest opportunity via informal conciliation. If you are unsure who to approach, please e-mail The Hub who will be able to direct your concerns appropriately. If you remain dissatisfied with a service or programme, or the manner in which it is delivered, you should refer to our formal complaints procedure to have the matter formally addressed. In addition, once you have enrolled on your programme, you will also have access to the Advice and Information Service offered by UELSU. This access is not available to students studying at partner institutions.

20) Cancellation

If you wish to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment in your programme, you must do so in writing. Any fees that you have paid will be refunded – please see the Fees Policy for further information on obtaining a refund.

21) Further guidance

If any of the information in these Terms of Admittance or related policies is unclear or if you have any questions, please contact The Hub for guidance on +44 (0) 208 223 4444 .

22) Right to advice

This is a consumer contract and you are able to obtain independent advice in relation to its terms and conditions from UELSU as well as your local Citizens Advice Bureau.  

23) General

Neither you nor UEL will be liable for failure to perform their obligations under these Terms of Admittance if such failure arises from unforeseeable events, circumstances or causes outside of that party's reasonable control. Examples of such events include, but are not limited to, war, terrorism, industrial disputes, natural disasters, fire and national emergencies. Only you and UEL are parties to these Terms of Admittance. No other person shall have any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of these Terms of Admittance. Failure or delay by you or UEL to exercise any right or remedy provided under this contract shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall it prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of such right or remedy shall prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. These Terms of Admittance are governed by the law of England and Wales and you and UEL agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

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• PGCE Further Education and Skills
• Teaching, education and childhood studies

Further Education and Skills

The Further Education & Skills sector (FES) offers diverse job opportunities. This course prepares you for a career where you can inspire individuals and change lives.  International applicants must apply before the 12th of April to start this course in September 2024.

Everything you need to know...

What is the fee.

Home: £9,250 for the course International/EU: £17,205 for the course

How long will I study?

Where will i study, city campus, what is the ucas code, when do i start.

September 2024

Course summary

• Inspire others with a love for your subject or trade.
• Plan and teach dynamic, stimulating learning activities with confidence and skill.
• Develop techniques and skills needed to teach adults and young people.
• Learn how to embed core subjects including English, maths and ICT into your subject specialism.
• Integrate positive behaviours for learning into your teaching.

The PGCE prepares you to teach learners in inclusive learning environments from the 14-84 age range. The FES sector comprises further education colleges, sixth form colleges, adult education, prison education, charities and independent or work-based providers.

Come to an open day

Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.

How you learn

This course is designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive. We have a cohesive and ambitious curriculum that successfully links theory and practice through carefully chosen teaching, learning and assessment activities.

Your teaching will develop through placement based learning and academic study. Our placement team coordinate placements that give you a range of experiences in FES settings, including SEND.

You’ll be taught by a highly skilled and experienced team of tutors who are research active and who have a wide range of experience teaching in the FES sector.

Collaborative working features across all aspects this course. You’ll join a supportive community of trainee teachers. You’ll learn from each other and share experiences as you progress.

Through our carefully structured curriculum, first we’ll introduce you to being a teacher in the FES sector. Then incrementally you’ll take responsibility, applying techniques to manage behaviour and assess learning. By the end of the course, you’ll be taking responsibility for teaching full sessions. You’ll graduate with skills and confidence to help your learners achieve their goals.

You learn on this PGCE through:

• Practical teaching in placement settings
• Interactive seminars and workshops
• Lectures and tutorials
• Visits to FES settings
• Guest speakers with specific FES specialisms
• Reflection and professional conversations
• Feedback on your teaching from experienced mentors and tutors
• Self-directed learning
• Blended approach to teaching (online and face to face)

We believe that having an inclusive culture helps to build a diverse teaching community that benefits learners, organisations and communities that the FES sector serves. We will positively promote equality and diversity and encourage applications from all sections of society.

A large proportion of your studies will be spent in placements where you will benefit from working alongside skilled practitioners who place value on collaboration, creativity and inclusive practice.

You will learn through:

• Setting-based learning
• Collaboration with other students
• Research informed practice
• Innovative teaching approaches

You will be supported in your learning journey through several key areas. These include access to our unique student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development, access to our Skills Centre with opportunities for one-to-one support, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments and employability activities. 

Applicants are welcome from any academic discipline that is taught in the FE sector.

Applicants may be eligible to receive government bursary in shortage subject areas.

Course leaders and tutors

Dave Carr, Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University

Applied learning

Teaching placements in relevant settings to support the development of effective subject specialism forms a significant part of your learning. You’ll have the opportunity to benefit from observing experienced teachers, gaining practical hands-on experience and being mentored to help you develop into a successful and effective teacher. Placement based learning is embedded throughout the course. You will be briefed on the expectations of the role of a professional teacher and will experience some of the demands of employment first hand whilst on placement.

Work Placements

The placement experience comprises at least 150 hours of lead teaching plus a further 100 hours of teaching related activities throughout the course. At least 20 hours teaching will be synchronous online teaching. During the course, you will complete 10 formative observations of teaching, which are assessed by your placement mentor and/or a SHU tutor.

Field Trips

A field trip will encourage you to promote and embed education for sustainable development (ESD) across learning and working practices, whilst also experiencing teaching in a non-traditional setting.

Networking Opportunities

Professional networks are an important element of every career, and through the contacts you make on placement and with expert speakers from the FES sector, you will be able to start building yours.

Future careers

This course prepares you for careers in:

• Further education colleges
• Sixth form colleges
• Adult education
• Prison and criminal justice education
• Charities and community projects
• Independent and work-based providers

Higher Education

Placement in diverse, carefully chosen FES settings will allow you to learn from different contexts and prepare you to teach in any FES setting.

The programme content meets the Learning and Skills Occupational Standards. Those obtaining the PGCE FES will be eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status. QTLS has parity with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | City Campus tour  

Howard Street Sheffield S1 1WB

Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

Equipment and facilities

The University-based sessions will be based at City Campus. There will also be opportunities to engage with on-line learning and collaboration.  Much of your time will be spent applying and developing your professional knowledge in FES settings while on placement. 

We’ve investing £250 million in new facilities over the next five years. This means students have access to new, innovative, and flexible spaces to study and relax in, making their student experience even better.

Entry requirements

All students, additional information for eu/international students.

Typically you need

• A good degree or equivalent.

• Normally we require GCSE grade C, or Grade 4 in English Language and mathematics, or equivalent. Where applicants have achieved a GCSE grade 4 or above in English literature only we will look for further evidence of a breadth of achievement in English. We will consider applicants who are in the process of obtaining the relevant GCSEs.

• Experience of a Post-16 / Further Education teaching environment, that enables you to demonstrate awareness of your subject or specialist context in Post-16.

• The skills and commitment to benefit from higher education.

In-service students must have evidence that they are already working as a teacher or tutor, will teach a minimum of 60 hours in each year of the course, and that their employer will provide a specialist mentor to support them.

Candidates who are successful will demonstrate a sound understanding of teaching and how children learn, where possible within a school setting. We encourage all candidates to evidence their understanding by drawing on related examples or experiences, such as time spent in schools or other learning settings. Demonstrating an ability to make links between experience and knowledge, and their proposed career would be desirable.

