Education - English with Drama & Media Studies - PGCE

The course

The aim of a PGCE is to prepare the student to become a competent teacher. This is achieved through a variety of teaching and learning methods which are summarised below:



• Lectures

• Tutorials: group or individually designed to advise in the preparation for school experience, curriculum projects and/or school based investigations.

• Practicals: involving simulations, role-play, practical activities and school experience.

• Workshops: designed primarily to allow students to examine the relationship between theoretical perspectives introduced in lectures and their main subject specialism.



About

“The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower young people to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible decisions throughout their lives.” The overall aim of our PGCE programme at Ulster is to support this aim and to foster the development of pedagogical competences in the following three areas: - Professional Values and Practice; Professional Knowledge and Understanding and Professional Skills and Application. To achieve these aims the PGCE post-primary programme at Ulster University prepares student teachers to be competent in the following: - the ability to plan, teach and assess worthwhile learning activities in their subject area(s) in post-primary schools in Northern Ireland for the 11-18 age group; - the acquisition of the knowledge, understanding and skills that are essential for the promotion of learning among pupils; - to assume responsibility for developing as competent reflective practitioners, able to monitor and evaluate their teaching performance; - to realise a commitment to on-going personal and professional development in pursuit of sustained pupil learning and school improvement.



The aim of the PGCE English with Drama and Media Studies course is to prepare students to be a Teacher of English with Drama and Media Studies. Student teachers will learn how to teach English with a particular focus on the additional subject areas of Drama and Media Studies. A range of relevant educational issues such as Classroom Management, Special Educational Needs, Assessment, Information Communication Technology and Learning theory will be explored through subject sessions, lectures, and workshops. Students will also take part in mixed seminar groups in order to have opportunities to discuss these issues with other PGCE students from a range of different subject areas.



The English with Drama and Media Studies PGCE course is designed to enable student teachers to apply the principles and procedures of effective teaching in a variety of contexts related to their specialist subject areas.



The statutory curriculum and programmes of study for English in the Northern Ireland curriculum will be reviewed and analysed, with particular reference to KS3 and KS4, GCSE and AS/ A2. English literature and English Language, Media Studies, Moving Image, Drama and Theatre Studies will also be reviewed and time will be spent considering the development of vocational courses at KS4 and post-16.



A lot of independent study will follow on from subject sessions to ensure all students are aware of the multifaceted nature of the subject ‘English’ and its many embedded micro subjects.



Work placement / study abroad

24 weeks of school-based placement. There is initially a one week primary placement that takes places in September, which the student teachers are to arrange. There are then a further two post primary school placements during the year, both in Northern Ireland schools. The first is generally in a non-selective Post-Primary school, beginning towards the end of October and lasting for around 11 weeks. A second placement, also of around 11 weeks, is generally in a selective Post-Primary (Grammar) School, beginning around late March. Placements are arranged by the University from a list provided by student teachers, as far as possible, and may be close to their home rather than the University if that is more convenient. Post primary school placements cannot be in a school that student teachers have attended, nor one with which they have close contact, perhaps by having a relative on the teaching staff.

Year One

School Experience 1

School Experience 2

Foundation for Learning and Teaching

Developing Effective Learning and Teaching

Principles of Religious Education - This module is optional

Improving Practice in Religious Education - This module is optional

a. English and Mathematics (GCSE grade C or a qualification that is equivalent in breadth and depth to a GCSE e.g. Irish Leaving Certificate. Please note that Essential/Key Skills is not accepted).



b. An Honours degree normally in the specialist subject (Art and Design, English with Drama and Media Studies, Geography, History, Home Economics, Music Education, Physical Education, Technology and Design) in an appropriate NI curriculum subject. In the case of a combined Honours degree at least 50% shall be in the specialist subject. (N.B. The normal minimum offer standard is a 2:2 Honours).



c. All applicants need to provide evidence of knowledge, interest and experience in working with young people of post-primary age.



Applicants for the post-primary pathway also require:

1. Two supportive references.

2. Medical certificate of satisfactory health.

3. Applicants will be scrutinised by Access NI and must also satisfy the University and the Department of Education that nothing would prohibit them from working with children.

4. The application form will be examined for spelling, punctuation and use of English and general quality of presentation.

5. Evidence of knowledge, interest and experience in working with young people of post-primary age normally in a formal/informal education setting.

6. Applicants appearing to fulfil the above requirements will be shortlisted. In the event that the programme is oversubscribed, enhanced criteria (e.g. degree classification) will then be applied and candidates fulfilling these criteria will be interviewed to ascertain their suitability for the course.

7. An offer of a place will be conditional upon satisfying the Selection Committee on all of the above criteria.

8. Applicants who are deemed suitable but for whom an immediate place is not available will be placed on a waiting list and offered a place if another applicant declines his/her place.



English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.



Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

The closing date for applications is 8 January 2025. Applications received after the closing date may be considered at the discretion of the selection panel.

Attendance PGCE is a full time course. It is 36 weeks in length with the exception of PGCE Technology and Design which is 42 weeks and includes a six week workshop practice in Belfast. Monday to Friday 9.30 to 17.00.

Start Date: September 2025

Career options

The course prepares the student to teach their chosen subject in a post-primary school or college. Successful completion of this course qualifies the graduate to seek registration with the General Teaching Council of Northern Ireland.