Across the globe schools are seeking dynamic and highly qualified teachers to support pupils learning into the future.
We are delighted to announce that the School of Education will be offering the PGCE in Secondary Mathematics Education at the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus, which will open this autumn. The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long-standing reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research in a wide range of areas of educational practice and policy. In the 2017 QS World Rankings, it was ranked 25th in the World and joint 6th in Europe.
Staff within the School of Education have been working closely with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which is responsible for the growth and quality of education, on the development of this high-quality training programme which leads to the award of the Postgraduate Certificate (PGCE) at secondary level.
The programme is based on both the UK and UAE standards. School-based experiences are a central part of this programme which also features a range of professional courses to help you plan, teach, and develop your classroom skills. The high quality personalised support, ensures that the majority of our students exceed the teachers' standards at an outstanding level (Ofsted report 2013).
The School of Education’s well established and renowned programmes in teacher education are due to commence in September 2018 at the Dubai campus. Applications for these courses will open in September 2017. This one year full-time teacher training programme will prepare you for entry into the teaching profession as a reflective and critically aware practitioner. It does this through a significant emphasis on research-led teacher education which will include key elements delivered by staff from the University of Birmingham in Dubai supported by senior teachers in schools.
The programme, which has been approved by KHDA, will support the Ministry of Education's aim of enhancing the status of teachers in the UAE and provide opportunities to share the School’s high quality provision internationally.
Download the flier for the Teacher Training courses in the University of Birmingham Dubai (PDF)
Designed for those who want to teach pupils aged 11-18, the Secondary Mathematics Education programme is a full time one year postgraduate course and includes study around teaching methods, school-based work and whole-school issues. The course develops a deep understanding of issues and complexities which surround the teaching and learning of mathematics. We wish to develop you as a thinking teacher who can be aware of choices in how to teach mathematics and make informed decisions about how you work with students. The course will not pretend that teaching mathematics is straightforward, because it is not! Our sessions will rarely be of the form of a lecture, instead we use activities and discussion as the main way of working.
We will help you become aware of issues relating to planning lessons, assessment, the difference between telling students information and teaching students, standard misconceptions students have about mathematics topics, how different approaches to teaching a topic can change the learning experience for students and how choice of resources and technology can change the sort of mathematics with which students engage.
We have an excellent record of students gaining teaching jobs at the end of the course. The programme is designed to meet recognised teacher standards in the UAE and UK and time is spent in placement schools to develop the necessary experience and skills.
The Primary and Secondary programmes are founded on our long-standing expertise in teacher education and combine the phase, curriculum and learning and teaching expertise of specialist tutors with centre-based training at the University.
A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the programmes. These include university-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.
Specialist university tutors are experts in their field and lead dedicated subject programmes. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year.
The ‘whole school issues’ part of the programme is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students.
As the University of the Year for Graduate Employment in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2015-16, Birmingham is the UK’s number one university for securing a graduate-level job. Your University of Birmingham qualification is evidence of your ability to succeed in a demanding academic environment. Employers target Birmingham students for their drive, diversity, communication and problem-solving skills, their team-working abilities and cultural awareness, and our graduate employment statistics have continued to climb at a rate well above national trends.
Career progression
Following successful completion of the PGCE year, students have the option to study the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Studies. An MA in Teaching Studies can then be undertaken with includes an additional dissertation.The School also plans to offer postgraduates continuing professional development (CPD) courses for teachers and allied professionals in the near future.
“I decided to train to teach at the University of Birmingham, largely because of the reputation it has. I know that teachers who qualify from here are very highly respected and are snapped up very quickly in terms of getting jobs.”
Helena Mandleberg, Current student, Secondary Education: Mathematics
This initial teacher training programme enables lead schools to choose the provider they want to work with. These schools play a key role in recruiting and selecting trainees and they work with the University to provide a high-quality training programme which leads to the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with Qualified Teacher Status at Primary level. Applicants apply direct to a lead school and undertake their placements within the lead school’s partnership. Partnerships may include a mix of primary and special.
Following successful completion of the 60 (level 7) credit PGCE (QTS) year, students may then opt to progress onto the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Studies and then the MA in Teaching Studies with the University of Birmingham.
Students who have completed the 120 credit PGDipEd (QTS) year may progress directly onto the MA in Teaching Studies.
There are two routes currently being offered:
Students on School Direct primary routes at schools partnered with the University of Birmingham will normally undertake a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (School Direct) with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) which will provide 60 credits contributing to Master's level.
Subjects offered
Currently, School Direct with the University of Birmingham’s PGCE (School Direct) is available in the following phases / subjects where an agreement has been put in place with a School Direct school:
Primary
The primary course is designed in conjunction with our partnership of schools, is founded on our long-standing expertise in teacher education and combines the phase, curriculum and learning and teaching expertise of specialist tutors and seconded teachers at the University with the expertise of school-based colleagues. School Direct combines the best of these elements while developing analytic and reflective practitioners.
The course combines school based learning coordinated by the School Direct ‘Lead School’ with lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and practical sessions at the university. Study at the University is largely within the School of Education’s dedicated building which includes specialist facilities, a specialist Education Library, student study areas and online learning support.
School Direct students enter their training with an expectation that, if they are successful in their training and achieve QTS, they are likely to be employed within the schools in the School Direct training alliance in which they have trained.
School Direct students studying with the University of Birmingham and its School Direct partner schools can expect to be highly employable. Success in finding first teaching posts for students on the university’s postgraduate programmes is very high – and substantially above national averages. In addition to this, teachers educated with University of Birmingham partnerships typically remain in the profession and build excellent careers in teaching with progression on to leadership and management roles in schools where that is their desire. A significant number who follow our postgraduate programmes take up the opportunity to complete Masters study at some point after their induction year, further enhancing their career development. Employability rates for University of Birmingham postgraduate trained teachers are among the highest in the country.
School Direct (Salaried) students will be engaged as unqualified teachers within their School Direct school and therefore are specifically employable in that they have been trained via an ‘employment-based route’.
Many of those who have trained to teach with the University of Birmingham are now in headteacher, head of department and similar roles across the West Midlands, nationally and beyond – and many give up time and expertise to contribute to our programmes.
