Education (Religious Education) PGCE

Please note the closing date for 2025 entry to this programme is 1st November 2024.

Applications received after the closing date will be regarded as LATE and will be considered only if vacancies exist when all applications received by the closing date have been processed. Normally we do not consider ‘late’ applications before June at the earliest.

All applicants must possess the following:

An honours degree (2.2 or above) in
- theology or religious studies
Or
- a joint honours degree (2.2 or above) where at least half of the content of the degree is in theology or religious studies
Or
- an honours degree (2.2 or above) in a cognate area of theology or religious studies AND an A-Level in Religious Studies at least at Grade C
Or
- a higher degree in theology or religious studies.

At the time of application, GCSE Mathematics grade C/4, and GCSE English Language grade C/4 or equivalent qualification. (Please note Essential Skills Level 2 qualifications are not regarded as equivalent for entry to this professional course as the professional accrediting authority, the GTCNI, does not recognise them as equivalent. University Access courses must meet DE Circular 2010/03; this means that modules taken must be in the field of English language and/or mathematics as appropriate, and content must be comparable in breadth and depth to GCSE).

We reserve the right to enhance the shortlisting criteria if the course is over-subscribed.

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed.

Please note, applicants who are successful in obtaining an offer following completion of the selection process must provide official confirmation that they have satisfied any conditions of their offer by 12 noon on Thursday 28th August 2025 as the course will commence on Monday 1st September 2025.

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required. *Taken within the last 2 years.

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

This PGCE prepares students for teaching in secondary-level schools (age 11-18+). You will gain ‘Eligibility to Teach’ (referred to in some other jurisdictions as 'qualified teacher status', QTS).

Qualified teachers have found employment in secondary schools, progressing through either a subject specialist or pastoral route into middle and senior management. Others have gone on to successfully complete further postgraduate study.

In our employability videos former students describe some of the different routes into finding a permanent teaching job:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6MjHoVkPFvLdlbjuUr3xXJbwC8W1V82S