Further Education and Skills University of Portsmouth

Overview

Become a teacher in a college, sixth form or training centre on this Further Education and Skills PGCE, and support and inspire students aged 16 and above as they prepare to take their first career steps.

You'll gain teaching expertise at University and real classroom experience on teacher training placements in real educational settings, such as sixth forms, colleges and other further education institutions.

You'll develop the confidence and skills to become a reflective and resilient further education teacher, and also explore how to teach and design learning programmes in a range of specialist subjects alongside your course teachers and work-based subject mentors.

If you're not yet working or teaching in further education, you can study this teacher training degree full-time at the University or by distance learning. Or, if you already have a role in further education, you can study part-time by distance learning or at one of our partner colleges, alongside your job. If you choose to study by distance learning, you'll still do your teacher training placements in person.

Wherever and however you study this PGCE, you’ll be a student of the University of Portsmouth, so you’ll have access to all of our facilities and support.

Once you graduate, you'll have the teaching qualification you need to begin your teaching career in further education colleges, sixth-forms and private training providers.

You can start this course in September or January (distance learning option only).

Course highlights

• Gain the skills, confidence and knowledge to become a teacher in further education, through a combination of teacher training placements and the study of theories and contemporary issues within further education
• Reflect on your own teaching practice and design a curriculum in a specialist subject area
• Share your experiences and learn from other PGCE students in lectures and seminars
• Gain 750 hours of work experience on teaching placements in further education arranged by the University (full-time only)
• Study in a way that suits you and your career - full-time at the University or by distance learning, or part-time by distance learning or at one of our partner colleges: South Hampshire College Group - Eastleigh Campus, Havant and South Downs College, or Isle of Wight College
• Benefit from eligibility for membership of the Society for Education and Training (SET) when you graduate, which enables you to work towards Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status
• Be guaranteed an interview when you apply for this PGCE as an undergraduate student or graduate of the University of Portsmouth, no matter your subject or when you graduated

Careers and opportunities

Careers this course prepares you for

On this further education teacher training degree, you'll gain the formal teaching qualification you need to teach in colleges, sixth-forms and private training providers.

This Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is a professional teaching qualification recognised by further education providers in the UK. When you graduate, you'll also be eligible to apply to the Society for Education & Training (SET) to gain Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status, which is recognised as comparable to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

As a new further education teacher in 2024, you could expect a starting salary of £26,090 in the UK. A PGCE is an internationally-recognised qualification, so you'll also be able to work as a teacher overseas, including in the USA, Canada and Australia.

You could also earn 60 postgraduate credits on this further education PGCE, which you could put towards a full Master's degree (worth 180 credits) in the future.

Graduates of this teaching PGCE have gone on to work in:

• further education colleges
• sixth-form colleges
• private training providers
• public services
• voluntary organisations

Graduates of this teaching PGCE have gone onto roles such as:

• Further education maths teacher
• Social sciences teacher
• Sociology and Criminology college lecturer
• Project coordinator
• Educational support worker
• Learning support tutor

Career outcomes shown are sourced from the latest available graduate outcome surveys. The data shows career outcomes at 15 months after graduation.

Entry requirements

A good honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject.

Formal qualifications, experiential learning and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) are also considered.

GCSE Mathematics and English language at grade C (Grade 4) or above, or equivalent.

All shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview. All offers are subject to Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance and Occupational Health clearance.

Full time students who study on campus will be provided with a teaching placement and subject mentor by the University.

Part-time students are required to have secured their own teaching placement with at least 100 teaching hours plus 75 non-teaching hours per year, and have an identified subject mentor.

All Distance Learning students are required to have secured their own teaching placement with at least 100 teaching hours plus 75 non-teaching hours per year, and have an identified subject mentor.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0