Unisa PGCE Qualifications in 2022

The teaching profession is considered to be one of the most rewarding careers for many to pursue, especially if those people have a drive and passion for teaching young people.

 

However, for those who already have an undergraduate degree to their name and do not want to waste 4 years on pursuing a Bachelor of Education (BEd) certificate can do the Postgraduate Certificate in Education, also known as the PGCE.

 

What is the PGCE?

 The PGCE is a qualification that will allow qualified students to pursue a career in Education without having to do a BEd undergraduate degree.

 

In other words, it’s the perfect qualification for those who do not want to spend 4 years doing a degree when they already have one. The PGCE is designed to help you teach subjects that are relevant to your prior undergraduate degree/national diploma.

 

The university has phased out all PGCE programmes except the Senior and FET PGCE programme, with all other PGCE programmes being phased out. Students looking to teach at a lower level than Grade 8 will have to pursue doing a BEd programme in its respective field.

 

What Does the PGCE Qualification Consist Of?

The PGCE qualification mainly consists of 10 year modules and a selection of semester modules. However, there is the option of choosing a year module over a semester module when it comes to choosing a module from a group other than Group A.

 

The course takes one year to complete, with a maximum of three years allowed for students to fully complete the qualification.

 

All PGCEs adopt the same modules bar modules that are specific to the PGCE subject, such as a subject for how to teach Math, Accounting, and so forth.

 

Credits earned from doing modules used for non-degree/non-diploma purposes can also count towards the maximum number of credits which is allowed.

 

Also Read: Unisa Study Tips

 

The Benefits of Studying a PGCE Qualification at Unisa in 2022

 

There will always be a high demand for educators in South Africa (and abroad) in 2022. This is especially since doing a PGCE can both be a full-time gig as well as provide people with an alternative source of income (if becoming a full-time teacher is not your main goal).

 

There are many other reasons why people consider studying a PGCE qualification, including:

 

• Pursuing a PGCE qualification can help you become more employable in a number of sectors (not only teaching)
• Doing a PGCE can help continue your educational, professional, and personal growth
• Having a PGCE can help you to study towards a Masters in Education
• The PGCE is an internationally-recognized qualification, meaning that you would be able to teach anywhere in the world
• The PGCE can allow you to forge a different career path in the education sector (from teacher to headmaster/principal)

 

What PGCE Qualifications are Available at Unisa in 2022

 Unisa currently offers 20 PGCE Senior and FET qualifications on its platform. As mentioned before, the university do not offer the following kind of PGCE qualifications due to it being phased out:

 

• Foundation and ECD PGCE
• Intermediate and Senior Phase PGCE

See below for the current available PGCE qualifications that are available to study at Unisa in 2022:

 

• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Agriculture
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Art
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Business Studies)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Consumer Studies
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Economics
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Engineering Technology 
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching English
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Financial Accounting
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Geography
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching History
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Hospitality Studies
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Information Computer Studies
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Languages
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Life Orientation
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Life Sciences
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Mathematical Literacy
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Mathematics
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Physical Sciences
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Religious Studies)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching Tourism

 

The university do offer Foundation and Intermediate Phase qualifications on its platform that can be done without a degree. View and learn more about these range of Education qualifications online here.

 

The PGCE is currently the ONLY recommended alternative issued by Unisa for students to become a professional teacher. Other diploma and certificate qualifications issued by Unisa’s College of Education department will not allow students to become a professional teacher.

 

What are the Requirements to Study a PGCE Qualification at Unisa?

 To do a specific PGCE qualification, students must have studied an undergraduate qualification relevant to the PGCE. It would not make sense, for example, for students who have an undergraduate degree in Banking to study a PGCE in Agriculture.

 

Students can only pursue a PGCE that is relevant to what they learned in their previous degree/national diploma. The basic requirements that are needed by each student in order to qualify for a PGCE programme at Unisa include:

 

• A Senior Certificate with exemption;
• An appropriate Bachelor’s degree or equivalent National Diploma qualification
• Have an APS of 42

 

Previously obtained qualifications from students will have to have had completed certain subject fields within their prior qualification up to the third level.

 

Students who fail to meet the requirements when it comes to subject choice are allowed to register one level for a required school subject if not met for non-degree purposes (NDP). Students who do require to do more than one level to do their PGCE will have to instead do a BEd degree qualification.

 

What Are the Current Costs of Doing a PGCE at Unisa in 2022?

In 2022, the current fees to study a one-year PGCE qualification at Unisa is:

 

• Year Modules: R 1 850
• Semester Modules: R1 780

 

In total, students would have to fork up a minimum of R18 150 (price subject to change) to do the PGCE in one year. The costs exclude additional services and fees such as library fees, miscellaneous fees, textbooks, etc.

 

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While pursuing a career in education is admirable, it has to be pointed out that the teaching profession in South Africa is not in very high demand. According to a study from February 2021, the national teacher vacancy rate stood at only 5.8%. This is roughly 24 556 vacant positions out of 372 512.

 

Fortunately, having a PGCE qualification to your name can open up the doors to work not only locally but internationally too (especially if teaching in the English language).

 

Also Read: Unisa Registration in 2022

Published: 27 February 2022