Secondary with QTS: Design and Technology

This course is available at the university and through School Direct.

Why study with us?

The PGCE programme aims to provide you with an opportunity to:

• develop as an enthusiastic and committed professional
• become an effective team member, be able to contribute to a variety of groups and disciplines
• promote and value effective professional relationships between groups of pupils and adults in an educational setting
• develop your ability to analyse complex concepts and professional situations in order to understand how, why and when learning best occurs and act on this in the classroom
• achieve mastery of a comprehensive range of complex and specialised skills for planning, teaching, assessing, recording and class management
• become a critically reflective, effective and flexible practitioner
• become a creative and adaptable problem solver, with an understanding of the need to continue lifelong professional learning.

What can this course lead to?

At the end of this course, you will have qualified teacher status, which will enable you to apply for a job as a design and technology teacher at a secondary school immediately.

Resources and facilities

We have several excellent resources to help you excel in your studies. All students have access to our Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment which can provide easy online access to course information, course materials, relevant web links and an online discussion board.

We have a well-stocked library and a Learning Gateway, which offers an interactive, flexible space to study. You can also take advantage of The Library and Student Services (LiSS), which provides learning resources, equipment, student advice, skills training and study space.

Entry requirements See course specific entry requirements listed below.

More about levels and credits

Credit and UCAS requirements Credit: 60 credits Selection criteria

• A 2:2 honours degree, normally in a design and technology subject specialism or a related subject. We will consider other equivalent qualifications or experience (along with a degree in a non-design and technology subject) as evidence of design and technology knowledge. Please note that 2:1 honours degrees may be favoured in competition.

  If you don’t have an undergraduate degree but do have a Masters or other higher qualification, your application will be considered by our academic tutors on a one-to-one basis.

• GCSE grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics or equivalent qualifications.

• Successful completion of the QTS skills test in literacy and numeracy by 31 August 2013.

• We strongly recommend that you obtain a minimum of 2-3 days secondary school experience in a mainstream UK secondary school observing a class in your chosen teaching specialism before applying.

• A satisfactory academic (university) reference OR a satisfactory professional reference if more than three years since academic study.

• All candidates must demonstrate professional suitability through interview and must obtain medical and enhanced CRB clearance according to established university procedures.

To find out more, visit our detailed how to apply pages.

Costs

Click to view information on your study type and home location.

University-based students

Home

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £9,000.

As a full-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which you only start to pay back when you are earning over £21,000 a year if you're from England or £15,795 if you're from Scotland. You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several support funds available to our current students, including:

• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £9,000.

As a full-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which you only start to pay back when you are earning over £21,000 a year (or the equivalent in your country). For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

International

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year is £10,800.

Fees are billed annually and may be paid by the student or a sponsor. 75 percent of the annual tuition fees must be paid before or at registration. For students requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, a deposit of £3,500 is expected as a minimum before a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will be issued. For more information, visit our international student finance page.

Early payment discount

If you are paying your own fees, you may be eligible for an early payment discount of £1,000. This discount is awarded to students who pay in full before registration.

Additional financial support

Our money doctors will be on hand throughout the year to help you manage your money while you’re in the UK. However, if you do happen to run into financial difficulty during your time here, you may be able to access a small emergency support fund.

School Direct students

Salaried

If you have a salaried school direct place, you won't have to pay a penny; your host school will cover your tuition fees in full. You will not be eligible for any additional funding.

School direct salaries are set by the school and should be in line with unqualified teacher pay scales.

Non-salaried

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £9,000.

As a full-time student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which you only start to pay back when you are earning over £21,000 a year if you're from England or £15,795 if you're from Scotland. You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354) if you're a UK student. For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several support funds available to our current students, including:

• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

Apply now

University-based
Visit the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) to apply online.

School Direct
See the School Direct course list to apply online.

Modules

For detailed summary of all course content please read our programme specification for this course.

Course summary

The course consists of three modules of 20 credits each. Two of these are at masters level and focus on learning, teaching and related issues in design and technology. The third module is at level 6 (equivalent in academic demand to the final year of an honours degree) that focuses on cross-curricular issues. In addition to these modules (which make up the award of Postgraduate Certificate in Education) you will carry out a range of other work in school and university that prepares you and provides evidence for the award of qualified teacher status.

The Design and Technology PGCE uses an innovative model that differs from most other PGCEs. For much of the time that trainees would traditionally be based at the university, design and technology trainees will be based at Ripley St Thomas School, a school with a national profile for high quality design and technology education within easy reach of the university. This model of training is intended to increase the classroom application perspective of trainees’ learning. However, as trainees will also be based in additional placement schools it avoids the limitations of wholly school-based training schemes.

The course offers the opportunity to specialise in product design, resistant materials, food or textiles and provides training in the other areas. The current subject specialist modules are Professional Skills, Knowledge and Practice in Design and Technology, Curriculum Development in Design and Technology and Classroom Research for the Beginning Teacher in Design and Technology. Strong use of information and communication technology includes Computer-aided Design and Computer-aided Manufacturing/Rapid Prototyping. Traditional manufacturing skills are also covered.