Secondary Education PGDE

The Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) is a one year (36 weeks) full-time course of professional training accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

If you are interested in embarking on a rewarding and fulfilling career, where you can really make a difference, our PGDE programmes give you the opportunity to get a teaching qualification in just 36 weeks.

The aim of the programme is to produce adaptable, flexible teachers who are able to collaborate and cooperate with other professionals, ready to the face challenges of teaching in the 21st century and to commit to the notion of life-long learning. The University of Aberdeen offers an innovative PGDE programme that brings together primary and secondary specialists, in order to learn together, to share common experiences, and to debate current educational issues.

The development of the programme aims to produce inclusive practitioners who will be able to face the challenges of the 21st century classroom, by adopting innovative pedagogies that support all learners and foster collaborative working. The PGDE programme is offered on a full-time basis over 36 weeks with 18 weeks spent on placement in schools in our partner Local Authorities, and the other 18 weeks spent on campus.

An undergraduate degree validated by a University in the United Kingdom or an undergraduate degree of an equivalent standard from a higher education system outside the United Kingdom. The undergraduate degree should normally contain 80 SCQF credit points relevant to the teaching qualification or qualifications being studied; more information is below under Content of your Degree. 40 SCQF of the credit points must have been studied at SCQF level 8 or above. Credit from a Master’s degree may be considered, but applicants will need to demonstrate that the qualification held has a direct relevance in terms of credit, to the teaching of the subject for which application is being made.