Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE: Citizenship with Social Science
Subject and course type
- Education and Teaching
- Postgraduate
Want to make a difference to the lives of young people in the classroom? Train to teach in one year with our Secondary Teaching PGCE course for Citizenship with Social Science.
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Prepare for a career enabling 11–16 year-olds to explore key citizenship and social science concepts
Are you a Social Science and Humanities graduate, passionate about inspiring young people to become active, engaged citizens?
Kingston University's Citizenship with Social Sciences PGCE is the perfect platform for you to kickstart your teaching career. Our aim is to develop confident, values-driven teachers ready to make a positive impact on young people's lives.
This innovative, future-facing teacher education program will give you the skills you need to build students' critical understanding of key citizenship and social science concepts. For example, citizenship topics include identity, rights, democracy, and justice. Meanwhile, the Social Science component of this course will equip you to teach Sociology, Politics, and Psychology to 14-19-year-olds. Developing such a wide range of skills will ensure you can meet curriculum requirements for teaching 11-16-year-olds, including GCSEs, and enhance your employability.
Our PGCE blends academic learning with practical classroom experience. You will gain essential skills like empathy, creativity, and digital competency. In addition, you will collaborate with institutions like the Houses of Parliament and the Association for Citizenship Teaching.
You will have the chance to put your learning into practice at Kingston's partnership schools. These schools, alongside the University, will provide the personalised support you need to achieve your best and go on to a successful and fulfilling career in secondary education.
The rest of the time will be spent being taught by highly experienced professionals. The Department of Education provides the latest in classroom technology to ensure you embark on your work experience with the utmost confidence.
As a result, this course will prepare you for a successful career as a research-engaged Citizenship and/or Social Sciences teacher. You’ll learn how to use evidence to drive improvements in young people's learning and wellbeing.
Why choose this course
Ready to shape the future of education? If our vision and values resonate with your goals, start your teaching journey with Kingston University.
Ambitious curriculum
Our curriculum fully integrates the ITT Core Content Framework (CCF) in line with DfE requirements, sequencing theory and practice to support your development throughout the year. It includes innovations like AI integration to enhance your planning and teaching. Intensive Training and Practice elements focused on behaviour management, inclusive practice, and questioning, prepare you for the next stage in your professional development as an Early Career Teacher (ECT).
Expert guidance
Learn from research-engaged subject-specialists who employ evidence-based teaching approaches. Through critical analysis of theory and research, and observation of expert practice, you'll gain a deep understanding of your subject and the practical pedagogical skills needed for teaching.
Strong support
Benefit from strong school partnerships, high-quality pastoral support and mentor training, all aimed at ensuring your success in achieving Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Our commitment to staff and student wellbeing provides a solid foundation for a career in teaching and working with children and young people.
Future-facing, real-world application
The Professional Practice module is central to our PGCE and allows you to apply university learning to your classroom experience, emphasising skills of empathy, adaptability, creativity, collaboration, and digital competency—essential elements for effective teaching practice now and for your future career.
In addition to gaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in accordance with government standards, you will also receive the award of PGCE with 60 credits towards our Master of Education (MA), which you can continue with beyond your PGCE year.
Education research
Many of our staff are research active. This ensures they are in touch with the latest thinking and bring best practice to your studies.
- Subject pedagogy
- Curriculum design
- Planning
- Assessment
- Safeguarding
- SEND and inclusive practice
- Early Years
- Supporting more able learners
- Educational inequalities
- Policy
- History of education
Over 95% of our graduates enter the teaching profession after they complete their course.
Library and learning resources
Our library (the Nightingale Centre) has every teaching resource you could think of to help you plan your lessons. The range of educational resources available reflect current educational thinking and are used in local schools. They cover material from early learning through to A-level.
The Nightingale Centre has no end of imaginative literature, with children's novels for all ability levels. Also available are the journals ‘Books for Keeps’ and ‘Carousel’, which provide the latest reviews on appropriate resources for children and teenagers.
You'll have access to a range of artefacts, games, posters and kits that can be used in history, religious education, science, maths and music lessons.
Course content
Year 1
Core modules
0 credits
Non-credit bearing module
This module focuses on developing your ability to teach, assess and undertake your professional responsibilities in your chosen phase of education. It is part based at the University, where lectures, seminars and online learning will provide you with research, theory and practice based insights into effective learning and teaching. It is largely based upon your practice in school and settings, where you receive formal training, experience of working alongside professionals, experience of being the lead practitioner in a classroom/setting and experience of the wider aspects of being a teacher.
30 credits
This module introduces you to theories of reflective practice and the value and purpose of reflection for teachers. This will enable you to develop in-depth understanding of how you reflect in order to identify issues and develop solutions in your professional settings.
The main features of the module are critical explorations of factors that affect how children develop physically, socially and as learners. You will critically analyse issues relevant to your current practice, considering your own position as an effective teacher.
Through completion of a reflective journal during the module, you will develop critical, reflective and reflexive skills to inform peer and colleague discussion within a learning community. You will be encouraged and supported to challenge and develop your professional practice.