Selection event If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to a  selection event  and you should present a passport or photo driving license. You can present other forms of photo ID for the selection event, but if you do, you will still need to present valid identity documents required by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) prior to starting your course. See our selection event guidance for this course.

You must also complete a declaration of criminal convictions and health check forms.

If English is not your first language you must have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in all skills. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 7.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.

International and European entry qualifications.

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page .

Course enrolment - professional requirements Before enrolling you must complete all the professional checks that are required as part of entry for the course:

Suitability Declaration You must fully declare the following information on the pre-admission suitability declaration form provided during the admissions process:

• Unfiltered criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. For further information on unfiltered offences please see the Disclosure and Barring Service website.
• Involvement in disciplinary proceedings during paid or voluntary employment or education establishments.
• Involvement with safeguarding proceedings, social services or related organisations.
• If you have ever been removed from a teacher training programme as a result of your behaviour, or would have been removed if you had not left the programme.

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Criminal Record Check

• You will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record check prior to or during the enrolment week of your course. This will be provided by the University free of charge.
• You will need to present valid identity documents (PDF) as part of the DBS application process.
• If you have lived outside of the UK for more than six consecutive months in the last five years you must provide an overseas criminal record check. Further information on obtaining an overseas criminal record check.
• Where your DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificate contains any recorded information you must present this to the Academic Administration Team within ten working days of receipt of the certificate.
• In addition to this all those who are made an offer of a place will be checked against the DfE children’s barred list.

Occupational Health Screening

You will need to undertake occupational health screening to determine your suitability to undertake the course. This will be provided by the University free of charge. As part of this assessment you are expected to provide all relevant, truthful and accurate information to ensure a safe environment for yourself and service users.

Other background checks All applicants that have accepted an offer will also be checked against the prohibition list to ensure you are not:

• Subject to a prohibition order issued by the Secretary of State.
• Prohibited to teach in another country of the European Economic Area (EEA).

If your personal circumstances change in relation to any of the professional requirements, from when you apply to the end of your course, please notify the Academic Administration team immediately by emailing [email protected].

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

Compulsory modules

Exploring and developing pedagogical practice in further education and skills, professional practice, reflecting on professional practice and development in further education and skills education, fees and funding, home students, international students.

Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2024/25 is £9,250 for the course. These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions  under student fees regulations.

Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2024/25 is £17,205 for the course.

Postgraduate student loans

Up to £11,222 available for Home students on most masters courses.

Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Scholarships and bursaries

If you are starting a PGCE you may be entitled to financial support.

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations .

How do I apply?

To apply for this course visit GOV.UK Postgraduate Teacher Training

Not ready to apply just yet?

Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

Why choose us?

We are Gold rated in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for the outstanding quality of our teaching and student outcomes

Study at Sheffield Institute of Education (SIoE), one of the country's largest providers of teacher training

95% of our UK graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating (2020/21 Graduate Outcomes Survey)

Where next?

Find out more about Sheffield Hallam's postgraduate opportunities and community.

You can chat to teaching and admissions staff, view our facilities and learn more about your funding options.

Sign up for updates

Receive emails about postgraduate study, including application reminders and alerts for open days.

Information for international students

Information for international students including entry requirements by country and funding.

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Blog Ofsted: schools and further education & skills (FES)

https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2020/07/15/online-education-in-further-education-and-skills-learning-about-what-works/

Online education in further education and skills: learning about what works

Paul Joyce, Deputy Director for Further Education and Skills, talks about our review into online education during coronavirus (COVID-19) in the further education and skills (FES) sector.

  To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, social-distancing measures were implemented in late March. For the FES sector, this meant that colleges and other providers closed their doors to all but the most vulnerable learners and children of key workers. Education and learning continued remotely, in part through a range of online and other distance-learning resources, including webinars and tele-conferencing.

In light of this, we wanted to understand how FES providers and their learners were getting on with remote and online education. The FES sector was also keen for us to look at this in more detail. So, with their support, we carried out a review into the quality of learners’ experiences of online education in a small sample of volunteer providers.

This blog sets out our main findings. I hope they are useful for colleges and other providers, providing insight on what is working and what can be improved as they plan for September 2020.

What we did

Our inspectors carried out a range of activities for the review throughout June. This included remote discussions with learners, managers and teaching/training staff, and online ‘observations’ of lessons, sessions and other interactions.

Inspectors asked learners about what worked well and what was not working so well in the online education they received. These were not inspections and no grades were awarded or judgements made on individual colleges or providers.

We carried out the work in a small sample of 20 volunteer colleges and other providers and we’re very grateful for their cooperation. I also want to thank the Association of Colleges and Association of Employment and Learning Providers for their help and support in making this review possible. The review originated in a request from AoC and we’ve valued the openness and initiative we’ve encountered in the FES sector throughout this.

What we found: learners’ experience of online education

As you might expect, learners’ experiences varied considerably during this period, both across the range of providers and across subject areas in the same provider. For example, the level of face-to-face contact through video conferencing can vary considerably even between subject areas at the same provider.

• Learners miss the face-to-face contact of the classroom, not only for social interaction but also for the instant feedback and opportunity to ask questions that it provides. Learners told us that using online chat during sessions does not replace the classroom experience. However, some did point out that the opportunity to send the teacher private messages is useful because it allows them to ask for help discreetly. Some learners find online education more convenient and easier than face-to-face communication. Indeed, some learners who were previously anxious about attending college have re-engaged. Some pointed to the convenience and immediacy of online communication, while others valued the reduced travelling time and cost.
• In many cases, staff speak to learners as frequently as they did when in college before the pandemic. Online lessons often involve splitting classes into smaller groups so that learners get similar amounts of tuition and pastoral time as before. But this also puts demands on staff and increases workload.
• Some apprentices reported more time spent with their assessors and have found this valuable. Given that there has been less travel time, some assessors said they have been able to devote more time to apprentices’ learning and progress by using online communication.
• Generally speaking, learners at levels 1 and 2 have engaged less well than those at level 3. Learners at levels 1 and 2 often find it harder to engage with the technology necessary for online learning.
• Some attempts at online learning result in learners becoming disengaged. In the weaker cases, teachers just read through their slide presentations and other resources verbatim, without adding any commentary, which meant that some learners lost interest.
• Learners prefer ‘live’ online lessons, where they can interact with the teacher and with one another, rather than recorded lessons. Teachers and managers also said that engagement is higher when live online lessons are available and remote learning is more interactive. Splitting classes has made for more manageable live lessons, potentially allowing for more interaction with fewer learners.
• Teachers do not always use online learning sessions effectively to check on and develop learning. For example, tutors often use online chat functions to replace what would ordinarily be a group discussion. Although this is responsive to some learners’ preferences, it slows down the pace of the session. It also makes it difficult for learners to produce detailed answers to questions and means that some learners contribute little to discussions. Learners who do make use of voice channels during sessions benefit from the ability to talk through challenging questions in more detail and receive instant explanations from their tutors.
• Some providers say their learner engagement is good because learners have logged on to online sessions. The reality may be that the learners have logged on but are doing other things, and so are not fully engaged in the live learning. Some learners admitted to being frequently distracted. Some teachers deal with this by actively checking with learners to see if they are engaged.

