Please note the course details apply to 2025 entry. Details for 2026 entry for our postgraduate courses will be published from October 2025.
Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Geography) PGCE
Key information
Study mode:
Full time
Duration:
37 weeks full-time, September to end of June
Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent):
UK 120 / ECTS 60 credits
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2025
The PGCE in Geography at King's gives trainees practical and theoretical ideas on the teaching of Geography as well as modelling ways in which Geography can be taught in the classroom. King's has established strong links with excellent partner schools and can offer trainees a rich and diverse experience of curriculum planning and delivery beyond the experience gained from their two placement schools.
Key benefits
- PGCE courses at King’s are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. One reason is the strong research base which informs the course. In the last research assessment exercise, the department was rated as the leading education institution for research in London (REF, 2021).
- A working partnership with a broad range of schools in London and beyond, providing unique opportunities to learn how to teach a diverse mix of students.
- Across all PGCE subjects, 92% of our trainees who applied for teaching posts after graduation were employed as Early Career Teachers (ECTs) at schools in the UK and abroad (JISC Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024).
- Two assessed pieces of coursework give you 60 Master’s-level credits – a third of an MA – which puts you well on the way to a Master’s degree in your chosen profession.
The PGCE in Geography is a full-time course that consists of four required modules and two blocks of teaching experience based in secondary schools within London and Greater London. You will complete the course within ten months, studying September to June. You must take modules totalling 120 credits to meet the requirements of the qualification. You’ll engage in education, pedagogy and professional studies sessions and curriculum workshops. These will take place in both university and school settings and will develop your expertise in general educational and professional issues, as well as subject pedagogy. You’ll gain the skills and understanding to take up positions in schools as a teacher of your subject with the potential to contribute fully to the life of the school. The course carries the Accreditation of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Base campus
Waterloo Campus
Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
Regulating bodies
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
UK applicants
Standard requirements
A minimum 2:2 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree
If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).
Programme-Specific Requirements
Our PGCE programmes all require a minimum of:
-
Bachelor's degree with at least 2:2 honours usually in the subject you wish to teach.
-
Knowledge and understanding of the subject you intend to teach.
-
GCSE grade C or above (or an equivalent qualification) in English language and mathematics. Applicants without these English or mathematics qualifications at the time they apply may be considered, but they must obtain them, or pass an equivalent test approved by King's, before the course starts.
Regarding your educational background, if your academic documents are issued in a language other than English, we will ask you to submit both the originals and the official translations. We will not usually need to see official translations unless you have been successful in gaining an offer for the course. You may also be asked to show that your overseas qualifications are recognised through the UK European Network of Information Centres (ENIC) and therefore meet our entry requirements. You can apply for a UK ENIC statement of comparability free of charge by following the instructions here on the gov.uk website: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/explore-my-options/overseas-graduates
If your final degree documents are digital, for example HEAR documents from UK institutions, we will need to verify these online before they can be accepted. Please ensure that you understand your university's process for allowing third parties to verify your digital documents.
International applicants
Equivalent International qualifications
English language requirements
English language band:
B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Selection process
All applications should be made through DfE Apply, the Department of Education’s Teacher Training application portal, where you will need to register an account. After you submit this application, we will be in contact within a few days after we have created a King’s Apply account for you. You will not need to create your own account.
Before you can be offered a place on a PGCE programme, you will need to attend an online or in-person interview, usually within 40 days of your application submission date.
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (criminal conviction check) and Occupational Health check are required for the teacher training programmes. The current fee for an Enhanced DBS check is £44.95 (correct as of October 2024). If you are made an offer for a PGCE programme, you will be contacted with instructions regarding these checks in due course.
Tips on PGCE interviews and other aspects of the application process can be found here on the Get Into Teaching website.
Personal statement and supporting information
When you apply you will be asked to give us details of your educational background and to provide a personal statement. We will be looking for evidence that your subject knowledge is both broad and deep as well as being up to date. Some evidence of working with young people, as a Teaching Assistant, Student Ambassador, youth worker, etc will help your application. We are looking for applicants who are able to work closely and effectively with other teachers and who can inspire young people to bring out the best in themselves. As such, good communication skills and a confident and caring personality are an advantage.
References:
The DfE require that we collect references for PGCE course applicants:
• You will be required to give details of referees when you apply but we will not contact the referees to request references at the point of application.
• You must provide at least one Academic or Professional reference; the second reference can be Academic, Professional or Character.
• You may be requested to provide an additional reference if the PGCE department feels this is required.
• If you receive an offer, references will now be a condition of your offer. We will request references after you accept an offer.