Across the globe schools are seeking dynamic and highly qualified teachers to support pupils learning into the future.
We are delighted to announce that the School of Education will be offering the PGCE in Secondary English Education at the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus, which will open this autumn. The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long-standing reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research in a wide range of areas of educational practice and policy. In the 2017 QS World Rankings, it was ranked 25th in the World and joint 6th in Europe.
Staff within the School of Education have been working closely with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which is responsible for the growth and quality of education, on the development of this high-quality training programme which leads to the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at secondary level.
The programme is based on both the UK and UAE standards. School-based experiences are a central part of this programme which also features a range of professional courses to help you plan, teach, and develop your classroom skills. The high quality personalised support, ensures that the majority of our students exceed the teachers' standards at an outstanding level (Ofsted report 2013).
The School of Education’s well established and renowned programmes in teacher education are due to commence in September 2018 at the Dubai campus. Applications for these courses will open in September 2017. This one year full-time teacher training programme will prepare you for entry into the teaching profession as a reflective and critically aware practitioner. It does this through a significant emphasis on research-led teacher education which will include key elements delivered by staff from the University of Birmingham in Dubai supported by senior teachers in schools.
The programme, which has been approved by KHDA, will support the Ministry of Education's aim of enhancing the status of teachers in the UAE and provide opportunities to share the School’s high quality provision internationally.
Download the flier for the Teacher Training courses in the University of Birmingham Dubai (PDF)
Further information
If you are a student or teacher and wish to receive further information and updates about this programme, please register your interest with Dr Christine Szwed, Strategic Director of Overseas Programmes (Dubai). Email [email protected]
Designed for those who want to teach pupils aged 11-18, the Secondary English Education programme is a full time one year programme with some of this time being spent in placement schools. It includes study around teaching methods, school-based work and whole-school issues. This course is designed to enable students to become reflective, confident practitioners, as well as offering a strong conceptual framework about education, children, English and classroom teaching.
The programme is designed to meet recognised teacher standards in the UAE and UK and time is spent in placement schools to develop the necessary experience and skills. All key areas of teaching English will be covered, including speaking and listening, reading, writing, grammar, media and drama. Whole school issues such as equal opportunities, catering for Special Educational Needs and assessment of learning in English feed through the main subject course.
During school placements students will apply what they have learnt and continue learning through observing experienced teachers, team teaching with peers and teachers, and supported solo teaching within classes. As the course progresses, students will develop increasing confidence and expertise in selecting from a repertoire of learning activities that are supported by appropriate use of resources and technology. The programme has an excellent and proven track record. It is rigorous and challenging, forming an excellent preparation for a successful career in teaching English.
The Primary and Secondary programmes are founded on our long-standing expertise in teacher education and combine the phase, curriculum and learning and teaching expertise of specialist tutors with centre-based training at the University.
A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the programmes. These include university-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.
Specialist university tutors are experts in their field and lead dedicated subject programmes. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year.
The ‘whole school issues’ part of the programme is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students.
As the University of the Year for Graduate Employment in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2015-16, Birmingham is the UK’s number one university for securing a graduate-level job. Your University of Birmingham qualification is evidence of your ability to succeed in a demanding academic environment. Employers target Birmingham students for their drive, diversity, communication and problem-solving skills, their team-working abilities and cultural awareness, and our graduate employment statistics have continued to climb at a rate well above national trends.
Career progression
Following successful completion of the PGCE year, students have the option to study the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Studies. An MA in Teaching Studies can then be undertaken with includes an additional dissertation.The School also plans to offer postgraduates continuing professional development (CPD) courses for teachers and allied professionals in the near future.
“This course successfully combines academic and teaching practices and so helps produce effective English teachers of a high standard.”
Rebecca Ayre, Alumni, Secondary Education: English
Across the globe schools are seeking dynamic and highly qualified teachers to support pupils learning into the future.
We are delighted to announce that the School of Education will be offering the PGCE in Secondary Science Education at the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus, which will open this autumn. The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long-standing reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research in a wide range of areas of educational practice and policy. In the 2017 QS World Rankings, it was ranked 25th in the World and joint 6th in Europe.
Staff within the School of Education have been working closely with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which is responsible for the growth and quality of education, on the development of this high-quality training programme which leads to the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at secondary level.
The programme is based on both the UK and UAE standards. School-based experiences are a central part of this programme which also features a range of professional courses to help you plan, teach, and develop your classroom skills. The high quality personalised support, ensures that the majority of our students exceed the teachers' standards at an outstanding level (Ofsted report 2013).
The School of Education’s well established and renowned programmes in teacher education are due to commence in September 2018 at the Dubai campus. Applications for these courses will open in September 2017. This one year full-time teacher training programme will prepare you for entry into the teaching profession as a reflective and critically aware practitioner. It does this through a significant emphasis on research-led teacher education which will include key elements delivered by staff from the University of Birmingham in Dubai supported by senior teachers in schools.
The programme, which has been approved by KHDA, will support the Ministry of Education's aim of enhancing the status of teachers in the UAE and provide opportunities to share the School’s high quality provision internationally.
Download the flier for the Teacher Training courses in the University of Birmingham Dubai (PDF)
Designed for those who want to teach pupils aged 11-18, the Secondary Science Education programme is a full time one year postgraduate course and includes study around teaching methods, school-based work and whole-school issues in a variety of settings. The course will focus largely on the teaching of general science in the 11-16 age range with additional experience in a science specialism in the post-16 teaching. It will develop skills and abilities in understanding the complexities which surround the teaching and learning of science; the subject knowledge and the pedagogy. We hope to develop you as a reflective teacher who considers carefully the choices in how to teach Science and makes informed decisions about how you work best with students. The programme is designed to meet recognised teacher standards in the UAE and UK and time is spent in placement schools to develop the necessary experience and skills.
Graduates progress to careers as secondary school teachers of Science and many of our former students hold promoted posts.
The Primary and Secondary programmes are founded on our long-standing expertise in teacher education and combine the phase, curriculum and learning and teaching expertise of specialist tutors with centre-based training at the University.
A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the programmes. These include university-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.
Specialist university tutors are experts in their field and lead dedicated subject programmes. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year.