What we found: management of online education

• There has been a major shift towards online education in the lockdown period. In several cases, learners reported a good overall experience. The success of the transition to online learning in lockdown has depended on how well prepared managers, staff and learners were and how well managers planned the transition.
• The varying competence and confidence of staff with information technology has affected providers’ success in making the transition to online learning. Staff training has been crucial.
• The extent to which staff in subject areas had engaged with and developed approaches to online and remote learning in advance of COVID-19 affected progress during lockdown. The progress that needed to be made in any given provider varied significantly across subject areas.
• Strategic planning and oversight of online learning in providers had a major impact on learners’ experiences. Some providers had used many different software and platforms across subject areas, but these did not necessarily work together to provide a consistently good online educational experience for learners. Materials were often non-interactive and teachers did not always use them well to help learners learn more. Some providers had not made clear the role of their current virtual learning environments as part of the overall learning experience before lockdown.
• Providers have shown ingenuity in enabling learners to carry out practical work at home, where it is safe to do this, although the quality of learners’ practical skills remains largely untested. For learners who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or high needs, there has often been a focus on learning activities they can carry out in their own homes. In hairdressing, some teachers have made extensive use of manufacturers’ videos and other resources.
• Providers have sent hairdressing practice heads to many learners to use at home. Teachers and technicians have been flexible in how they carry out assessments, allowing learners to continue with projects. For example, for one fashion course, staff replaced mannequins with dolls, resulting in learners adapting skills to create small, detailed pieces.
• Colleges and providers have made considerable efforts to support learners in accessing online learning, but the lack of suitable technology or connectivity at home remains a problem for a significant minority of learners. While colleges and providers have striven to make sure that learners have the means to learn online, some learners had limited or no access to a device and/or internet at home, meaning they had difficulty in doing their work.
• In many cases, teaching staff and their managers have met very frequently during lockdown to discuss the programmes that they work on and to make changes to improve the provision. In one college, the supported learning team have a meeting every day, in which they discuss their learners and programmes and any safeguarding or well-being concerns they have. The college has made changes to programmes as a result of discussions at these meetings. For example, staff identified the opportunity for and the benefit of introducing an art therapy programme for their learners in supported learning. Other staff recognised how tutors can support one another with technical difficulties.
• Many providers have reinforced briefings about learners keeping safe online. They have developed protocols for safeguarding in live teaching sessions to help ensure online safety. In some cases, learners receive a weekly e-safety update. This includes specific information about COVID-19. The tutorial programme and progress reviews also include this information. Post-lockdown, providers have put more information about online safety on their website and they direct learners to this.

Providers have developed protocols for safeguarding in live teaching sessions. These include:

• recording sessions, which has the added benefit that staff can use the sessions again, either for learners who cannot attend the original session or for reinforcement
• double-staffing, meaning the second staff member – often a learning support assistant – can provide help as well as overseeing the session
• not using cameras on video-conferencing
• briefing staff and learners on what not to wear when on camera and to be aware of what is in the background (or to use the applied backgrounds if the software supports this)

Our review is small, but it’s clear that there is a lot to learn from how the FES sector has approached remote learning in these unusual times. While there’s a degree of variability, which is to be expected, I’ve been impressed by the determination and tenacity of leaders in the sector and at what they’ve managed to achieve for learners. I hope these insights prove useful as the sector focuses on making September a success.

Paul Joyce is Ofsted’s Deputy Director for Further Education and Skills.  Follow Ofsted on Twitter .

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Comment by Jonathan Vernon posted on 16 July 2020

A valuable introduction to an extraordinary period of transformation and adjustment where many of the challenges were met with enthusiasm and innovation.

Comment by Bradley Lightbody posted on 16 July 2020

Ofsted’s last major review of online learning was published in 2009 and reported: “We found that the exploitation of VLEs at curriculum level resembled more of a cottage industry than a national technological revolution. In most cases, at subject level, the VLE remained one small aspect of learning, supported by enthusiastic staff and learners.” Over ten years later it would appear that things have not moved on particularly far as you report. “The extent to which staff in subject areas had engaged with and developed approaches to online and remote learning in advance of COVID-19 affected progress during lockdown. The progress that needed to be made in any given provider varied significantly across subject areas. In other words still a reliance upon enthusiastic staff and individual endeavour because as you further state, “Some providers had not made clear the role of their current virtual learning environments as part of the overall learning experience before lockdown.” However, I would return this last conclusion to you because Ofsted as an organisation removed online learning from the new EIF. I detailed the extent of your retreat from online learning in an article on the TES blog and Linkedin in December, 2019. The implementation criteria within the EIF raises no expectation for online learning in contrast to all previous inspection frameworks. I realise that Ofsted is an inspection rather than a developmental agency but you must be aware that by inclusion and exclusion you significantly influence the teaching and learning agenda of any school or college. You have not listed the colleges involved in this review and I wonder how many were Edtech Demonstrator colleges? They have made huge strides forward by applying the interactive tools provided by Learning Management Systems rather than more ‘read only’ VLE environments. I think much of what they have achieved in such a short space of time is impressive. In particular, teachers have also all been catapulted into using video over the past few months mainly Zoom and Teams. Whether live or recorded it is not too surprising that so much is still rudimentary. Clearly a big change in our future teacher training programmes will be the effective use of Zoom and Teams but existing CPD is already doing a brilliant job in developing video presentation and production skills. Overall the technology is leaping forward but our pedagogy is trailing way behind and I think this is were we need to urgently focus. There is too little steer given in terms of pedagogy although the new EFT digital professional skills framework is very comprehensive. I wonder how many of the teachers you observed were following a flipped learning pedagogy or ETF guidance and making use of daily targets, small group coaching and online discussion forums coupled with directions to additional support resources and acceleration resources for the more able and/or motivated as appropriate? When you unpick all the positives and negatives in your report the balance tilts towards the positives and the negatives largely reflect the same engagement related issues that arise in a classroom. Clearly we need to avoid the latter by simply exporting traditional lessons online and ultimately reinforcing dependency rather than scaffolding independent learning. Given the positives I think the recent expansion of online learning will not just be a temporary response to Covid 19 but a permanent adjustment and I look forward to future Ofsted reports giving a steer towards good practice.

Comment by Elliot Symonds posted on 24 July 2020

An interesting blog that covers many of the experiences we have had in adult education in the B2B L&D sphere. I wonder if there is any general feedback about the length of virtual sessions? We operate mainly in four hour slots with small breaks or full day training and have attempted to replicate as much andragogical formative assessment techniques as we can with the technology on hand. Some learners have reported that they find the virtual more intense as trainers pick up on more micro body language moments than perhaps in a classroom when checking for engagement. Most learners have said that they value the format and the ability to work on their computers and share screens with colleagues has been a boon for deeper conversations that can easily be recorded.

