Secondary Business

Study options

Award

PGCE

Key facts

UCAS code:
N1X1
Location:
Stoke-on-Trent campus
Study option:
Full-time
Duration:
9 Months
Start date:
6 September 2021
School:
School of Life Sciences and Education

Set children up for success with key skills they’ll use throughout their education and professional life. At Staffordshire University, we’ll guide you through your first experiences teaching business, help you plan lessons and understand how young people learn.

From entrepreneurship to international trade, sole traders to public limited companies, manufacturing to marketing; studying business gives young people an insight into the way the world of finance and commerce operates.

We’ve designed this course to help you understand how to support KS3, KS4, and KS5 students. You’ll develop the skills you need to make sure your class enjoy learning.

Throughout your training, you’ll get hands-on experience on placement. We’ll also schedule sessions on campus to help you learn how to assess students and plan lessons.

From getting the most out of your induction, to tips on teaching your first lesson, your personal tutor will be there to support you on every step of your PGCE journey.

 

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: PGCE Secondary Business

Work placements

At Staffordshire University, we have close links with partner schools across the region.

We’ll always aim to arrange placements within 40 minutes of where you live.

We have partnership schools in Stoke, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire, West Midlands and Birmingham.

Course content

Our Business PGCE takes 36 weeks to complete. This school-led course includes a one-week induction to prepare you for your placement and weekly sessions to develop your knowledge of the curriculum.

To give you experience in the classroom, you’ll spend at least 120 days working in two local secondary schools as well as visiting a local primary school. But, don’t worry, you won’t have the pressure of teaching an entire lesson straight away.

Your training will begin with observing a teacher and helping with group work. Then you’ll share the classes with the teacher and work towards teaching lessons independently.

Alongside teaching, you’ll join in with day-to-day life at the school. Each school has a professional mentor to help you understand the ethos, pastoral care systems, legal and social framework, and supporting services.

You’ll also have weekly meetings with your subject or class mentor to help you prepare for teaching, review lessons, and develop your subject knowledge.

Why study a PGCE at Staffordshire University?

Why study a PGCE at Staffordshire University?

Video

Find out more about the benefits of studying a PGCE at Staffordshire University

Modules

The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.

Entry requirements

You can apply for this course via UCAS Teacher Training at Staffordshire University.

We also offer this course via School Direct partners including:

For this course, you need an Honours Degree with a 2:2 classification in Business, or a Business related subject and a GCSE grade C/4 or above in both English Language and Mathematics, we also expect you to be confident in technology.

After you apply, we’ll arrange a selection interview. During the interview process we will assess your subject knowledge and personal qualities, such as communication skills, resilience for teaching, and how easy you’ll find it to relate to secondary age students.

If you accept a formal offer, you’ll need to meet the Department for Education’s standards for physical and mental fitness to teach and you’ll need clearance to work with children (Enhanced DBS).

 

For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.

Choose your country

Check our entry and English language requirements for your country.

GO

Facilities

Libraries

We have Libraries and Service desks at both sites in Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford. All have experienced and friendly staff who can answer your IT queries, help you to access resources, show you how to research for your assignments and even help with referencing.

Some libraries are open 24/7 at key times in the academic year and we have a 24 hour help line too.

Learning Spaces

We also house our new 21st century teaching and learning classrooms with integrated Wolf Vision technology to enhance interactive learning through the use of mobile technologies in theory lessons.

Careers

With a PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), you’ll be ready to teach English in schools across England.

Most of our graduates secure their first teaching position while on the PGCE, with many of them securing roles within our partnership schools.

After you’ve completed this course, you can join our Masters in Education. Your PGCE gives you Masters credits which means you’ll be fast tracked and can complete this course by the end of your second year of teaching.

Teaching and assessment

Learning support

Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of our Academic Skills team, who can help you with:

  • Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)
  • Written English (including punctuation, grammar)
  • Academic writing (including how to reference)
  • Research skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management)

Additional support

If you have additional needs like dyslexia or a sensory impairment, then our AccessAbility Services are here to help make sure nothing stands in your way.

Staff

You'll be taught by staff who have a range of academic and industry experience. 

Jayne Bartrop

Senior Lecturer

I'm currently involved in all aspects of teaching on the Secondary PGCE courses.

Jayne's profile

Fees

For the course starting on 6 September 2021 the tuition fees are:

Study option UK / Channel Islands
Full-time To be confirmed

If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Fees and Bursaries Team.

Accommodation and living costs

Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

For more information on accommodation and living costs, please see: Accommodation

Sources of financial support

You can apply to the Student Loans Company (SLC) for the following support:

  • Tuition Fee Loan – To cover the cost of your tuition fees.
  • Maintenance Loan – To support you with living costs such as food, accommodation and travel.

For more information and how to apply visit www.gov.uk/teacher-training-funding.

Scholarships and additional funding

You could receive up to £32K or £34K in total - £26K as a tax free bursary or £28K scholarship with additional payments of £6K after tax once in teaching.

Your eligibility for financial support, and the amount you can expect to receive, will depend on the subject you choose to teach and your degree classification or highest relevant academic qualification.

For more information and how to apply visit https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-my-teacher-training/bursaries-and-scholarships-for-teacher-training.

You may also be eligible for a Staffordshire University bursary when you choose to study one of our postgraduate Education courses. Visit our Fees and Bursaries page to find out more.

Our students

The best part of Staffs is without a doubt the teachers. Not only are they are highly knowledgeable leaders in their fields but they also truly care for each individual student. Having tutors who were kind, thoughtful and helpful made my time at Staffs one of the best years of my life.

A key part of the PGCE course is guest speakers. Staffs arranged (at no small expense) guest speakers of the highest calibre; these lectures were insightful, engaging and funny. Having attended these talks meant that I was at the cutting edge in terms of teaching pedagogy and educational knowledge.These talks are extremely beneficial to include on your CV and make you stand out from the crowd. I am proof of this as I was offered my first teaching job in part because it was mentioned on my CV.

Jordan Rowlands

PGCE Secondary Economics and Business Education

Apply

Location Award Study option Start date
Stoke-on-Trent campus PGCE Full-time 6 September 2021 Apply now

Rules and regulations

If you are offered a place at Staffordshire University, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.

Students of Staffordshire University enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.

Have you considered?

Education MA

Study options
Full-time
Part-time

Education Doctor of Education

Study options
Part-time

Higher and Professional Education PgCert

Study options
Part-time

Post-Compulsory Education and Training PGCE

Study options
Full-time

Primary (General) PGCE

Study options
Full-time

Primary with PE Specialism PGCE

Study options
Full-time
Top 250 Young University

Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2020

Rated Gold for Teaching Excellence

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold logo
Shortlisted for University of the Year

Times Higher Awards 2020
Top 15 for Teaching Quality

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021

Top 15 for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021

Midlands University of the Year

Midlands Business Awards 2020