Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE 14+) (Part-Time or Full-Time)

This 2 year part-time or 1 year full-time qualification, validated by the University of Bolton is a teacher training course for graduates who wish to become qualified to teach in the post-compulsory sector of education.

Do you have a bachelor's degree and wish to teach people aged 14 and over? If you have a passion for teaching and want to inspire and educate others, this nationally recognised master's level qualification opens the door to teaching and assessing in further and higher education, work-based learning, pre-employment training and more.

This Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE 14+) is for trainee teachers in further education, sixth form colleges, adult and community education, universities, the prison and probation services, pre-employment training and work-based learning.

Please note: This course is 'Subject to Approval' and has not yet completed the University’s approvals process. Whilst we are confident that the course will be approved, there is the possibility that the course may not run or may be subject to alterations.

This course is due to be validated by July 2024 after which we will write to all applicants who have applied for the course to let them know the outcome and of any changes. In the event that a course is not approved the University will make reasonable efforts to offer an alternative course at the University.

What will the course cover?

Teaching is a challenging and rewarding career, and it's not limited to schools. Further education and sixth-form colleges, adult and community education, prison and probation services, pre-employment training and work-based learning are also environments where talented teachers are needed.

If you're already qualified in an area such as art and design, business and legal studies, health and childhood studies, humanities, language and communications, maths, science, or technology, then this course offers you the skills and knowledge needed for a wide variety of roles teaching people aged 14 and above.

This PGCE (M) course is 120 credits at the master's level (HE7), demonstrating your ability to work independently at a high level in the field of education. 90 credits at HE7 can be transferred to a full master's award, depending on the specialist master's pathway.

Through a combination of traditional study and work-based learning, you'll be able to explore the key theories and techniques of teaching, learning and assessment. We'll support you as you discover how to apply them in practice, how you can mould them to the teaching of your specialist subject and how they link to current research in education.

We'll guide you as you learn to plan lessons, deliver classes, assess your students' performances and provide constructive feedback. Our expert and supportive tutors will work to help you become a skilled, engaging and inclusive teacher with high standards of professionalism.

When will I attend?

Part-time route - attendance is required one evening per week 5.30pm - 8.30pm

Full-time route - attendance is required every Thursday 10am - 2.30pm and Friday 10am - 12.30pm

Our lessons are delivered using a blended learning approach meaning that some lessons will be delivered face-to-face whilst some others will be delivered virtually using Zoom. Your Tutor will provide you with a timetable during induction.

What will I achieve?

On successful completion, you will have achieved a Post Graduate Certificate in Education M (14+) (level 7) awarded by the University of Bolton.

This course will give you the necessary skills and practical experience required to prepare you for a teaching career, with the emphasis being in the Further Education and Skills sector.

In this sector, you’ll have the opportunity to work with Further Education learners who range in age from 14 years old to adult. These students come from different backgrounds and experiences and may enter further education from local schools, the community, industry or local businesses.

What are the entry requirements?

• You should have at least a lower second class (2.2) honours degree (or equivalent) in a subject that is relevant to the area you wish to teach.

• If you have a third class honours degree, your application will be considered on an individual basis.

• If you have an HND, Foundation Degree or DipHE, please see our CertEd Certificate in Education 14+ course details.

• If your degree is not from a recognised UK higher education institution advice will be taken from the International Office on comparability.

• You'll be required to attend an interview as part of the application process. This will involve written diagnostic tests for English/literacy and mathematics/numeracy, a short oral presentation, and a face-to-face interview.

• This course involves working unsupervised with children and/or vulnerable adults and all students must gain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure certificate for a Child Workforce including Child Barred List checks, before starting their studies. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online Update Service.

• You'll need to provide satisfactory references, a satisfactory health declaration and a satisfactory student agreement prior to enrolment on the course.

• If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications –

• We'll also consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.

• Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure -

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.