Intro

The Further Education and Teaching PGCE provides a formal teaching qualification for people working, or wishing to work, in the further education sector. This could include a college of further education, a sixth form college or an organisation such as a private training company.

The programme has an excellent reputation and was rated Good by Ofsted in our 2018 inspection.

The programme is delivered through a partnership stretching across East and West Sussex that includes full-time courses at the University of Brighton (Falmer campus), Northbrook Metropolitan College and East Sussex College Group, and part-time courses at Brighton Metropolitan College and East Sussex College Group.

If you already hold a degree, it is anticipated that you will graduate with a Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), and there may also be an opportunity to gain masters-level credits. Applicants without a first degree will graduate with a Certificate in Education.

The Department for Education has announced bursaries of up to £26,000 for some Further Education Initial Teacher Education programmes for 2020 entry. Find out more on the Education and Training Foundation website.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

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Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

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Course content

Course structure

Students who opt for the part-time route must be working in the post-16 sector, and are normally expected to continue teaching for at least 50 hours per academic year for the duration of the course.

For the part-time in-service route you will be required to attend one half-day session per week during college term times, in addition to your regular teaching commitments. The full-time route is aimed at those who are not currently teaching and is a combination of taught sessions at the university and a teaching placement at an appropriate institution.

The full-time routes is currently taught at three sites: Falmer campus, East Sussex College Group and Northbrook Metropolitan College (Art, Design and Media route).

Student working on a computer in a computer lab

Areas of study

The programme is delivered through five modules (pre-service)/six modules (in-service) on generic teaching and learning issues relevant to the further education and training sector, and reflecting the key areas identified in the new standards. It meets the Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers in Education and Training.

Students listening intently in a lecture

Syllabus

Pre-service/full-time

An introduction to teaching, learning and assessment in education and training
Contemporary Issues in Education and Training
Teaching Practice in Education and Training
Reflective Practice in Education and Training
Professional Research Study.

In-service/part-time

An introduction to teaching, learning and assessment in education and training
Contemporary Issues in Education and Training
Teaching Practice in Education and Training
Reflective Practice in Education and Training
Advanced Practice in Education and Training
Action Research to Support Subject Pedagogy

Careers

The course is part of the university's continuing professional development provision, designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of teachers and others involved in training or development, whether professional or voluntary.

Credit-rated routes to the various awards enable students to build from certificate-level through diploma, first degree, postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma to masters level.

Positions held by recent graduates include:

Graphic Design course leader, Sussex Downs College (2016
Learning Technologist and lecturer, Sussex University (2016)
Film Studies lecturer, Sussex Downs College (2017
Health and Social Care lecturer, Crawley College (2017)
SEN teacher, local secondary school (2017)
Music Technology Course leader, Weston College (2016)

The teachers we train are:

highly committed to their pupils’ learning and ambitious in what they want to help them achieve
inquisitive, critically reflective and motivated to keep learning and improving their own practice
quick to adapt to different learning contexts and confident to challenge inequalities
an asset to the profession, willing to share their knowledge and experience and to collaborate with others
well-prepared for the realities of teaching, with the confidence, resilience and skills to be innovative, to take risks and be creative.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2020. They should be used as a general guide.

Degree and experience
PGCE applicants must have an honours degree. Part-time applicants must also be working in the post-16 sector and would be expected to continue teaching for at least 50 hours a year within a further education or training organisation concurrent with the course. Pre-service full-time applicants do not need teaching experience. Other industry experience relevant to their subject specialism is desirable.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)

Part-time in-service applicants are advised to have either GCSE English or an equivalent literacy qualification, or be able to demonstrate the ability to work at higher education level.
Full-time pre-service applicants must have GCSE maths and English language.

English language requirements
IELTS 7.0 in all elements.

Places are still available on the full-time route at the university and on the part-time routes at our partner colleges: East Sussex College Group and Brighton Metropolitan College.

Fees

Course fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,604 GBP

Bursaries

Information on available bursaries for further education initial teacher training can be found on the Get into Teaching website.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Education are listed here.

You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget approximately £30 for printing.
For courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your travel expenses but you may be able to claim some travel costs back from the university, depending on where your placement is in relation to where you live.
Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £150 to buy your own copies
You may wish to consider budgeting up to £25 for stationery/teaching materials.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2020–21.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. 7,000 students are based here taking subjects including criminology, English, education, nursing and medicine, paramedic science, psychology and sociology. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. Psychology students learn in our applied cognition and flexible creative method labs.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes, and a students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre and there is a BTN BikeShare hub on site. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

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Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

All eligible students applying for 2020 are guaranteed an offer of university halls of residence.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Falmer campus is linked to the halls on Falmer campus and at Varley Park.
- Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on Falmer campus and offer a range of room types and catering options
- Varley Park offers a mix of room and catering options. Varley Park is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there's a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.

Unihomes and unilets
Unihomes and unilets are student houses that we let to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option can work particularly well when you're balancing learning with placements and other commitments. We have unihomes and unilet properties across the city.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private renting. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Maps

Falmer campus

Student Views

Alexander Seddon-Dyer

Hands-on experience and support

I chose the School of Education because of its reputation, the course and recommendations from former students. The placement was fantastic in giving me real hands-on experience of teaching in the further education sector.

The course leader was always available to answer any questions and provided feedback to help me reach my targets. The support I gained from staff on placement was also invaluable.

Career preparation and progression

The course has provided me with the tools needed to begin a successful career in teaching. I was made aware of the fundamentals that teaching involves, along with a plan for how best to progress my career.

I am currently working full-time in a FE college. I plan to continue developing my professional knowledge in order to advance my career and to be a successful lecturer whose students reach their full potential.