The ‘whole school issues’ part of the programme is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students.
As the University of the Year for Graduate Employment in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2015-16, Birmingham is the UK’s number one university for securing a graduate-level job. Your University of Birmingham qualification is evidence of your ability to succeed in a demanding academic environment. Employers target Birmingham students for their drive, diversity, communication and problem-solving skills, their team-working abilities and cultural awareness, and our graduate employment statistics have continued to climb at a rate well above national trends.
Career progression
Following successful completion of the PGCE year, students have the option to study the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Studies. An MA in Teaching Studies can then be undertaken with includes an additional dissertation.The School also plans to offer postgraduates continuing professional development (CPD) courses for teachers and allied professionals in the near future.
Our Initial Teacher Education course in Religious Education received the top grade in all areas in the last Ofsted subject inspection. The course tries to develop a deep understanding of issues and complexities which surround the teaching and learning of religious education, religious studies and philosophy education. We wish to develop you as a thinking teacher who can be aware of a variety of effective ways to teach Religious Education and make informed decisions about how you work with students.
Find out more about the Beyond the Ordinary national campaign which highlights the benefits of a career in teaching religious education. There is also a bursary of £9,000 currently available for those with a 1st degree/Phd and £4,000 for those with a 2.1 degree/Master's.
At the University of Birmingham we believe we should provide student teachers with the highest level of teacher training possible, and this is why we offer a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDipEd) rather than a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Both qualifications lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) but the PGDipEd also offers the equivalent of 120 credits at Master’s level (out of 180), which makes it a highly rewarding course by combining both theory and practice.
Following satisfactory completion of this course, plus a successful induction year in school and references, you can return to complete an MA in Teaching Studies (data collection and a 15,000 word dissertation). Additionally, the School also offers a number of specialised Professional Development programmes which will enable you to further develop your career.
The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long tradition of delivering teaching training courses. Its teaching has been graded as 'outstanding' for the third consecutive time by Ofsted inspectors which reaffirms the University’s status as one of the UK’s leading institutions for excellence in teacher training.
The Initial Teacher Education course
The PGDipEd course lasts 36 weeks, of which 24 are spent in our partnership schools.
Teaching practice will take several forms: school placements and also team teaching while at the University. You will also get involved in small scale research projects for your assignments so that you can evaluate the theory in practice and integrate this learning into your own teaching.
The course will not pretend that teaching Religious Education is straightforward, because it is not! Our sessions will rarely be of the form of a lecture, instead we use activities and discussion as the main way of working.
We will help you become aware of issues relating to planning lessons, assessment, the difference between telling students information and teaching students, how to provide learning experiences which meet the needs of students with different learning styles, how different approaches to teaching a topic can change the learning experience for students, how choice of teaching methods, resources and technology can change the sort of religious education with which students engage. Along the way we will, of course, also introduce you to the National Framework and local agreed syllabuses for religious education and you will have some opportunities to experience religion at first hand!
You will also get an opportunity to plan, resource and delivering a 6th form conference at the university of Birmingham for over 100 Year 12 and 13 pupils from local schools. This is a unique opportunity and experience and ensures you will leave your training year not only fully equipped to plan, resource and teach A Level but also with the skills of team work, planning for diversity and inclusion and the skills of conference management.
Religious Education students who successfully complete their PGDipED year are eligible to apply for the MA in Teaching Studies once they have completed their NQT year of teaching and within 5 years of passing the PGDipED. The MA in Teaching and Learning is part-time and you study for this alongside your teaching role in school.
Those students who qualified through the University of Birmingham in the PgDipEd (QTS) Religious Education can take advantage of a generous grant scheme run by Culham St Gabriel’s Trust called 3ForRE which enables alumni to undertake the masters qualification in an affordable, manageable way. It is a unique scheme based on a three-way partnership between RE Teachers, schools and Culham St Gabriel’s Trust. Culham St Gabriel’s will currently pay up to £1500 per year of fees for those University of Birmingham PGDipED Religious Education alumni who undertake a dissertation on an RE theme and are accepted onto the MA Teaching Studies programme following a successful NQT year.
Many local schools have a high regard for Birmingham Religious Education PGDipEd (QTS) students and we have an excellent record of students gaining jobs at the end of the course. For 2013-14, 93% of graduates obtained a post in teaching (with the remaining 7% undertaking further study or choosing to acquire employment outside of teaching). Many of our ex-students are now Heads of Departments in our partnership schools.
This programme is unique in the UK. It provides a route to obtain a MSc degree by production of a research thesis of a maximum of 40,000 words over a period of registration of 1 year (full time) or 2 years (part time). The subject matter of the thesis must be related to taxation, but the focus of the specific topic chosen would be by agreement between the student and the supervisors as part of the application and registration process.
The University of Birmingham has a long tradition of business research, with roots dating back to the appointment of the country's first Professor of Accounting, we have a longstanding history of researching and teaching in the area of accounting and finance. Taxation has been a field we have taught and researched actively for more than 20 years. You would therefore be joining and benefiting from a very active research community in participating in this programme.
Where the research subject matter chosen lends itself, students may also become members of the CHASM research centre – a joint venture between the Business School and the School of Social Policy, one of the leading such Schools in the UK. This Centre focuses on personal asset management, financial capability, inclusion and welfare inequality issues producing policy relevant output in each of these areas, so subjects including personal and wealth taxation and the impact of tax on the individual and household would fit into this Centre’s interest. Other subjects are of course however, equally suitable to this programme.
A research proposal is necessary as part of the application process for this programme (find out more about producing a suitable research proposal), and a Skype or telephone interview (or face to face if needed) is likely to be required as part of the registration process to be accepted onto this programme.
If accepted, students can expect to have two supervisors, one a subject expert in the chosen area of taxation (who would act as the lead supervisor), and one with wider taxation knowledge to support the contextualisation and application of the work more generally. The subjects chosen for the work would be expected to study the leading edge of thinking in the various fields of taxation. Where needed research training will be made available to the student.
Support and training
Birmingham Business School provides dedicated facilities, resources and support to postgraduate students and early career researchers which includes The Midlands Graduate School and Doctoral Training Centres and Programmes. Click to find out more.