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Further Education PGCE

London, Bloomsbury Further education

The PGCE Further Education prepares you to teach one of the following: a GCSE/A level subject from a wide range of options; a vocational / technical programme from a wide range of courses; English (adult literacy / ESOL); Mathematics / numeracy in the further education and skills sector. Our PGCE develops effective, confident teachers whose practice is informed by knowledge of educational theory, and who will continue to develop throughout their careers.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications open

Start teaching

IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, has been ranked 1st for Education in the QS World University Rankings by Subject for the past decade (2014–2023).

• Entry requirements

First degree

A minimum of a lower second-class UK Bachelor’s degree or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

Not required, but level 3 qualifications are normally expected in your subject specialism.

English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4. We do not accept "applied" or "additional" GCSE subjects. Applicants who do not offer a GCSE in English Language or Mathematics may demonstrate an equivalent standard by completing a test via Equivalency Testing or A Star Equivalency and achieving at least a grade 4. For Mathematics, equivalency tests in Mathematics Foundation or Mathematics Higher with grade 4 are accepted. BTEC, Functional Skills or Access course qualifications are not accepted in place of GCSEs.

School experience

We recommend that you aim to gain some experience of education, particularly in further education (FE) sector settings, prior to interview.

Relevant experience and background

Applicants whose degree qualifications are lower than 2:2 standard may be admitted if they can demonstrate an appropriate academic background at master's level and above and/or significant postgraduate experience in the relevant field.

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

This programme is suitable for international students on a Student visa - study must be full-time, starting September.

DBS and occupational health

If you are made an offer you will be required to successfully complete Occupational Health and Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure checks. The Occupational Health Check is £90, and depending on your DBS requirements, there may be an additional fee of £15.00 if you can submit your DBS Enhanced Disclosure check via a UK Post Office. These checks are required to ensure you meet the Department for Education’s requirements for physical and mental health to teach, as well as assessing your suitability for access to children and vulnerable adults. More details can be found on the Entry requirements page.

About this course

The further education sector comprises further education colleges, sixth form colleges, adult education, prison education, charity and community organisations, and independent, work-based providers of learning. This sector is for you if you are interested in any, or all, of the following: supporting young people into further education; higher education and employment; leading technical and vocational education; encouraging post-16/adult learners returning to education for another chance; working in non-traditional educational settings; and assisting adults with skills and knowledge for life and work.

There are three routes on this programme: a specialist route to teach adult literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), a specialist route to teach mathematics and numeracy and a general route that deals with all other subjects.

The programme caters for a range of subjects in the sector. The core elements of the programme will develop teaching skills that are common to all subjects whether you plan to work in arts, humanities, STEM subjects or vocational and technical education. Subject pedagogy is developed through a combination of partner organisation support and the use of ‘clustered’ subgroups. There are two ‘specialist’ modules concerned with the teaching of (a) English (literacy and ESOL) and (b) mathematics and numeracy in the sector.

Students on the PGCE FE programme benefit enormously from the complementary skills and expertise of staff in partnership organisations and at IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society.

Who this course is for

The Further Education teacher education programme at IOE is designed to meet the training needs and qualification requirements of people who are teaching or would like to teach in the Further Education and Skills sector.

What this course will give you

Our Further Education PGCE qualifications are recognised by the Further Education and Skills sector for employment as a teacher. The routes for English (Literacy / ESOL) and mathematics / numeracy satisfy the frameworks for specialist teaching.

In addition, the PGCE provides a basis for higher level qualifications, such as Master’s degrees and professional doctorates.

" The most impressive part of the course was the manner in which everything was presented; from induction to the final days of course completion. Everything and every topic was themed and contextualised, diversity and equality were practiced throughout and every trainee was treated with the utmost respect and attention ".  Behzad Tarfiee, PGCE FE graduate Read the Q&A with Behzad

The teacher you want to be

As well as improving subject-specialist knowledge and expertise in pedagogy and assessment, you will develop a wide range of highly transferable ‘people skills’ which are essential for teachers: these include empathy, patience, listening, cultural awareness and sensitivity. Through your teaching practice, you will also develop awareness of aspects of workplace life and the norms of professional behaviour, around a range of issues such as respect for others, equality and diversity, health and safety, rights at work, line-management and appraisal, and inspection and quality assurance procedures.

The tools of a great educator

• Understanding theory and pedagogy
• Creating a successful climate for learning
• Planning and teaching engaging classes
• Using assessment to inform planning

Employability

On completing the programme, you will have satisfied the occupational standards expected of teachers in the Further Education and Skills sector.

Accreditation

The qualification meets the specifications that are regulated by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) for teacher education in the Further Education and Skills sector. The Society for Education and Training (SET) recognise the PGCE for applications to the status of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS).

The programme is taught through a mix of face-to-face and online sessions, (including lectures, presentations, discussions, and classroom group tasks), and a practice element based in partner-provider organisations, usually further education colleges or adult education institutes. Online elements allow partnership working through joint university and partner taught sessions. You will learn about employment in the further education sector, how to plan lessons in your subject that engage learners, how to assess learners, how to manage the learning environment, and how to use theory and research to broaden and improve your professional knowledge and expertise in teaching. You are required to read widely and to carry out written assignments in your own time.  

You will be assessed through a range of written assignments, module tasks and formal observations of practical teaching skills.

The Professional Practice module requires the submission of a portfolio which includes a range of assessment types such as the use of presentations, online discussions and formalised reflections. These form evidence of professional experience alongside the observation of teaching practice. There will be a final, oral assessment of your ability to meet the occupational standards of teachers in the sector.

The Teaching, Learning and Assessment module and The Wider Context of Educational Practice module each require a single submission of written work. The assignments use evidence from practical experience as the basis for the academic writing thus utilise a range of academic and practical skills.

The normal breakdown of time (1200 hours in total) involves:

• 180 hours of university-directed contact (face-to-face and online);
• 250 hours in placement of which at least 150 hours are teaching (including 20 hours online teaching); and
• 770 hours of self-directed study.

At the heart of this PGCE, I learnt to become more reflective in my teaching - a life-long skill essential for every teaching practitioner. Bandini Shah Further Education PGCE Q&A with Bandini Shah

Full-time students will undertake three modules. Two 30 credit modules plus a non-accredited professional practice module that must be successfully completed. The professional practice module will include evidence of at least 250 hours of professional experience in more than one location.

This will include:

• at least 150 hours of teaching practice with at least 20 hours online synchronous teaching; and at least 10 formal observations of teaching practice

Part- time students will undertake one of the 30 credit modules in each year with the non-accredited professional practice module spread across the two years.

Compulsory modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Upon successful completion of 60 credits and the Professional Practice module, you will be awarded a PGCE in Further Education.

College placements

All students on this programme will undertake teaching practice placements and your development as a teacher will be assessed as part of the course. You will be in placement for a minimum of 250 hours. You will teach at least 150 hours (of which 20 hours will be online teaching) and experience other aspects of a teacher's job. You will work with subject-specialist mentors who support you through your teaching experience. We are fortunate to work with a range of providers, as well as some experienced mentors, in the field of further education teaching.

We ensure your placement will provide fulfilling and valuable experiences through:

• A dedicated team who will identify the best colleges for your placements
• Support and guidance from your university tutor and your college-based mentor
• College experience that allows you to progress at an appropriate pace for you
• Reasonable travel times from your home to your college placement

Making the most of your placement

We know facing a classroom and managing your times as a teacher can be intimidating, as well as needing careful planning to be practical and work out with your personal life.