Teaching methods - what to expect
Seminars
Self-Study
One-to-one tutorials
Academic sessions
Teaching placement
Check out further information about our Education, Communication and Society courses including our teaching team, exclusive videos and more on our hub page.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.
You can typically expect:
- the equivalent of over 50 days of academic sessions at King’s (typically 3 hours in the morning and/or afternoon spread throughout the academic year).
- approximately 120 days of teaching placement.* This includes a short period of placement in primary schools (typically four days in length).
- Four Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) weeks placed at strategic points across the year
- A number of one-to-one tutorials totalling five to seven sessions across the year
- two visits from a tutor whilst on placement to observe lessons and monitor progress
- regular** meetings with a mentor, who will be a member of staff at your placement school, whilst on placement
- written feedback on all credit-bearing assignments within 4 weeks of the deadline.
* This 120-day figure represents the standard number of placement days. In certain cases, following assessment by course tutors and mentors, students may be required to undertake a greater number of placement days to demonstrate their ability to meet the Teachers’ Standards.
** Typically, each trainee will have a meeting with their mentor during each week they are on placement. In certain circumstances the frequency may vary.
The types of learning commitment encompassed within the course vary depending on modules. For this course one credit represents the equivalent of 10 hours of learning and engagement. The breakdown below gives you an idea of the likely workload you can expect:
Professional Practice in Education (45-credit module)
This module covers the teaching practice that students carry out in secondary schools. As such, much of the time commitment is dedicated to teaching and planning lessons. The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic workload might look like as you progress through your studies:
|
Seminars/tutorials |
Teaching |
Self-study/assignment work |
|
14 contact hours (seminars/tutorials designed to evaluate teaching performance and provide feedback). |
200-220 hours of teaching (this includes time teaching by oneself and ‘team teaching’ in groups). |
216 hours (this includes lesson planning, observing lessons, marking pupils work). |
School Data (15-credit module)
|
Lectures/seminars |
Self-study/assignment work |
|
10 contact hours. |
140 hours. |
Studying Policy & Professional Practice (30-credit module)
|
Lectures/seminars |
Self-study/assignment work |
|
25.5 contact hours. |
274.5 hours of self-study. |
Focused Pedagogical Studies (30-credit module)
|
Lectures/seminars |
Self-study/assignment work |
|
200 contact hours. |
100 hours. |
Location
Lectures and seminars are primarily taught at the King’s College London Waterloo Campus. Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught.
Students undertake placements in secondary schools that work in partnership with King’s College London. Partnership schools are located across central London and the Greater London area. Whilst every effort is made to place PGCE trainees in local schools, due to the changing nature of initial teacher education and limited availability of placements in certain subject areas, trainees should be prepared to travel to their placement schools throughout the Greater London area and beyond.
Students also organise their own short placement at a state primary school. Further information on this short placement is provided during the course.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.
Assessment
- Written assignment
- Written portfolio
The 45-credit honours-level module will be assessed by a combination of written (online) portfolio documents and continuous assessment of your teaching practice benchmarked to the DfE's Core Content Framework. Your progress will be tracked through three progress reports that will be completed by staff at the placement school. Successful completion of this module will indicate that you that you have met the DfE's Teachers’ Standards.
- The 30-credit master’s-level modules will each be assessed by a 6,000-word written assignment heavily based on in-school research that trainees undertake
- The 15-credit honours-level module will be assessed by an assignment focusing on data collection methods in the school environment
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
Structure
Required modules
You are required to take the following modules:
Professional Practice in Education (45 credits)
School Data (15 credits)
Studying Policy & Professional Practice (30 credits)
Focused Pedagogical Studies (30 credits)
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Employability
The majority of trainees go into teaching or other areas of education; many become heads of departments or members of senior management teams; some take up careers in educational administration in the advisory or inspection services.
Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.
Tuition Fees
UK:
Full time: £9,535 per year (2025/26)
International:
Full time: £25,500 per year (2025/26)
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.
Deposit
If you receive an offer with us at King’s, you must accept your offer within your DfE Apply account and within their prescribed timescales. You will not be required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the PGCE programme.
Bursaries and Scholarships
The Department for Education provides tax free bursaries for teacher training courses. You may be eligible for a bursary or scholarship when training to teach.
For information on rates and eligibility, please visit Get Into Teaching or contact the King’s Admissions Office by message on King’s Apply. King’s will automatically assess your eligibility for a bursary when a place on a PGCE course is offered. King’s will apply for the funding on your behalf once the terms of your offer have been met and you have enrolled on the course.
Additional Costs
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
- Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
- Clothing for optional course related events and competitions.
- Library fees and fines.
- Personal photocopies.
- Printing course handouts.