The areas of Taxation research undertaken by our staff include:
The acceptable research topic areas must be closely related to taxation. For example, to include one or more of the following topics;
Personal experience of working in the proposed topic area of study is desirable.
Please note that while applicants should create a reasoned proposal of study as part of the application process, it should be expected that this would be refined in conjunction with the allocated supervisors if successful in being offered a place on this programme.
If I gain a postgraduate research degree from Birmingham Business School, what are my career prospects?
The University of Birmingham has recently been ranked 9th in the UK, and 55th in the world, for post-qualification employability in a global survey of universities commissioned by the International Herald Tribune.
Birmingham’s Business graduates are sought after by a wide range of financial, commercial and public sector employers. They can typically offer a wide range of skills including analytical & research, numeracy, communication, team working and political & commercial awareness.
For those entering employment after graduating, traditionally popular areas include banking, accountancy/professional services and financial services. Many of our programmes involve studying towards a professional qualification. Outside of these areas, options include teaching abroad and retail management. Many Masters by Research graduates also go on to forge successful academic careers of their own in teaching and academic research.
What type of career assistance is available to Masters by Research students in Birmingham Business School?
The University of Birmingham has invested heavily in careers and employability support. The Careers Team have been praised for enhanced developments within their team and for adopting a model of integrated employability and internship support; something that has been rolled out and implemented across all Schools and Colleges at the University.
Masters by Research students at Birmingham Business School will benefit from this additional investment; the school now has its own well qualified dedicated Careers Team to support students with employment opportunities, work placements, internships and how to succeed at interview. In addition, a range of career management, personal development and employer events are run each year by the Careers in Business Team to help you make the most of the opportunities available.
The University also has dedicated careers advisors for International students who run workshops and networking opportunities with potential employers. These are especially popular with International MSc by Research students.
Across the globe schools are seeking dynamic and highly qualified teachers to support pupils learning into the future.
We are delighted to announce that the School of Education will be offering the PGCE in Primary Education at the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus, which will open this autumn. The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long-standing reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research in a wide range of areas of educational practice and policy. In the 2017 QS World Rankings, it was ranked 25th in the World and joint 6th in Europe.
Staff within the School of Education have been working closely with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which is responsible for the growth and quality of education, on the development of this high-quality training programme which leads to the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at Primary level.
The programme is based on both the UK and UAE standards. School-based experiences are a central part of this programme which also features a range of professional courses to help you plan, teach, and develop your classroom skills. The high quality personalised support, ensures that the majority of our students exceed the teachers' standards at an outstanding level (Ofsted report 2013).
The School of Education’s well established and renowned programmes in teacher education are due to commence in September 2018 at the Dubai campus. Applications for these courses will open in September 2017. This one year full-time teacher training programme will prepare you for entry into the teaching profession as a reflective and critically aware practitioner. It does this through a significant emphasis on research-led teacher education which will include key elements delivered by staff from the University of Birmingham in Dubai supported by senior teachers in schools.
The programme, which has been approved by KHDA, will support the Ministry of Education's aim of enhancing the status of teachers in the UAE and provide opportunities to share the School’s high quality provision internationally.
Download the flier for the Teacher Training courses in the University of Birmingham Dubai (PDF)
Suitable for those interested in becoming a teacher across the full 5-11 age range the Primary Education programme is a full time one year postgraduate programme. The programme is designed to help you plan, teach and develop your classroom skills within the primary age range. Time within the programme is spent developing necessary subject knowledge in English, Mathematics and Science alongside the consideration of whole school issues such as Managing Behaviour.
The Primary English component forms an essential part of your work on the PGCE in Primary Education course. It has been designed to develop your skills in the planning, teaching and assessment of Primary English, including speaking, listening, reading and writing. Your training will include taught sessions at university, directed tasks in school, group tasks, directed self-study and independent study and research. These elements of your training are linked, to ensure coherence and the integration of policy, practice and theory. Strong subject knowledge is a vital element of being an outstanding teacher. The course is designed to help you develop English subject knowledge in your own context, build confidence with subject specific terminology, and develop your understanding of the nature of pupils progression in Primary English.
The Primary Mathematics component aims to prepare you to teach mathematics effectively, confidently and enthusiastically across all primary ages. Through undertaking the course students’ will develop their knowledge and understanding of an appropriate mathematics curriculum within a current and contemporary context. They will also develop and extend their mathematical subject and pedagogical knowledge with a particular focus upon effective teaching strategies, calculation methods, relevance, relational understanding, Mastery, reasoning, problem solving and using and applying. A wide range of children's errors and misconceptions across all primary mathematics topics will be highlighted and discussed, and a variety of teaching and learning strategies to appropriately address these will be modelled and explained. Students will also develop their knowledge, understanding and ability to use a range of resources (including ICT), creative and exciting approaches, planning principles and strategies, cross-curriculum methods and formative assessment to fully support pupils mathematical engagement, progress and achievement. All aspects of the course will be supported and informed by a range of contemporary and seminal primary mathematics and pedagogical research. Students will be provided with the opportunity to reflect upon and evaluate their teaching and the pupils development within mathematics.
The programme is designed to meet recognised teacher standards in the UAE and UK and time is spent in placement schools to develop the necessary experience and skills.
The Primary and Secondary programmes are founded on our long-standing expertise in teacher education and combine the phase, curriculum and learning and teaching expertise of specialist tutors with centre-based training at the University.
A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the programme. These include university-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.
Specialist university tutors are experts in their field and lead dedicated subject programmes. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year.
The ‘whole school issues’ part of the programme is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students.
The History PGDipEd (QTS) course has been praised by both Ofsted and the external examiner for its innovative approach, our commitment to supporting student teachers as they develop and our close links with our placement schools. We are committed to the idea that teaching is more than simple craft knowledge; it is the synthesis of theories about learning and hands on experience in the classroom. Teachers equipped with this will be able to reflect on their experiences and develop as teachers throughout their careers. A bursary of £9,000 is currently available for those with a 1st degree/PhD and £4,000 for a 2:1 degree/Master's.
