Intro

Our Secondary Mathematics Education degree course leads to Qualified Teacher Status in two years and will equip you with the skills and knowledge to become a confident and competent mathematics teacher.

This teaching degree is for those who have completed a foundation degree, HND or HNC, or successfully completed at least one year of degree level study in mathematics or a related subject such as engineering or computer science.

Our teaching graduates benefit from excellent employment rates that are consistently above the sector average. Plus, we’ll continue to support you through your first few years as an early career teacher.

At Brighton you’ll train to teach with an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ provider and be educated by an expert team.

You’ll gain practical experiences in two carefully selected schools – we have over 600 placement partners offering a variety of opportunities in large, small, urban and rural settings.

At university you’ll learn in our specialist facilities and use our curriculum centre which has over 30,000 resources.

This course qualifies for an Initial Teacher Training Bursary of £9,000.

Brighton is one of the UKs largest teacher training universities and has been educating teachers and leaders for over 100 years.

Open days

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Falmer campus open day

Open days are the best way to find out about your course, the campus where you'll be based, and get a feel for the University of Brighton.

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Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code XG11

Full-time 2 years

Qualified Teacher Status is awarded by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)

This course qualifies for an Initial Teacher Training Bursary of £9,000 which is payable in the final year of training.

Join our online event

Find out about our Secondary Mathematics Education BA(Hons) with QTS at our online event on 15 June.

Book your place...

Apply now with UCAS for 2023

Course content

Course structure

The course is split between tuition, placements and independent study, and covers everything you need to teach mathematics at secondary level.

In the first year of study teaching takes place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday each week during term time.

Your university studies explore areas including education policy, learning styles, classroom management and special needs. Tutors help you to identify your strengths and areas for development with a bespoke learning programme.

While year 1 focuses on mathematics itself, in year 2, two-thirds of your time is spent on placements in two secondary schools. A school-based mentor works in partnership with your university tutor to provide expert support and training throughout.

You are assessed using a mixture of presentations, written assignments, placement reports and peer evaluations.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 1

Modules

Mathematics Subject Study Audit
Learning Mathematics in a Digital Age
Using and Applying Mathematics
Exploring Mathematics, Utilising Tools and Resources
The Fundamental, Historical and Cultural Roots of Mathematics
Thinking Mathematically and Developing Skills for Independent Learning

The Fundamental, Historical and Cultural Roots of Mathematics module has an Inclusive Practice Mark for both diversifying and decolonising the curriculum. In the module students study and celebrate the diverse historical and cultural development of maths, including their own personal experiences.

Year 2

Modules

Education and Professional Studies
Mathematics Subject Study
Professional Practice 1
Professional Practice 2

School-based training

School-based training forms an important element of each year of study, developing your knowledge and understanding of being a teacher in a school setting.

You'll spend a minimum of 120 days in the second year of your Secondary Maths Education degree, in two carefully selected schools.

Our Partnership Office will organise your placements for you. Each year we organise over 2,500 placements for our students. We work hard to ensure that you have placement opportunities that will give you valuable and varied experiences with the age group you are qualifying to teach.

You will be asked to complete a school-based training information form when you start your course and we will use this information to match you to a suitable placement. We will consider your previous experience, travelling distance, the age phases you wish to teach, and your current needs.

Once you have been matched to a placement, the team in the Partnership Office will confirm your school-based training as quickly as possible with the school, then contact you with the details. Almost all of our placements will be with partner schools in south-east England, most of them in East and West Sussex.

Ofsted

In our most recent Initial Teacher Education inspection report, the University of Brighton was graded 'outstanding'.

Ofsted identified some of our key strengths as:

the very high attainment of the majority of trainees
the expertly designed and diverse range of programmes that respond to trainees' backgrounds, needs and interests as well as to national priorities
the outstanding progress made by trainees as a result of training, which enables them to fulfil their potential
inspirational teaching, tutoring and mentoring that model the best teaching and give trainees the ambition to reach the highest standards
highly reflective trainees who demonstrate good subject knowledge and a breadth of understanding of how to teach
an excellent range of training experiences that effectively prepare trainees to teach in a diverse society
the excellent resources available to trainees
leadership that is dynamic in its approach to anticipating change and solving problems
a visionary approach to innovation and change.

Careers

Preparing for your teaching career

This course leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), the professional qualification for teachers. QTS enables you to teach in schools in England and is also recognised in Wales once registered with The Education Workforce Council (EWC).

The course prepares you to teach mathematics at secondary level - Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

You’ll benefit from our partnership with over 600 schools, where you’ll gain practical school-based experience in a wide range of settings – large, small, rural and urban.

If you are considering whether a career in teaching is for you, and you are a UK resident, the Department for Education’s School Experience Programme offers 1 to 10 days’ classroom experience in a secondary school.

School-based training

Your two school-based training phases will give you supported experience and help you gain confidence in your teaching ability.

Our staff will ensure that you are well prepared for each phase of school-based training, and that you have all the support and guidance you need to make the most of these opportunities.

We have partnerships with over 600 schools and settings which offer you opportunities in large, small, urban and rural settings ensuring you will have a well-rounded experience. You will experience time in two carefully selected schools during your course..

Your school-based training experiences will include:

writing lesson plans and evaluations for the classes you teach
engaging in both formative and summative assessment of pupils learning and performance.
completing your e-portfolio as evidence of meeting the Teachers’ Standards.

