SCITT Postgraduate Certificate of Education
Discover an established route into teaching with a School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) PgCert. Train with one of our SCITT providers and graduate with a valuable qualification.
What is SCITT?
School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (usually known as SCITT) is one of the established routes into teaching. SCITT programmes are delivered by government-accredited networks of schools and focus on training as you teach. The SCITT training is school-based and leads to the recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) through the SCITT provider to the Department for Education (DfE). Use the DfE Get into Teaching website to find a school-centred or other teacher training route suitable for you. You will always apply directly to the provider for a teacher training place.
Alongside the practical teacher training, it's important for new entrants to the profession to develop their understanding of research and policy to link theory and practice – seeing the links between educational research and its practical application in classrooms.
The University of Sunderland partners with SCITT providers to deliver a 60-credit Postgraduate Certificate of Education to complement the award of QTS. Successful completion of the SCITT course allows you to graduate with a valuable qualification as well as QTS. SCITT trainees register as postgraduate students of the University and you'll have access to the library, as well as a wide range of student services such as disability support and wellbeing.
The University of Sunderland Postgraduate Certificate of Education
The University of Sunderland provides two individual Level 7 masters-level modules as an overall 60-credit Postgraduate Certificate of Education. These are introduced and explored during live sessions at the SCITT provider or online, with comprehensive and accessible teaching material provided via Canvas, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment. You'll have a personal academic tutor to monitor progress and assess your assignments, as well as a dedicated Programme Leader and module leaders, as you complete your postgraduate studies while working towards QTS.
- Module 1 looks at exploring school-based interventions and how they are used to develop pupils' learning
- Module 2 empowers trainees to carry out a negotiated individual study on teaching in their own classrooms
The two MA modules can be used to apply for direct entry to Year 2 of the two-year MA Education course.
Please note, to take this qualification, you must first have been accepted onto a SCITT programme with one of the SCITT providers we work with. There is no direct entry to this course.
SCITT providers we work with
Our SCITT teacher training is currently available with Gorse SCITT (covering the Yorkshire region).
Information for potential partner SCITT providers
The University of Sunderland SCITT team will work with potential partner SCITTs to develop a flexible PgCert programme that aligns with the ITT Core Content Framework and integrates with current SCITT programmes’ curriculum models. Please get in touch with us via the contact details below to discuss.
Further information
For further information about the SCITT PgCert, please contact:
Dr Elizabeth Hidson and Greg Larmouth
Programme Leadership Team: SCITT PgCert
Email: scitt@sunderland.ac.uk