Secondary Education (English) Professional Graduate Diploma

This course is the first stage you need to complete if you are following the traditional route into secondary education. It covers the Initial Teacher Education phase of your career. When followed by a successful induction year working within a school (Teaching Induction Scheme), you will be qualified to teach English throughout Scotland.

Through two on-campus study modules combined with three school placements, you will gain vital classroom skills and experience. You will explore aspects of theory for teaching English language and literature to children and young adults. You'll focus on developing learners' reading, writing, listening and talking skills. We will also teach you how to effectively support numeracy, health and well-being.

Small class sizes mean you will benefit from a strong supportive community of staff and students. You will receive individual support throughout the course from an allocated tutor, with extensive experience and knowledge of teaching secondary English. They will also visit and assess you on each of your placements. Additionally you will be allocated a mentor from within the schools you are working in during each of your placements.

Careers:

On successful completion of this course you will be eligible to participate in the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) Teacher Induction Scheme which offers one year of paid employment in a school in Scotland. International students should contact the GTCS directly to check eligibility.

The majority of our students go straight into teaching after graduating. As your career progresses a range of promoted posts will be open to you including principal teacher, curriculum leader, pupil support, guidance teacher, and roles within school leadership teams. Some of our students enter other fields, such as learning support, or they go on to further study to become an educational psychologist.

It is also possible to pursue a wide range of further careers, for example within Education Scotland, as advisers or directors within Local Education Authorities, within GTCS or in Initial Teacher Education in universities.