Postgraduate Diploma Secondary Education (QTS)

Start date
September
Duration
36 weeks
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught

The one year Postgraduate Diploma in Education leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and offers 120 credits towards our MA Teaching Studies. Our specialist programmes, which offer high quality training and support, will prepare you to teach in the 11-18 age range and are run in close partnership with schools.

The School of Education benefits from our unique collaboration with University of Birmingham School as well as a  wide range of partner schools , including mixed comprehensive, single sex, religious and selective schools and sixth form colleges. The diverse communities we serve enrich the experience of students on all our teaching the programmes.

On all our Secondary PGDipEd programmes you will be challenged to develop informed and justified decisions about how you approach your teaching, in order to enable you to continue to develop over your career. On successful completion of your PGDipEd, you may return to study with us on a part-time basis to complete your Masters in Teaching Studies. 

The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long tradition of delivering teacher training courses. Its teaching has been graded as 'outstanding' three times by Ofsted inspectors which affirms the University’s status as one of the UK’s leading institutions for excellence in teacher training. 

Subject Areas

The Secondary PGDipEd is available in the following subjects:

Additionally, we offer a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course in mathematics for those who do not meet subject entrance requirements.  (Subject to confirmation from DfE in December 2020).

The School of Education, also offers secondary programmes through the School Direct route. To help you decide which route to take, we have put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions

Equal Opportunities

The School of Education and University of Birmingham is committed to equal opportunities in the access to and provision of education. For more information please see the following documents:

Dubai Campus

Study for a PGCE with iQTS at the University of Birmingham Dubai campus

Our PGCE with iQTS which has been approved by the KHDA, follows teaching standards within the U.A.E

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR COURSES IN DUBAI

 

Such is the confidence of schools that trainees from the University of Birmingham are of high quality, employment rates for both primary and secondary phases exceed national averages by some margin

The 2013 Ofsted report

Fees

Fees for 2023-2024 are:

£9,250 (UK), £21,150 (International).

When you apply for this course, it is important that you also take into account living costs and should ensure that you will have sufficient funds to finance the full duration of your studies. Our PGDipEd programmes include a significant amount of time spent on placements in a variety of schools at different locations, and so when budgeting to study you should also allow for travel to and from placements, as well as textbooks, printing, photocopying and stationery that you may need.

Bursaries and Scholarships

Government training bursaries  and Scholarships may be available depending on your subject and degree classification.

Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan

With or without a bursary, you can also access a  Tuition Fee Loan to cover your tuition fees and a Maintenance Loan for your living costs. The available loans for 2022-2023 are:

  • a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,250 to cover your fees
  • a Maintenance Loan of up to £12,667 to support your living costs

Additional financial support

If you have children or a disability, extra funding is available. For instance, you could get:

Find out more information on the  extra financial support available

For further information contact the School directly or visit the Funding, Graduation & Awards Office via online enquiries. 

How To Apply

Apply online through DfE Apply

Please view the individual subject pages to find out the course code.

The Interview process 

Selection is rigorous and designed to identify candidates with the strongest aptitude. Candidates selected for interview will be invited to:

  • meet course tutors
  • find out more about the course
  • have a one to one interview
  • show GCSE and Degree certificates (where these are available).

We work closely with partner schools to select candidates and applicants will often have the opportunity to meet senior colleagues from partner schools when they join us for interview day.  

Our Standard Requirements

All applicants to Secondary PGDipEd (QTS) programmes must hold a degree from a UK HEI (or an equivalent qualification) in a relevant subject, as well as GCSE grade 4* or above (or equivalent) in Mathematics and English. 

Please see individual subject pages for further information.

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact us on ITEadmissions@contacts.bham.ac.uk

You must also:

  • complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before taking up a place.
  • complete relevant checks to ensure you have the health and physical capacity to teach.
  • agree to abide by the University of Birmingham Code of Professional Conduct and Fitness to Practise.

*Equivalent GCSE grades

International Requirements



International Students

English Language requirements

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band
PTE Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
TOEFL - 88 IBT overall with no less than 20 in Listening, 21 in Reading, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing
Cambridge English Advanced: 176 overall with 169 in each component

The PGDipEd programme runs from early September to late June. You will undertake two substantial placements in schools – one in term one and one in terms two and three. Approximately two thirds of the year will be spent in school and one third in the University.

The programme will include the study of subject-based teaching methods as well as the study of broader whole school issues.  A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning will be used in the presentation of the themes. These include University-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.

You will benefit from a specialist programme, working with a subject tutor and peers, developing a professional network which will sustain you into your career. Our Professional Enquiry course provides breadth and depth of insight across key themes such as learning theories, assessment, equalities, inclusion and teacher health and wellbeing. An additional PSHE award is also available to all students.

You will have a personal academic tutor to guide and support you, as well as a dedicated subject mentor in both your placement schools.

You will complete six modules, five of which require a written assignment. For the final module, University tutors and school-based mentors will share the assessment against the Teachers’ Standards for the award of QTS.

There is currently high demand for secondary teachers in the region and beyond. Employment rates are consistently high and strong links with the partnership schools mean that many students go into employment in the region.

 

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