A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is one of the main routes
to becoming a teacher in the UK. Offered in England, Wales and Northern
Ireland, most PGCEs give you Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and make
you eligible to teach in countries across the world.
Internationally recognised teacher training programmes
There are many PGCEs available, each designed to prepare you for
life as a different kind of teacher. We’ve put together a guide to some
of the PGCEs on offer, and what you need to know before you apply.
If you’ve already decided that you want to apply for a PGCE, you can
begin the search for your perfect course with us. Alternatively, you
can read our guide to the different types of PGCE funding.
What is a PGCE?
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is an academic
qualification that is designed to help graduates become teachers. PGCEs
give you substantial teaching experience through school placements,
along with a grounding in important educational theory.
What exactly is a Postgraduate Diploma in Education?
A Postgraduate Diploma in Education is a completely different
qualification to the Scottish Professional Graduate Diploma in
Education, even though both are referred to as a PGDE, somewhat
confusingly!
The main difference between a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and a
PGCE is the fact that the Postgraduate Diploma in Education gives you
the opportunity to gain 120 CATS credits – twice as many as a PGCE. This
means that if you want to convert your PGDE into a 180-credit Masters,
you have fewer additional credits to complete than if you’d done a
60-credit PGCE.
A Postgraduate Diploma in Education is an ideal option if you plan
on putting your credits towards a Masters qualification. Most PGDEs take
one year of full-time study to complete – the same as a PGCE – but with
the additional CATS credits you’ll be earning, you can expect to spend a
bigger proportion of your time on academic rather than teaching work.
How much does a PGCE cost?
In 2017/18, most PGCEs have tuition fees of £9,250, but there are
lots of funding options available in the form of bursaries, scholarships
and loans, as well as paid salaries. We’ve covered the different
funding routes you can take.
What are the entry requirements for a PGCE?
You’ll usually need at least a 2:2 degree in the subject you want to
teach. In some cases, it may be possible to apply with a joint honours
degree, provided 50% of your time at university was spent on your PGCE
subject.
Similar requirements apply if your degree subject (and experience) is broadly related to the area you wish to teach in.
For example, if you’ve studied a maths-heavy degree like
engineering, you will normally be eligible to begin a PGCE in Secondary
Maths. Or, if you studied German at A-level but French for your degree,
you should be eligible for a PGCE in Modern Languages. These
requirements differ from university to university and course to course,
however, so always make sure you read the application guidelines
carefully.
The Wall