At the University of Birmingham we believe we should provide student teachers with the highest level of teacher training possible, and this is why we offer a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDipEd) rather than a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Both qualifications lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) but the PGDipEd also offers the equivalent of 120 credits at Master’s level (out of 180), which makes it a highly rewarding course by combining both theory and practice.
Following satisfactory completion of the History PGDipEd course, plus a successful induction year in school and references, you can return to complete an MA in Teaching Studies (data collection and a 15,000 word dissertation). Additionally, the School also offers a number of specialised Professional Development programmes which will enable you to further develop your career.
The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long tradition of delivering teacher training courses. Its teaching has been graded as 'outstanding' for the third consecutive time by Ofsted inspectors which reaffirms the University’s status as one of the UK’s leading institutions for excellence in teacher training.
The Initial Teacher Education course
The PGDipEd course lasts 36 weeks, of which 24 are spent in our partnership schools.
Teaching practice will take several forms: school placements and also team teaching while at the University. You will also get involved in small scale research projects for your assignments so that you can evaluate the theory in practice and integrate this learning into your own teaching.
Teaching is an inherently complex activity, and teachers choose their teaching strategies for a variety of reasons. Consequently we will equip you to analyse your ideas about teaching and understand the range of ideas that are behind all talk about teaching. You will be equipped to use the most up to date ideas about teaching but also to appreciate that these will in turn become outdated and replaced by new strategies.
You will teach classes in Key Stage 3 and 4 as well as post-16, and learn to select the most effective teaching methods. Our sessions model different teaching methods so you experience the methods you can use. Our close links with history departments in schools means we are not only able to use the 30 years of teaching experience of the tutors but get teachers in to talk about their experience of teaching too.
Ask our current students and alumni a question
These are experienced postgraduates who have previously studied, or are currently studying, at the University of Birmingham, and they offer help and advice from a student perspective.
Equal Opportunities
The School of Education is committed to equal opportunities in the access to and provision of education. For more information please see the following documents:
Details of our other PGDipEd subjects may be found on the Postgraduate Diploma Secondary Education (QTS) course page
A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the presentation of the themes. These include University-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.
The course includes the following areas of study:
Subject-based teaching methods
You follow your specialist programme, working with your tutor and with peers in your subject, during University days which make up 12 weeks in total across the year. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year.
School-based work
School-based work is an important part of the programme, with students normally spending a total of 24 weeks in schools. During the programme you benefit from both carefully supported introductory work in different schools and the experience of spending a significant length of time in two schools.
The final assessment of teaching is based on the spring/summer term school placement. Assessment is shared between University tutors, staff responsible for students in schools, and external examiners. All aspects of your contribution to the life of the school are taken into account, in particular the teaching of your main subject.
During the course supervised experience and practice are arranged in schools of various kinds across the 11–18 age range. We are fortunate in being able to work with a wide range of partnership schools, including mixed comprehensives, single-sex schools, sixth-form colleges and our own University Training School (http://www.uobschool.org.uk). Many of the schools offer opportunities to work with pupils from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.
Whole-school issues
This area of study is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide you with a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students. Themes currently include Managing Inclusion, Monitoring and Assessment, and Pastoral Care and Citizenship.
Tutoring and support
You will personally be allocated a university tutor who will guide and support you throughout your PGDipEd (QTS), along with a dedicated school mentor when on placements.
Progression
Once you have completed your PGDipEd (QTS) and successfully passed your induction year you may return to study with us on a part-time basis to complete a 60 credit dissertation and obtain an MA in Teaching Studies.
Our PGDipEd (QTS) Geography course is recognised as one of the strongest in the country. The course benefits from its supportive partnerships with geography mentors in a variety of schools in the West Midlands. It offers opportunities to learn in a range of settings, including a week of residential fieldwork with children. The course encourages you to combine the theory and practice of geographical education, whilst also developing your professional understanding and competence as a geography teacher. The programme also includes a residential Geography fieldcourse.
For those who are eligible, a scholarship of £28,000 and bursaries of £26,000 are currently available for applicants.
At the University of Birmingham we believe we should provide student teachers with the highest level of teacher training possible, and this is why we offer a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDipEd) rather than a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Both qualifications lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) but the PGDipEd also offers the equivalent of 120 credits at Master’s level (out of 180), which makes it a highly rewarding course by combining both theory and practice.
Following satisfactory completion of this course, plus a successful induction year in school and references, you can return to complete an MA in Teaching Studies (data collection and a 15,000 word dissertation). Additionally, the School also offers a number of specialised Professional Development programmes which will enable you to further develop your career.
The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long tradition of delivering teaching training courses. It's teaching has been graded as 'outstanding' for the third consecutive time by Ofsted inspectors which reaffirms the University’s status as one of the UK’s leading institutions for excellence in teacher training.
The Initial Teacher Education course
The PGDipEd course lasts 36 weeks, of which 24 are spent in our partnership schools.
Teaching practice will take several forms: school placements and also team teaching while at the University. You will also get involved in small scale research projects for your assignments so that you can evaluate the theory in practice and integrate this learning into your own teaching.
The PGDipEd(QTS) Geography course is delivered through seminars, lectures, group work, practical school experience, ICT and field studies. It places a clear emphasis on the central role of the learner.
The course provides the necessary skills to organise geography lessons successfully and deal with the daily challenges of teaching in a comprehensive school. Time is spent on the preparation of lessons, teaching strategies, use of equipment and classroom management. The appropriate use of ICT in geography education is stressed.
You will learn about the role of geography education in the secondary school curriculum. Principles of evaluation, assessment, record keeping and reporting in geography education will be investigated. You will be expected to take a reflective and active stance towards your own development.
The PGDipEd Geography recognises the essential nature of geographical fieldwork, and includes a compulsory residential fieldwork experience where students have a hands-on experience of learning outside the classroom. A financial contribution is required towards the cost of this fieldwork.
Equal Opportunities
The School of Education is committed to equal opportunities in the access to and provision of education. For more information please see the following documents:
Information on our other PGDipEd subjects may be found on the Postgraduate Diploma Secondary Education course page.
Course Structure
A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the presentation of the themes. These include University-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.
The course includes the following areas of study:
Subject-based teaching methods
You follow your specialist programme, working with your tutor and with peers in your subject, during University days which make up 12 weeks in total across the year. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year.
