Eunice Lumsden
Emeritus Professor
level:PG;top_up:true;international:true;foundation:false;clearing:false;full_time:false;part_time:true;start_month:September;location:Distance Learning
PGCE (Top-Up) Primary/Early Years/Secondary
Key Facts
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Duration
1 year part time
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Level
PostgraduatePG PGCert
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Part Time: £2,915
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£2,915
Get in touch
UK STUDENTS ENQUIRIES
study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ENQUIRIES
Updated 17/02/2026
Overview
The PGCE Top-up course enables you to achieve the academic award of Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) if you have already successfully gained QTS through the Graduate Teacher Programme, School Direct or similar.
QTS holders in the UK and internationally will benefit from this one year programme, designed to meet the needs of practicing teachers and increase your employability around the world.
Highlights
- Flexible schedule to fit around work schedules.
- Achieve PGCE status if you have already completed the required credits.
Waterside campus has everything students needs from: Learning Hub featuring 24/7 library, Creative Hub, on-site shop, restaurant, cafes and food outlets, multi-faith chaplaincy, student village hall, Students' Union and more. With only a short walk over the bridge into the town centre.
The Learning Hub and Student Information Desk would be a student's first point of call when needing support.
Our library covers three floors of the Learning Hub, with IT rich learning environments, including silent and group study spaces, physical books. Don't forget there are plenty more resources available online!
The Student Information Desk is the first place a student should go if they need any help. Here the team can direct you to academic support, mental health support, financial support, IT support, and more.
The Learning Hub is where every student will go for library support and classes, as well as food outlets and social events.
The Learning Hub also has lots of outdoor space for meeting with friends or finding some silent time between classes.
The Learning Hub is the biggest building on campus, home to our Student Information Desk, 24/7 library, teaching spaces, cafes, and more.
The big and spacious modern Senate building has various types of learning spaces, teaching rooms, our Bloomberg suite, Morley Room lecture hall, and cafes.
Entry Requirements
Applicants are required to have a minimum of 2:2 classification from their First Degree from a UK university or equivalent.
You must have QTS status through the Graduate Teacher Programme, School Direct route or similar and have recent teaching experience. We are happy to discuss this with individuals.
For more more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.
What You'll Learn
This course enables academic study alongside full-time teaching. It consists of formal taught sessions with tutors held at weekends or during the mid-term breaks. We also deliver teaching through online sources, which you can access anywhere, at your convenience through our Virtual Learning Environment, NILE. You will also have access to the library and a tutor, who will be available to help in person or online, and we hold regular webinars to support your studies.
This course is designed to support your professional development, embedding academic studies in the context of your work. You will enhance your QTS by studying modules at Masters’ level to gain the PGCE qualification. It will give you a deeper understanding of teaching and learning to enhance your practice and help you on your way to a Masters’ degree and beyond if you wish to progress this further.
Compulsory Modules
The purpose of this module is: to support the generation of a portfolio of evidence and information from UK QTS holders without level 7 academic credit to enter the PGCE Top Up programme.
The purpose of this module is:
To develop the skills, knowledge and understanding of teacher research needed to support professional practice;
To reflect on the process of research and its outcomes in order to inform future practice of self and others.
The purpose of this module is: to explore and critically evaluate appropriate, phase specific curriculum documents from the United Kingdom or another national education system and to contextualise and critically evaluate an aspect of personal, professional pedagogy in relation to contemporary teaching and learning theory.
Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 25/26. The modules relating to the academic year 26/27 will be available from June 2026.
How will I be assessed?
You will have a variety of assessments, submitted throughout the year. They will include reflective pieces of writing, essays and a small-scale research project.
How will I learn?
The entire course consists of interactive, taught sessions, involving activities and discussions plus some independent study. This course is run over two terms between October and June. You should also expect to do six to 10 hours of private study each week.
The structure of this online course has been created to accommodate practicing teachers, wherever they are based. There is no necessity to visit Northampton.
Fees and Funding
2026/27 Tuition Fees
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Years 26/27 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
- £2,915 (60 credits)
For more information about possible funding options, please visit our Fees and Funding pages.
There are currently no additional costs anticipated for this course for 2026 entry.
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Years 25/26 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
- £2,830 (60 credits)
Staff
Helen Caldwell
Associate Professor in Education
Joanne Barrow
Senior Lecturer in Education (CYF)
Careers and Employability
Most PGCE top-up students will already be professional teachers, however this qualification will allow you to teach in other countries, subject to their own regulations, and opens up opportunities for career progression such as leadership and management.
We would encourage you to check visa requirements if you are intending to use the course to enable you to teach in a different country.
