Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PCET)

What you will study

Whether studying towards a Level 5 (L5), Level 6 (L6) or Level 7 (L7), each pathway contains the same content. The modules have been designed to fully prepare you to teach in the post-16 sector.

Certificate in Education (L5)

MODULES

• Preparing to Teach in Post-compulsory Education and Training (L4): Learn about key aspects of the underlying concepts and principles associated with planning for learning, teaching and assessment.
• Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Feedback (L4): You will learn about formal and informal assessments and effective feedback to maximise students’ learning opportunities through effective planning.
• Professional Learning 1 (L4): Discover the importance of critically reflecting upon you own professional practice, in line with appropriate professional standards for teachers in the post-compulsory sector.
• Evidence Informed Practice (L5): Through critically reviewing relevant literature, you will question current thinking and practices within your context and subject discipline to enhance and improve learning and teaching.
• Professional Learning 2 (L5): Discover the importance of critically reflecting upon you own professional practice, in line with appropriate policies, procedures and guidelines associated with your practice.
• Creativity, Technology and Learning (L5): Develop your knowledge of education theory, technology and understanding of new and emerging methods of teaching. You will demonstrate this new knowledge in practice by trialling innovative practice in your placement setting.

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (L6)

MODULES 

• Preparing to Teach in Post-compulsory Education and Training (L6): Learn about key aspects of the underlying concepts and principles associated with planning for learning, teaching and assessment.
• Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Feedback (L6): Learn about formal and informal assessments and effective feedback to maximise students’ learning opportunities through effective planning.
• Professional Learning 1 (L6): In this module you will learn about the importance of critically reflecting upon you own professional practice, in line with appropriate professional standards for teachers in the post-compulsory sector.
• Evidence Informed Practice (L6): Through critically reviewing relevant literature, you will question current thinking and practices within your context and subject discipline to enhance and improve learning and teaching.
• Professional Learning 2 (L6): Learn about the importance of critically reflecting upon you own professional practice, in line with appropriate policies, procedures and guidelines associated with your practice.
• Creativity, Technology and Learning (L6): Develop your knowledge of education theory, technology and understanding of new and emerging methods of teaching. You will demonstrate this new knowledge in practice by trialling innovative practice in your placement setting.

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (L7)

MODULES

• Preparing to Teach in Post-compulsory Education and Training (L6): Learn about key aspects of the underlying concepts and principles associated with planning for learning, teaching and assessment.
• Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Feedback (L6): In this module you will learn about formal and informal assessments and effective feedback to maximise students’ learning opportunities through effective planning.
• Professional Learning 1 (L6): Learn about the importance of critically reflecting upon you own professional practice, in line with appropriate professional standards for teachers in the post-compulsory sector.
• Evidence Informed Practice (L7): Through critically reviewing relevant literature, you will question current thinking and practices within your context and subject discipline to enhance and improve learning and teaching.
• Professional Learning 2 (L7): Learn about the importance of critically reflecting upon you own professional practice, in line with appropriate policies, procedures and guidelines associated with your practice.
• Creativity, Technology and Learning (L7): Develop your knowledge of education theory, technology and understanding of new and emerging methods of teaching. Students will demonstrate this new knowledge in practice by trialling innovative practice in their placement setting.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

Entry requirements & applying

Level 5 - Certificate in Education (PCET): Applicants must hold at least a level 3 qualification in their subject discipline.

Level 6 - Professional Graduate Certificate in Education: Applicants must hold a degree.

Level 7 - Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Applicants must hold a degree with a classification of First or 2:1.

Applicants are required to have an up to date DBS in place before they start the programme and must have access to an appropriate teaching placement.

Teaching & Assessment

You will undertake practical-based assignments throughout the course. The course team is responsive to creative use of assessment strategies that facilitate and support students’ styles of learning. Tutor, mentor and peer observations are integral to the programme.

Assessment strategies include:

• Microteach Simulations
• Reflective Blogs
• Essays
• Reports
• Literature Reviews
• Academic Posters

The full-time route, comprising of the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education and Postgraduate Certificate in Education, will take place over one year. You will attend university for one day each week for ‘taught delivery’ classes throughout the academic year. This will be supplemented with online self-directed study.

The part-time route, comprising of all three routes, will take place over two years. You will attend a blend of face-to-face lectures on campus (50%) and engaging ‘live’ online classes (50%). These sessions will take place between 2-5pm.

Three 20 credit modules will be completed in year one and three 20 credit module will be completed in year two.

In addition to attendance and study at the university, you will need evidence that you have completed 100 hours of independent teaching across the duration of the one year full-time or two-year part-time programmes.

Career prospects

Our Careers & Employability service is there to help you make decisions and plan the next steps towards a bright future. From finding work or further study to working out your interests, skills and aspirations, they can provide you with the expert information, advice and guidance you need.

Post-compulsory education and training is a rapidly developing and expanding area which, through the requirement of an endorsed professional teaching qualification, is establishing clearly defined career progression routes within the sector and opportunities for further advanced study.

Graduates typically go on to work in schools, colleges, universities, community and healthcare education settings.

Fees & funding

You do not have to pay your tuition fees upfront.

The fees you pay and the support available will depend on a number of different factors. Full information can be found on our fees & finance pages. You will also find information about what your fees include in the fee FAQs.

All fees are subject to any changes in government policy, view our postgraduate fees.

Programme specification

You can see the full programme specification here.

Apply

APPLY FOR:

• Certificate in Education (PCET) Part-Time, Wrexham campus
• Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PCET) Full-Time, Wrexham campus
• Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PCET) Part-Time, Wrexham campus