Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

If you want to become a high school teacher, you first need to obtain a degree from one of the other faculties and thereafter enrol for our one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Choose a degree programme with subjects (one up to at least second-year level and one up to third-year level) that will enable you to teach at least two appropriate school subjects.

Find the requirements for the various teaching specialisations (school subjects) under PGCE in the Faculty of Education Calendar on page 22. The PGCE focuses on the training of high school teachers, specifically for the Further Education and Training Phase (FET).

The Faculty encourages you strongly to take at least two teaching modules; you will improve your career prospects significantly should you be able to teach two school subjects instead of one. However, if you meet the requirements of only one teaching module, this subject area has to be a major in your undergraduate or honours degree. In addition, you have to take the 20-credit Advanced Study module of your specific subject speciality. We cannot guarantee that all the Advanced Study modules will be offered in a particular year because that depends on the availability of staff.

All prospective students who apply for the PGCE, have to complete two weeks of observation at the beginning of the school year before they will be allowed to register for this programme. This observation concludes with handing in a report that constitutes 10% of your final Practical Learning mark. All relevant documents will be made available to prospective students before the end of the preceding year.

   Undergraduate programmes giving access to PGCE

Faculty of AgriSciences:
  • BScAgric with school subjects

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

  • BA with school subjects
  • BA in Drama and Theatre Studies
  • BA, majoring in Sport Science
  • BA in Visual Arts

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences:

  • BCom with school subjects
  • Other bachelor's degrees with school subjects

Faculty of Science:

  • BSc with school subjects
  • BSc, majoring in Sport Science

   Teaching modules enabling you to offer school subjects

We advise you to take at least two teaching modules, because being able to teach two school subjects will improve your employability. However, if you qualify for only one teaching module, you may achieve the outstanding credits by completing further studies in that subject area.

The subjects for which teaching modules are offered, are as follows:

  • Accounting
  • Afrikaans
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Business Studies
  • Computer Application Technology (CAT)
  • Drama
  • Economics
  • English
  • Foreign language teaching in any language offered as a second additional language in the South African school curriculum
  • Geography
  • History
  • Information Technology (IT)
  • IsiXhosa
  • Life Orientation
  • Life Sciences
  • Mathematical Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • Physical Sciences
  • Physical Education
  • Religion Studies
  • Visual Art

Take note: All teaching modules will not necessarily be offered every year. A minimum number of students per module are required.

If you want to become a high school teacher, you first need to obtain a degree from one of the other faculties and thereafter enrol for our one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Choose a degree programme with subjects (one up to at least second-year level and one up to third-year level) that will enable you to teach at least two appropriate school subjects.

Find the requirements for the various teaching specialisations (school subjects) under PGCE in the Faculty of Education Calendar on page 22. The PGCE focuses on the training of high school teachers, specifically for the Further Education and Training Phase (FET).

The Faculty encourages you strongly to take at least two teaching modules; you will improve your career prospects significantly should you be able to teach two school subjects instead of one. However, if you meet the requirements of only one teaching module, this subject area has to be a major in your undergraduate or honours degree. In addition, you have to take the 20-credit Advanced Study module of your specific subject speciality. We cannot guarantee that all the Advanced Study modules will be offered in a particular year because that depends on the availability of staff.

All prospective students who apply for the PGCE, have to complete two weeks of observation at the beginning of the school year before they will be allowed to register for this programme. This observation concludes with handing in a report that constitutes 10% of your final Practical Learning mark. All relevant documents will be made available to prospective students before the end of the preceding year.

   Undergraduate programmes giving access to PGCE

Faculty of AgriSciences:
  • BScAgric with school subjects

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

  • BA with school subjects
  • BA in Drama and Theatre Studies
  • BA, majoring in Sport Science
  • BA in Visual Arts

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences:

  • BCom with school subjects
  • Other bachelor's degrees with school subjects

Faculty of Science:

  • BSc with school subjects
  • BSc, majoring in Sport Science

   Teaching modules enabling you to offer school subjects

We advise you to take at least two teaching modules, because being able to teach two school subjects will improve your employability. However, if you qualify for only one teaching module, you may achieve the outstanding credits by completing further studies in that subject area.

The subjects for which teaching modules are offered, are as follows:

  • Accounting
  • Afrikaans
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Business Studies
  • Computer Application Technology (CAT)
  • Drama
  • Economics
  • English
  • Foreign language teaching in any language offered as a second additional language in the South African school curriculum
  • Geography
  • History
  • Information Technology (IT)
  • IsiXhosa
  • Life Orientation
  • Life Sciences
  • Mathematical Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • Physical Sciences
  • Physical Education
  • Religion Studies
  • Visual Art

Take note: All teaching modules will not necessarily be offered every year. A minimum number of students per module are required.