PGCE Secondary Design and Technology

Degree

You will normally have a minimum of a 2:2 undergraduate honours degree awarded by a UK university, or an equivalent higher education qualification. Your degree needs to support the subject knowledge requirements of the national curriculum for design and technology. For exceptional candidates, particularly those with substantial relevant work experience in schools or relevant occupations, we will consider applications from those who hold a 3rd class degree.

GCSEs
You will also need GCSEs at grade C/4 or above in English language and mathematics. However, you may be able to apply with GCSEs pending for this course as we can offer Manchester Met GCSE equivalency tests. This will be at the discretion of the admissions tutor, and only offered if considered appropriate after interview.

We do not accept the following qualifications as equivalent to GCSE: adult numeracy and literacy, functional skills or key skills.

You can apply with GCSEs pending for this course and in exceptional circumstances Manchester Met GCSE equivalency tests may be offered. This will be at the discretion of the admissions tutor and will only be offered if considered appropriate after interview.

Experience in educational settings

Successful candidates will demonstrate a good understanding of teaching and learning within a secondary school setting. 

You may wish to evidence your understanding by drawing on related examples or experiences, such as time spent in schools or other learning settings.

Other requirements

A Disclosure and Barring Service Check and DfE Fitness to Teach test are also required.

Overseas

Overseas candidates should have Cambridge Proficiency in English or IELTS Band 7 with no less than 6.0 in any element.

Personal Statement

This plays an important role in the admissions process and successful candidates will demonstrate a good understanding of teaching and learning within a secondary school setting. Candidates may wish to evidence their understanding by drawing on related examples or experiences, such as time spent in schools or other learning settings.

Interview

You will be expected to attend an interview as part of the application process. Full details of your interview will be provided by email once your initial application has been approved.

Our one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) prepares you to teach across the design and technology secondary school curriculum for the 11-16 age range.  

This includes food, textiles, and electronics design at Key Stage 3 and the GCSEs in 'Food Preparation and Nutrition’ and 'Design & Technology’, as well as associated GCSE vocational courses. 

During the course you will explore the range of materials used with design and technology as well as how to teach school students how to explore these and safely design and make with them.  Much of the University-based work takes a practical hands-on approach that includes Health and Safety and how to manage practical lessons. These take place in our modern and well-equipped suite of rooms that include a multi-materials workshop, a food preparation kitchen, and a textiles room. 

Alongside these practical experiences the course will provide you with the theoretical background that will help ensure you have the necessary subject knowledge to teach design and technology effectively. 

The course includes recent developments in pedagogy and the learning sciences and how these help you to teach the theoretical aspects of the subject including food safety and hygiene, aspects of nutrition and food science, food commodities, processes and techniques for textiles, woods, plastics, card, electronics and physical computing, including the use of CAD/CAM to support designing and making. 

Peer teaching will enable you to develop your understanding of GCSE and A-Level theory topics, with a focus on the kinds of activities that pupils typically engage with in school.  

Past speakers on the course have included people from exam boards, The Design and Technology Association, Design Engineer Construct, Taste of Game in addition to departmental heads from a range of schools.