School-based work
School-based work is an important part of the programme, with students normally spending a total of 24 weeks in schools. During the programme you benefit from both carefully supported introductory work in different schools and the experience of spending a significant length of time in two schools.
The final assessment of teaching is based on the spring/summer term school placement. Assessment is shared between University tutors, staff responsible for students in schools, and external examiners. All aspects of your contribution to the life of the school are taken into account, in particular the teaching of your main subject.
During the course supervised experience and practice are arranged in schools of various kinds across the 11–18 age range. We are fortunate in being able to work with a wide range of partnership schools, including mixed comprehensives, single-sex schools, sixth-form colleges and our own University Training School (http://www.uobschool.org.uk). Many of the schools offer opportunities to work with pupils from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.
Whole-school issues
This area of study is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide you with a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students. Themes currently include Managing Inclusion, Monitoring and Assessment, and Pastoral Care and Citizenship.
Tutoring and support
You will personally be allocated a university tutor who will guide and support you throughout your PGDipEd (QTS), along with a dedicated school mentor when on placements.
Progression
Once you have completed your PGDipEd (QTS) and successfully passed your induction year you may return to study with us on a part-time basis to complete a 60 credit dissertation and obtain an MA in Teaching Studies.
If you want to focus on researching one specific area in the History of Art without going straight into a PhD, then the MRes is the programme for you.
At the end of this programme many of our graduates continue on to do a PhD, where they undertake a much more extensive research project.
Most of the teaching on the MRes programme takes place in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, which houses the Barber Institute Gallery, a valuable teaching collection, used by all members of staff on a regular basis. The Barber Institute is home to an onsite research library, a prints and drawings study room and a coin study room. These facilities, together with the holdings of the University Main Library and the Special Collections of the Cadbury Research Library, make Birmingham one of the best resourced Departments of History of Art in Britain.
The core of the MRes programme is a 20,000-word thesis, which is supported by both research training and art theory modules.
Both of these core modules will equip you with the skills to enable you to complete your thesis.
The core research training module offers advice on how to hone your research topic, write a research rationale and present your thesis.
‘Criticism and Methods’ engages with a range of art historical methodologies and addresses theoretical debates emerging within the discipline. The module helps you frame your current research within the wider art historical research context.
In your second term, you also choose one optional module. Recent subjects have included: Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art; Theorising and Historicising Exhibitions; and Artists’ Film and Video.
The teaching on the Masters programme mainly takes place in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, which houses the Barber Institute Gallery, and is used by members of staff on a regular basis as part of your learning.
The collection is an excellent and representative collection of post-medieval European art, including paintings, engravings and drawings by artists such as Rembrandt, Turner, Van Dyck, Veronese and Vigée-LeBrun, as well as a major collection of 19th- and 20th-century works by artists such as Degas, Gauguin, Käthe Kollwitz, George Grosz, Manet, Miró, Picasso and Whistler.
The Barber Institute is home to an on-site research library which, in conjunction with the holdings of the University Main Library and the Special Collections of the Cadbury Research Library, makes Birmingham one of the best resourced Departments of History of Art in Britain.
You will also become part of, and contribute to, the vibrant international community of the College of Arts and Law Graduate School, which offers dedicated research resources and a supportive working environment. Our team of academic and operational staff are on hand to offer support and advice to all postgraduate students within the College.
The History of Art MRes aims to:
It also aims to provide you with following skills:
Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.
The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.
You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.
You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.
Postgraduate employability: History of Art
Birmingham's History of Art graduates develop a broad range of transferable skills, including: familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large quantities of information from diverse sources; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on detailed research.
Our History of Art postgraduates also have the advantage of gaining hands-on experience at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts: the university's on-campus art gallery which is home to the Department of Art History, Curating and Visual Studies.
Over the past two years, 100% of History of Art postgraduates were in work and/or further study six months after graduation. Many graduates enter occupations relating to gallery and museum management and curatorship; others pursue careers in academia. Employers that our graduates have gone on to work for include: Barber Institute of Fine Arts; Courtauld Institute of Arts; National Portrait Gallery; Royal Birmingham Society of Artists; University of Birmingham; and the Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust.
This programme approved by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) for training teachers of deaf children seeking the Mandatory (MQ) qualification is offered as a distance learning course. Successful completion of this programme leads to General Teaching Council recognition as a qualified teacher of the deaf. An alternative programme is also open to teachers (as well as other professionals with appropriate qualifications) working with children and young people with hearing impairment who are not seeking the MQ.
This distance learning programme approved by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has been offered at the University of Birmingham since 1989. It is open to teachers who are qualified to teach learners in England (from 0 to 25 years of age) who wish to gain the mandatory qualification of teacher of the deaf. The programme aims to equip teachers who are already qualified to teach learners in England to meet the relevant NCTL standards to achieve qualified teacher of the deaf status.
It is also open to other professionals who do not wish, or are not eligible, to obtain qualified teacher of the deaf status – for example lecturers of deaf students, communication support workers and educational psychologists. Applicants who are not qualified teachers of school-aged pupils may take the University (non mandatory) Award but will not be eligible to obtain qualified teacher of the deaf status from the NCTL.
Study is supported through study packs, tutorial groups, telephone, email, web based learning and online materials, and through an allocated tutor in a small tutorial group which allows students to learn with each other. Internet access is required for the programme. There is a University based study week in January each year, at which attendance is compulsory.
Students who successfully complete all modules for the Postgraduate Diploma may choose to transfer to the MEd.
Those candidates who successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma may use this as credits towards the degree of MEd. The course content is identical for both levels of study, but students studying for the higher Postgraduate Diploma level will be expected to submit assignments which are both longer and display a greater degree of reflection and insight.
This is a distance education programme and regular attendance at the University is not required. Course content is embodied in a series of written and online course Units with accompanying recommended reading and resource materials. Attendance is compulsory at two annual Residential Schools at the University of Birmingham, and students are expected to attend seminars/workshops held in the students’ region. The most common pattern is six seminars lasting three hours each academic year, held on Saturdays, but there may be some regional groups may negotiate a different pattern. Regional tutors are appointed by the University to organise regional seminars and help in course assessment.
