PGDE Secondary (English Medium) at University of the Highlands and Islands

Programme overview

The PGDE (Secondary) is a one-year full-time teacher education programme delivered with local authority partners and consists of 17 weeks of study at the university and 19 weeks of professional practice in schools. It is offered across UHI campuses, Aberdeen City and the Scottish Borders. Graduates hold provisional registration as a secondary teacher with GTC Scotland.

Duration: 1 year full-time | Intake: August | Study mode: full-time | Location: Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom

What you will study

Taught modules are Building professional knowledge and understanding, Developing Teacher Identity and Professionalism, and Reflection and Enquiry as Professional Learning (20 credits each), plus Professional Practice (Secondary) (60 credits) with school placements across S1 to S6. Teaching subjects include Art and Design, Biology, Business Education, Chemistry, Computing Science, English, History, Home Economics, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Religious Education and Technological Education (availability varies by campus). A mandatory residential induction takes place in the first week.

Career pathways

Graduates hold provisional registration with GTC Scotland and, with Scottish or rest of UK fee status, can apply for the Teacher Induction Scheme leading to full registration. Students from non-EU countries can follow the Flexible Route to complete probationary service if they can remain in Scotland.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree meeting the subject-specific requirements for their teaching subject. In addition: English at Scottish Higher grade C or above, or A level grade D, or GCSE English Language and English Literature (C/4 or above) or equivalent; and Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics at National 5 grade C or above, SQA Intermediate 2 or Standard Grade Credit, or GCSE Mathematics grade C or above, or equivalent. The course is a Category 1 PVG course (PVG Scheme membership required). Deferred entry is not accepted. Applicants who have lived outside the UK for six or more consecutive months in the past five years need criminal record checks from the relevant countries. Applications are made through the main UCAS scheme (not UCAS Teacher Training) and must include degree, English and Maths details and references by the deadline. Not open to international students who need a Student Route visa.

Domestic applicants: GBP 1,820 for the whole programme (2026/27). PGDE (one year). Scotland-domiciled students with a Scottish term-time address (includes EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status and EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status) Source

International applicants: GBP 16,820 for the whole programme (2026/27). PGDE (one year), students not normally resident in the UK or EU with a term-time address in Scotland. The course cannot be studied by international students requiring a Student Route visa. Source

Intake: August

Duration: 1 year full-time

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