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The PGDE Secondary (Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies) course will engage you in a critical understanding of contemporary ‘real world’ issues by studying key aspects of religious and philosophical questions, and potential solutions offered by religious and non-religious perspectives. You will learn how to underpin your inclusive practices with the key themes of social justice, sustainability and health and wellbeing to enable all young people to make informed moral decisions enabling them to put their values and beliefs into action to the benefit of others and the environment. You will also learn about the role you can play as a religious, moral and philosophical studies teacher to drive forward the discipline within its contemporary social, cultural, and political contexts.

Professional enquiry is an important aspect of the teacher’s role. On our course we will teach you how to conduct research in your classroom to enable you to make evidence-based decisions in support of pupils’ learning.

Structure and exit awards

PGDE (120 credits) with the possibility of 80 credits at Masters’ Level 11.

Teaching, learning and assessment

The course is structured between 18 weeks of teaching at Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ (face-to-face with some blended learning) and 18 weeks split between two secondary school placements.

Teaching consists of independent and collaborative learning in workshops. You will engage in research and produce two written assignments and two presentations all of which will be either assessed at Levels 11 (Master's degree level). School placements are assessed through observation of your teaching and learning within the secondary School context at Level 10.

Assessments are designed to:

• optimise accessibility for students with a range of strengths and abilities;
• provide variety of opportunity to be challenged and to excel;
• engage students in the importance of being literate and communicative in a range of formats and media; and
• model and demonstrate assessment procedures for student teachers to incorporate into their own teaching practice.  

The PGDE shares the pedagogic approach of the other courses in Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ's Division of Psychology, Sociology and Education, foregrounding:

• critical thinking;
• student collaboration;
• independent learning;
• involvement with global real-world issues;
• interprofessional, interdisciplinary learning;
• practical experience, experiential learning and critical reflection;
• practical upskilling in food and textiles;
• peer/group work;
• enquiry-based learning;
• debate and contention; and
• outdoor learning activities.

Placements

Placements are an invaluable way of building on your theoretical learning and seeing the evidence of how teaching religious, moral and philosophical studies can benefit young people. You will complete an 18-week placement in two different secondary schools in Scotland.

Placements are allocated based on schools’ availability within a 90-minute radius of a student’s term time address.

Teaching hours and attendance

This is a full time, demanding course, lasting 36 weeks in total, split into 18 weeks of campus teaching and online learning and 18 weeks on placement.

Class sizes

The expected class size for this PGDE will be up to approximately 20 students.

Teaching staff

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

You will study the following modules:

• Reflective and Critical Practice (Placement modules) (40 credits): This module has a particular focus on becoming a teacher in relation to the Standard for Provisional Registration (2021). This module is assessed by observation of teaching practice in Schools at SCQF Level 10.
• Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies in the 21st Century (40 credits): This module aims to equip you with the skills to teach both the BGE and the senior curriculum within Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies Departments in a secondary school context and to engage critically with research to inform your approaches to transformative learning in schools. Assignments are research based and one is a presentation, with the other being a written submission. Both elements must be passed to achieve this module.
• Education: Theory, Practice & Research (1) (20 credits): This module will develop your critical reading and writing skills in relation to critical enquiry related to theories of learning, assessment and curriculum which will enable you to produce an effective literature review as a focus for future practice-based research.
• Education: Theory, Practice & Research (2) (20 credits): This module will develop your skills in classroom research. You will produce a research proposal and present this to a live audience.

NB The modules listed are correct at time of posting (September 2024) but may be subject to change. In the event that modules change, Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ will seek to use reasonable endeavours to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on students.

Scottish students are guaranteed a job for one year in a Scottish school following graduation as part of the GTCS Teacher Induction Scheme. After graduating, candidates register with the GTCS for provisional registration and on successful completion of a probationary teaching year will be awarded full registration.

When a person successfully completes a teacher education programme at a Scottish university they will receive a teaching qualification. By law they must register with the GTCS before they can be employed as a teacher in a Scottish local authority school.

Newly qualified teachers in their probation year currently start on a salary of £32,217 in Scotland. Secondary teachers get an additional £8,000 if they choose to complete their probationary year anywhere in Scotland. Once you are fully registered, this increases incrementally over the first six years from £32,217 to £48,516.

The Teacher Induction Scheme offers a guaranteed one-year training post to every eligible student graduating with a teaching qualification from one of Scotland’s universities. for more information.

Entry requirements

Successful applicants must, as a minimum, meet the requirements as set by the Memorandum on Entry Requirements to Courses of Initial Teacher Education in Scotland produced by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), which specifies general entrance requirements for all applicants and subject-specific requirements for Secondary applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview. The minimum entry requirements are:

• A degree validated by a higher education institution in the United Kingdom (UK) or a degree of an equivalent standard from an institution outside the UK

• Applicants must have a minimum of 80 SCQF credit points at SCQF level 7 and above in relevant subject areas, including 40 SCQF credit points at SCQF level 8 or above.

The 80 credit points must come from two of more of the following areas:

• Religious Studies
• Philosophy
• Theology
• Divinity
• Sociology of Religion
• Anthropology of Religion
• Psychology of Religion

plus

A National Qualification in English at SCQF Level 6, for example:

• Higher English Grade C or above
• GCSE English LanguageÌýand English Literature, at 4/C or above in both

and

A National Qualification in Mathematics at SCQF Level 5, for example:

• Standard Grade (grade 1 or 2 only) / Int 2 / National 5 Mathematics Grade C or above
• GCSE Mathematics at 4/C or above
  
  

NB: National 5 Lifeskills/Applications Mathematics is accepted in place of National 5 Mathematics.

International students: You will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 6.5 with no individual component score less than 6.0.

Accreditation of prior learning: You may be granted exemption from studying a module or modules up to a maximum of 60 credit points, provided you can demonstrate successful achievement of all the learning outcomes.

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Other requirements

A satisfactory criminal records check from the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme.

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Other costs

The additional costs associated with placement travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the student.

The cost of the PVG check is the responsibility of the student.Ìý

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Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.

Please note that it may not be possible for adjustments made for on-campus learning and teaching to apply on placement, as it may not be possible for some placement providers to make the same accommodations.

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Applying for this course

You should apply for this course as part of the UCAS undergraduate scheme before 29 January 2025. Late applications may be accepted if space remains, please contact AdmissionsÌýto check.

UCAS code: 0003

So that we can fully consider your application, you will need to provide supporting documents to Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ'sÌýAdmissions teamÌýas soon as you have applied. Failure to provide these means we will be unable to assess your application.

PleaseÌýcontact AdmissionsÌýprovide the following:

• Your degree certificate (if already awarded)
• Your academic transcript listing all the modules you have completed
• Evidence of Higher English (or equivalent) if already awarded
• Evidence of National 5 Maths (or equivalent) if already awarded

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Application deadline

29 January 2025

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Terms and Conditions

The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2025/26 Entry - Terms and Conditions (Postgraduate).

For admissions or eligibility enquiries, please contact Admissions. 

Alternatively, please contact Linda Craig (Programme Leader)

More information on our forthcoming open events