Teaching in Scotland : Courses

The main graduate route into teaching in Scotland is the full-time Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) course run at six teacher education institutions (TEIs). In addition, there are some flexible and part-time options available. PGDEs are offered by the following Scottish universities:

• University of Aberdeen  
• University of Dundee  
• University of Edinburgh  
• University of Glasgow  
• University of the West of Scotland  
• University of Strathclyde  

The Open University (OU) in Scotland also offers a flexible PGDE in secondary mathematics.

Successful completion of a one-year PGDE course leads to a teaching qualification (TQ) primary education or a TQ secondary education and to provisional registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) .

Applications for full-time primary and secondary PGDEs at Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde universities must be made through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) . The closing date for primary PGDE courses is 1 December for courses starting in the following autumn. If the GTTR has not received your application by then they cannot guarantee that your first choice training provider will consider you. There is no application deadline for secondary PGDE courses but it is recommended that you apply as soon as possible after the GTTR applications system opens in September for courses starting the following autumn.

The University of the West of Scotland accepts applications made directly and their closing date is 15 December.

Teaching in further education (FE)

Unlike England and Wales, there is no PGDE/PGCE (FE) qualification in Scotland. The TQ(FE) is the recognised teaching qualification for the FE sector in Scotland. Some people also choose to follow the secondary PGDE and then apply to teach their subject in the FE sector. The University of Aberdeen offers a programme for full and part-time lecturers already working in FE. The University of Dundee provides an online distance learning route to TQ(FE) at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, for in-service lecturers only. The University of Stirling offers a flexible programme, leading to TQ(FE) for both pre-service candidates and in-service lecturers.