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“At the University of Bolton, we take great pride in providing a quality, supportive learning environment for our students.” Professor George E Holmes DL | President & Vice Chancellor
“...tutors are very supportive and you’re not just a student ID number, at this university you are an individual with a name.” Ellisse Vernon | BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
Do you have a bachelor’s degree and wish to teach people aged 14 and over? If you have a passion for your specialist subject and want to inspire and educate others, this nationally-recognised master’s level qualification offered at Salford City College opens the door to teaching and assessing in further and higher education, work-based learning, pre-employment training and more.
Key information
Award:
PGCE M
Mode of Study:
Full-time
Duration:
1 year
Location:
Salford College
Start date:
To be confirmed
Course Details
Teaching is a challenging and rewarding career, and it's not limited to schools. Further education and sixth form colleges, adult and community education, the 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 taught at Salford City College 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 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 into 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 experienced and supportive tutors will work to help you become an expert, engaging and inclusive teacher with high standards of professionalism.
Highlights
Ofsted rated the University of Bolton’s Further Education and Skills (FES) 14+ ITE courses' overall effectiveness as 'good' in all areas, including the quality of education and training, and leadership and management at their last inspection in May 2022. Their report also said 'Trainees in the FES phase have access to a well-planned and ambitious curriculum’ and ‘Trainees are well supported to develop their subject-specific pedagogy equally well through all of the different FES ITE programmes’ (Ofsted, 2022).
This is a pre-service Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course – you don’t need prior experience of teaching or current employment in education.
While you’ll be based at Salford City College for the duration of your studies, you’ll graduate from the University of Bolton.
You’ll have access to the University’s e-learning resources, an extensive e-library and the support of University librarians.
A link tutor provides academic communication between Salford City College and the University of Bolton’s academic school. This ensures the experience you receive as an off-campus student is equivalent to that of an on-campus student.
As an off-campus student, you’ll also have access to the support of the University’s dedicated Off-Campus team and resources to help make you truly feel part of the institution.
In most cases, we’ll try to arrange your work-based placements. These may be in a variety of settings, helping you gain a rounded appreciation of the types of environment you can work in and experience teaching a diverse range of learners.
The course is designed to help you achieve your potential and enjoy teaching. By encouraging you to reflect on your performance and take charge of your development, we aim to prepare you for a successful career in education.
Key Features
The University of Bolton is one of the largest providers of teacher training for further and higher education in the UK. Salford City College has been offering higher education courses for over a decade through an established partnership with the University of Bolton.
Our highly qualified and dedicated team offer a wealth of experience of teaching both in post-14 education and training and teacher education.
We offer a warm and friendly environment for your studies, with relatively small class sizes and excellent IT and library facilities.
Work-based learning through teaching placements is essential for success on this course, and you’ll have the opportunity to gain a minimum of 100 hours’ experience planning and delivering learning.
This PGCE M 14+ course meets the FE-specific Diploma in Education and Training (DET) requirements, which is the recognised full teaching qualification for the FE and Skills sector. It’s ideal if you wish to teach in adult and community education, further education, sixth form colleges, universities, the prison and probation services, pre-employment training and work-based learning.
After completing this ITE course, you can progress towards QTLS (Qualified Teacher for Learning and Skills), which is recommended for teaching in the FE and Skills sector.
Professional recognition
The University of Bolton’s Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) M 14+ programme meets the requirement of the FE-specific Diploma in Education and Training (DET). All new FE and Skills teachers must complete a teacher education qualification as the first step in obtaining QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills).
The course does not lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to teach in schools. However, QTLS does legally have equivalence to QTS and is recognised by some head teachers in schools.
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 your degree is not from a recognised UK higher education institution advice will be taken from the International Office on comparability.
If you have an HND, Foundation Degree or DipHE, please see our CertEd Certificate in Education 14+ course details.
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 – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
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.
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.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (M) 14+ is a teacher education course for graduates who wish to teach in the Further Education and Skills sector of education; for example in adult and community education, further education, sixth form colleges, the prison and probation services, pre-employment training and work-based learning.
This sector offers opportunities 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 can I do with this qualification?
In addition to working in FE colleges, sixth form colleges and schools there are significant opportunities to work in a range of other educational sectors. The work-based learning sector ensures people are ready for work and have the latest skills. It includes working with apprentices, young people who are not yet ‘job ready’, and employed adults who need to update their skills. Job opportunities in this sector are often with training providers in the private sector, but can also be within the work-based learning units in colleges.
The adult and community learning sector delivers a range of community-based courses, including practical and creative, basic skills, language and computer courses. The justice sector involves working in prisons and youth offender institutions teaching basic skills. Some offender institutions offer vocational preparation courses. Much of this work is sub-contracted out to local FE colleges who then provide relevant staff.
Alternative career options
PGCE M 14+ holders can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. For some of these roles, relevant experience and/or further postgraduate study may be required. Some of these careers include:
Higher education
Education officer
Mentoring
Family liaison
Educational psychology
Education administration
Student services advice
Student liaison
Educational writing and journalism
Examinations
Counselling
Careers guidance
Training
Academic quality standards
Course fees
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year:
EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status.
If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement.
Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the
normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in
March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:
Course application details are unavailable at present
Course application details are unavailable at present
Course application details are unavailable at present
We take a blended approach to teaching and learning, using a combination of face-to-face sessions, work-based learning and electronic resources and communications. You can expect timetabled classes and lectures, along with workshops, small group and individual practical activities, and structured exercises and discussions. Tutorials offer individual support. We’ll encourage you to participate in online discussions with your peers and tutors, make full use of ICT as a source of information and support, and maintain a digital portfolio of evidence.
In most cases, we’ll try to arrange work-based placements for you, identifying situations that meet the requirements for becoming a qualified teacher in the FE and Skills sector. They may involve daytime or evening teaching, or both. In most cases, our placement partners will expect you to have several years’ work experience so that you can bring this wider experience into your teaching. While work experience is not one of our listed entry requirements, it is strongly recommended as we may be unable to find you suitable placements without it.
During your placements, your teaching practice will be assessed according to Ofsted guidelines and documented through session planning, observation reports and reflective journals. You’ll receive informal feedback on your performance, to help you assess your progress and improve your practice, as well as formal assessment that will contribute to your overall grade for the course.
Additional formal assessment will be based on coursework. You’ll be expected to produce written work that demonstrates your understanding and ability to apply the course content. You’ll also receive informal peer and tutor feedback on individual and group activities. Your tutor will guide you towards areas of appropriate research and background reading that will help you to complete your coursework.
To be awarded your PGCE M 14+ qualification, you’ll need to demonstrate that you’ve met all the learning outcomes for the course. Our highly experienced and dedicated staff will guide and support you in this, but a significant amount of personal and independent study is essential and you’ll need to take responsibility for managing your own learning.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
Introduction to Teaching and Learning
Behaviour and Wellbeing for Teaching and Learning
Curriculum and Assessment for Teaching and Learning
Developing Professionalism in Teaching and Learning (Specialist Module) Part 1 - ITE
Developing Professionalism in Teaching and Learning (Specialist Module) Part 2 - ITE
Assessment methods
Level
Assesment method
Level one
Coursework 100%
Learning activities
Level
Learning activity
Level one
Guided independent study 80%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 20%
Disclaimer
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
