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Further Education and Skills (Distance Learning) at University of Portsmouth - UCAS

Course options

There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

If you have a level 3 qualification and several years' professional experience in a relevant subject area, plus a desire to help students begin their careers through further education, this Certificate in Further Education and Skills (CertEd) course will enable you to teach at college level. On this course, you'll learn the most effective teaching techniques by spending time on teaching placements in real education settings and exploring teaching theory in lectures and seminars. You'll also develop subject specific knowledge by working closely with course teachers and work-based subject mentors. If you're not yet working or teaching in further education, you can study this course online by distance learning. If you do already have a role in further education, you can study part-time by distance learning. You'll still do your teaching placements in person and be a student of the University of Portsmouth, so you’ll have access to all of our facilities and support. After the course, you'll be able to take up teaching roles in further education colleges, sixth-form colleges and private training providers, or to top up your Certificate to a full Bachelor’s degree. You can start this course in September or January.

  • Develop your skills as a teacher through practical experience in the classroom and theoretical study around further education
  • Join fellow professionals from many different backgrounds for lectures and seminars, creating an effective peer network where you can share ideas and experiences
  • Get more than 100 hours of work experience on teaching placements arranged by the University (full-time only)
  • Be eligible for membership of the Society for Education & Training (SET) when you graduate, which enables you to work towards Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status
Careers and opportunities This CertEd Further Education and Skills will give you the formal teaching qualification you need to teach in further education settings such as colleges, sixth-forms and private training providers, or to pursue further study. What can you do with a certificate in further education? After graduating, previous students have gone on to work in:
  • further education colleges
  • sixth-form colleges
  • private training providers
  • public services
  • voluntary organisations

Modules

Full-time Year 1 Core modules:

  • Learning and Teaching in Further Education (Dl) L4 (30 credits)
  • Current Themes and Policy in Curriculum Design (Dl) L5 (30 credits)
  • Educational Research in Practice (Dl) L5 (30 credits)
  • Professional Practice in your Subject Area (Dl) L5 (30 credits)
There are no optional modules. Please see our website for details of the part-time course. We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry.

Assessment method

You'll complete two teaching blocks over the course of study, with each teaching block consisting of two modules. Each module consists of two to three assignments. You’ll be assessed through:

  • research-based essays
  • teaching practice files
  • digital presentations
  • lesson observations
  • logging personal development
You'll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.


How to apply

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

This course may be available at alternative locations, please check if other course options are available

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

A level 3 qualification within your subject delivery area coupled with sufficient experience to establish professional competence. Formal qualifications, experiential learning and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) are also considered. GCSE English and mathematics at grade C/4 or above, or equivalent. All shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview in support of their application. All offers are subject to Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance and Occupational Health clearance. All Distance Learning students are required to have secured their own teaching placement with at least 100 teaching hours plus 75 non-teaching hours per year, and have an identified subject mentor.

Additional entry requirements

Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)

Applicants must pass Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting the course.

Health checks

Applicants must pass Occupational Health check before starting the course.

Interview

All shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview in support of their application.

Other

All Distance Learning students are required to have secured their own teaching placement with at least 100 teaching hours plus 75 non-teaching hours per year, and have an identified subject mentor.


English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 169 with no component score less than 162.
PTE Academic62An overall score of 62 with a minimum of 59 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)7979 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing.
Trinity ISEPassTrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £3630 Year 1
International £3630 Year 1
England £3630 Year 1
Northern Ireland £3630 Year 1
Scotland £3630 Year 1
Wales £3630 Year 1
Channel Islands £3630 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £3630 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. Fees may also go up in later years, in line with inflation. For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/ug-tuition-fees
Further Education and Skills (Distance Learning) at University of Portsmouth - UCAS