The University of Nottingham will award the prestigious Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Studies (PGCE). This is a bespoke academic programme for EMTTP that will carry 60 credits at Masters level. This award will be distinct from the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS); recommendation for, and the award of, QTS will be made by EMTTP.

• The PGCE programme is a blended programme comprising 10 days' face-to-face teaching at appropriate times across the academic year and supported by a dedicated virtual learning environment (VLE).
• The course is made up of 3 modules.
• Distinctive features of the course are: a focus of understanding local communities and issues; a cross-phase course enabling all participants to develop a thorough understanding of teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools; international perspectives on teaching and learning; research informed practice.
• The aim of the modules is to facilitate trainees' reflections on classroom-based practice and their work in schools and to enable them to situate these reflections within a broader policy, theory and inquiry context.
• Each of the modules draws directly on trainees' experiences and will be planned to promote critical analysis and evaluation of teaching and learning.
• Assessment is by written assignment and presentation.
• Students on the course will be fully registered with the University of Nottingham, giving them access to library facilities and other academic benefits.
• Learning activities are based on engagement with materials on the VLE, journal articles, book chapters, educational policy documents, artefacts, audio files, digitalised video and website links.  Students are encouraged to investigate and develop their own educational practices. The face-to-face programme involves small group, pair and individual work, seminar presentations, whole group interaction and individual tutorials. 

The modules

This is a brief overview of the name and content of each of the modules

• 1. 'Understanding Contexts' is about national and international contexts for education and considers ideas from the philosophy of education about the purpose of education in different settings.
• 2. 'Understanding Teaching And Learning' looks at: foundation theories of education, developing theories of learning and teaching and assessing learning and teaching
• 3. In 'School Inquiry' students plan and undertake a small-scale inquiry in their own schools which reports and reflects upon the execution and findings of the project.