PGCE English with Drama and Media Studies

The post primary PGCE is a one year, full-time programme that prepares students for a career in teaching English, Drama and Media Studies. The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower young people to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible decisions throughout their lives. The overall aim of our PGCE programme at Ulster is to support this aim and to foster the development of pedagogical competences in the following three areas: - Professional Values and Practice, Professional Knowledge and Understanding and Professional Skills and Application. To achieve these aims the PGCE post-primary programme at Ulster University prepares student teachers to be competent in the following: - the ability to plan, teach and assess worthwhile learning activities in their subject area(s) in post-primary schools in Northern Ireland for the 11-18 age group, - the acquisition of the knowledge, understanding and skills that are essential for the promotion of learning among pupils, - to assume responsibility for developing as competent reflective practitioners, able to monitor and evaluate their teaching performance, - to realise a commitment to on-going personal and professional development in pursuit of sustained pupil learning and school improvement.

a. English and Mathematics (GCSE grade C or a qualification that is equivalent in breadth and depth to a GCSE e.g. Irish Leaving Certificate. Please note that Essential/Key Skills is not accepted).

b. An Honours degree normally in the specialist subject (Art and Design, English with Drama and Media Studies, Geography, History, Home Economics, Music Education, Physical Education, Technology and Design) in an appropriate NI curriculum subject. In the case of a combined Honours degree at least 50% shall be in the specialist subject. (N.B. The normal minimum offer standard is a 2:2 Honours).

c. All applicants need to provide evidence of knowledge, interest and experience in working with young people of post-primary age.

Applicants for the post-primary pathway also require:

1. Two supportive references.

2. Medical certificate of satisfactory health.

3. Applicants will be scrutinised by Access NI and must also satisfy the University and the Department of Education that nothing would prohibit them from working with children.

4.The application form will be examined for spelling, punctuation and use of English and general quality of presentation.

5.Evidence of knowledge, interest and experience in working with young people of post-primary age normally in a formal/informal education setting.

6.Applicants appearing to fulfil the above requirements will be shortlisted. In the event that the programme is oversubscribed, enhanced criteria (e.g. degree classification) will then be applied and candidates fulfilling these criteria will be interviewed to ascertain their suitability for the course.

7.An offer of a place will be conditional upon satisfying the Selection Committee on all of the above criteria.

8. Applicants who are deemed suitable but for whom an immediate place is not available will be placed on a waiting list and offered a place if another applicant declines his/her place.

IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5., TOEFL iBT - 80 with a minimum L - 17 R - 18 S - 20 W - 17, PTE Academic - 55 (with min. of 51 in each part)