Each year we organise over 2,500 placements for our students with partner schools and colleges, offering varied placement opportunities. We work hard to ensure that your school-based training will provide you with learning opportunities and valuable experience with the age group you are qualifying to teach.

School-based experience will enable you to demonstrate and grow your knowledge. It will also enable you to make valuable contacts in schools which will help when you are looking for your first teaching role.

Facilities for learning

Our facilities include a curriculum centre which contains more than 30,000 specialist resources for trainee teachers including books, DVDs, games and an online catalogue.

Our Falmer campus also houses specialist classrooms that replicate those used in schools so you’ll feel at home when you go on your school-based training and start your career.

Teaching facilities include:

science labs
art classrooms
kiln room
dark room
design and technology workshop
performance studio.

Click the image to view a virtual tour of some of our facilities.

Graduate destinations

Mathematics teachers are always in high demand and our teaching graduates consistently enjoy higher than sector average rates of employment.

University of Brighton trainees are highly sought after by our partnership schools and have a superb reputation across the country. They are known for their creative and innovative approaches to teaching making them very successful in securing jobs.

After their NQT year many of our graduates take mentoring and leadership roles, or focus on specialist roles such as special education needs. It is expected that students on this specialist route will become future leaders in secondary mathematics.

Our careers service holds an annual teaching recruitment fair on campus which our partner schools attend looking to recruit newly qualified teachers for the next school year.

Supporting your employability

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

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Early career support

We will continue to support you after you qualify through our ECT support programme.

We’ll offer resources, advice, events and drop-in sessions to help you overcome the key challenges that many new teachers face in their first few years of working as a qualified teacher. We’ll help you with the next stage of your journey and offer support that will enable you to develop and thrive in your early career.

Our website provides guidance and support for after you graduate, including the latest teaching job vacancies, personal statement feedback, short mock interviews, useful contacts for advice and a variety of helpful resources including videos.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels
not suitable.

International Baccalaureate
not suitable.

Access to HE Diploma
not suitable.

Foundation degree/HND/HNC
hold an HND or foundation degree (240 CATs points) OR 120 CATs points in their specialist subject area, or equivalent.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
at least three subjects, including English and maths.

If you do not have the required GCSEs find out which equivalent qualifications we accept instead.

Interviews

Interviews for this course can be in-person at the university or online. Applicants invited to interview will be able to choose a date and which option suits them best.

Get top tips for your interview at one of our online teaching interview advice sessions.

Experience

While experience in a school is not a condition of entry for initial teacher education courses we recommend that you take up opportunities to gain a realistic understanding of whether teaching is right for you. The Get Into Teaching School Experience Programme offers opportunities across the country to book a day’s worth of experience.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

Other

Applicants from minority ethnic and other groups under-represented in the profession are particularly welcome.
All offers are subject to an occupational health check and Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced disclosure check.
We are committed to safeguarding and child protection. As part of our selection and interview process, we will undertake additional checks to confirm the suitability of candidates.

Flexible admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more

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Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 15,300 GBP

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2023–24.

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 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.

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.

Student Views

Norah Angyiembe

I choose to study the BA(Hons) Secondary Mathematics Education degree with QTS at the University of Brighton as I have always had a passion for number crunching and wanted a career where I could transfer this passion onto others.

I already have a bachelor’s degree in maths and computer science, so studying this course gave me the opportunity to learn the different strategies I will need to be a qualified teach.

Being an international student, I liked that the University of Brighton is spread out across various campuses throughout the city, this really appealed to me to be somewhere more intimate for my course.

On my first day starting the course, it was lovely to receive a warm welcome from all my classmates, everyone was so supportive in helping me find my way, not only in my studies, but also being away from home in a completely new environment.

My time so far on the course has been amazing, the teachers are such role models, they practice what they preach and I really aspire to be able to teach the same way when I qualify. I’ve also found the array of different guest speakers which come to talk to us about different topics really interesting.

Being on placement has been a new experience for me as I am not only practicing how to teach but also learning how the entire UK education system works. By the end of my final year, I hope to have gained the experience and skills to not only be a great teacher, but also be able to touch the lives of the students I teach.

Elizabeth Friguglietti

I worked as a teaching assistant for over 17 years, and this course seemed an effective way to renew my mathematical knowledge and theory before teaching.

I spoke with a few graduates, and they only had high praise for their time at the university, making the choice extremely easy.

I can only praise the university for its lecturers, services, and the support it has given me. The study material has been inspirational, and has provided me with a powerful base and knowledge to confidently go into my teacher placement year.

The most enjoyable part of the course is the knowledge that everything learned will bring me closer to my goal of becoming a teacher of mathematics. It has truly been one of the best decisions I have made.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. Students based here study a range of subjects – from 2024 these will include education studies, teaching, sport and exercise, nursing and midwifery, allied health professions and medicine. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes and the 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.

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. New facilities are being developed ready for September 2024 when all of our sport and health students will be based here. Learn more about the changes at Falmer.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre. 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.

Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students.

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:
- Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls offer a range of rooms on our Falmer campus, minutes from your classes, and on the edge of the South Downs.
- Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Falmer campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

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.

Maps

Falmer campus

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition.

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.