That's why we will support you all the way through, as well as helping your work out the best options for this key moment in your life.

Teaching is a demanding profession and student teachers can feel nervous about college placements or anxious about the workload. Your tutor and college-based mentor will help you navigate your placement experience, ensuring that you have the input you need. Empathetic feedback and discussion about your developing professional practice will support you to be successful.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Where you'll study

IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, is a world-leading centre for research and teaching in education, culture, psychology, and social science. We are one of the UK’s largest teacher training providers, offering a wide range of programmes across all phases of learning and more subjects than any other university. We also offer an extensive range of master’s programmes. Our research addresses society’s most important challenges and feeds into our teaching, enabling our graduates to go on to influence future generations for the better, from individual lives to societal change.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Learn to Teach with IOE

Are you interested in a career in teaching? Join our virtual events to find out more about Teacher Training at UCL, including admissions and student funding information.

Graduate Open Events: PGCE Further Education Teacher Training

Fees and funding, fees for this course.

Routes include: Mathematics and Numeracy (TEPPCFSEMN02) English (Literacy and ESOL) (TEPPCFSFEE02)

Additional costs

You are expected to pay for your own travel to, and from, placements as well as to and from UCL.

You are not expected to provide your own teaching resources which are expected to be provided by placement partners.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the UCL Scholarships and Funding website .

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)

Deadline: 14 December 2023 Value: Full fees, flights, stipend, and other allowances (1 year) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: EU, Overseas

GREAT Scholarship

Deadline: 14 May 2024 Value: £10,000 towards tuition fees (1 year) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-Clarke Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024 Value: Tuition fees, return flights and stipend (1 year) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-ISH Centenary Masters Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024 Value: Tuition fees and accommodation (1 year) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Application and next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

Got questions? Get in touch

Education, Practice and Society

[email protected]

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Further education

Whether you've just finished your GCSEs or are looking to return to education through adult learning, consider what the UK's further education (FE) sector has to offer. Discover how to apply for college courses, and explore studying for A-levels, T Levels, HNCs, BTEC diplomas or higher apprenticeships.

How to apply for college in the UK

Discover how to secure a place on your preferred course with this guide to applying for college in the UK

Overview of the UK's further education sector

College courses

BTEC diplomas

Studying A-levels at college

Adult education

T Level courses

HNC qualifications

Higher apprenticeships

Alternatives to university

Getting into university

How to apply for reasonable adjustments

Apprenticeships

Foundation degrees

HND courses

MA Education (fully online)

• Please see the entry requirements tab below
• Postgraduate
• Master of Arts

Course Info

Entry requirements, how to apply.

Our MA in Education is a one-year, part-time course for teachers and school leaders to develop expertise in the field of education through critical evaluation of research and scholarship.

We take students from all round the world. This course provides students with the opportunity to follow their own interests while being given clear guidance about the requirements of a serious level 7 academic qualification.

You will complete a number of modules enabling you to develop your understanding both of the research process as well as your topic of interest. The culmination of the MA is a 12,000 to 15,000-word dissertation. You will also critically engage with scholarship, which informs your dissertation, and you will learn about different research methods. You will be expected to read widely around your subject area. Following this course helps to develop your critical thinking and your ability to present a written argument.

What is the point of doing an MA when I have a PGCE or am an experienced teacher?

• Professionals do not stop learning at any stage in their working lives. Doctors and lawyers, for example, have to have regular refresher courses. In the same way, teachers need a framework like an MA within which to learn about recent research in education and be prompted to consider whether they could be even better at what they do.
• Not only will you learn about recent research in education, but you will also learn how to do research yourself.
• Having taken the trouble to gain this qualification will show your employer and future employers that you are a serious, professional employee.
• You will find the course intellectually stimulating.

Course requirements

Master’s degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated:

• A systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of study or area of professional practice.
• A comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship.
• originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline.
• Conceptual understanding that enables the student: – to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline. – to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses.

Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to:

• Deal with complex issues – both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level.
• Continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level.

QAA, The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies, February 2024

Course content

The course includes:

• Engaging with issues in Education.
• Developing a critical understanding of relevant literature.
• Understanding what is expected of Level 7 Academic Writing.
• Learning how to navigate the topic of research methodology.
• Planning your dissertation.
• Understanding the ethical implications of being a researcher.

Course delivery

Every Master’s student is allocated a supervisor. You will regularly communicate for example, via Teams, Zoom, Email or another online meeting platform with your supervisor at times that are suitable for you both, to support each module. You will also have access to regular online study sessions throughout the course.

There are induction sessions to introduce you to how the course will run – on application you will receive a choice of dates where you will indicate when you will attend.

When the course start you will have access to MOODLE, the University’s online learning platform and from there you will access the course handbook and all resources needed for successful completion of the course. In the handbook there is a week by week guide which will indicate what work is expected that week. This will either be:

• a recorded film to watch
• a podcast with accompanying literature
• independent study towards a module
• a Twilight session which will be live, but recorded and shared on Moodle after the date. These Twilights are optional in terms of attendance as we know that many people struggle to be available at certain times. However, all these sessions are recorded and should then be watched after the live event. This means that as you progress through the course you end up having access to library of videos that you can re-visit, to support you to a successful outcome.

It is important to understand that you, as a Master’s student, will be expected to work independently and you are expected to fully engage with the guidance provided to complete the required modules.

What will I gain?

• You will acquire a new set of skills. You are required to engage with a wide range of arguments and be prepared to be critical of them, to synthesise arguments and perhaps most importantly to develop your own critical voice.
• A fresh challenge can stop you becoming stale. Once you have been teaching for a while you can easily build up a lot of experience and expertise with the delivery of your work. Whilst it is great to be able to build upon that confidence it can also mean that you can become comfortable. This can mean, although not always, that you can become stale and possibly even out of date with your thinking. Ideas are always changing in Education; new research is always coming into effect and sometimes it is easy to fall behind and not be aware of new ideas. By undertaking a Master’s it will keep you fresh and up to date.
• Research gives you an authoritative voice. As you develop your critical voice it becomes even more possible for you to speak confidently on a range of issues. This can give you a real boost, opening up new career opportunities to you.
• You will connect with people outside of your comfort zone. Engaging with a Master’s programme enables you to connect to a whole new group of people. These can be people we can then network with not only across the country, but across the globe.
• You can study something you are genuinely interested in. Lots of people have different areas of interest, or problems they want to solve, or challenges they want to face, and these are often a product of the work and experience that you bring to the course. It is a great idea to work to discover more about these particular areas of interest and even to become an expert on that topic. This too might seem indulgent, but the great thing about carrying out research in Education is that there is a good chance that your discoveries can have a positive impact in the workplace.
• It is an investment in yourself. Not necessarily in the monetary sense, it is more about thinking about yourself, the kind of person you are and what you want out of life. Are there things that you want to investigate further? It is about recognising the complexity of our identities in that we are more than our jobs and that we have a lot to offer the world. Spending the time (and money) on taking part in a Master’s programme is worth it if you want to develop yourself and the way that you think.

