Online Postgraduate Teaching and Training degree courses

Overall score

Not at all good. I enrolled on the PGCE for the post compulsory sector three years ago. I had so much trouble with the staff and their general administration, I felt I had to leave the course after four months of study.

Study experience

The faculty put me in a placement where I was trying to teach a subject I had nowhere near enough knowledge or experience of. When I complained, neither my placement colloge or the university would consider transfering me. Also, a member of the faculty blatantly lied to me in the initial interview, claiming that all travelling expenses to the placement would be paid, in fact only expenses accrued after the first five pounds worth of the journey were paid.

Facilities

The facilities were generally quite good, however the opportunity to use them in a structured manner through training was limited, e.g. full training with 'smartboards was supposed to feature on the course. This never materialised. Neither did opportunities to gain the ECDL qualification through extra-curricular study, which was promised to me during the initial interview.

Postgraduate life

As a PGCE student, you have little time for a social life, however the general student facilities and societies seemed quite diverse and proactive. This was quite an eye-opener for me as I gained my first honours degree in a small university college with very little facilities. I would recommend this aspect of Portsmouth to any fresher eager to experience the full spectrum of student life in a big city university.

Job prospects

The only thing I gained that was any value from this dire experience was the knowledge to stay away from the University of Portsmouth with any course concerning education and training!

This review is the subjective opinion of a postgraduatesearch.com reviewer and not of postgraduatesearch.com.