Background information about the programme:
The Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in the Senior (SP) and Further Education and Training Phase (FET) is a one year 132 Credit undergraduate full-time qualification at a NQF level 7. The PGCE programme offered by the School of Education is specifically designed to prepare students for teaching in the South African Secondary Schooling system. The purpose of the PGCE programme is to provide a well-rounded education to pre-service teachers without a teaching qualification that will equip graduates with an integrated knowledge base enabling them to demonstrate applied competence, commitment and responsibility as academically and professionally qualified beginner teachers.

The following aims will assist in exploring and fulfilling the purpose of the PGCE certificate:

development of students’ pedagogical content knowledge;
fostering self-reflexivity and self-understanding to enable commitment to the highest level of professional work ethics;
development of students as active citizens who will respond to and initiate change;
development of competences to organise learning among a diverse range of learners in diverse contexts.

Minimum requirements:
The General Rules of SPU in respect of admission to Postgraduate Diploma studies (aligned with the HEQSF) are applicable to this postgraduate certificate.
1.0 The admission to the Post Graduate Certificate in Education is also subject to the SPU’s Policy on Admissions and the discretion of the Registrar in the School of Education at the SPU.
2.0 A student who wishes to apply for a Post Graduate Certificate in Education should adhere to the following admission requirements:
3.1 An approved Bachelor’s degree at an exit NQF Level 7, or an appropriate 360-credit exit NQF level 6 Diploma.
3.2 The Bachelor’s degree or the diploma should include two recognised school subjects as outlined in Section B of this document.
4.1 To specialise in one FET school subject, the Bachelor’s degree or diploma should include a major module (that qualifies as a school approved subject) with a credit load of at least 48 credits at a NQF level 7 that stretches over 2 to 3 academic years.
4.2 In addition to the FET school subject, one other major module (that qualifies as a school approved subject) from the Bachelor’s degree or diploma, with at least a credit load of 24 credits at a NQF level 6 that stretches over one academic year should be selected as a SP school subject.

This will allow the student to specialise in one FET and one SP school subject.

5.0 The SPU’s Policy on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be applied in instances where applicants do not meet the minimum admission requirements for entry into the Post Graduate Certificate in Education programme.

6.0 Equity and access considerations will also be taken into account without risking the integrity of the programme.

Programme Structure
Programme code: EPG700

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education consists of 8 modules over a period of a year. Table 1 outlines the various modules that constitutes the programme:

Career opportunities
The purpose of the PGCE certificate is to provide a well-rounded education that will equip graduates with an integrated knowledge base enabling them to demonstrate applied competence, commitment and responsibility as academically and professionally qualified beginner teachers. On completion of the PGCE, the student graduate will be able to teach two recognised school related subjects in schools across South Africa. In other words, by obtaining this qualification, in addition to an existing undergraduate degree, allows PGCE students to become teachers.

More information

Contact the Faculty Administrator by sending an email to FoEDU@spu.ac.za.