Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) PGDE

This programme is comprised of three blocks. Each block contains a balance between University-based and school-based activities.

Campus activities will include lectures and workshops, with a focus on student-centred learning in a multidisciplinary setting.

Professional Placements in schools include observation and analysis of teaching and learning, through to developing and implementing your own teaching practice. Students address classroom knowledge and skills; and experience of planning, managing, organising, assessing and evaluating pupil learning and taking on the role of a class teacher for increasing periods of time.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.*

Award		Duration		Study mode		Indicative programme structure
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Art and Design 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Biology 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Chemistry 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Chinese 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Design and Technology 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Drama 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE English 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE French 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Geography 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE German 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE History 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Mathematics 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Music 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Physical Education 2023
PGDE		9 Months		Full-time		PGDE Physics 2023

Combining campus-based courses taught at Moray House and experiential Professional Placements undertaken in schools, this programme provides an excellent foundation for an impactful career in education.

Professional Placement courses address classroom knowledge and skills; and experience of planning, managing, organising, assessing and evaluating pupil learning and taking on the role of a class teacher for increasing periods of time.

Professional Placements constitute approximately half of the programme, with students being allocated a placement within one of six key local authorities.

Graduates from this programme are qualified to teach, and eligible for provisional registration from the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).

On successful completion of this programme, students are recommended to contact the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) for provisional registration. Full registration is awarded on the completion of one satisfactory year of teaching the subject(s) for which qualification has been gained through this programme.

Eligibility for Teacher Induction Scheme

Students from Scotland and other parts of the UK (RUK), who are studying at a Scottish Higher Education Institution are eligible to join the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS), a guaranteed and paid one-year probationary teaching post, organised by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

Preference Waiver Payment Scheme

If you join the General Teaching Council’s Preference Waiver Payment Scheme - which means you agree to work in any Scottish local authority for your induction post - in return, you will receive an £8,000 payment made if you complete your Teacher Induction Scheme year in the local authority to which you were allocated.

2023/24 and 2024/25 entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 July 2024.

A UK undergraduate degree, or its international equivalent. This qualification should contain at least two graduating courses (80 UK credits) in the relevant subject. Please contact the admissions office for further advice.

You should also hold the following:

• SQA Higher English at grade C or GCSE English Language AND GCSE English Literature, both at grade C/4
• SQA National 5 Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics (formerly Lifeskills Maths) at grade C or GCSE Mathematics at grade C/4

Please contact the admissions office for advice on equivalent qualifications.

• futurestudents@ed.ac.uk

We also expect you to have experience of working with children in formal or informal settings (both employment and volunteering roles will be considered) and an ability to reflect thoughtfully on that experience. You should have some knowledge and understanding of the Scottish curriculum. Selection involves a professional interview.

For subject-specific entry requirements, visit the School website 'How to apply' page:

• Subject-specific entry requirements and how to apply

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

Protecting Vulnerable Groups

All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting the programme. In addition, all applicants who don't live in the UK, or who have spent more than a year abroad, will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 62 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Tuition fee status

Tuition fees for eligible students from Scotland or a non-UK European Union country are paid by Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). Check your fee status to see whether you are eligible.

• Fee status

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

For tuition fee purposes, the PGDE is treated in the same way as an undergraduate programme.

• Tuition fees

Saroj Lal Scholarship

One scholarship will be awarded to an applicant accepted onto a PGDE programme from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) background.

• Saroj Lal Scholarship

Tom and Maureen Fairlie Scholarship

• Tom & Maureen Fairlie Scholarship and other PGDE funding

STEM Teacher Education Bursary

Career changers can apply for a £20,000 incentive to ease the transition from paid employment into Initial Teacher Education. For eligibility and to apply, visit:

• STEM Teacher Education Bursary

(Revised 1 February 2023 to add funding opportunity)

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding