Diploma in Higher Education: Teaching in Further Education – Level 5

• At least a Level 3 qualification in the subject area you wish to teach.
• At least a Level 2 qualification in both English and maths. This could either be a minimum GCSE Grade 4/C or Functional Skills Level 2 qualification.
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience working in industry related to your specialist subject.
• You must also have confirmed a teaching placement that will provide a minimum of 150 hours of teaching across two years, and an appropriate subject specific mentor. There will be an opportunity to discuss if Carlisle College can provide the placement, but this is not a guarantee and would be discussed at interview. 
• You will be required to attend an interview and complete a written task. 
• Please note: entry onto the programme will be dependent upon a valid DBS check which must be carried out by the college in line with government policy.
• If English is not your first language, you will require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5.

If you complete the course successfully, you will receive a Diploma in Higher Education: Teaching in Further Education (awarded by NCG).

Once you complete the course, you will be eligible to apply for QTLS, which is Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills Status. This is a separate six month process. 

Year One

• Teachers and Teaching (15 credits)
• Inclusive Teaching in your Subject Specialism (15 credits)
• Understanding and Managing Behaviours in a Learning Environment (15 credits)
• Learners and Learning (15 credits)

Year Two

• Educational technologies (15 credits)
• Professional practice (15 credits)
• Teaching my subject (15 credits)

• You will be required to attend one evening class per week, which takes place on 4.30-7.30pm on a Thursday (term-time only).
• You will also need to undertake a minimum of 3 hours of teaching per week through a teaching practice placement.

• 6 written assignments across the 2 years of study
• 10 teaching placement observations across the 2 years of study
• Your teaching placement portfolio, which is stored electronically
• Two professional discussions/presentations across the two years of study

On completion, your qualification would entitle you to apply for QTLS and work within the post-14 education sector. 

This course qualifies you to teach in a range of post-16 teaching roles, including:

•    Further education colleges
•    School sixth forms
•    Higher Education institutions
•    Adults and community learning providers
•    Private training companies
•    Public services, such as the prison services
•    Sixth form colleges

Some providers will offer employment subject to you completing the QTLS within an agreed time frame.

Tuition fees vary depending on the course and mode of study. Read more about tuition fees and financial support.

You will have a mentor during the two years of study, who will help support you with your planning and delivery of teaching. They will meet with you on a weekly or fortnightly basis and will observe your teaching.

You will also have a tutor who will teach you the theory behind teaching practice, and guide you with the teaching, learning and assessment methods. Your tutor will mark your assessments and observe your teaching. 

You will also have access to a dedicate Microsoft Teams page for the course, which is where you will store your teaching portfolio.

We also have an extensive digital library available to all learners. 

Yes!

The course is a commitment, and you will be expected to research and write assignments, plan lessons, and update your teaching portfolio during your own time.

It is also essential that you are able to commit to teaching at least three hours a week in your placement setting, and attend one evening class per week.

However, many of our learners continue to work in their current jobs and fit the course around their day to day.