- Society membership fees.
- Stationery.
- Travel costs for travel around London, between campuses and for project placements.
- Three-day residential field trip to Juniper Hall.
- Graduation costs.
Funding
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.
The PGCE in Geography is a full-time course that consists of four required modules and two blocks of teaching experience based in secondary schools within London and Greater London. You will complete the course within ten months, studying September to June. You must take modules totalling 120 credits to meet the requirements of the qualification. You’ll engage in education, pedagogy and professional studies sessions and curriculum workshops. These will take place in both university and school settings and will develop your expertise in general educational and professional issues, as well as subject pedagogy. You’ll gain the skills and understanding to take up positions in schools as a teacher of your subject with the potential to contribute fully to the life of the school. The course carries the Accreditation of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Base campus
Waterloo Campus
Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
Regulating bodies
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
UK applicants
Standard requirements
A minimum 2:2 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree
If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a Masters or PGDip).
Programme-Specific Requirements
Our PGCE programmes all require a minimum of:
-
Bachelor's degree with at least 2:2 honours usually in the subject you wish to teach.
-
Knowledge and understanding of the subject you intend to teach.
-
GCSE grade C or above (or an equivalent qualification) in English language and mathematics. Applicants without these English or mathematics qualifications at the time they apply may be considered, but they must obtain them, or pass an equivalent test approved by King's, before the course starts.
Regarding your educational background, if your academic documents are issued in a language other than English, we will ask you to submit both the originals and the official translations. We will not usually need to see official translations unless you have been successful in gaining an offer for the course. You may also be asked to show that your overseas qualifications are recognised through the UK European Network of Information Centres (ENIC) and therefore meet our entry requirements. You can apply for a UK ENIC statement of comparability free of charge by following the instructions here on the gov.uk website: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/explore-my-options/overseas-graduates
If your final degree documents are digital, for example HEAR documents from UK institutions, we will need to verify these online before they can be accepted. Please ensure that you understand your university's process for allowing third parties to verify your digital documents.
International applicants
Equivalent International qualifications
English language requirements
English language band:
B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
Selection process
All applications should be made through DfE Apply, the Department of Education’s Teacher Training application portal, where you will need to register an account. After you submit this application, we will be in contact within a few days after we have created a King’s Apply account for you. You will not need to create your own account.
Before you can be offered a place on a PGCE programme, you will need to attend an online or in-person interview, usually within 40 days of your application submission date.
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (criminal conviction check) and Occupational Health check are required for the teacher training programmes. The current fee for an Enhanced DBS check is £44.95 (correct as of October 2024). If you are made an offer for a PGCE programme, you will be contacted with instructions regarding these checks in due course.
Tips on PGCE interviews and other aspects of the application process can be found here on the Get Into Teaching website.
Personal statement and supporting information
When you apply you will be asked to give us details of your educational background and to provide a personal statement. We will be looking for evidence that your subject knowledge is both broad and deep as well as being up to date. Some evidence of working with young people, as a Teaching Assistant, Student Ambassador, youth worker, etc will help your application. We are looking for applicants who are able to work closely and effectively with other teachers and who can inspire young people to bring out the best in themselves. As such, good communication skills and a confident and caring personality are an advantage.
References:
The DfE require that we collect references for PGCE course applicants:
• You will be required to give details of referees when you apply but we will not contact the referees to request references at the point of application.
• You must provide at least one Academic or Professional reference; the second reference can be Academic, Professional or Character.
• You may be requested to provide an additional reference if the PGCE department feels this is required.
• If you receive an offer, references will now be a condition of your offer. We will request references after you accept an offer.
Teaching methods - what to expect
Seminars
Self-Study
One-to-one tutorials
Academic sessions
Teaching placement
Check out further information about our Education, Communication and Society courses including our teaching team, exclusive videos and more on our hub page.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.
You can typically expect:
- the equivalent of over 50 days of academic sessions at King’s (typically 3 hours in the morning and/or afternoon spread throughout the academic year).
- approximately 120 days of teaching placement.* This includes a short period of placement in primary schools (typically four days in length).
- Four Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) weeks placed at strategic points across the year
- A number of one-to-one tutorials totalling five to seven sessions across the year
- two visits from a tutor whilst on placement to observe lessons and monitor progress
- regular** meetings with a mentor, who will be a member of staff at your placement school, whilst on placement
- written feedback on all credit-bearing assignments within 4 weeks of the deadline.
* This 120-day figure represents the standard number of placement days. In certain cases, following assessment by course tutors and mentors, students may be required to undertake a greater number of placement days to demonstrate their ability to meet the Teachers’ Standards.
