Secondary Initial Teacher Education Biology with Science - Postgraduate Certificate in Education

Postgraduate

In Bristol

£ 9,250 + VAT

Description

  • Type

    Postgraduate

  • Location

    Bristol

  • Start date

    Different dates available

This is a new strand of the PGCE Science where you will specialise in Biology. Students who successfully complete this route will be in a strong position to gain employment as teachers of Biology up to post-18 and general science at least to KS3 and possibly KS4.
There are different bursaries and funding available for PGCE courses, find out more from the Department for Education.
The PGCE programme has been designed to train teachers to practice as a subject specialist teacher for the secondary age range (11-16). Trainees are assessed against the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) across the age range. Trainees will also often gain experience of the 16-18 age range, although they will not be formally assessed in this phase.
The course is active and practical allowing trainees to develop professional competence through work undertaken in schools and in the university. Trainees work with young people, develop their expertise in their specialist subject area, share and discuss educational issues and study relevant educational research. The course is just the beginning of what we hope will be a process of continual professional development throughout a challenging and rewarding career.
Once you have been offered a place on a PGCE Secondary Science course you will have an opportunity to boost your subject knowledge in Biology with one of our Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses before starting your PGCE.
Find out more about what PGCE Secondary Education at UWE has to offer in terms of teaching quality, staff expertise and your student experience.
Watch: The learning and teaching experience

Facilities

Location

Start date

Bristol (Avon)
See map
Coldharbour Lane, BS16 1QY

Start date

Different dates availableEnrolment now open

About this course

Placements
24 weeks are spent on placement: a total of nine weeks in one placement during the autumn term and 12 weeks in a second placement during the spring and summer, with shorter placements designed to complement your school experiences, including opportunities to spend time in primary or special schools.
As well as teaching, the course includes contact time with a Senior Professional Tutor and a Subject Mentor in school, directed study time and personal study time.
Trainees in some placements also have the opportunity for a third placement during the final weeks of the...

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Subjects

  • Biology
  • Teaching
  • Secondary
  • University
  • Learning Teaching
  • Initial Teacher
  • Teacher Education
  • Staff
  • Biology Science

Course programme

Content

The course is part of UWE's Department of Education's programme for Initial Teacher Training. Units studied are:

  • Subject Knowledge for Teaching
  • Professional Development
  • Professional Practice
  • Classroom Based Enquiry

These units are studied in both the school and the university-based parts of the course, the work on each site being complementary. The course centres on learning about the nature, content and teaching of all aspects of the science curriculum for 11-16 year olds and of specialist Biology for 14-19 year olds.

During your 12 weeks of study at the university, a range of aspects of teaching and learning of the Science curriculum will be addressed, for example:

  • Common misconceptions in Science
  • Behaviour for learning in the science classroom
  • The science curriculum and qualifications
  • Use of ICT in science
  • Use of assessment to help all learners to make progress
  • Safety in Science lessons
  • The nature of Science

On the UCAS website, look for us under Biology rather than Science, although you will also be trained to teach across the sciences at least to KS3 and possibly KS4.

Guiding young people to develop an understanding of how scientists set about investigating the world, what science can answer and, probably more important in some ways, what it cannot, is exciting and very rewarding. Helping pupils to address misconceptions whilst facing some of your own is certainly a challenging yet fulfilling task.

We will introduce you to a range of teaching styles, classroom management skills, lesson planning and assessment procedures both in the university and through classroom support from teachers in schools. You will consider strategies to support young people in their learning of science. You will also consider the use of a range of teaching styles and resources, including the appropriate use of information and communications technology (ICT).

You will participate in sessions with other biology graduates, and in mixed science groups. You will also work with graduates from other disciplines where cross-curricular issues, such as learning theories and behaviour management are covered.

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.

Learning and Teaching

Personal Support

We recognise that embarking on a new course of study can sometimes be quite a challenging undertaking. You will have support from a number of staff in the university including your group tutor. Additionally any student can get support on a range of issues from a Department Student Adviser.

For more details see our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.

Assessment

In order to pass the course, trainees are required to pass each unit. They are assessed on a number of written assignments and also on classroom practise against the standards specified by the Secretary of State for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Before you start the course it is recommended that trainees take the computer-based QTS skills tests in Numeracy, Literacy and ICT.

For more details see our full glossary of assessment terms.

Secondary Initial Teacher Education Biology with Science - Postgraduate Certificate in Education

£ 9,250 + VAT