Should I do the MA in Education or the MA in Education (Evidence-based Practice)?

The MA in Education (Evidence-based Practice) is a full 180 Masters course, therefore takes more time to complete and has more of a focus on evidence-based practice. As it is 180 credits which means you can get a student loan in England. If you have credits you wish to bring with you, then you may wish to opt for the MA in Education or MA in Residential Education – the topic of focus is up to you (with agreement from us).

• UK degree (2.2 or above). For equivalent qualifications, contact [email protected] to confirm that your qualification meets the University entry requirements.
• be working in a school/educational environment

In addition, the candidate must have either:

• Route 1* – PGCE with 60 Master’s credits at level 7 from The University of Buckingham or another university (if completed within ten years of the proposed start date of the course) OR
• Route 2* – PGCE at level 6 – an additional module (a bridging unit) of study will be provided.

The fees for this course are:

The University reserves the right to increase course fees annually in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI). If the University intends to increase your course fees it will notify you via email of this as soon as reasonably practicable.

Course fees do not include additional costs such as books, equipment, writing up fees and other ancillary charges. Where applicable, these additional costs will be made clear.

Applicants must also pay a non-refundable £300 registration fee.

Fees are invoiced for in September, at the beginning of the course, and can be paid in termly instalments or in one lump sum. Termly instalments can be arranged directly with the Finance department upon receipt of the invoice.

All staff at COBIS member schools get a 5% discount on course fees. To ensure discount is applied please select COBIS from the partnership box on your application form.

If you wish to apply for a fees loan then you should take the MA in Education (evidence-based practice).

If you would like a University of Buckingham lecturer to visit your school for additional training and support and you can assemble ten or more trainees in one place, this is possible for an additional fee. Ask us for details.

Applicants from China should apply through the Buckingham International School of Education, not this page;  click here:   https://bise.openapply.cn/

Please use the ‘Apply’ button or contact The Faculty of Education by email: [email protected] or by calling +44 (0)1280 820 222.

When applying, you will need to supply:

• copy of PGCE certificate and transcript to show credit level (if you have one)
• copy of passport photo page (and visa/work permit where necessary)
• head and shoulder style photo for your University identity card

The application deadline is 12 July 2024.

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PGCE - Further Education

What makes pgce in further education (fe) at worcester special.

The PGCE in Further Education at Worcester is a teaching qualification. It provides access to excellent learning and training opportunities across the FE sector: further education colleges, work-based learning and adult and community settings. The course is suitable for graduates who want to train to teach in the post 14 sector which is celebrated for the diversity of its learners, learning locations and subjects on offer.

Trainees who complete the course will be eligible to apply for QTLS (Qualified Teacher Training and Skills) with the Society for Education and Training. This is an additional qualification that is undertaken after the PGCE. It is equivalent to QTS and is suitable for those who may consider teaching post-14 learners in the schools sector. Please note that to apply for QTLS through SET (Society for Education and Training) you would need a recognised Level 3 or above qualification in the subject area you are teaching.

The course is designed to provide generic core content on teaching, learning and assessment. This is complemented by subject specialism training and development days which are delivered in smaller subject groups.

Collaborative working features across all aspects of course teaching and teaching practice; this approach is key to making the course successful, stimulating and enjoyable.

You may be eligible for a government bursary of £15,000 for the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) specialist subject or £15,000 for the English specialist subject. Please see the government website for full details. Bursaries are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis

Key Features

• Teaching placements in relevant settings to support effective subject specialism development
• Focus on current National Occupational Standard Teacher Learning and Skills throughout the programme
• Possible progression route to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) - equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Please note that to apply for QTLS through SET (Society for Education and Training) you would need a recognised Level 3 or above qualification in the subject area you are teaching
• Highly skilled and experienced tutors
• A cohesive programme that successfully links theory and practice through carefully chosen teaching, learning and assessment activities
• Collaborative, research-informed learning tasks
• The course offers the following subject specialisms: Sports PE and related subjects; Special Educational Needs and Disabilities; Art and Design; English and ESOL; Performing Arts and Health and Social Care

Ofsted has rated us as "Good" in PGCE - Further Education in 2023.

Accreditation.

The course is mapped to the National Occupational Standard Teacher Learning and Skills  which are sector standards promoted by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF)

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

• Honours degree normally (2:2)  or higher from a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification, in a relevant subject area. Applicants with a 3rd class degree will be considered on an individual basis.
• All entrants have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 (formerly grade C) in the GCSE examinations in English Language or English Literature and Mathematics (applicants must have these qualifications by the start of the course). Alternatively, we offer an equivalency test if you don’t have the required GCSE grade to apply for our courses. Trainees who begin courses before providing evidence of the required GCSE standard (or equivalent) will not be eligible for financial incentives, such as bursaries or grants until they achieve the required standard.

Qualifications not listed? Contact the Admissions Office for advice by email:  [email protected]  

Additional requirements

• An Enhanced DBS check. You will be sent details of how to apply for your DBS in the summer term. You will need to pay for this.  You may already be part of the DBS update service. Find out about the update service here . As part of the DBS process you will be checked against the Children’s Barred List .
• A check against the Prohibition List.
• If you have lived, studied or worked overseas for three months or more in the last five years a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country of residence will be required. Further information and guidance associated with additional costs are available from the  Home Office .
• An online occupational health check. All those on a teacher training programme must be certified as meeting national requirements for physical and mental fitness to teach, as set by the Department for Education.
• For International students: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent

Other information

To help you prepare for your interview you can expect questions covering the following:

• subject knowledge for teaching the subject curriculum in an FE setting 
• your ability to critically reflect on prior experiences in relation to professional development
• your understanding of the nature of the FE sector in the UK and the role of a teacher
• examples of how you have overcome challenges and shown resilience
• how you plan to meet the demands of the course/teaching.

In addition, we are looking for enthusiasm, commitment, and potential. Clear verbal and written communication skills are integral to this which you will have an opportunity to demonstrate throughout the interview.

• Interviews will be conducted online. Applicants will be contacted directly with more details.

All applications for PGCE should be made via the Government's Find Postgraduate Teacher Training website .

Additional useful information is available on the Government's Get Into Teaching website .

Course content

You will complete core studies which covers an introduction to Further Education, learner characteristics, the curriculum and planning teaching and assessment. You will extend your knowledge and understanding through the study of research informed practice and subject pedagogy in the second module.

Mandatory module

• Learning Teaching and Assessment in FE and Skills
• Curriculum, research-informed practice and professionalism in FE and Skills

Across semesters

• Teaching practice module

Teaching and assessment

The PGCE in Further Education Programme enables you to become a research-informed, reflective and professionally confident practitioner. The course is designed to support trainees of varying experiences, needs and backgrounds.  Teaching brings together the different strands of collaborative learning with peers, mentors and university tutors to support learning and development in professional studies and subject specialist contexts.

You are supported to reflect on your learning within theoretical frameworks and develop assignments and an electronic portfolio of evidence for assessment. This model enables you to effectively acquire the knowledge and skills needed to teach within your subject specialism and meet the National Occupational Standard Teacher Learning and Skills.

