Will a joint honours in anthropology and gender studies get me on a PGCE course for primary teaching?

Question

I have just finished my second year reading Anthropology and Gender Studies at Uni and am looking to become a primary school teacher once I leave.

However, I have looked into the routes for teaching, and they seem to emphasise taking a National Curriculum subject at degree level.

Could someone tell me whether an Anthropology degree would not be sufficient to get onto a PGCE course and whether I would be suitable to become a primary school teacher?

Answer 1

Copied from University Of Leicester's site:

"I want to teach but my degree is not in a national curriculum subject. Is this possible?

Your degree will usually need to be in a discipline related to the subject(s) you wish to teach. For PGCE secondary courses the course providers must satisfy themselves that the content of the applicant's initial degree is appropriate to the secondary curriculum. They must be satisfied that the applicant's previous education will provide the necessary foundation for work with the age range they want to teach. This means that it is possible to train as a teacher with a degree in a non-national curriculum subject but you may need to go to greater lengths to demonstrate your suitability.

For primary teaching, you should be able to demonstrate a good general knowledge across a range of subjects.

If you are unsure about the relevance of your degree, contact the Teaching Information Line 0845 6000 991 for advice or book an appointment to speak to a careers adviser."

Answer 2

Yes, you need to pass an interview though.