PGCE Modern Languages (Italian with French, German or Spanish) with QTS
Share your passion for language and culture to build international understanding
Year of entry: 2027 (September)
Share your passion for language and culture with pupils to build international understanding by studying PGCE Modern Languages (Italian with French, German or Spanish) at the University of York.
Why choose York?
Become part of a critically important education community. Learn to be an effective teacher, and gain an insight into the key skills your pupils will need to not only help them communicate, but deepen their understanding of other cultures. Through studying your PGCE at York, you will work with schools across the region to focus on the ever-changing landscape of education.
Gain key classroom experience during your studies. At York, we pride ourselves on our research-informed approach to education. With two-thirds of your time spent working in schools on placements, you will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a classroom setting throughout your course.
Develop your passion for language. All of our courses include studying two languages. On this course, Italian will be your first language with either French, German or Spanish as your second. Alongside your curriculum specific seminars and studies, we dedicate some time for you to attend sessions to develop your own language skills, with a particular focus on your second language expertise by working with native speakers.
Take your next step into teaching. This course will prepare you to teach modern languages at KS3 and KS4 (11-16) with a post-16 enhancement. This programme is delivered through a University-based core route.
Please reference our course codes when applying. The course codes for PGCE Modern Languages (Italian with French, German or Spanish) are
PGCE Modern Languages (Italian with French)
- Z114 (core code)
PGCE Modern Languages (Italian with German)
- Z394 (core code)
PGCE Modern Languages (Italian with Spanish)
- Z636 (core code)
Accreditation
On successfully completing this course you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is awarded by the Department for Education (DfE).
Course content
This course provides you with a stimulating, cross-curricular, highly-collaborative learning environment. A major strength of this are the teaching placements in partnership schools which are fully integrated into the programme structure. Whether you enrol on the York PGCE or under the umbrella of a Lead Partner, each of these routes benefit from the same rigorous assessment and placement pattern.
As a result you will not only be trained to create a safe and positive climate for learning, you will also have the opportunity to develop a strong sense of subject-specific pedagogy. You will be taught the knowledge and skills needed to engage in relevant educational research, all in line with the mandatory national Core Content Framework for Initial Teacher Training.
Placements
Over the course of your two teaching placements you’ll have the opportunity to work with different age groups with different abilities. You’ll experience a variety of schools and subject departments.
As part of your first placement you will complete assignments covering the topics below.
During your second placement you will complete an assignment covering:
You will also be assessed throughout the PGCE course around the Professional Aspects of Training. These include:
- Meeting Teachers' Standards
- Secondary Experience
- Professional Enrichment Experience
- Future Career Profile
Before starting a placement that forms part of your course, you are likely to be asked by the placement provider to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is to ensure that you do not disclose any information that is confidential to the placement provider.
Learning outcomes
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
Learning outcomes for this course
- Independently and creatively plan, resource and deliver lessons by applying theory, discipline knowledge and appropriate level expectations
- Create an inclusive, stimulating learning environment by managing classroom dynamics and adapting to learning need
- Effectively assess learning and progression through critiquing a range of well-developed formative and summative strategies
- Critically reflect on, and perceptively develop their own classroom practice by assessing and selecting appropriate evaluative frameworks and engaging actively with a supportive network for feedback
- Communicate clearly, confidently and professionally with teaching colleagues, pupils, parents/guardians, support staff, external agencies and in academic contexts, using media appropriate to the situation;
- Contribute with justifications to debates and developments in primary education by applying a research-informed approach to the analysis of their own practice and by proactively researching broader education issue
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| TBC | TBC |
Fees information
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Funding information
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2027/28 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
Funding opportunities
Chevening Scholarships
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
Teaching and assessment
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. You will work with university PGCE tutors and school mentors who are experienced teachers with mentoring expertise in each of your main placements, and all of whom hold QTS (qualified teacher status).
Teaching format
Participation in the PGCE course is an active process. Although there are lectures and presentations, much of your learning will come from workshops, seminars and school and classroom activities with strategies and techniques for an effective learning environment in your placement classrooms.
Trainees come to the course with a range of qualifications, employment backgrounds and interests. Throughout the course you will be encouraged to work collaboratively, sharing your experience, knowledge and technical expertise. Activities emphasise teamwork and require you to share the responsibility for your learning.
Throughout the course, you will be guided by mentors in your placement schools and supported in school and in university by your specialist university tutors.
Teaching location
The Department of Education is located in Derwent College, on the west part of our campus. Most of your teaching will take place nearby on Campus West.
School placements take place across the region. We take many factors into consideration when allocating placements and will work with you to ensure you can get to your placement safely and easily.
About our campus
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Assessment and feedback
You'll complete three academic assignments:
- Lesson observation - You'll critically evaluate the observations you have undertaken during the serial visits to your first placement school.
- Evaluation of Teaching and Learning - You'll evaluate your early teaching by analysing some of the work pupils have produced in the lessons you have planned and delivered.
- In-depth Focus Study - This is a small-scale study based on a piece of research. This is an opportunity for you to pursue an individual professional interest by investigating a particular aspect of what it means to teach your subject effectively
The primary aim of the course is to enable you to meet, and ideally exceed, the Teachers’ Standards and be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Careers and skills
Most of our graduates become teachers, but the skills you learn will open other career paths too.
Career opportunities
- Primary school teacher
- Dyslexia support worker
- Careers advisor
- Educational administrator
- Education consultant
- Youth worker
Transferable skills
- Ability to articulate complex ideas
- Learning/teaching methods and strategies
- Managing time and setting priorities
- Assimilate, analyse, and evaluate complex information
- Computer literacy for teaching and learning
- High standards of personal and professional conduct
- Presentation and communication skills
Accelerate your professional network. We'll connect you with the guidance, industry links and experiences to help you stand out and find your career advantage.
Entry requirements
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent in Italian. We also accept combined honours degrees where Italian makes up at least 50% of the award. If you would like to specialise in two languages but have only previously studied Italian, you may still be considered on the condition that you complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course. If your undergraduate degree is not in Italian or a related subject, we may still may be able to offer you a place if you also have a postgraduate degree in Italian or Grade B in A level Italian. If your undergraduate degree is not at least 50% Italian, we may require you to undertake a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course prior to starting your PGCE. If you are a native speaker of Italian, you may be considered for the course even if your degree is not in a related subject. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
Additional requirements
- GCSE Mathematics grade 4 (C)
- GCSE English grade 4 (C)
This is in addition to any other English language requirements you may need to fulfil.
Further information about government requirements for teacher training.
English language
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 136, minimum 126 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478-509, with 444-477 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 60 with 52 in Listening, 53 in Reading, 65 in Speaking, and 59 in Writing |
| TOEFL | 4.5, with 5 in Listening and 4.5 in each other component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
If you haven't met our English language requirements
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Next steps
Contact us
Get in touch if you have any questions
Education PGCE Administrator
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