Education and Training Level 6 Professional Graduate Certificate

Teaching in the lifelong learning sector is exciting and rewarding. Validated by De Montfort University, this two-year, part-time course is for those already holding a degree level qualification. Attending on Mondays, you will develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to teach in FE Colleges, Adult and Community Learning, voluntary, public, and private organisation settings.

Our two-year, part-time course is validated and certificated by De Montfort University. If you’re joining the course in 2024, you will attend College on Mondays. The course will introduce you to aspects of teaching, learning and assessment to enable you to develop your work as a teacher, trainer or tutor. This course is for those working or wanting to work with learners who are aged 16 or over, including areas such as sixth form, further education, offender learning and adult and community education. After successfully completing the course, you will be eligible to apply for QTLS (Qualified Teacher in Learning and Skills status). Please note this is not suitable for those wishing to pursue primary education.

The level 6 Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is available to candidates who have already achieved an undergraduate degree. This doesn’t have to be in the subject you want to teach so long as you have significant industrial experience or a minimum level 3 qualification in your specialist teaching area.

It is essential that you have secured at least 125 hours (minimum 75 hours per year) of independent, practical and group teaching hours before the start of the course. This can be paid or voluntary – we may be able to assist you in finding a suitable placement if you are struggling, depending on your subject specialism. In addition, you will be expected to undertake a further 50 hours of CPD per year (including shadowing other teaching staff, attending standardisation meetings, observing your peers teaching and undertaking staff training).

Once you have completed the course you will be a fully qualified teacher in the post-compulsory education and training sector and will be able to apply for QTLS status. You may wish to move on to take a subject specialist qualification in literacy, ESOL or maths, or progress on to an MA in education.