Approaches to learning are reflective, experiential and participatory. They include teaching and tutorial sessions, work-based learning including mentoring and observation. 

University taught sessions include interactive workshops, seminars and lectures.

Seminars enable discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures. Interactive workshops take a variety of formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through discussion and activities.

Teaching practice includes contact with a named Subject Specialist Mentor and includes one to one discussion and action planning with a focus on subject specialism pedagogy. Observations include formal and informal opportunities for feedback and dialogue to support professional development. As a result of observation processes, targets (mapped to the National Occupational Standard Teacher Learning and Skills) are set and monitored. This supports your development of practice.

Throughout the course, the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE), Blackboard, and e-portfolio system, Pebblepad, are used to provide the following: access to tasks and resources; support teaching practice; progress tracking; personal critical reflection and facilitate peer discussion throughout the course.

Contact time

Contact time is based on the Education and Training Foundation guidance.  This guideline is followed by all HEI providers offering this course.

During the 25-week placement, you will spend 3 days a week in a teaching setting. University learning time is front-loaded to 4 days at the beginning of the course with 1 day a week at university and 1 day a week of study time during the placement block.

Independent self-study

In addition to contact time, you are expected to undertake around 8 hours of personal self-study per week. Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, working on teaching preparation, evaluation of teaching practice, undertaking research in the library and online, preparing coursework assignments, presentations and collaborative tasks.

1 year full time – on average 2 days at university/self-study and 3 days on placement.

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that whilst we try to be as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week; and some classes can be scheduled in the evenings.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team who have expertise and knowledge of teaching and learning in the Lifelong Learning Sector. All tutors are experienced teachers and many have worked in research and management roles within the sector and hold Fellowship of the HEA. The expertise of university tutors is extensive, and informed by recent and relevant pedagogical research. Many tutors have academic writing profiles having engaged in published research. You can learn more about the staff by visiting our  staff profiles .

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of formative tasks. Formative tasks will generate content that can be used in formal, end of module assessment.

Assessment methods include presentations, observation and critically reflective writing tasks which reference reading.  

Formal course assessment comprises 2 assignments and a professional portfolio  

The programme aims to train you to meet the National Occupational Standard Teacher Learning and Skills. Two assignments provide the opportunity to gain 60 credits at Master’s level. The course is an holistic model with frequent re-visiting of themes, topics and skills.  

The modules are:  

Module 1: Learning Teaching and Assessment in Further Education and Skills  

This module covers taught sessions in Semester 1 and culminates in Assignment 1 which is submitted towards the end of Semester 1 and is assessed at Master’s Level  

Module 2: Curriculum, research-informed practice and professionalism in FE and Skills 

This module focuses on practice, research and professional experience in the later part of the course and develops skills you will need to be a research- informed practitioner. The module culminates in the submission of Assignment 2 which is submitted in the later part of Semester 2 and is assessed at Master’s level.

Professional and Personal Development Portfolio

This portfolio focuses on evidence of your teaching practice. Assessed evidence for this e-portfolio includes:

• 10 teaching observations
• 3 professional reports
• A log of 150 teaching hours (minimum) and 100 non-teaching hours (minimum)
• An assessed professional discussion titled Career Action Plan (A professional discussion is also known as a viva voce (a spoken assessment))

The course is assessed as pass or fail and you need to pass all three components to successfully complete the course. 

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.

Lucie Clewer

Lucie has a degree in outdoor education and environmental studies. She is also a highly trained and experienced Duke of Edinburgh expedition leader and has a range of work experience in sports and public services.

“The course works well because there are strong links between theory and practice – I was able to apply class-based learning on placement and learn from placement experience too. The subject specialism sessions gave me a good grounding in  Sport curriculum, practice, and research. The biggest impact of the course has been the confidence I have gained – I know I am a great teacher and I can’t wait to start my career.”

Lucie is starting a full-time permanent post at her placement college in September. Her goal is to teach and continue to develop her leadership experience.

Gemma Wilkes

Gemma has a degree and work experience in marketing and decided to make a change and train to teach learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Gemma applied to Worcester because it offers SEND as a subject specialism. Gemma was able to develop both teaching and academic knowledge and skills whilst on the course, “The course provided the support and challenge I wanted to progress my career – to start with I was out of my comfort zone with academic work but with feedback and support I have done well. The placement provides an extended period of practice and I felt part of a team. My biggest achievement was teaching my learners online – it was essential to keep learners engaged and active and I developed some great strategies to support this.”

Gemma is starting a tutoring role with a Birmingham FE College with a focus on working with the engagement of young learners. She has also applied for a Master’s course at Worcester.

Sian Hutchings

Sian has a strong academic background in Art and Design to Master’s level and a passion for sharing her subject with communities, young learners, and undergraduate students.

Sian applied to Worcester as the course design and Worcester’s location appealed to her. Sian has enjoyed the collaborative style of the taught and practice aspects of the course, “ The collaborative learning opportunities have been great – with peers, placement colleagues, and course tutors; my mentor was a fantastic support and went the extra mile to support me. The connection to reflective learning has been an important part of my learning too; it made such a difference to the quality of my learning at University and at placement.”

Sian is starting a part-time teaching role in her placement college in September and has a goal to develop a career teaching in FE.

Devan Crawford

Devan has a degree in Outdoor Education and Leadership. He has experience of teaching learners in SEND settings and this fuelled his interest in the course. Devan applied for the course so that he could progress in his ambition to embed outdoor education approaches in SEND.

The course provided a supportive and safe space for Devan to develop teaching skills and to further develop outdoor education philosophy and practice in SEND.

“ In a nutshell, the course transformed my perception of learners in SEND provision and allowed me to develop my practice staying true to my vision of outdoor education in SEND.”

Devan has secured a learning support tutor post at a local Specialist Sports College which has SEND provision.

Meet the team

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our  staff profiles .

Jane is a Senior Lecturer in Education with a focus on Post Compulsory Education. Most recently she has worked in a large FE college in the role of Teaching and Learning Coordinator with a focus on the development and delivery of the new Diploma in Education and Training (DET) qualifications, delivering CPD and coaching programmes and coordinating the Colleges VLE development.

Prior to this Jane led an FE/HE consortium project after a successful bid for funding through the JISC Exchange for Learning Programme (2002- 2006). The project resulted in the digital learning content in a range of curriculum areas which are available to the FE/HE community on the Jorum website.

She was the winner of the 2003 TES sponsored BECTa ICT in Practice Post 16 Teaching Award.

Most recently, Jane focused on development of e-portfolios for trainee teachers in the Post-compulsory sector.

Mike is Course Coordinator for the Diploma in Education and Training taught at Halesowen College and a Course Tutor on the Further Education PGCE.

Mike qualified as a teacher in 2006 and has worked in both Secondary and Further Education. He was an FE Sport Lecturer in the West Midlands for 12 years (from 2010) where he taught Sport at Levels 1 through to 5, as well as having a host of other CPD roles. He has been a Learning Technology Champion, a Professional Development Manager, and a Quality Development Manager, working with teaching staff to improve their practice.

