Tertiary Education (TQFE) (Postgraduate Certificate)

Entry requirements

Academic requirements A minimum of a second class Honours degree (2:1 preferred) in a relevant subject or equivalent is required. You must also be employed in an appropriate work environment e.g. a college or similar organisation. Literacy and numeracy requirements You must have both literacy and numeracy skills which meet the demands of the course. The normal entry requirement will be: a National Qualification Course award in English at level 6 on the SCQF (or suitable evidence of being able to attain this standard) or Qualifications Scotland communication level III a National Qualification Course award in numeracy or Mathematics at level 4 on the SCQF (or suitable evidence of being able to attain this standard) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills You should have ICT skills equivalent to Intermediate 2 (level 5 on the SCQF). This level of skill in the use of ICT is required partly in order to be able to fully participate on the TQFE course and also to be able to function effectively in the working environment. Accredited Prior Learning If you have any of the following PDAs you’ll be given exemption to ‘Professional Practice’ or ‘Professional Experiential Learning’ and will do a 20 credit APL module instead: Group Award Code: G85D 18 ‘Advanced Diploma Teaching in Further Education’ Group Award Code: GG87 49 ‘PDA Teaching Practice in Scotland’s Colleges’ Group Award Code: GG82 49 ‘Developing Teaching Practice in Scotland’s Colleges’ You’ll receive a reduction in fee of £293. Postgraduate candidates who have the DELTA (or equivalent) award are exempt from the Professional Practice module (spring semester). Your reduction in fee will be £586. Candidates claiming any of the above exemptions must provide certificates at the point of application for the TQFE programme. Retrospective exemptions are not given once a candidate has started the course. International entry requirements View the entry requirements for your country. Application procedure You can apply for this course using our direct online application form. Apply now for PGCert Tertiary Education with Teaching Qualification (Further Education) - in-service. English language requirements If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills: IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill. Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill. TOEFL exams taken before 21 January 2026: 80 overall with 18 in reading, 17 in writing, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking. TOEFL exams taken from 21 January 2026: 4 overall with no less than 4 in any band. See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements. Pre-sessional English language courses If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, University of Stirling International Study Centre offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree. Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses .

Course details

Modules Teaching The course is taught using a combination of lectures,  small-group workshops and materials made available via the University of Stirling's online learning environment. The attendance requirement for most modules is three days per module, with all course materials available online in advance. Face-to-face sessions Whilst attending teaching days students will experience large group lectures delivered by TQFE staff and, on occasions, invited guest lecturers. The lectures provide an opportunity for key concepts and issues to be highlighted and for you to receive guidance about key aspects of assessment tasks. Lectures are recorded using the university’s ‘Listen Again’ system and can be easily accessed by students attending at college-based sites. The key concepts introduced via the lectures are explored in greater depth in small group workshops during the rest of the day. In the workshops you’re encouraged to draw upon your own professional experience and context and to share ideas and knowledge with your peers. The opportunity to engage with peers from different subject areas is seen to be a key element of the face-to-face learning and this has been frequently highlighted in feedback from students. Online Canvas, our virtual learning environment, is used extensively as a significant element of the TQFE course. A wide variety of digital resources are made available online including: recordings of all lectures (made available within 24 hours of their ‘delivery’ on campus) e-journals and e-books (made available via electronic reading lists) in addition to ‘in-house’ resources students are also provided with links to digital resources which are provided by various organisations in the FE sector including the ‘College Development Network’, Education Scotland, and General Teaching Council Scotland. The wide variety of resources reflects contemporary issues and trends and enables you to interact both visually and aurally. Our virtual learning environment is also used to support online interaction between TQFE staff and students and between the students themselves. Discussion spaces are used to support each module and these spaces provide a flexible opportunity for you to engage in ‘professional dialogue’ to clarify and deepen your understanding of key topics. Assessment Three formal assignments are required (where a student has not been granted any exemptions) each of 3,000 words. Where the first submission is graded as a fail, one resubmission attempt is allowed. Where the resubmission is graded as a fail, the student must retake the module. The pass mark for postgraduate work is 50%. A student is permitted a maximum of five assessment attempts (three module registrations to include assessment only) per module. In addition to the formal written assignments you’re required to be observed teaching on two separate occasions and to complete a written reflective review of the observed lesson. One of the observations may be undertaken by suitably qualified college based staff. Classroom hours In-service students attend for a total of ten teaching sessions (excluding academic and administrative induction) over the academic year. As the course is 'work-based', students' professional practice in their own college environment is an integral part of the learning experience. There’s no weekly timetable. When you are on campus the day consists of individual tutorial support, and then a lecture followed by a small-group workshop. Course director Dr Matthew Sowerby , Course Director

Fees and funding

Fees and costs University of Stirling alumni will automatically be awarded a fee waiver for the first year of Masters studies through our Stirling Alumni Scholarship . Applicants from the UK or Republic of Ireland who hold a first-class honours degree or equivalent will automatically be awarded a £2,000 scholarship through our Postgraduate Merit Scholarship . If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees. If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry. For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy . Eligible students could receive a scholarship worth between £4,000-£7,000. See our range of generous scholarships for international postgraduate students. If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees. If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry. For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy . This course is only available to students with a tuition fee status of UK. 2025-26 2026-27 Full course fee £1,820 £1,875 20-credit module fee £303 £313 40-credit module fee £606 £625 You will be liable to pay tuition fees for every module you enrol on. Your fees will be held at the same level throughout your course. If you need to extend your period of study or repeat study, you will be liable for additional fees. This fee is charged as a module fee. For more information on courses invoiced on a modular fee basis, please read our tuition fees policy . Funding If you have the talent, ability and drive to study with us, we want to make sure you make the most of the opportunity – regardless of your financial circumstances. Learn more about available funding opportunities or use our scholarship finder to explore our range of scholarships. Part-time In-service students working a maximum of 15 hours per week may be eligible for the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) funding. Check out the SAAS website . There are other categories of funding available to support the cost of your studies at the University of Stirling. You may qualify for University funding as well as funding from government bodies, the European Commission, funding trusts, research councils, industry and employers. Additional costs There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees . Cost of living If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income. International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support. Find out about the cost of living for students at Stirling Payment options We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay

After you graduate

Graduates from the PGCert Tertiary Education can teach at further education colleges throughout Scotland and the UK. You could also go on to do further study. Stirling graduates work at colleges and educational organisations across Scotland and the UK.