The Residential Schools provide opportunities for demonstrations and practice in the use of materials and equipment, lectures, discussions and tutorials.
The University of Birmingham welcomes applications from deaf and disabled students. We strongly encourage students applying to this course who may require support (including communication support) or who may require reasonable adjustments to be made as a result of a physical, sensory, mental health or learning support need to register with the disability, learning support and mental health team. Eligible students are also encouraged to apply for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) which may provide funding towards equipment, software and support where required.
The University appoints Honorary Tutors who are responsible for organising and providing regional seminars for small groups of students. The University team works closely with these tutors to ensure an effective system of academic, practical and pastoral support. These seminars are essential components of the Programme of Study. Candidates must be prepared to undertake some travelling, within a region, in order to meet with their group.
Also, each student is expected to obtain the services of a local qualified teacher of the deaf who will act as a ‘mentor’ and assist them throughout the course. Mentors are asked to support the student in a number of ways, for example, setting ideas presented in the course materials within a local context, helping with the arrangements for visits, and facilitating access to equipment.
A further level of student support is offered via the programme’s elearning web pages, and students need to have access to the internet. Students must also have regular access to e-mail throughout the course.
The employing authority/school in which the student is located needs to:
Those teachers who wish to obtain the mandatory qualification of teacher of the deaf will need to undertake a teaching placement.
Like a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) the Post-Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education (PGDipEd) is a teacher training programme leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) however it has the advantage of offering the equivalent of 120 credits which may be used towards our MA in Teaching Studies. Rated outstanding by Ofsted in 2013, this is a unique course which offers high quality training and support as well as excellent employment prospects.
Once you have completed your PGDipEd, you may return to study with us on a part-time basis to complete your Masters in Teaching Studies. Additionally, the School also offers a number of specialised Professional Development programmes which will enable you to further develop your career.
Subject Areas
The Secondary PGDipEd is available in the following subjects:
Additionally, we offer a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course in mathematics for those who do not meet subject entrance requirements.
The School of Education, also offers secondary programmes through the School Direct route. To help you decide which route to take, we have put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions
The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long tradition of delivering teacher training courses. Its teaching has been graded as 'outstanding' for the third consecutive time by Ofsted inspectors which reaffirms the University’s status as one of the UK’s leading institutions for excellence in teacher training.
The Initial Teacher Education course
The PGDipEd course lasts 36 weeks, of which 24 are spent in our partnership schools.
Teaching practice will take several forms: school placements and also team teaching while at the University. You will also get involved in small scale research projects for your assignments so that you can evaluate the theory in practice and integrate this learning into your own teaching.
Equal Opportunities
The School of Education is committed to equal opportunities in the access to and provision of education. For more information please see the following documents:
A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the presentation of the themes. These include University-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.
The PGDipEd is divided into five phases:
The course includes the following areas of study:
Subject-based teaching methods
You follow one main method programme, each of which occupies at least three half-days a week for five weeks in each of the autumn and spring terms and two weeks in the summer term. In some subjects a field course, involving work with children, may replace a number of single days in the year. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year.
School-based work
School-based work is an important part of the programme, with students normally spending 24 weeks in schools. The combination of block practice and other periods of work in schools enables you to benefit from both carefully supported introductory work in different schools and the experience of spending a significant length of time in one school.
The final assessment of teaching is based on the spring/summer term school placement. Assessment is shared between University tutors, staff responsible for students in schools, and external examiners. All aspects of your contribution to the life of the school are taken into account, in particular the teaching of your main subject.
Prior to the start of the autumn term you are expected to undertake a preliminary period of observation in a primary/middle school near your home or lodgings. During the course supervised experience and practice are arranged in schools of various kinds across the 11–18 age range. We are fortunate in being able to work with a wide range of partnership schools, including mixed comprehensives, single-sex schools and sixth-form colleges. Many of the schools offer opportunities to work with pupils from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.
Whole-school issues
This area of study is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide you with a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students. Themes currently include Managing Inclusion, Monitoring and Assessment, and Pastoral Care and Citizenship.
Tutoring and support
You will personally be allocated a university tutor who will guide and support you throughout your PGDipEd (QTS), along with a dedicated school mentor when on placement.
Progression
Once you have completed your PGDipEd (QTS) and successfully passed your induction year you may return to study with us on a part-time basis to complete a 60 credit dissertation and obtain an MA in Teaching Studies.
As a student teacher you will want to learn about and practise the teaching of your own subject. This programme offers you plenty of opportunity for this and also addresses other important issues such as classroom management, equal opportunities, special educational needs and pastoral care. We will help you acquire the knowledge and skills needed to meet the other varied demands that are part of life in school. You will also receive guidance on how to gain a teaching post - our student teachers employment rates are consistently excellent and well above the national average.
This unique one-year programme offers you the opportunity to study at the Ironbridge International Institute for Cultural Heritage in the autumn semester, and at the Collaborative for Cultural Heritage Management and Policy, University of Illinois, in the spring semester. Education at both universities is complemented by study trips.
Academic staff at both institutions engage with you throughout the programme through on-site guest lectures as well as long-distance participation. Your work is evaluated by the international team of staff and your MA dissertation is co-supervised.
You will gain deep exposure to heritage issues in the two countries as well as benefiting from academic expertise in the heritage management field worldwide.
We also offer an International Heritage Management MA programme full-time at the University of Birmingham, or by distance learning over one or two years - see our full range of courses.
You will study three core modules at the University of Birmingham, and three core modules at the University of Illinois:
University of Birmingham (autumn semester)
University of Illinois (spring semester)
You will also have the opportunity to undertake site visits to key heritage locations in both the UK and US, which is included in your course fee. Your fee also includes accommodation at the University of Birmingham in the autumn semester and at the University of Illinois in the spring semester.
Assessment
Modules are typically assessed by written assignment. You will complete the programme with a 15,000-word dissertation.
Teaching within modules takes many forms, including lectures, field work and debates. You will also work closely with a personal tutor throughout the course.
Support with academic writing
As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.
International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the Birmingham International Academy (BIA).
Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.
The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.
You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.
You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.
