Study Teaching, why & how to study

CONTENTS

1. What’s Teaching?

2. What Teaching degrees can you study?

3. What do you need to get onto a Teaching degree?

4. What topics does a Teaching degree cover?

5. How will you be assessed?

6. Why study Teaching?

7. Are scholarships and bursaries available to students studying a Teaching degree?

8. What do Teaching graduates earn?

9. What jobs can you get as a Teaching graduate?

10. What are the postgraduate opportunities?

11. Similar subjects to Teaching

12. Have any questions?

What’s Teaching?

Teaching involves conveying knowledge and skills as well as values and attitudes to others. This usually happens in a structured way in a classroom or workshop setting. Teaching involves the use of various facilitation techniques to support the learning process. Clear communication and ability to reflect and adapt to others learning styles are key components to becoming an effective teacher.

What Teaching degrees can you study?

Not all undergraduate degrees in education will qualify you as a teacher. If you wish to teach in England, you must look for a degree that leads to QTS – 'qualified teacher status'. Or you can follow an undergraduate degree with a postgraduate teaching qualification. Read more about the various undergraduate routes into teaching and postgraduate teacher training options.

If you want to go straight into an undergraduate teaching degree, most are for primary education. Examples of teacher training degrees in the UK include:

• Primary Education with QTS with Foundation Year - BA (Hons)
• Primary - BEd (Hons)
• Primary Education with Music - BA (Hons)
• Physics with Secondary Education BSc (QTS)

If you'd prefer to learn more about education and follow this with a postgraduate teaching qualification, you might choose:

• Education, Learning and Teaching BA 
• Teaching and Education BA 
• Education in Professional Practice BA 

Options may include an integrated foundation year. All teaching degrees will include a professional placement in at least two different schools. 

What do you need to get onto a Teaching degree?

Must have  

Typically, entry to an undergraduate Teaching degree requires between 96–153 UCAS points. Qualifications may include:  

• A Levels: A*AA–CCC 
• BTECs: DDD–DD 
• Scottish Highers: AAABB–BBCC (Advanced Highers: AAA) 
• International Baccalaureate: 44–29 
• Universities will usually ask that you have studied: an A Level (or equivalent) in the required secondary education subject, if studying for a secondary-level teaching qualification
• GCSE (or equivalent) grade 4/C or above in English and Maths, plus Science if teaching at primary school level
• Universities often request an interview if you are studying for a teaching qualification  
• You’ll usually need to complete Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) checks (PVG scheme in Scotland) 

Good to have  

• Relevant work experience or shadowing in a school, college, or adult education class; would-be teachers in England can use the Get into Teaching website to find experience 
• Volunteer with a youth group or children’s club such as Guides, Scouts, Brownies to build interpersonal skills 
• Observe teaching lessons online 
• Read more about education and teaching from books or websites such as TES (Times Educational Supplement), Get into Teaching, Educators Wales, Teach in Scotland 
• Summer schools, if eligible – check out the Sutton Trust 

What topics does a Teaching degree cover?

Typical modules for courses in this subject include: 

• Assessment strategies  
• Classroom management  
• Relevant curriculum knowledge  
• Educational psychology  
• Special educational needs  
• Professional ethics  
• Theories and strategies for learning  
• Safeguarding  
• School placement experience  

How will you be assessed?

Depending on your modules, you could be assessed through:  

• School placement observations   
• Coursework 
• Essays 
• Exams 
• Group work  
• Practical projects 
• Presentations 
• A dissertation is usually a final year option 

Why study Teaching?

Career-specific skills: 

• Knowledge of educational systems, how we learn, and approaches to learning 
• Knowledge about the curriculum, lesson planning, adapting teaching to meet pupil needs, techniques for classroom management, and assessment strategies 

Transferable skills: 

• Collaboration 
• Communication 
• Creative problem solving 
• Critical and analytical reasoning 
• Digital literacy 
• Leadership 
• Presentation 
• Report writing 
• Research skills 
• Time management 

Professional accreditations: 

• Teaching degrees must meet the required teaching standards for each nation – in England and Wales, courses must lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) 
• Education degrees with psychology may be accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) 

Are scholarships and bursaries available to students studying a Teaching degree?

Some universities offer students specific scholarships, bursaries, or grants so it’s worth checking if you are eligible, how to apply and what it covers such as materials, tuition fees and/or living costs.

In addition, the Department for Education offers Teacher Training Scholarships for students who are training to teach certain subjects in England, such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and modern foreign languages. 

What do Teaching graduates earn?

As a newly qualified teacher in England (outside of London), you can expect to earn a minimum of £32,900 per year (as of 2025). London salaries start from £34,400–£40,300 (ranging from the fringes to inner London). New teachers in Wales and Scotland start on £33,700 and £33,600; in Northern Ireland it's slightly less, at £31,650.

Classroom teacher salaries increase incrementally with experience until you reach the top of that scale. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you can take on extra responsibilities to earn more. To move further up the salary scale, you can become a lead practitioner/teacher or take on a leadership role. For example, headteachers can earn in excess of £100,000 per year. Academy heads may earn more than £150,000.

Teachers in independent schools have a different pay scale from those in state-funded schools. 

Read more on what graduates do and earn.  

What jobs can you get as a Teaching graduate?

Most graduates go into teaching of some kind following this vocational degree although there are numerous transferable skills into other careers.  

Some options inside and outside the classroom include:  

• Classroom teacher 
• Teaching assistant  
• Adult education teacher  
• Lecturer  
• Private tutor  
• Special educational needs coordinator  
• Educational administrator  
• Educational psychologist  

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

Examples of postgraduate courses available at universities in the UK:

• Childhood and Youth Studies MA 
• English Language Teaching MPhil  
• Early Years Education MA  
• Primary Postgraduate Certificate in Education PGCE  
• Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education PGCE (various subjects)  
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)  

Similar subjects to Teaching

Other subject areas that might appeal to you include: 

• Childhood and Youth Studies
• Education
• Psychology
• Social Work
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Youth Work

Have any questions?

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