If you’re looking to progress into a career teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector, including sixth form and further education colleges, adult education and a wide range of other training and educational settings, then this course could be ideal for you. We welcome applicants with industrial skills and/or relevant academic qualifications and a passion for teaching and training others.
Why Lifelong Learning?
- Upon successful completion of this course, you’ll be eligible to proceed to gain Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status, following a process of professional formation through the Society for Education and Training. Your QTLS is the full professional status for teachers in the Lifelong Learning sector.
- During the course you’ll have the opportunity to develop the skills to play a full part in teaching and curriculum development.
- We know there’s no substitute for the classroom environment, so we’ll give you the opportunity to go on placement with one of our partnership institutions. On your placement you’ll be able to observe experienced teachers, gain practical hands-on experience and benefit from one-to-one mentoring to help develop the skills you’ll need to become an outstanding and effective teacher.
Occasional changes to modules and course content may take place. Trainees will be notified when applicable.
Key Information
Course Level
Level 6
Delivery
Part-Time
Duration
2 Year's Part Time
Programme Specification
Awarding Body
Core Modules:
Year 1
- Research Informed Teaching, Learning and Assessment
- Becoming a Subject Specialist Teacher (Practice Based)
Year 2
- Being a Subject Specialist Teacher (Practice Based)
- Curriculum and Context
Placement:
The placement hours for each practice-based module should be at least 250 hours in duration, of which at least 75 hours should be teaching practice. The balance constitutes your professional practice hours and can include a range of activities, including team meetings, planning, interviews, assessment meetings, observations and/or provider wide CPD sessions. These activities should be supported by reflection and self-evaluation. A minimum of 10 hours of remote synchronous delivery should be included per practice-based module, (totalling 20 hours) alongside a minimum of 40 hours face to face delivery.
To improve your range of experience in the sector, your placement practice across the year must include experience in another teaching location. Cumulatively, this must come to 20 hours across the year. The 20 hours experience can include observation of practice, CPD activities, etc rather than teaching practice. If it is not possible to source a second placement, the placement could include observation of a different subject area and/or venue (e.g. alternative provision, 6th form) in the same provider. The 20 hours of experience in another placement will be logged in the teaching portfolio that you will submit as part of the assessment requirements for the module titled ‘Being a Subject Specialist Teacher’. Your placements could be based in areas some distance from your point of study, so please be aware of potential associated travelling costs.
The primary way of delivering this programme is on Campus.
On this course you’ll have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and understanding needed to teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector, and the ability to identify your ongoing needs for professional development. The course helps to prepare you for playing a full part in the teaching, administrative, and curriculum development activities in colleges and in other education and training organisations.
As part of the course, you’ll complete a subject specialist module. This requires attendance at the University. You’ll be informed of the exact dates during the first year of the course.
The focus of this course is on practical teaching. You’ll have the opportunity to gain experience of learning and teaching alongside other professionals with support from tutors and work-based mentors. You’ll be supported to gain competence in planning, teaching and learning; and in working with students; with assessment of your progress taking place in formal classrooms and in student-centred learning situations.
In addition, you’ll be taught through a series of lectures, seminars, tutorials and interactive workshops and you’ll have a personal tutor who’ll be assigned to you throughout your studies to support your ongoing wellbeing and ensure that you have a positive learning experience.
Assessments vary and include essays, the creation of resources to support learning, seminars, and presentations.
No prior teaching experience is needed. The course is particularly suitable if you have relevant qualifications and some experience in your industry and/or subject specialism.
- UK degree (normally 2:2 or above) or equivalent related to your specialist area
- Where the subject for which the degree was awarded is not in (or academically related to) the subject that is being taught, then the applicant will normally need to prove that they possess other qualifications (at NVQ Level 3 or above) that indicate that they may be a credible person to teach that subject.
- GCSE maths grade C/4 or Level 2
- GCSE English grade C/4 or Level 2
- Relevant work experience in some specialist subject areas
In addition, you must also:
- provide a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and health clearances
- provide two satisfactory references
- complete a professional discussion.
We particularly welcome applicants from under-represented groups.
If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.
We are committed to creating educational opportunities for people from a variety of backgrounds and situations. If you have been out of formal education for some time, and/or you do not have the qualifications stated, we might still be able to consider your application and offer you a range of support. We are here to help. Please get in touch to find out more.
Upon successful completion of your postgraduate studies, progression onto the following programmes may be of interest:
Masters Education Studies
Upon successful completion of this course, you’ll be eligible to proceed, following a process of professional formation through the Society for Education and Training to gain Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status. This is the full professional status for teachers in the Lifelong Learning Sector.
Financial Support
UK students can take out a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of their course and a maintenance loan to cover living costs.
We also have a range of other financial support available.
Course Fees
UK
£3970.00, per year.
Additional Costs
Your Tuition fees cover the majority of costs associated with your programme (including registration, tuition and assessment.)
There may be some extra costs that you might need to make or choose to pay.
- Books (you’ll have access to books from your module reading lists in the LRC, but you may want to buy your own copies
- Printing and photocopying
- A DBS check will be required, which you must pay for.
Enquire about this course
To find out more and apply for this course, please contact us via the telephone number below.