Program Overview

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PGDE Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Mathematics)

Overview

The Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Mathematics) is a one-year, full-time course designed to blend knowledge, research, and the experiences of successful teachers. This approach will help you grow your motivation, confidence, and creativity to help you succeed in the classroom.

Mode of Study:

• Full-time

Duration:

• 1 year

Start date:

• August

UCAS code:

• G1X1

Placement:

• Yes

Course details

This is a one-year, full-time course, split into three trimesters.

Starting in August, you will spend a total of 18 weeks in University and 18 weeks in secondary school placements over the duration of your course.

Taught Modules:

• Learning & Teaching 1
• Learning & Teaching 2
• Contexts of Learning
• Professional Enquiry
• School Experience

These four modules will help develop your skills as a dynamic and effective teacher. All modules are SCQF Level 11.

Learning & Teaching 1&2

These modules are related to knowledge of the curriculum and school placements. You will explore effective methodologies, curriculum design, and keep up-to-date with current initiatives from the Scottish Government’s “A Curriculum for Excellence” and “The Attainment Challenge” policies.

Contexts of Learning

This module will allow you to explore the theory and policy underpinning our educational system. We will explore keys themes such as behaviour management, additional support needs and more, both in theory and practice. Visiting experts will offer professional advice on complex issues.

Professional Enquiry

This module will prepare you to undertake an action research project. The project will be combined with an interdisciplinary project in your later placement, which will give invaluable insights into the complexities of making changes to practice and equip you with research methods.

How you’ll be taught

You will be taught by a team of experienced lecturers who have extensive knowledge of both the Higher Education sector and Secondary schools.

The University-based work consists of four Modules and is based around the school curriculum and the way it is taught (Curricular Pedagogy and Educational Studies).

During school placements you will undertake a variety of tasks to help you understand and develop the skills needed to be a professional teacher.

Assessments

You will be assessed in a variety of ways across four academic modules, from critical reflection to literature reviews.

On placement, you will also complete formal classroom observations, which will assess your placement time as a whole.

You will also complete classroom-based research that will contribute to a formal report, and attend a practitioner conference where your projects will be presented.

Work placement

Placement opportunities are subject to UK and Scottish Government health and travel advice.

Modules

Modules that you will study* as part of this course

Contexts of Learning (TED11100)

In this module you will be introduced to the theories, policy, legislation and issues relevant to Secondary education in Scotland. Through attending lectures and seminars, you will build a critical understanding of the purposes of education, theories of how learning takes place, the complex and sometimes challenging influences that can impact on learning, and the policies and legislation that frame this learning. Using reading, discussion and reflection, you will be encouraged and supported in developing the professional values and qualities expected of student teachers by the GTCS in their Standards for Provisional Registration.

Learning & Teaching 1 (TED11102)

Learning and Teaching 1 is designed to explore the professional values, personal commitment, complex pedagogical approaches and subject knowledge required in curricular specialisms. There will be a focus on the Senior Phase of secondary school to allow you to develop your confidence in working with pupils who are working towards external qualifications. You will develop your skills in planning and delivering lessons, or portions of lessons, which are relevant, challenging and engaging, using research and evidence-informed teaching strategies.

Learning & Teaching 2 (TED11103)

This module builds on Learning & Teaching 1. Through this module you will further develop your understanding of your subject area within the secondary curriculum and strengthen your confidence with a range of pedagogical approaches and assessment strategies. You will also continue to develop your personal understanding of the professional values and personal commitment expected of student teachers set out in the GTCS Standards for Provisional Registration. You will also develop an appreciation of how your role as a subject teacher contributes to whole school/system commitments to broader educational policy areas.

Professional Enquiry (TED11101)

This module is focussed on building your skills in practitioner-based enquiry in schools. It will help you develop this skill through focusing on an area of your own teaching practice and focussing on building your skills in this area through reflective practice. Practitioner enquiry is one of the key elements in the GTCS Professional Standards and in Scottish Education policy2.3.2 Have knowledge and understanding of the importance of research and engagement in professional enquiry, 3.4.1 Read and critically engage with professional literature, educational research and policy.After completing this module, you will have an understanding of how practitioner enquiry can be an integral aspect of the day-to-day practice of teachers. You will gain an appreciation that successful teaching requires regular engagement in practitioner enquiry, recognising how to use enquiry to drive forward an aspect of your teaching.

School Experience 1 (TED10101)

In this placement module, you will put into practice the professional knowledge and skills gained in Teaching and Learning 1 (LT1). You will spend 35 days in a secondary school planning, teaching and reflecting, thus developing the professional capacities to effectively plan and teach lessons, predominantly in the senior phase (S3-S6). You will have opportunities to demonstrate increasing confidence in your abilities; and to inspire pupils with your subject knowledge and use of effective learning and teaching strategies. In preparation for the placement, you will attend classes on reflective practice, child protection and safeguarding policy, professional values and professionalism, and self-evaluation. During the placement, you will gather evidence for future professional recognition by the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS) to show you have met the Standards for Provisional Registration (SPR). This will mainly be done by writing a reflective journal where you will record your reflections on the lessons you have taught during School Experience 1 and through the collation of lesson plans, mentor observations, and teaching resources in a Record of Professional Learning. You will be assessed against learning outcomes and demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes as per GTCS standards. A 20-credit module incorporates 200 notional study hours; however, to meet GTCS requirements, this module requires you to undertake 210 hours of practical learning experience within a school setting.

School Experience 2 (TED10102)

In this module, you will undertake 55 days of school placement to further develop the knowledge, skills and values set out in the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS) Standards for Provisional Registration. You will teach a selection of classes across the senior and broad general education phases of secondary school. You will be supported by your mentor, who will gradually withdraw support as you develop your confidence and competence and will increase your contact time towards a maximum of 18 classes per week. You will be required to undertake six critical incident analyses, allowing you to reflect on key moments of professional development and set development targets. You will be prepared for this through lectures before placement.You will be assessed against learning outcomes and demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes as per GTCS standards. A 20-credit module incorporates 200 notional study hours; however, to meet GTCS requirements, this module requires you to undertake 330 hours of practical learning experience within a school setting.

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for Education (Mathematics)?

The entry requirements for this course are a degree from a UK Higher Education Institution, or degree of an equivalent standard from an institution outside the UK. The degree should be in the subject to be taught and contain at least two graduating courses (80 credits) in the relevant subject. A minimum of 40 credits should be from Year 2 of study.

Ordinary Degrees are also acceptable.

We also require SQA Higher English at Grade C or equivalent as well as a SQA National 5 Mathematics or SQA National 5 Applications of Mathematics at grade C or equivalent.

Please note you will also be expected to attend an interview.

SUBJECT-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE

Mathematics

Most Mathematics-based courses and many Engineering degrees meet the requirements for PGDE Entry in Mathematics.

Accountancy and/or Finance Economics are usually NOT acceptable if Mathematics is not explicitly studied as a distinct course within the degree programme.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees for 2024/25

Students from | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | ---|---|---| Scotland | £1,820 | £1,820 | England Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland | £9,250 | £9,250 | Overseas and EU | £22,870 | £24,015 |

Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.

Careers

Secondary Maths Teacher (Can be in Scotland, UK or most countries of the world.)