PGCE (Incorporating The Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills))

If you are considering a career in further education colleges, adult and community education, work-based training, and public sector organisations, our programme helps you develop the required skills, knowledge, and professional values to achieve this. With a large proportion of your time on this course spent on placement, you have the chance to gain real-world experience, preparing you for a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Key features

• Benefit from highly skilled and qualified tutors with many years’ experience in the further education and skills sector. Spend at least two days a week on placement in a further education and skills setting.

• Take advantage of opportunities to network with potential employers. Follow in the footsteps of many of our trainees and possibly go on to find employment within the organisations you work with during your placement.

• Demonstrate innovation, creativity and enterprise throughout your time on the programme and benefit from the way education for sustainable development is embedded in the programme. Work closely with your fellow trainees, learning together and from one another, with peer-support is an important part of the programme’s philosophy and organisation.

• This qualification is tailored for applicants who hold a bachelors or masters degree. The Certificate in Education is available to those who do not hold one of these qualifications.

• We work with the local General and Specialist Further Colleges and would invite applicants with a range of qualifications and relevant experience.  On completion take your qualifications to the next level - after completing this course you'll have the option to gain Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status with the Society for Education and Training (SET). 

Course details

Year 1

You are expected to complete four 30-credit modules and ten teaching observations. As a full-time trainee you are committed to a Monday-to-Friday week of academic and professional study, consisting of two full days per week of on-campus study, a minimum of at least two days per week of professional practice placement (arranged by the University) and one day per week of independent study and research.

You work closely with your colleagues on the programme, learning together and from one another, with peer support an important part of the programme organisation and learning. Your teaching observations are carried out by university tutors and subject-specialist mentors in an atmosphere of professional evaluation and support. 

Core modules

Optional modules

Learners, Learning and Teaching (PCET601)

This module, taken at the start of the course, addresses legal, policy-based and theoretical understandings of practices in Further Education and Skills Sector (FE&S).

It prepares teachers for practice and helps them to reflect and respond to the needs of learners, utilising a range of approaches to teaching and assessment, while ensuring they understand the need for compliance with regulatory systems.

It also inducts the teachers into the processes and approaches of the teacher training course that they will engage with throughout their studies.

Subject Specialist Teaching and Managing the Learning Environment (PCET702)

This module supports a trainee teacher’s investigation into and application of subject specialist pedagogy. Trainee teachers will analyse and critically evaluate theories and principles of inclusive/adaptive practice, identifying ways to improve practice, with reference to the Occupational Standards.

Through ongoing experiential learning and reflective practice, trainee teachers will be evidencing their creativity, resilience and flexibility as practitioners. Trainees will work with their mentor to engage in the full range of teaching activities.

Teaching and the Curriculum (PCET703)

This module explores the development of subject specialist curricula and associated pedagogies. Trainee teachers demonstrate the ability to make and justify choices made in curriculum design. Trainee teachers will show an holistic awareness of EMD, EDI, ESD and SEND in relation to inclusive curriculum design.

Trainees will also critically analyse and evaluate the use of digital technologies and how they can and will shape educational practices. Trainees will work with their mentor to engage in the full range of teaching activities

Professional Practice (PCET704)

This module focuses upon notions of professionalism and wider professional practice roles and responsibilities associated with the learner journey. Concepts and systems of quality assurance and quality improvement will be critically analysed.

Trainee teachers will demonstrate engagement and competence with all the Occupational Standards and consolidate their enactment of the range of teacher roles and responsibilities.

The module will also look forward to future practices, CPD, and the gaining of Professional Status. Participants reflexively evaluate their professional and personal progress and plan future development to take them in to their first year of teaching post qualification.

Subject Specialist Teaching and Managing the Learning Environment (PCET602)

This module supports a trainee teacher’s investigation into and application of subject specialist pedagogy. Trainee teachers will analyse and critically evaluate theories and principles of inclusive/adaptive practice, identifying ways to improve practice, with reference to the Occupational Standards.

Through ongoing experiential learning and reflective practice, trainee teachers will be evidencing their creativity, resilience and flexibility as practitioners. Trainees will work with their mentor to engage in the full range of teaching activities.

Teaching and the Curriculum (PCET603)

This module explores the development of subject specialist curricula and associated pedagogies. Trainee teachers demonstrate the ability to make and justify choices made in curriculum design. Trainee teachers will show a holistic awareness of EMD, EDI, ESD and SEND in relation to inclusive curriculum design.

Trainees will also critically analyse and evaluate the use of digital technologies and how they can and will shape educational practices. Trainees will work with their mentor to engage in the full range of teaching activities.

Professional Practice (PCET604)

This module focuses upon notions of professionalism and wider professional practice roles and responsibilities associated with the learner journey. Concepts and systems of quality assurance and quality improvement will be critically analysed. Trainee teachers will demonstrate engagement and competence with all the Occupational Standards and consolidate their enactment of the range of teacher roles and responsibilities.

The module will also look forward to future practices, CPD, and the gaining of Professional Status. Participants reflexively evaluate their professional and personal progress and plan future development to take them in to their first year of teaching post qualification.

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.