Primary Online (PGDE - Graduates only)
University of Aberdeen
UCAS Code: X110 | Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Scotland)
University of Aberdeen
UCAS Code: X110 | Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Scotland)
Entry requirements
GCSE/National 4/National 5
National 5 Maths at Grade C or above. Equivalencies are accepted and details can be found within our PGDE Information Leaflet.
Higher English at Grade C or above. Equivalencies are accepted and details can be found within our PGDE Information Leaflet.
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About this course
**If you wish to commence your studies in January 2025 - Please state either at the end of your Personal Statement that you wish to be considered for entry commencing January 2025 or email us direct to request - ugadmissions@abdn.ac.uk.**
**Please note that applications for the PGDE Primary Online Programme for entry in January 2026 are not yet open. If you wish to apply for entry to commence in January 2026, please check back at the end of January 2025, when applications will open.**
Obtain an accredited teaching qualification in 18 months with our PGDE Primary Education programme to shape young minds and instil a notion of life-long learning. Our flexible course includes 18 weeks (full-time) of practical experience in schools to acquire diverse insights into teaching and advance your confidence as a practitioner in education. Embark on the path to a fulfilling career in primary education with our online GTCS accredited programme that aims to transform our students into adaptable, inclusive teachers who can inspire participation and face the challenges of teaching to support all pupils in their learning.
Our comprehensive programme brings a multi-focus perspective to build upon varied experiences shared among peers and discuss current educational issues to strengthen your teaching skills. You will learn with highly-qualified academics and study a selection of innovative topics to challenge your thinking and enrich your specialist knowledge. We have strong partnerships with a range of local authorities across Scotland, allowing you to obtain 18 weeks of invaluable practical training to enhance your professional practice in the classroom. Once you have completed the programme, you will meet the standards for full registration as a teacher, guaranteeing you a probationary classroom teaching period if you opt into the GTCS induction scheme.
For Academic Year 2024-25, term commences January 2025, part time, online, with full time attendance for placements.
The PGDE Online Primary programme offers students a blended model of learning. Students will engage with online learning one or two evenings a week with additional asynchronous learning in addition to these taught sessions.
During school experience placements, students are required to be in school on a full-time basis. There are two placement periods – each lasting 9 weeks usually in April-June The second placement will commence February 2026 to May 2026, with exact dates confirmed in the 2025/2026 calendar.
Eligibility criteria is in place. Students undertaking this online programme must be resident in Scotland and this will be verified through the PVG check.
**PVG Check**
A Protection of Vulnerable Group (PVG) check through Disclosure Scotland will be conducted by the University prior to final acceptance. The PVG check will also evidence residency in Scotland. This is required of all applicants who accept an offer of admission for PGDE Online Primary, even those who have been checked previously. For UK applicants, resident in Scotland, who have lived outside the UK for any period of time, in accepting an offer of admission, an Enhanced criminal record check through Disclosure Scotland will be conducted and in addition, it will be necessary for the applicant to obtain a criminal record check from the country they are from/lived in. **The PVG check is paid for by the applicant and is processed after an applicant confirms their firm acceptance of their place.**
Modules
The PGDE online programme is 18 months in duration, commencing January 2023 and ends in June 2024. Study is online on a part time basis and in addition, School Experience placements during the 18 month programme – are full time within a primary school setting in a local authority school in Scotland.
School Experience placement dates are fixed each year, and each block must be undertaken on a full-time basis.
Assessment methods
To complete the programme, you will undertake four academic assessments enabling you to learn about educational theory and policy linked to school experience. Your teaching practice will also be assessed during school experience placements.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
View the University of Aberdeen Online Prospectus programme page to find out about any scholarships and funding you may be able to apply for.
The Uni
University of Aberdeen
School of Education
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Teacher training
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Teacher training
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
The stats above mainly cover teaching degrees for training and qualifying in primary school education. These tend to be three or four-year courses — check with course tutors about how long you will need to study to get your Qualified Teacher Status. Most graduates go into teaching roles — usually primary school teaching, so these courses have good employment rates and starting salaries. We have a shortage of teachers of all kinds, which is deepening, and whilst many of the most severe are at secondary level, the prospects for this degree are not likely to take a downturn any time soon.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Teacher training
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£28k
£33k
£35k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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