51ÊÓƵ

CONTENTS

1. What’s Teaching?

2. What Teaching degrees can you study?

3. What do you need to get onto a Teaching degree?

4. What topics does a Teaching degree cover?

5. How will you be assessed?

6. Why study Teaching?

7. Are scholarships and bursaries available to students studying a Teaching degree?

8. What do Teaching graduates earn?

9. What jobs can you get as a Teaching graduate?

10. What are the postgraduate opportunities?

11. Similar subjects to Teaching

12. Have any questions?

What’s Teaching?

Teaching involves conveying knowledge and skills as well as values and attitudes to others. This usually happens in a structured way in a classroom or workshop setting. Teaching involves the use of various facilitation techniques to support the learning process. Clear communication and ability to reflect and adapt to others learning styles are key components to becoming an effective teacher.  

Read more about the various  and .

What Teaching degrees can you study?

Undergraduate Teaching degrees on offer in the UK include: 

• Education, Learning and Teaching BA 
• Teaching and Education BA  
• Physics with Teaching BSc 
• Primary Education (5-11) with recommendation for QTS 
• Primary and Early Years Education with QTS  
• Studies in Primary Education with foundation year BA 
• Education in Professional Practice BA 

Options may include an integrated foundation year, professional placement or year abroad. 

What do you need to get onto a Teaching degree?

Must have  

Typically, entry to an undergraduate Teaching degree requires between 96–153 UCAS points. Qualifications may include:  

• A Levels: A*AA–CCC 
• BTECs: DDD–DD 
• Scottish Highers: AAABB–BBCC (Advanced Highers: AAA) 
• International Baccalaureate: 44–29 
• Universities will usually ask that you have studied: an A Level (or equivalent) in the required secondary education subject, if studying for a secondary-level teaching qualification 
• Universities often request an interview if you are studying for a teaching qualification  
• You’ll usually need to complete Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) checks (PVG scheme in Scotland) 

Good to have  

• GCSE (or equivalent) grade 4/C or higher in English, Maths and Science, or 5/B or above in Wales  
• Relevant work experience or shadowing in a school, college, or adult education class; would-be teachers in England can use the Get into Teaching website to find experience 
• Volunteer with a youth group or children’s club such as 51ÊÓƵs, Scouts, Brownies to build interpersonal skills 
• Observe teaching lessons online 
• Read more about education and teaching from books or websites such as TES (Times Educational Supplement), Get into Teaching, Educators Wales, Teach in Scotland 
• Summer schools, if eligible – check out the Sutton Trust 

What topics does a Teaching degree cover?

Typical modules for courses in this subject include: 

• Assessment strategies  
• Classroom management  
• Relevant curriculum knowledge  
• Educational psychology  
• Special educational needs  
• Professional ethics  
• Theories and strategies for learning  
• Safeguarding  
• School placement experience  

How will you be assessed?

Depending on your modules, you could be assessed through:  

• School placement observations   
• Coursework 
• Essays 
• Exams 
• Group work  
• Practical projects 
• Presentations 
• A dissertation is usually a final year option 

Why study Teaching?

Career-specific skills: 

• Knowledge of educational systems, how we learn, and approaches to learning 
• Knowledge about the curriculum, lesson planning, adapting teaching to meet pupil needs, techniques for classroom management, and assessment strategies 

Transferable skills: 

• Collaboration 
• Communication 
• Creative problem solving 
• Critical and analytical reasoning 
• Digital literacy 
• Leadership 
• Presentation 
• Report writing 
• Research skills 
• Time management 

Professional accreditations: 

• Teaching degrees must meet the required teaching standards for each nation – in England and Wales, courses must lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) 
• Education degrees with psychology may be accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) 

Are scholarships and bursaries available to students studying a Teaching degree?

Some universities offer students specific scholarships, bursaries, or grants so it’s worth checking if you are eligible, how to apply and what it covers such as materials, tuition fees and/or living costs.

In addition, the Department for Education offers Teacher Training Scholarships for students who are training to teach certain subjects in England, such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and modern foreign languages. 

What do Teaching graduates earn?

As a newly qualified teacher in England or Wales, you can expect to earn a minimum of £28,000 per year (as of 2023). This will increase incrementally with experience. If you take on additional responsibilities or a leadership role you will progress up the salary scale. For example, headteachers in England can earn between £50,000 to £123,000 per year, depending on the size and type of school. This will be slightly more if teaching in London.  

In Scotland, newly qualified teachers can expect to earn a minimum of £37, 896 per year, (as of 2023) while in Northern Ireland, the minimum salary is £24, 137 per year. (as of 2020)  

Teachers in independent schools have a different pay scale to those in state-funded schools. 

Read more on what graduates do and earn here.  

What jobs can you get as a Teaching graduate?

Most graduates go into teaching of some kind following this vocational degree although there are numerous transferable skills into other careers.  

Some options inside and outside the classroom include:  

• Classroom teacher 
• Teaching assistant  
• Adult education teacher  
• Lecturer  
• Private tutor  
• Special educational needs coordinator  
• Educational administrator  
• Educational psychologist  

What are the postgraduate opportunities?

Examples of postgraduate courses available at universities in the UK:

• Childhood and Youth Studies MA 
• English Language Teaching MPhil  
• Early Years Education MA  
• Primary Postgraduate Certificate in Education PGCE  
• Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education PGCE (various subjects)  
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)  

Similar subjects to Teaching

Other subject areas that might appeal to you include: 

• Childhood and Youth Studies
• Education
• Psychology
• Social Work
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Youth Work

Have any questions?

Get in touch with our experts by emailing ask@thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk.

We’ll be happy to hear from you!