If your dream career is teaching, you may have heard of the PGCE qualification – a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. It may not be compulsory to become a teacher, however it can definitely help you to stand out! Regardless, some students may be hesitant when thinking about applying for the PGCE or not. After all, they would have already done at least three years at university! Therefore, it is important to clarify how long the PGCSE actually takes to complete, so you can decide whether gaining the extra qualification will be worth the time.
A PGCE usually takes one full academic year to complete. This is the case if you are studying full time. However, if you are studying part time, it may take two academic years to complete. Placements are included in PGCE placements, often lasting 24 weeks.
If you want to discover more about how long a PGCE takes to complete and whether the extra time is worth it, check out the rest of this article!
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How long are the different types of PGCEs?
There are different types of PGCE qualifications and you will need to complete the one relevant to your career choice. For example, if you want to become a primary teacher, it would be useful to complete the primary PGCE.
There is also a secondary or further education PGCE you can complete. They all take the same amount of time – which is one full academic year if studying full time, as already mentioned.
However, 24 weeks of this time involves being on placement! You can find out more about how long PGCE qualifications take and the different types if you check out this article from Prospects.
When do PGCE courses start and end?
PGCEs tend to start during autumn time. This is the same as other educational start times, generally in September or October. PGCEs then normally take one year to complete full time or two years to complete part time.
PGCE courses then finish during the summer months. As a result, you will still get your big summer holiday! You can find out more about PGCE time frames and more information about them in general if you check out this article from the Postgraduate Search website.
How long is a teaching degree?
Gaining a degree to become a teacher generally takes three to four years to complete. This can be done in three years via completing a Bachelor of Education degree or a Bachelor of a subject with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). This article from the government website has more information about QTS.
However, it will take four years if you obtain a bachelor’s degree in a separate subject, as you will have to spend another year gaining teaching qualifications. This can be done via completing a PGCE. If you want to discover what a PGCE actually is, check out this article from Think Student.
It must be noted that obtaining a teaching degree could take up to six years if you choose to complete it part time! If you want to discover more about how long a teaching degree takes to complete, check out this article from Indeed.
Is the time a PGCE takes to complete worth it?
If you desperately want to become a teacher, gaining a PGCE is definitely worth it. After all, it only takes one academic year to complete. Therefore, if you have already spent three years at university learning about a subject that you are passionate about, doing one more year and gaining more experience shouldn’t be too hard!
Completing a PGCE will also be extremely beneficial for your career. This is because you will learn how to manage classroom behaviour and discover the different modern educational issues. You will develop to be the best teacher you can be if you complete a PGCE, as you will gain an immense number of practical skills.
However, a PGCE isn’t actually compulsory if you want to teach in England. Therefore, if you are keen to get into work rather than extend your studies, you might decide the extra year it isn’t worth it.
This article from NowTeach has more information about whether or not a PGCE is worth it.
When should you apply for a PGCE course?
PGCE applications seem to be accepted all throughout the year in England before the time in September that the course starts. However, in Scotland and Wales, PGCE applications seem to be accepted in autumn.
Regardless, it must be noted that applications may close after two weeks from them opening if enough people have applied. Therefore, you need to submit your application as early as possible.
Don’t be leaving the application process to the last minute! You may have less time than you think. Personal statements can often be time consuming to write and you will most likely need to complete one for a PGCE.
If you want some tips on how to write a personal statement for your PGCE, check out this article from London Metropolitan University.