Select a question from the list below to jump down to the answer.
1. What course do I need to do for secondary/primary teaching?
2. What are the entry requirements?
3. What are credit points?
4. Where can I train?
5. How long is the course?
6. Will I get funding for my PGDE course?
7. Will I receive financial support?
8. What does the course involve?
9. Will I learn my subject during the PGDE course?
10. What are my job prospects when I graduate?
1. What course do I need to do for secondary/primary teaching?
You will need to complete a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
2. What are the entry requirements?
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:
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 6 institutions that offer PGDE teacher training courses. Please click on the following links for details for 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.
6. Will I get funding for my PGDE course?
Normally, yes. You can apply for support if your course qualifies you for a Scottish Studentship or other studentship award from a research council or government department.
You may be entitled to further postgraduate funding if you want to teach one of these subjects: art, chemistry, drama, English, Gaelic(or any subject taught in Gaelic), geography, home economics, maths, modern languages, music, physics, physical education, religious education, technological education.
7. Will I receive financial support?
In Scotland financial support is available from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). You can contact them on 0845 111 1711 or email saas.geu@scotland.gov.uk.
8. What does the course involve?
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.
9. Will I learn my subject during the PGDE course?
No you will not refresh your subject during the course. The course focuses on the teaching role.
10. What are my job prospects when I graduate?
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.