Secondary Art and Design with QTS - PGCE
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.
Are you looking for a career that will enable you to use your skills in art and design to encourage young people to explore, challenge and understand the world in which they live through learning in Art and Design at school? If so, our PGCE Secondary Art and Design is for you.
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time
- Award PGCE
- Start date September 2025
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
Are you looking for a career that will enable you to use your skills in art and design to encourage young people to explore, challenge and understand the world in which they live through learning in Art and Design at school? If so, our PGCE Secondary Art and Design is for you.
What's covered in this course?
We see teaching as a form of socially engaged art and design practice, and will enable you to become a highly-skilled graduate practitioner in today's forward-looking education profession.
We believe that Art and Design is a crucial element in the education of all pupils, and will work with you to enable you to become the inspirational teacher required by today’s young people.
Our course provides you with the necessary knowledge and understanding for you to transfer your current creative skills to the classroom. It's an innovative, practice-based programme designed to fully support you to become a confident, dynamic and creative teacher committed to making Art and Design accessible for all.
Curriculum workshops are a key element of your course. These are delivered in our specialist facilities by dedicated, full-time Art and Design lecturers and teachers, allowing you to experience a range of practical work in key specialisms such as digital media, 3D construction, printmaking, drawing, ceramics, mixed media, and in working with education departments in leading regional galleries which have included IKON, New Art Gallery Walsall, BMAG and Eastside Projects.
Taught modules, assignments and School-Based Training are structured around the development of your Progress Journal which demonstrates your progress against our ITE Core Curriculum. Our ambitious curriculum incorporates the ITT Core Content Framework (DfE, 2019) and the nationally agreed competences - the Teachers’ Standards, which all teachers must meet throughout their career.
The Progress Journal also maps your development as a subject specialist with reference to identified subject priorities appropriate to the needs of secondary teachers entering the profession. A system of continuous review and assessment of progress within the Progress Journal will support your growing ability to take responsibility for your own professional development and ensure that you approach QTS with a sound understanding of research-informed pedagogies and practices.
Why Choose Us?
- We are a key source of new teachers to schools across the West Midlands region; a destinations survey of our 2021/22 Secondary Teaching graduates showed they were employed in nearly 100 West Midlands schools as Early Career Teachers.
- Our curriculum is designed by research-active subject experts to be integrated between university and school-based training with input from our partnership schools, ensuring you’re equipped to meet the needs of the teaching workforce now and in the future.
- We have partnerships right across the West Midlands and beyond so you can benefit from training in a range of schools and early years settings, preparing you for work in a wide variety of schools when you qualify. A destinations survey of our 2021/22 Secondary Teaching graduates showed that 76% of their employing schools were from within our BCU partnership.
- You will complete at least 120 days across a minimum of two placements, in line with Department for Education (DfE) requirements, supported by a subject mentor in your school and a personal development tutor at the University.
- Should you wish to take your development further, you'll gain Master's level credits gained as part of this course that you can then use towards a full Master's degree.
- You may be able to obtain financial support to help you during your studies. For more information visit the Department for Education's Get Into Teaching website.
OPEN DAY
Join us for a virtual Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail. Booking isn't open yet for this event, register your interest and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.
Next Event: 5 February 2025
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
UK students
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You must have a Bachelor’s degree (normally a 2:2 above) or a Master’s degree in a relevant subject from a UK higher education institution or equivalent. |
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Applicants for this course also need GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above prior to enrolment. We accept a range of qualifications in lieu of GCSEs for our Initial Teacher Training courses. Please see a full list of GCSE equivalencies for Initial Teacher Training. |
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Successful candidates must meet Department for Education requirements for Initial Teacher Training prior to enrolling on this course. This includes obtaining a satisfactory occupational health check and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, as well as prohibition and children’s barred list checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance. |
Selection Interview
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At interview you will also need to present a portfolio of personal work which should include a selection of work completed before, during and after your degree. |
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The selection interview will assess your subject knowledge and personal qualities such as the potential to relate well to secondary age students, enthusiasm, sensitivity, communication skills and robustness and resilience for teaching. |
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You will also take a written test to assess your standard of English. |
International qualifications
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A minimum IELTS score of 7.0 is required with no individual component less than 6.5. Candidates who have undertaken IELTS will also need to successfully pass our GCSE English equivalency test. |
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
The way you apply for teacher training has changed. The Department for Education (DfE) has developed a GOV.UK application service for postgraduate teacher training called ‘Apply for teacher training’ which you should use to make your application.
Course code: 3CGJ
We would like all applicants to make a fully informed decision about joining the teaching profession. As part of that decision making process, spending some time in a school and considering the role of the teacher will prove to be invaluable.
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Financial support
You may be able to obtain financial support to help you during your studies. For more information visit the Department for Education's Get Into Teaching website.
