Postgraduate Certificate in Education
Entry requirements
Minimum 2:2 undergraduate honours degree in one of our teaching subjects or with a strong element of a teaching subject.
For maths, physics and physics with maths applicants, a minimum third class undergraduate honours degree is required, with at least a grade B in the relevant A Level.
GCSE grade 4/C in English Language and Mathematics, or an equivalent qualification. Candidates without these qualifications may either take the necessary examinations in the year before the course starts or take our Entrance Test in English and/or Mathematics.
Completing a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course may also be a condition of an offer of a place on the course.
Disclosure and Barring Service, Work Health Assessment & Safeguarding Training
As this course leads to a professional qualification, student teachers are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure and Work Health Assessment. You'll also need to complete Safeguarding Training.
Fee for Disclosure and Barring Service, Work Health Assessment & Safeguarding Training
See the School of Education's web pages for details about costs.
Months of entry
September
Course content
Our graduates make great teachers. It’s that simple. The PGCE course helps you develop an understanding of research, policies and practice relating to education in general and secondary education in particular. You’ll analyse and reflect on what you learn to connect research with the classroom.
We teach an approach to your work that will stay with you throughout your career. Our graduates are dedicated to lifelong learning, developing their professional practice, and using classroom-based research. You’ll learn everything the qualified teacher needs to know about planning, teaching, learning, assessing, policies and processes.
Routes offered
We offer a provider-led route plus two routes in partnership with local schools (The University of Sheffield in partnership with Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance and The University of Sheffield in partnership with Ashfield School).
The main differences for the two additional routes are:
- You’ll have your two school placements in the schools within the cluster that you are attached to, rather than in any school across the partnership.
- The schools in your cluster will have a greater input into the PGCE programme throughout the year.
- There will be a strong possibility of securing employment within the cluster of schools that you are attached to, subject to availability and suitability.
These two routes run alongside the provider-led PGCE and lead to the same qualification.
The University of Sheffield oversees these routes.
Sheffield Teacher Training Alliance (STTA)- Lead partner: Silverdale School
- Located in Sheffield.
- Subjects offered are geography and mathematics.
- STTA
Ashfield School ITT
- Lead partner: Ashfield School
- Located in Nottingham.
- Subjects offered are English, geography, mathematics, physics, chemistry, history, biology, physics with maths and languages.
Age range
Secondary (11–19).
Masters credits
As well as a PGCE qualification and Qualified Teacher Status, you will qualify with 60 masters credits, which you may wish to put towards study for an MA Applied Professional Studies in Education.
Please see our University website for the most up-to-date course information: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/courses
Information for international students
English language requriements
If you want to study at the University of Sheffield, you must be able to show that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. If English is not your first language you must have an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in all skills or an equivalent qualification. Please see our English language requirements for postgraduates page for more information.
If you are considering applying to study to be a teacher as an international student, you may find these frequently asked questions helpful.
Fees and funding
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/international/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees
Qualification, course duration and attendance options
- PGDE
- full time36 months
- Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
Course contact details
- Name
- Postgraduate Admissions Tutor
- education-admissions@sheffield.ac.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0)114 222 8177