30 credits
This module enables you to locate yourself as an emerging professional within wider discourses about teaching as a profession. It allows you to evaluate your own identity as a professional and reflect on the values that you and the wider profession hold. You will critically analyse discussions and debates which affect classroom practice. These debates will focus on specific areas to exemplify wider issues in education. The focus of these discussions will be on inclusive teaching and learning and the legislative frameworks which provide codes of practice.
A key focus of the module is to develop your ability to make sense of education research and to apply this in the context of your school or setting.
Careers opportunities
The course aims to develop your professional skills to help you gain employment in a secondary school and continue with your professional development. Over 95% of our graduates enter the teaching profession after they complete their course. Many go into middle and senior management roles in schools.
Classroom experience
The course has been designed to allow trainees to spend 120 days in school, ensuring you start your teaching career with confidence. A school-based professional mentor and tutors from the University will support you during your placements.
You will benefit from two contrasting placements with our partnership schools. Whilst on placement, students are expected to carry out the normal school hours and engage in school life. This expectation includes attending early morning/evening meetings, which will vary depending on the school.
Links with schools
We have links with:
- a strong partnership of schools and settings in which you'll train
- special schools
- teaching school alliances
- multi-academy trusts
- schools and settings-centred Initial Teacher Training providers
- local authorities
- teaching unions
- other universities around the country to share good practice
Teaching and assessment
Your taught sessions will be a mix of seminars, lectures, practical workshops, field trips and work with pupils. Peer-led critical support groups will also feature in the programme. Most of your sessions will be taught by University tutors but there may also be guest speakers, such as headteachers or subject leaders.
When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.
As a student at Kingston University, we will make sure you have access to appropriate advice regarding your academic development. You will also be able to use the University's support services.
- Scheduled learning and teaching: 300 hours
- Guided independent study (self-managed time): 570 hours
- Placement: 120 days
Contact hours may vary depending on your modules.
You will not be required to take any exams. Your academic work will be assessed through coursework, such as essays and presentations.
At the end of each school placement, your teaching will be assessed to ensure you are making appropriate progress and have engaged with the five core areas as outlined in the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (DfE, 2024). This will ensure that you are able to meet the Teachers' Standards (DfE, 2021) by the end of the course.
The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows.
- 100% coursework (portfolio-based)
We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.
Fees and funding
| Fee Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | PGCE full time £9,535 |
| International | PGCE full time £18,500 |
| Fee Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | PGCE full time £9,250 |
| International | PGCE full time £17,800 |
Funding support for PGCE students
Eligible UK and EU students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Please be aware: although this course is at postgraduate level, as it is possible to obtain a tuition fee loan for PGCE courses they are to be treated as undergraduate courses when it comes to tuition fee liability as a result of withdrawal or break in studies.
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying Citizenship with Social Science PGCE at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support:
For information about bursaries and scholarships available from the Department for Education for PGCE courses, please visit: teacher training bursaries on the government website.
International postgraduate students could receive up to £5,000 towards tuition in their first year of study.
For more information on how to apply for these scholarships, visit the International Scholarship page.
If you are a Kingston University 2024/25 undergraduate progressing to a 2025/26 postgraduate degree (taught or research), you could get a 15% reduction in tuition fees.
For more information on how to apply for this scholarship, visit the Postgraduate Progression Scholarship page.
Kingston University offers a 10% discount on full and part-time postgraduate degree course tuition fees to our alumni.
For more information on how to apply for this discount, visit our alumni discount page.
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Our libraries have an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as open-access computers and laptops available to rent. However, you may want to buy your own computer or personal copies of key textbooks. Textbooks may range from £50 to £250 per year. And a personal computer can range from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.
While most coursework is submitted online, some modules may require printed copies. You may want to allocate up to £100 per year for hard-copies of your coursework. It’s worth noting that 3D printing is never compulsory. So if you choose to use our 3D printers, you’ll need to pay for the material. This ranges from 3p per gram to 40p per gram.
Kingston University will pay for all compulsory field trips. Fees for optional trips can range from £30 to £350 per trip.
Your tuition fees don’t cover travel costs. To save on travel costs, you can use our free intersite bus service. This route links the campuses and halls of residence with local train stations - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and Norbiton.
For certain professional courses, you will be required to complete a Declaration of Health and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. As these are necessary for your course, we will guide you through the process once you receive and accept an offer from Kingston University London.
We are pleased to offer the DBS check at no cost to applicants who have accepted the offer and chosen to study with us. You will need to subscribe to the Update Service for £16 per year. This allows universities and potential employers to view any changes to your DBS.
How to apply
Before you apply
Before you submit your application, please read through our entry criteria carefully to ensure you meet our requirements.
How to apply online
You can apply for your course through the UK Department for Education portal.
Please enter the details of institutions and courses clearly and correctly on your form, paying particular attention to the codes.
- The code for Kingston University is K84
- The course code for Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE: Citizenship with Social Science is 2VZZ.
After you apply
Interviews are an important part of the selection process for teacher training courses. The University will make a decision following your interview and will then inform you through the UK Department for Education portal.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
