Education in Further Education and Skills
CertEd
Undergraduate
September 2025
Overview
Our PGCE Further Education will prepare you for a career in the lifelong learning sector, equipping you with the relevant skills and knowledge, and making you eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS).
You can choose between completing the course in one-year, full-time at the University or as a part-time two-year course at our partner college, College of Haringey, Enfield and north-east London.
Whether you choose to attend the course in Canterbury or in London, you will be taught by the subject experts. Once qualified, you could find work in many settings - from further education and sixth form colleges to adult and community learning, work-based learning or prison education. In fact, anywhere that teaching and training happens after school education.
Our evidenced-based and research-informed approach to initial teacher education will equip you with the knowledge, understanding, and skills you need to improve the lives of young people and adults. With an emphasis on social justice and inclusion, we will support and challenge you to fulfil your potential as an education professional.
You will benefit from the opportunity to gain experience in a diverse range of placements with experienced education professionals, ensuring the development of your specialist subject and pedagogical knowledge.
Successful completion of the PGCE Further Education will enable you to gain a recognised teaching qualification. This qualification meets one of the eligibility criteria that may enable you to apply to undertake professional formation, which leads to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS). Eligibility criteria for professional formation is stipulated by the Society for Education and Training (SET) and published annually.
I liked the mix of theory and practice. What I learnt in the classroom, I could observe, copy and eventually demonstrate in my work placement. It gave me a safe space to make mistakes and room to reflect on my practice and improve. It offered me coaching opportunities to real life classroom concerns and supported me to finally achieve my qualification.
Emma
Entry requirements
You should have a good honours degree at 2.2 or above and demonstrate competence regarding communication. In your application you will need to indicate sound reasons for wanting to teach in post compulsory education and have a clear awareness and experience of the sector. Academic and/or industrial and commercial experience to demonstrate involvement with young people or adults in the community would be advantageous.
You will need to demonstrate your ability in writing in English academically through a reading/writing task at interview.
A good honours degree (2:2 and above) in your chosen specialist subject or a cognisant subject.
English (Language or Literature) and maths at GCSE (Grade C or Grade 4 above, or equivalent).
All applicants will be asked to attend an interview. These will be held remotely.
Successful completion of the Occupational Health Clearance and a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
For international students, find more information for IELTS on our website.
We're interested in your potential as a teacher and so each application is considered on a case-by-case basis. We are looking for applicants who demonstrate enthusiasm and commitment to becoming an outstanding secondary teacher. Your application will need to be supported by one professional reference. (References from personal email accounts cannot be accepted).
Honours degree
2:2
Module information
Core/optional modules
How you’ll learn
Your learning and development will be facilitated by a range of university-based and college-based colleagues. As well as having extensive experiences in the classroom as qualified teachers, our university-based lecturers are all specialists in their field of study. Our college-based colleagues are also expert education professionals with a strong track-record of providing trainees with highly effective mentoring.
Through each level of study, you will learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, college placements and self-study. All of these are supported through Blackboard, the University's virtual learning environment.
The use of a range of learning and teaching strategies is central to the design and planning of this course. This is because the learning you experience in the University and in college placement needs to model explicitly and implicitly key aspects of subject pedagogy. Therefore, there is an emphasis on:
- Individual and collaborative learning
- Critical debate and discussion
- Micro-teaching; multi-sensory learning
- Active learning
- Use of inclusive and diverse resources and content
- Use of information and communication technologies
- Technology-enhanced learning and blended learning
- Independent learning and personal reflection
- Critical reviews
- Connections between research, theory and practical application.
You will learn in a variety of ways in colleges and further education and skills settings, including from experienced mentors, through observing others and through your own experiences. There is also a degree of individual learning support offered on this course, provided by mentors in your placement setting and University tutors.
Whether you decide to do the course part-time or full-time, you need to expect to be engaged in the course activity for most of the working week. It is important to note that your placement needs to reflect at least the 250 hours needed for the course, and so a timetable will be negotiated with you and your placement mentors at the beginning so that this can be attained.
The University lead tutors, and setting-based mentors are all experienced qualified teachers.
I liked the mix of theory and practice. What I learnt in the classroom, I could observe, copy and eventually demonstrate in my work placement. It gave me a safe space to make mistakes and room to reflect on my practice and improve.
EmmaPGCE Further Education student
How you’ll be assessed
You will be assessed in two main ways: via academic assessments and the assessment of your teaching practice during Professional Practice module (modules 2 and 4).
You will submit assignments for each academic module, gaining Level 7 credits as you progress through the course. A range of assessment methods will be used to help you to evidence your knowledge, understanding and skills.
Your future career
The successful completion of this course equips you for employment as a teacher in the further education and skills sector.
This qualification also meets one of the eligibility criteria that may enable you to apply to undertake professional formation, which leads to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS).
Eligibility criteria for professional formation is stipulated by the Society for Education and Training (SET) and published annually. See SET QTLS eligibility criteria for more information.
Your teaching career can take you on to a very rewarding and exciting professional journey involving learning and teaching, leadership and management, curriculum development, research and advisory roles. There is also potential for you to engage in further study in the form of a Master’s and doctorate.
The past two year's teaching work experience at Conel Enfield have both inspired and motivated me to pursue a teaching career, which led me to work as a sessional Business Lecturer at Capital City College Group in the past year, and later achieving a permanent Business Lecturer position.
JenneshaPGCE Further Education student
Related courses
Fees
Important Information on tuition fees
Tuition fees for all courses are payable on an annual basis, except where stated. Please read the Tuition Fee Statement for further information regarding year on year fee increases. Students studying FULL PGCE courses may be eligible to apply to Student Finance for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan. You can find out more on our fees and funding web pages.
Students may self-fund their course or a sponsor may fund or part-fund. Bursaries, scholarships and fee discounts may also be available.
Bursaries
Generous, tax-free funding is available to the best graduates training in a range of subjects. View the FE ITE gov pages to see details about the bursaries available.
Further information
- If you would like information about paying your fees, please contact accounts.receivable@canterbury.ac.uk
- For specific fee queries, please contact fees@canterbury.ac.uk
20% PGCE alumni discount
CCCU alumni are being offered a 20% Alumni Discount on a range of PGCEs, if they are fully self-funding their course and are not in receipt of a Department for Education bursary or professional subject association scholarship.
Note when applying
When you press apply, you will be taken to the government 'Apply for teacher training' website where you can select and apply for the subject area of your choice at Canterbury Christ Church University. It's very straightforward, but it's also worth noting the course code, which is: 3CR6.
Apply now
Find out more