A PGCE would typically accompany an undergraduate degree or an approved diploma. There are a number of PGCE qualifications attainable for students. These include:
- PGCE Primary - Which qualifies the student to teach at primary school level
- PGCE Secondary - Which qualifies the student to teach at high school level
- PGCE Further/Adult Education - Which qualifies the student to teach at a tertiary level or conduct adult education classes.
In many cases, to be able to qualify for a PGCE qualification, the student must have completed an undergraduate degree which includes at least two school-related subjects. Furthermore, to teach certain subjects, the student will have to have studied that subject in their undergraduate degree as well.
By the time that the student pursues their PGCE, they should have already attained the necessary knowledge for the subject that they would like to study for their PGCE to eventually teach in, as the PGCE does not necessarily teach the subject content, but rather informs the student how to teach as part of their qualification.
Typically, completing a PGCE can take between 1-2 years, depending on the institution and whether the student has opted to study part-time or full-time.
By the end of the PGCE degree, the student will be graded with either a pass or a fail. In some cases, essays that could go towards a Master’s degree will be graded, but the ultimate end-year mark will be deduced to either a pass or fail.
Nonetheless, students should not only rely on the general information provided within the contents of this article when considering pursuing a PGCE.
Although this is a good place to start, the student should look into the requirements for the specific institution at which they would like to pursue this qualification, as different institutions may operate differently, and require different things from the student.