Postgraduate employability: Cultural Heritage
Graduates from the Ironbridge International Institute for Cultural Heritage can boast a wide combination of skills that can be applied to a number of careers, including museums work, conservation and regeneration, the management of historic buildings and landscapes, and cultural tourism.
Over the past three years, over 96% of our postgraduates were in work and/or further study six months after graduation. Employers that our graduates have gone on to work for include: Birmingham Museums Trust; National Trust; Canal and River Trust; English Heritage; Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust; and Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
This distinctive full-time MA programme provides you with an opportunity to study the history and historiography of warfare from a multi-disciplinary and multi-period perspective.
A thorough grounding is provided in research methods and in the historiography and economics of warfare, while a wide choice of options complements the broad range of possible dissertation subjects that can be supported by our staff.
Times Higher Education ranked the Department of History first in the country for its performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework exercise.
All students will study three core modules:
Students who did not take the BA War Studies degree at the University of Birmingham will also study an additional core module: Writing the History of Warfare.
Those who did not take the BA War Studies degree will then take 40 credits of optional modules, while University of Birmingham BA War Studies graduates will take 60 credits of optional modules. These are chosen from:
See modules tab below for more information on available options.
Assessment
Modules are assessed by written assignment and you will also complete a 15,000-word dissertation.
This programme is delivered through our Centre for War Studies, so you’ll be taught by academics who are experts in their field., so you’ll be taught by academics who are experts in their field.
Learning and teaching takes place via seminars, tutorials, work on primary sources, and reading texts on theory and methods.
Support with academic writing
As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.
International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the Birmingham International Academy (BIA).
Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.
The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver tailored programmes of careers events and local support.
You will have opportunities to: meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs; attend employer presentations and skills workshops; receive individual guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique; and access to comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.
You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.
Postgraduate employability: History
Birmingham’s History graduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by a range of employers. These skills include: familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large quantities of information from diverse sources; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on statistical research.
Some of our History postgraduates go on to use their studies directly, for example in heritage, museums or the armed forces; others use their transferable skills in a range of occupations from finance, to publishing, to fundraising. Employers that graduates have gone on to work for include: Royal Air Force; Ministry of Defence; University of Birmingham; Big Lottery Fund; Royal Air Force Museum; and University of Oxford.
This one year Physical Education PGDipEd (QTS) course is considered to be a high quality course as identified by the Ofsted subject inspection. The course tries to develop a deep understanding of issues and complexities which surround the teaching and learning of Physical Education. We wish to develop you as a thinking teacher who can be aware of choices in how to teach Physical Education and make informed decisions about how you work with pupils.
At the University of Birmingham we believe we should provide student teachers with the highest level of teacher training possible, and this is why we offer a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDipEd) rather than a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Both qualifications lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) but the PGDipEd also offers the equivalent of 120 credits at Master’s level (out of 180), which makes it a highly rewarding course by combining both theory and practice.
Following satisfactory completion of this course, plus a successful induction year in school and references, you can return to complete an MA in Teaching Studies (data collection and a 15,000 word dissertation). Additionally, the School also offers a number of specialised Professional Development programmes which will enable you to further develop your career.
Download our brochure for information on all our teacher education programmes.
The School of Education at the University of Birmingham has a long tradition of delivering teaching training courses. Its teaching has been graded as 'outstanding' for the third consecutive time by Ofsted inspectors which reaffirms the University’s status as one of the UK’s leading institutions for excellence in teacher training.
The Initial Teacher Education course
The PGDipEd course lasts 36 weeks, of which 24 are spent in our partnership schools.
Teaching practice will take several forms: school placements and also team teaching while at the University. You will also get involved in small scale research projects for your assignments so that you can evaluate the theory in practice and integrate this learning into your own teaching.
The course will aim to develop your teaching ability to ensure that you can facilitate learning in the pupils in your care. Our sessions will explore different aspects of teaching and will involve a balance of theoretical and practical activities. We will help you become aware of issues related to teaching including planning units of work and lessons, assessment strategies and teaching and learning styles. We will cover the six activity areas of the National Curriculum as well as the examination and vocational opportunities in Physical Education. We will support your development as a teacher and guide you to recognise and correct pupils' common misconceptions. We will introduce you to a range of equipment, resources and technology which you can utilise to maximise learning opportunities.
The Physical Education PGDipEd (QTS) operates a ‘Course Enhancement’ programme which includes residential activity and some certificated courses, it is expected that student teachers will make a financial contribution.
Equal Opportunities
The School of Education is committed to equal opportunities in the access to and provision of education. For more information please see the following documents:
Information on our other PGDipEd (QTS) subjects may be found on the Postgraduate Diploma Secondary Education (QTS)course page.
Course Structure
A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the presentation of the themes. These include University-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students.
The course includes the following areas of study:
Subject-based teaching methods
You follow your specialist programme, working with your tutor and with peers in your subject, during University days which make up 12 weeks in total across the year. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year.
School-based work
School-based work is an important part of the programme, with students normally spending a total of 24 weeks in schools. During the programme you benefit from both carefully supported introductory work in different schools and the experience of spending a significant length of time in two schools.
The final assessment of teaching is based on the spring/summer term school placement. Assessment is shared between University tutors, staff responsible for students in schools, and external examiners. All aspects of your contribution to the life of the school are taken into account, in particular the teaching of your main subject.
During the course supervised experience and practice are arranged in schools of various kinds across the 11–18 age range. We are fortunate in being able to work with a wide range of partnership schools, including mixed comprehensives, single-sex schools, sixth-form colleges and our own University Training School (http://www.uobschool.org.uk). Many of the schools offer opportunities to work with pupils from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.
Whole-school issues
This area of study is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide you with a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students. Themes currently include Managing Inclusion, Monitoring and Assessment, and Pastoral Care and Citizenship.
Tutoring and support
You will personally be allocated a university tutor who will guide and support you throughout your PGDipEd (QTS), along with a dedicated school mentor when on placements.
Progression
Once you have completed your PGDipEd (QTS) and successfully passed your induction year you may return to study with us on a part-time basis to complete a 60 credit dissertation and obtain an MA in Teaching Studies.
Study Computer Science, Mathematics and Nuclear Education at a world-class university
