Entry requirements
Our typical offer is:
| Qualification |
Minimum grade |
| a bachelor's degree | |
If you already hold a postgraduate qualification, please see our Applying for additional postgraduate degrees Help and Advice article.
If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.
If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.
We usually require applicants to hold an honours degree or equivalent.
For those without a first degree studied in the medium of English, Academic IELTS is required. (A minimum Academic IELTS band score of 6.5, with 6.5 in writing, and no less than 6 in Reading and Speaking and Listening).
Changes to the pre-course placement and mentor requirements during this period of Covid-19 for 2021/22.
If you are not currently employed as a teacher and will be seeking a placement school, the following has been put in place in order to support you. Please read the following before applying.
Due to the Covid-19 situation for applications for 2021/22, we will offer a place on the course to applicants who meet the entry criteria but due to school closures have been unable to secure a school and mentor before embarking on the course. However, we must emphasise that in order to complete the teaching practice module EDP380 and ultimately the course overall, it is a requirement for trainees to secure both a school and mentor. Ideally, you will have this in place before December 2021.
Please note that securing a mentor and school is the responsibility of the trainee and not that of the University. With all four modules complete, you will graduate with a PGCE Education. You may however take up to three years to fully complete and graduate, should this be necessary.
Advice on how to find a placement
Advice to applicants seeking a placement (.pdf)
PGCE Education (Independent Distance Learning) FAQs
Observation of experienced teachers
Where possible, you should secure a reasonable number of teaching observations per week to support your work on the Subject Studies and Practice of Teaching modules. This can be in a school of your choice, and it is usually in the school where you will undertake your placement.
Before applying please note:
Ensure you read the information above about changes to the pre-course placement and mentor requirements during this period of Covid-19 for 2021/22.
As part of your online application, you will be asked to confirm you agree to the teaching requirements of the course.
You will be asked to confirm contact details for your placement school, placement school Head Teacher and placement school Mentor. Please note that, during this period of Covid-19, offers to join the course will still be made if these details are not available.
You must also provide us with a copy of your degree certificate. Please provide both original and English translation (if applicable).
We accept the following as evidence of English Language:
- Transcript or certificate of your degree which clearly states you studied in the medium of instruction in English
- However, if your degree was awarded by a UK University then you will be exempt from providing proof of English
- Letter from your University clearly stating the medium of instruction to be English
- Academic IELTS. If English is not your first language you need to send proof of Academic IELTS level 6.5 or equivalent (applicants whose first language is not English must achieve a minimum Academic IELTS band score of 6.5, with 6.5 in writing, and no less than 6 in Reading and Speaking and Listening.)
Without all of the above documents, we will not be able to make you an offer on this course.
Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.
