Swansea University

Secondary PGCE with QTS: Geography, PGCert

Swansea UniversitySingleton Park Campus, United Kingdom

Course overview

The Secondary PGCE with QTS at Swansea University will prepare you to meet the new Professional Teaching and Leadership Standards for Wales (at a level appropriate for Newly Qualified Teachers), enabling you to become an inspiring, competent and professionally aware teacher in Secondary Education. You will create an electronic portfolio of evidence, known as the Professional Learning Passport (PLP), referencing your progression and ability against each of the Professional Teaching and Leadership Standards. Successful evidence of all Standards being met, together with completion of Level 7 assessments, will lead to a recommendation being made to the Education Workforce Council (EWC) that you be awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

In line with Government requirements, the programme is developed and delivered through a collaborative school-university body; the Swansea University Schools’ Partnership (SUSP). This Partnership shares roles in the development, review and delivery of our programme, covering both its university and school placement elements. School and university staff will work together to support you, as a student teacher, to progress toward successful completion of the course, and achieving QTS.

Well-qualified geography teachers are in high demand across the UK. In recognition of this, the SUSP has developed this innovative Secondary Geography PGCE programme that is designed to provide you with confidence, in both your subject knowledge, and in your understanding of how to teach it. The subject-specific element of the programme comes from a ‘Research Informed Reflective Practice’ module that is designed around your subject of choice.

The programme is underpinned by regional, national and international research. You will learn how to make teaching geography meaningful, interesting and fun, and also how to analyse your own and your pupils’ development.

Key highlights

  • Leads to recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status via the Education Workforce Council
  • Prepares you for the Professional Teaching and Leadership Standards for Wales
  • Delivered with partner schools through a collaborative school-university partnership
  • School placements supported jointly by school and university staff
  • Subject-specific Research Informed Reflective Practice module in geography teaching
  • Build an electronic Professional Learning Passport evidencing your progress

Entry requirements

  • Degree: 2:2 — 2:2.
  • GCSE: C — to include English
  • Additional condition: dbs_check — All applicants will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check .

Scholarships

  • Chevening Scholarships

  • International Postgraduate Alumni Bursaries

    First Class - £5,000 per year; Second Class, First division - £3,000 per year; Second Class, Second division - £1,000 per year; Taught Masters to Research Degree - £3,000 per year subject to satisfactory progress.

  • Swansea University International Postgraduate Research Excellence Scholarship (SUIPRES)

    The SUIPRES Scholarship covers the difference between the International and the Home tuition fee rate for the duration of the PhD/Professional Doctorate programme.

Careers this course leads to

  • Secondary school geography teacher
  • Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT)
  • Head of geography department
  • Humanities teacher

Cost of study

UK/Home: £9,790 per year | International: £19,300 per year

Admission

Applications are made through AHZ at no cost. Share your transcripts, English test scores and personal statement, and your AHZ Counsellor will review your profile, submit your application to Swansea University, and guide you through interview, offer, CAS and visa — right up to enrolment.

Ready to start?

Book a free consultation and we'll map your fastest route to a September 2026 place.

Apply Now
Download Free Guide