Course Handbooks

Page last updated:
04 Oct 2023

Postgraduate Certificate in Education Secondary Education 11-18 with Recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status., Level 7, 2023/24 - Course Handbook

Welcome to the Course

Key Contacts & Keeping in Touch

Timetable Information

Course Overview

The aims of the programme are to attract people who have a desire to teach in a secondary school setting. The course offers initial training for secondary teachers focusing on pathways in the relevant subject specialism of English, Geography, Mathematics or Physical Education. The course is designed in such a way that the addition of other subject specialisms would be easy to develop without change to the core principles in design. Further options included Ebacc PE with second subjects including PE with English, PE with Geography and PE with Mathematics. Students come to the course with a minimum of an undergraduate degree.

Course Aims:

Knowledge & Understanding

1 Display a deep and systematic knowledge and thorough understanding of the role of a Secondary Teacher.

2 Exhibit an excellent understanding of the relationship between pedagogy and subject specialist knowledge.

3 To devise and sustain arguments, and / or solve problems, using ideas / techniques, many of which are at the forefront of education, educational research, and professional knowledge.

4 Identify and explain an understanding of a range of pedagogical issues related to effective classroom practice.

Intellectual Skills

1 Critically evaluate and select appropriate research processes and methodologies of educational enquiry that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend, and apply their knowledge and understanding to initiate and carry out projects.

2 Demonstrate an innovative and creative approach to learning; evaluate and justify approaches to curriculum design and teaching strategies.

3 Interpret and critique subject and pedagogical knowledge and understanding through advanced research and scholarly activity to produce outcomes which impact future educational practice.

4 Demonstrate a critical awareness of how children learn, informed by current research and advanced scholarship in education.

Subject, Professional and Practical Skills

1 Have an ability to critically reflect on current educational issues, generating and critically analysing data to create a new understanding that informs professional approaches to teaching and learning.

2 Have a conceptual understanding of legal and ethical issues and their implications for interpersonal, academic, and professional contexts and an approach which is anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive.

Transferable Skills and other attributes

1 Demonstrate reflective and transferable skills considering the social, cultural, and environmental context in which learning takes place.

2 Taking autonomous responsibility for continually evaluating and improving practice through appropriate professional development and by responding to feedback.


Assessment & Feedback

Teaching & Learning

Trainees studying a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) study three modules at Level 7 in total which account for 60 Master's credit points. Modules aim to prepare trainees to understand the key overarching issues about professional roles and responsibilities of teachers whilst preparing them to teach the age phase in which they are training. Emphasis is placed upon enhancing the employability of trainees by equipping them with the skills required to develop into creative, inspirational, authoritative specialist teachers, through awareness of and reflection around the qualities and skills expected of teachers.

  • Professional Values & Practice
  • Secondary Subject Studies

In order to gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Education qualification, all Master's modules are assessed and must pass at Level 7. If a trainee's assignment fails to pass at Level 7 at the first submission, they then have one further opportunity to resubmit their assignment.

Assignments marked at Level 6

Where resubmitted work on a PGCE fails to achieve the Level 7 standard it will be judged instead at Level 6 (Graduate Level) instead.All module handbooks clearly outline the marking criteria across both Level 7 and Level 6.

If this occurs, trainees are invited into University to speak with the Module Leader. At this point a trainee has the opportunity to agree to grading at Level 6 or to 'fail repeat' the module at Level 7 the following academic year. If one or more assignments are graded at Level 6, then a trainee will automatically transfer onto the fall-back award of Professional Graduate Certificate in Initial Teacher Education; QTS is awarded separately. See - 'Achieving Qualified Teacher Status' module.

Details of School academic staff can be found on the Carnegie School of Education Website.

Attendance & Absence

International Students

Professional Accreditation or Recognition Associated with the Course

'In Year' Work Placement Information

Skills, Employability & Graduate Opportunities

Learning Support

Resources

Student Voice

General Information

Policies, Standards & Regulations

Appendices

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