Simon Huson

Simon is the subject lead for the Secondary PGCE Art and Design; he also has responsibility for the Art and Design component of the Further Education PGCE programme. Prior to joining the University as a Senior Lecturer in 2021, Simon was Head of Art at Monmouth School for Girls.

Simon contributes over 25 years of teaching and middle management experience across all phases of education, including as a secondary Head of Art and Design, and 13 years as a Senior Lecturer on the PGCE Art and Design programme at UWE Bristol.

As well as teaching, Simon has his own art practice involving painting, illustration, ceramics, and stained glass.

Kim Hibbert-Mayne

Twitter: @UW_PGCE_PE

Kim is the coordinator of the PGCE secondary professional studies programme and a member of the PGCE secondary physical education tutor team. She has worked in education for the last 14 years as a physical education teacher in secondary schools before embarking on a career in teacher education in 2015.

Kim has experience teaching on the PGCE primary route, has been the subject lead for Secondary PE and is now a sport-specialist for the PGCE in Further Education. Her studies towards an MA in Education and other research projects have predominantly focused on areas of social psychology. Kim is particularly interested in how an individual's identity affects their experiences within the teaching profession. She is a fellow of the HEA and an external examiner at the University of Chichester.

Julie Prentice

Julie joined the University of Worcester in Spring 2021. She teaches across a range of University of Worcester programmes including the BA Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion, BA Education Studies, MA Education and the recently developed Higher Education Short Courses. Her teaching and course development contributions are mostly focussed on autism, SEND and Inclusion, and research methods. Julie has recently completed a PhD, which was focussed on education and autism. Her thesis has explored how children and young people with autism are told about and supported to understand an autism diagnosis.

Julie has a background in teaching in both mainstream and special school settings and has also been a SEND coordinator. Julie has taught children across the primary age range within mainstream and special education settings. She has also taught within secondary and post-16 education. Within special education, Julie has taught children with a range of complex and additional educational needs including children with speech, language and social communication needs, physical and sensory needs, autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.

She has also worked in a specialist advisory capacity within 3 different local authorities. While working as an advisory teacher, Julie provided specialist advice related to the provision, teaching, and learning needs of children and young people with autism. She also delivered training programmes for parents of children with autism and provided professional development training for schoolteachers and other local authority staff.

Career planning is a key focus of the course and is supported through tutorial activity, individual career planning, networking events and generic career sessions.

Course qualifications provide opportunities to gain teaching employment in a wide variety of settings, depending on your teaching subject and level. Additionally, you will be able to apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status through the Education and Training Foundation’s  Society for Education and Training . Please note that to apply for QTLS through SET (Society for Education and Training) you would need a recognised Level 3 or above qualification in the subject area you are teaching.

You will be able to progress to further Level 7 qualifications depending on your aspirations. Our PGCE Further Education Course has achieved an employment rate of 100% (2020/21)

Careers and Employability

Our Graduates pursue exciting and diverse careers in a wide variety of employment sectors.

PGCE Alumni Scholarship

If you are a University of Worcester graduate starting a full-time PGCE in September 2024 then you may be eligible for a £500 Cash Scholarship.

Fees and funding

Book your place at an Open Day

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Our Open Days are the perfect way to find out.

Register your interest

Enter your details below and we will keep you up to date with useful information about studying at the University of Worcester.

How to apply

Applications for PGCE courses should be made online through the government's  Find Postgraduate Teacher Training  website.

Visit the  Get Into Teaching  website for detailed information on how to apply for a PGCE.

Read our How to apply pages for more information on applying and to find out what happens to your application.

Course code - WR38

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• Education, training and skills
• Further and higher education, skills and vocational training
• ESFA Update: 17 April 2024
• Education & Skills Funding Agency

ESFA Update further education: 17 April 2024

Published 17 April 2024

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-update-17-april-2024/esfa-update-further-education-17-april-2024

Action: Review your hours for 16 to 19 qualifications and non-qualifications delivery before submitting your R09 individualised learner record data return

The Education Skills and Funding Agency ( ESFA ) has identified 2 specific areas where numerous providers have data errors. To reduce your errors, and the chance of being selected for audit, use the post-16 monitoring reports  dashboard  to review the following reports:

• FRM43 – 16 to 19 study programme students on qualifications with no planned learning hours ( PLH )
• FRM56 – 16 to 19 study programmes with PLH but no regulated qualifications

You must ensure your PLH and employment, enrichment and pastoral hours hours accurately reflect the qualifications and non-qualifications activity being delivered in the current academic year. 

The PLH field must reflect the total planned timetabled hours spent on Department for Education ( DfE ) approved qualifications only. You must record PLH for these qualifications on the individualised learner record ( ILR ).

You need to return a value of zero PLH if the learner is participating solely in employability, enrichment, and pastoral activities during the year, and is not enrolled on a 16 to 19 study programme including qualifications. Do not record a value above zero in the PLH field for non-qualifications.

Information:  ESFA funded adult skills fund – level 3 charts

We have published the level 3 qualification flowcharts for the  adult skills fund 2024 to 2025 . These charts set out the pathway options available to a learner who wishes to enrol on a level 3 qualification.

If you have any questions after reading this information, or if there’s anything else you need help with, you can find more support on our  customer help centre .

Information: 16 to 19 Bursary Fund audit guide

ESFA has published the  16 to 19 Bursary Fund audit guide , which includes the audit working papers we use. This guide is designed to help local authorities obtain assurance that institutions are administering the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund properly and refers to activity in the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

Although the guide is aimed primarily at local authorities, other institutions may find it helpful to review the information about ESFA assurance and audit as they review their bursary fund processes and policies ahead of the new academic year.

Information: Adult Education Budget and Adult Skills Fund – repeat webinar

As part of the skills reform, the Adult Education Budget ( AEB ) will be transitioning to the Adult Skills Fund ( ASF ) in the academic year 2024 to 2025. 

In the ESFA funded areas, the transition to the ASF will encompass new funding changes which will include the replacement of Community Learning with Tailored Learning and the new AEB funding rates. 

For those who were unable to attend last month’s webinar, we are repeating the session that provides an overview of the forthcoming changes for the academic year 2024 to 2025. This is for existing ESFA AEB contracts and grant agreements. Do not book into this webinar if you attended on 27 March 2024. 

The webinar will be at midday, Tuesday 30 April.

Register your place

Information: Publication of the FE Workforce Technical Specification 2023 to 2024

ESFA has published the  Further education workforce data collection  technical specification and privacy notice for the academic year 2023 to 2024.

We’ll publish further documentation and guidance to help you with the data collection in due course.

Information: Apprenticeship Accountability Framework – updated

DfE published an updated  Apprenticeship Accountability Framework ( AAF )  on Thursday 11 April 2024.

This update confirms an intention to take a more robust approach towards poor quality provision. We have introduced higher thresholds for some indicators to support the early identification of poor quality. This strengthened approach will take immediate effect and the new thresholds will be used in performance conversations from June 2024.  

The AAF dashboard has been updated with R07 data. To support provider self-improvement, it now also includes comparative benchmarking data setting out providers’ overall, Sector Subject Area, and Standard level 2022 to 2023 Qualification Achievement Rates ( QAR ) against national equivalents.

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