** Typically, each trainee will have a meeting with their mentor during each week they are on placement. In certain circumstances the frequency may vary.
The types of learning commitment encompassed within the course vary depending on modules. For this course one credit represents the equivalent of 10 hours of learning and engagement. The breakdown below gives you an idea of the likely workload you can expect:
Professional Practice in Education (45-credit module)
This module covers the teaching practice that students carry out in secondary schools. As such, much of the time commitment is dedicated to teaching and planning lessons. The following table will give you an idea of what a typical academic workload might look like as you progress through your studies:
|
Seminars/tutorials |
Teaching |
Self-study/assignment work |
|
14 contact hours (seminars/tutorials designed to evaluate teaching performance and provide feedback). |
200-220 hours of teaching (this includes time teaching by oneself and ‘team teaching’ in groups). |
216 hours (this includes lesson planning, observing lessons, marking pupils work). |
School Data (15-credit module)
|
Lectures/seminars |
Self-study/assignment work |
|
10 contact hours. |
140 hours. |
Studying Policy & Professional Practice (30-credit module)
|
Lectures/seminars |
Self-study/assignment work |
|
25.5 contact hours. |
274.5 hours of self-study. |
Focused Pedagogical Studies (30-credit module)
|
Lectures/seminars |
Self-study/assignment work |
|
200 contact hours. |
100 hours. |
Location
Lectures and seminars are primarily taught at the King’s College London Waterloo Campus. Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught.
Students undertake placements in secondary schools that work in partnership with King’s College London. Partnership schools are located across central London and the Greater London area. Whilst every effort is made to place PGCE trainees in local schools, due to the changing nature of initial teacher education and limited availability of placements in certain subject areas, trainees should be prepared to travel to their placement schools throughout the Greater London area and beyond.
Students also organise their own short placement at a state primary school. Further information on this short placement is provided during the course.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.
Assessment
- Written assignment
- Written portfolio
The 45-credit honours-level module will be assessed by a combination of written (online) portfolio documents and continuous assessment of your teaching practice benchmarked to the DfE's Core Content Framework. Your progress will be tracked through three progress reports that will be completed by staff at the placement school. Successful completion of this module will indicate that you that you have met the DfE's Teachers’ Standards.
- The 30-credit master’s-level modules will each be assessed by a 6,000-word written assignment heavily based on in-school research that trainees undertake
- The 15-credit honours-level module will be assessed by an assignment focusing on data collection methods in the school environment
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
Structure
Required modules
You are required to take the following modules:
Professional Practice in Education (45 credits)
School Data (15 credits)
Studying Policy & Professional Practice (30 credits)
Focused Pedagogical Studies (30 credits)
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Employability
The majority of trainees go into teaching or other areas of education; many become heads of departments or members of senior management teams; some take up careers in educational administration in the advisory or inspection services.
Curious to find out more? Access on-demand content including taster lectures and talks, and meet our current staff and students on our subject hub page.
Tuition Fees
UK:
Full time: £9,535 per year (2025/26)
International:
Full time: £25,500 per year (2025/26)
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.
Deposit
If you receive an offer with us at King’s, you must accept your offer within your DfE Apply account and within their prescribed timescales. You will not be required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the PGCE programme.
Bursaries and Scholarships
The Department for Education provides tax free bursaries for teacher training courses. You may be eligible for a bursary or scholarship when training to teach.
For information on rates and eligibility, please visit Get Into Teaching or contact the King’s Admissions Office by message on King’s Apply. King’s will automatically assess your eligibility for a bursary when a place on a PGCE course is offered. King’s will apply for the funding on your behalf once the terms of your offer have been met and you have enrolled on the course.
Additional Costs
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
- Books if you choose to buy your own copies.
- Clothing for optional course related events and competitions.
- Library fees and fines.
- Personal photocopies.
- Printing course handouts.
- Society membership fees.
- Stationery.
- Travel costs for travel around London, between campuses and for project placements.
- Three-day residential field trip to Juniper Hall.
- Graduation costs.
Funding
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.
Application closing date guidance
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed. We may need to request further information from you during the application process.
Our first application deadline is on 9 March 2025 (23:59 UK time).
The final application deadlines for this programme are:
- Overseas (international) fee status: 6 July 2025 (23:59 UK time)
- Home fee status: 14 August 2025 (23:59 UK time)
After the first application deadline in March:
- if the programme is not yet full, we will continue to accept applications until all available places are filled up to the final application deadlines above
- if the programme becomes full before the final application deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications
Key information
Study mode:
Full time
Duration:
37 weeks full-time, September to end of June
Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent):
UK 120 / ECTS 60 credits
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2025
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