FAQs

Please see the Route Map for more information.

Secondary PGDE
The minimum entry requirements for entry to a PGDE (Secondary Education) course are an undergraduate degree that contains 80 credit points relevant to the teaching qualification you are studying for (40 of these credit points must be at second year undergraduate level or above) plus Higher grade English at Grade C or above.

Primary PGDE
The minimum entry requirements for the PGDE (Primary Education) are:

• A degree from a UK institution (or equivalent from outside the UK)
• Higher English at a C or above (or equivalent)
• Standard Grade Maths at a 1 or 2 (or equivalent)

When the universities are considering your application, they will normally be looking for evidence that you have studied at least two of the following subjects as well as English and Maths: Science, Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Religious and Moral Education, Technology, Modern Foreign Languages.

You will also need to demonstrate that you have experience with children in either paid or voluntary settings.

A credit point is a measure of the amount of learning you have done. Credit points are awarded by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) and each credit point represents around 10 hours of learning. For secondary teaching the institutions will be looking for you to have 80 credit points in the subject you want to teach. This is normally equivalent to two years academic study.

In Scotland there are 7 institutions that offer PGDE teacher training courses. Please click on the following links for details of what courses are offered:

• Secondary PGDE Courses
• Primary PGDE courses

The PGDE course lasts for 36 weeks. The course normally starts in September and normally finishes in June.

Yes.  The amount of support you can get depends on whether you study full-time or part-time and your personal financial circumstances.

No matter what your previous postgraduate or undergraduate study, you will be entitled to postgraduate funding if you study full-time and want to teach one of these subjects

However, you can still apply for the student loan and supplementary grants.  To find out more contact SAAS.

For Session 2010-2011

English
Gaelic (or any subject taught in Gaelic)
Home Economics
Maths
Modern Languages (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese)
Physical Education
Physics
Primary Education
Primary Education with Gaelic
Technological Education

In Scotland financial support is available from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). You can contact them on 0845 111 1711 or via the SAAS website.

The one year PGDE course varies from university to university. However, you'll study for 36 weeks with an equal balance between learning at university and in schools.

School placements give you the chance to work with teachers and pupils in the classroom. Placements also develop your teaching skills and allow you to use the concepts and skills you've learned. You'll also get detailed feedback on your progress.

You'll also learn to consider the distinct education needs of individual pupils and performance, and develop your own theories about teaching.

No you will not refresh your subject during the course. The course focuses on the teaching role.

You're guaranteed a teaching post with a Scottish local authority for a full school year. This is known as the induction or probationary year. However, for this guaranteed post, you will have to be a newly qualified teacher, who has graduated from a Scottish university and assessed as a home student for fees.

To teach in a school in Scotland you need to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). After you successfully complete your course, you’ll be provisionally registered with the GTCS until you meet the Standard for Full Registration. The Induction year is designed to give you full registration.