Life in the classroom working with kids

A primary education teaching qualification is awarded on successful completion of either:

A four-year undergraduate combined degree programme leading to a named award which includes a teaching qualification

A four-year undergraduate concurrent degree programme leading to a named award and a separate teaching qualification, or a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme following a degree.

If you want to be a nursery/ early years teacher, you must gain a primary education teaching qualification as this prepares you to teach children through two full years of pre-school education and those attending primary school, ie children in the 3-12 age range.

For the four-year combined degree and other undergraduate degree programmes you must have:

A National Qualification at SCQF Level 6 (for example, Higher Grade), in at least three subjects (one of these course awards must be in English) and A National Qualification Course award at SCQF Level 5 (or an accepted alternative, for example, National 5, Credit Standard Grade or Intermediate 2) in two other subjects (one of the awards must be in mathematics)

These are minimum entry requirements. However, due to competition for places universities set their own tariffs, above the minimum, in respect of the number of Higher grades and the level of passes.

Universities are likely to require four Higher grades at, for example, AABB.

Check with the university that you want to apply to for their tariff. • Aberdeen: MA (Hons) Education

(Primary) • Dundee; MA (Hons) Primary

Education • Edinburgh: MA (Hons) Primary

Education with: Earth Sciences, History, Mathematics, Modern Languages (German), Religious Studies, Scottish Studies • Glasgow: MEd Education with

Teaching Qualification (Primary) • Stirling: BA (Hons) Education (Primary) with: Modern Languages, Environment, Early Years • Strathclyde: BA (Hons) Primary

Education • West of Scotland: BA (Hons)

Primary Education For the one-year (or equivalent) Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme you must have:

An undergraduate degree validated by a higher education institution in the United Kingdom or a degree of an equivalent standard from an institution outside the United Kingdom and

A National Qualification in English at SCQF Level 6 (for example, Higher Grade) or an accepted alternative andHighlands and Islands, Strathclyde and The West of Scotland universities offer the PGDE. EDUCATING