Teaching Qualification Further Education

Why study for the Teaching Qualification Further Education at Dundee?

At University of Dundee, the TQFE programme is delivered almost entirely online, allowing you to fit your studies around your professional and personal commitments. Our virtual learning environment is open 24/7 and you are encouraged to complete the well-structured programme at your own pace. As well as our highly accessible and attractive virtual learning environment, you will benefit from a range of social media and online conferencing tools.

The TQFE team is comprised of nine academics, some of whom are also employed in the college sector. The programme materials are kept fully up to date; our virtual learning environment gives us the agility to respond quickly to new developments in the field. Members of the team are engaged in research into a wide range of topics including educational uses of social media tools; adult learners and motivation; the design of online learning environments.

TQFE-Tutor

Our communications and tutoring system, TQFE-Tutor, won the prestigious University of Dundee's Honorary Graduates' Award for Innovative Teaching in 2011. The system incorporates a blog, email and a Twitter account, all badged 'TQFE-Tutor'.

The TQFE-Tutor system allows us to guarantee that you will receive a timely response to any enquiries/assignment submissions.

Professional recognition

Participants who successfully complete TQFE are eligible to register with the General Teaching Council for Scotland; those whose teaching is primarily in the Higher Education field may prefer to apply for registration with the Higher Education Academy.

Who should study this course?

The programme is designed for academic staff working in colleges and other educational institutions, who may be fairly new to teaching or who want to develop their existing teaching skills further. Programme participants are often sponsored by their employers. The Scottish Government recommends that all college lecturers should complete TQFE within three years of appointment.

In the video below, a former TQFE participant talks about her experience of the programme:

Related courses

• BA Professional Development
• MSc Applied Professional Studies
  

Teaching & Assessment

This course is taught by staff in the School of Education, Social Work and Community Education.

Staff on the programme come from a variety of backgrounds and together have a wealth of experience in teaching in a range of educational sectors.  Check out their profiles:

• Aileen McGuigan, Programme Director
• Lucy Golden, Module Leader
• Lorraine Syme-Smith, Module Leader
• Lynn Boyle, Lecturer in Education
• Glynis Gibbs, Seconded Programme Tutor
• Lynn Gray, Seconded Programme Tutor
• Carey Normand, Senior Lecturer in Education
• Graham Williamson, Senior Lecturer in Education

The TQFE programme is underpinned by the Scottish Government's (2012) Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges which define the lecturer's role and contribution to their educational setting. In keeping with these standards, the programme recognises the role lecturers play in 'enabling people from all sections of the community to be included in education and achieve their potential as successful learners and future citizens'. The programme aims to fully prepare lecturers for the fast-changing world of teaching in the post-compulsory sector.

The programme is normally completed within one academic year, starting in September and finishing in May.

Careers

The TQFE programme is widely recognised as a high quality teaching qualification in the post-compulsory education sector. For those wishing to build on their qualification, progression to other programmes in Education, Social Work and Community Education is straightforward.

If participants wish to undertake further qualifications, progression to BA Professional Development (UG), MSc Applied Professional Studies (PG), MEd (PG) or Doctoral study (PG Masters) is straightforward.

As this is an in-service qualification, TQFE participants are normally employed as lecturers, trainers or instructors when they join the programme (they are required to undertake a minimum of 120 hours of teaching in the course of their studies). Some employers award contribution related salary points for employees who gain the TQFE certificate.

Entry Requirements

Postgraduate - degree or relevant professional qualification
Undergraduate - HND or equivalent relevant professional qualification

All applicants must meet the following minimum core skills requirements:  Literacy/Communication SCQF Level 6; ICT SCQF Level 5; and Numeracy SCQF Level 4.

Credit is available for those with recognised teaching qualifications.

English Language Requirement: IELTS of 6.5 (or equivalent), if your first language is not English. Please check our Language Requirements page for details of equivalent grades from other test providers, and information about the University of Dundee English Language courses.

Fees and Funding

Fees for 2012-13:
Home Fees and
Overseas Fees

Sources of Funding

Most programme participants are sponsored by their employing colleges.

The School of Education, Social Work and Community Education is not currently offering any school scholarships.

Other sources of funding for postgraduate students can be found on our Scholarships webpage.

Living Costs

• Dundee is ranked as one of the most affordable places for students to live in the UK, and the cost of living is around 15% cheaper than the UK average.
• Increasing numbers of students are successfully undertaking part-time work to supplement their income. You can get advice from our Careers Service, both about job opportunities and how to find a suitable study/work/life balance. EU and international students are also allowed to work up to 20 hours per week.
• As a student in Scotland, you have free access to the National Health Service. Visits to doctors and hospitals, as well as prescriptions, sight tests and dental checkups, are available free of charge.

Your Application

Download the application form - pdf or word version.

Applicants who wish to claim credit for an existing qualification must send a copy of the relevant certificate(s) with their application form.

The programme runs once per year, from the beginning of September.  Applications are accepted until 30 June each year.