Course in Depth
Modules
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 60 credits):
This module, Professional Studies, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to explore and understand in practical terms the meaning of professionalism in the context of education and being a teacher. It is well known that education is an ever-changing environment and the desire for improvement is strong from all stakeholders. This module helps you to understand that the best teachers are those who continue to learn themselves and that your continual development can positively impact the learning experience of your students.
This module, Subject Pedagogy, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to explore the nature of your specialist subject in the context of learning and teaching in the secondary school. The module provides substantial support for your professional practice in school, assessed through the School Experience modules. This module provides a strong philosophical underpinning to your awareness of the importance of your specialist subject in the secondary school curriculum. By undertaking this module you will be shaping your own rationale for your approach to the teaching of your specialist subject, and to meeting the needs of the learners as they move through the secondary school phase.
This module, Professional Enquiry, forms an introduction to active examination of professional practice in the workplace and a reflective approach to personal development. It provides a foundation for future study modules and enables you to develop practice-based enquiry skills. Increasing importance is placed on evidence-based enquiry to inform professional development in education, most recently in The Carter Review of Initial Teacher Training (ITT).
This module, School Experience 1, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to meet the professional standards and expectations of teaching through practical, school-based experience. You will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced teachers and other education professionals to develop your knowledge, understanding and skill in the classroom and the wider school environment. You will be able to implement theory and evidence-based understanding on an on-going and development basis into your teaching into the classroom. You will be assessed against the current statements of professional competence.
This module, School Experience 2, follows School Experience 1 and provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to enhance your achievement of the professional standards and expectations of teaching through practical, school-based experience. You will have the opportunity to work independently supported by experienced teachers and other education professionals to further develop your knowledge, understanding and skill in the classroom and the wider school environment. You will be able to implement theory and evidence-based understanding on an on-going and development basis into your teaching into the classroom. You will be assessed against the current statements of professional competence.
* School Experience 2 is dependent upon the successful completion of School Experience 1.
Download course specification
Download nowCourse structure
This postgraduate course takes place over one year full-time. Note that all PGCE with QTS courses commence teaching in the first week of September.
Central to the curriculum is the study of Art and Design education, pedagogy and professional practice, which is delivered using a combination of creative practical workshops, lectures, seminar groups and individual study.
At least two thirds of the course takes place within school. You will be placed in a minimum of two Art departments. The Birmingham City University Partnership includes a range of established and new Art Departments selected for their capacity to provide development opportunities for trainee Art and Design teachers.
Your first placement is usually paired, you and your partner will teach up to 50 per cent of the timetable in Art and Design. The second school placement is a solo one and you will be expected to teach up to 66 per cent of an Art and Design timetable.
In addition, you will complete a research phase and visit a number of galleries in the region, with whom we have developed strong partnerships.
You will be assigned school-based mentors while on placement, who will support and guide your work, as well as provide training feedback.
Assignments and school-based practice are Master's-level modules. These provide the necessary practical and critical thinking skills which will unlock your potential to become an outstanding teacher and a reflective practitioner. Your work is assessed through a range of directed tasks and targeted assignments. You are also required to complete a profile of evidence reflective of your creative practice in school placements. Your evidence is based on your creative interpretation of the Teachers’ Standards and will lead to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Accreditation or professional associations
As a provider of Initial Teacher Education (ITE), you can be reassured that we are regularly inspected by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted).
Ofsted reports directly to Parliament and is independent and impartial. It inspects and regulates services which care for children and young people, and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages.
Ofsted inspections of ITE providers provide an expert and independent assessment of how well a university is performing and the quality of teacher training offered. Information in the inspection report can help you to decide which university best suits your career needs.
Employability
Enhancing Employability Skills
This is an 11-16 years course with post-16 enhancement, which offers a high degree of employability within secondary teaching.
The high demand for Birmingham City University-trained art teachers and our consistently high employability scores mean that trainees who successfully complete the course to a high standard have very good employment prospects.
Placements
Two-thirds of your course takes place in school and we ensure that you are offered a number of placements in a wide range of educational establishments.
You will do work placements in at least two different schools and also visit others – including a primary school and or a post-16 setting where appropriate. This all helps you to see how teachers are working in practice and gives you a wealth of experience.
You will have subject and professional mentors in school who will guide and support your studies and provide you with feedback.
International
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Details of the entry requirements for our courses
- Some of the good reasons why you should study here
- How to improve your language skills before starting your studies
- Information relevant to applicants from your country
- Where to find financial support for your studies.
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
We are constantly investing in our estate and have spent £400 million on new learning facilities.
From January 2025, this course will be based at our City Centre Campus in a newly refurbished building.
Our staff
Dr Victoria Kinsella-Hadjinestoros
Associate Professor of Arts, Creativity and Education and Director of CSPACE.
Dr. Victoria Kinsella holds the position of Associate Professor in Arts, Creativity and Education and Director of CSPACE. She has served as both principal and co-investigator on a substantial number of research projects, encompassing diverse settings such as schools, prisons, galleries, and arts centres. Her work notably focuses on music education,...
More about Victoria