About this course
Develop the knowledge and skills to become a qualified history teacher on this PGCE Secondary course at the University of Southampton. You’ll spend your time on school placements and at the University as you learn how to work with secondary-school pupils of all ages and abilities. You’ll qualify to work as a teacher in state-maintained and special schools in England and Wales.
On this Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course you’ll learn how to teach history at secondary-school level (Key Stages 3 and 4) within the UK’s History National Curriculum framework.
You’ll develop:
- a strong grasp of the most effective teaching approaches
- the enthusiasm to help pupils understand and enjoy the subject
- subject knowledge and understanding of historical concepts and processes
You’ll also learn how to:
- manage the classroom
- monitor and assess pupils
- teach for equality and inclusion
You'll spend two-thirds of your time in placement schools in the Southampton area, giving you the chance to experience lesson observation, team teaching, and working with small groups and whole classes.
University-based work will prepare you for your placements, evaluate your school-based work, and develop subject-specific skills and good practice.
Course lead
Your course leader is Rachele Morse, programme director for PGCE Secondary. Rachele taught in secondary schools for 12 years before joining Southampton’s Initial Teacher Education team. Her areas of interest include mentoring and coaching of early career teachers and the development of pupils’ learning and thinking skills. Read Rachele’s staff profile to find out more about her work.
Accreditations
Course location
This course is based at Highfield.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
Download the Course Description Document
The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.
Changes due to COVID-19
Although the COVID-19 situation is improving, any future restrictions could mean we might have to change the way parts of our teaching and learning take place in 2021 to 2022. We're working hard to plan for a number of possible scenarios. This means that some of the information on this course page may be subject to change.
Find out more on our COVID advice page.
Entry requirements
You’ll need:
- an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject
- strong subject knowledge
- GCSEs (minimum grade 4/C) in English language and maths
Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.
Secondary school classroom experience may strengthen your application.
Before applying, you should read the National Curriculum for History and the standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
This is a full-time course. You’ll study from September to June, with breaks at Christmas and Easter.
Find out more about University key dates.
You’ll divide your time between the University and 2 placement schools.
The course consists of 4 compulsory modules. We assess 3 of them at master’s level, 1 at undergraduate level. You’ll need to pass the 3 master’s-level modules to gain your PGCE award.
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
Changes due to COVID-19
Although the COVID-19 situation is improving, any future restrictions could mean we might have to change the way parts of our teaching and learning take place in 2021 to 2022. We're working hard to plan for a number of possible scenarios. This means that some of the information on this course page may be subject to change.
Find out more on our COVID advice page.
For entry in Academic Year 2022-23
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules:
The outcomes of this module will comprise: - A literature review which presents and synthesises the available knowledge within the selected area under investigation. This module is compulsory as it enables students to develop their teaching within their...
The outcomes of this module will comprise: a) a written summary including research findings, a discussion in relation to literature and conclusion with implications for classroom practice b) an 'intervention' which outlines how the student will plac...
Students elect to follow a particular issue from a suite of options presented on an annual basis by staff in Education. The outcomes of the module are for the student to make an oral presentation on their investigations using technology where appropriate.
This module consists of a Portfolio of Evidence from Teaching across all Placement Schools/Colleges. It is assessed against the Teachers’ Standards and is used to evidence that QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) has been met by the Trainee Teacher.
Learning and assessment
Learning
The learning activities for this course include the following:
- workshops and seminars
- tutorials
- group activities
- directed study
- independent study and research
- conference days
- guest speakers
Assessment
We’ll assess you using:
- written assignments
- a presentation
- a portfolio
Academic Support
We'll assign you a personal academic tutor, and you'll have access to a senior tutor.
You’ll have the support of a school-based mentor during your practice placements.
Careers
Successfully completing this course will give you Qualified Teacher Status in addition to your PGCE award. This means you'll be qualified for teaching history in state-maintained and special schools in England and Wales.
We have high employment rates from our PGCE Secondary courses, with many trainees going on to work in our partnership schools.
If you choose to continue your studies, the credits you build up from your master’s-level modules can be put towards a future master’s degree qualification.
Careers services at Southampton
We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020). Our Careers and Employability Service will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:
- work experience schemes
- CV/resume and interview skills workshops
- networking events
- careers fairs attended by top employers
- a wealth of volunteering opportunities
- study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:
- our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
- a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
- our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared
Fees, costs and funding
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay £9,250.
- EU and international students pay £21,000.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.
Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:
Funding your postgraduate studies
A variety of additional scholarships, grants and bursaries may be available to help you fund your master’s study, both from the University and from other organisations.
Funding for EU and international students
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
You must apply for this course on GOV.UK. You’ll need to create an account in order to submit your application.
Application deadlines
UK students
Make sure we receive your application at least 4 weeks before the start of the course. This gives us time to consider your application, if there are still places available.
International students
Make sure we receive your application at least 6 weeks before the start of the course.
This gives us time to consider your application, if there are still places available. It will also give you time to apply for a visa if we offer you a place.
Supporting information
GOV.UK processes applications for this course. When you apply, they’ll give you details of any supporting information or documents you’ll need to supply.
Learn more about how to apply with our postgraduate application guide.
What happens after you apply
After applying through GOV.UK you’ll hear from us by email. We have 40 days to respond, but most applicants hear back much sooner.
If you get through to the next stage we’ll invite you to an interview with tutors, where we’ll assess your suitability for training and teaching. We’ll also ask you to give a short presentation and carry out a written task.
We’ll then decide whether to offer you a conditional place. The decision will be uploaded to your GOV.UK application within 5 working days.
All offers are conditional on enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and health checks.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
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