phd education oxford

DPhil programmes

Oxford's Department for Continuing Education offers part-time DPhil programmes in the following disciplines:

• Archaeology
• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Literature and Arts
• Sustainable Urban Development

What is a DPhil?

The term 'DPhil' stands for 'Doctor of Philosophy', sometimes referred to as a 'doctorate' or 'PhD'. This is an advanced research degree awarded on the basis of a thesis and an oral examination called the viva voce. The thesis must be a significant and substantial piece of research, make an original contribution to its field, and be presented in a lucid and scholarly manner. In the viva, the candidate is required to defend their thesis and to demonstrate a good general knowledge of their field of study.

A DPhil is the highest level of a degree that a student can achieve.

Level and demands

All DPhil applications are considered on their academic merits. 

As guidance, you should have achieved at least 2.1 honours, 3.5 GPA, or equivalent in an undergraduate degree. On some programmes, successful applicants have also normally achieved a distinction in a master’s degree. More information about entry requirements can be found on each individual programme page.

DPhil students are not required to be resident in Oxford, but will normally be required to attend for at least 30 days per year and to meet their supervisors at least once per term.

College affiliation

All students studying for a degree (including DPhil) must be a member of a college. There is single application process to the DPhil programme within which you can specify a college choice. Your choice of college is up to you, and does not affect the academic viability of your application to the DPhil itself.  A number of Oxford colleges accept applications from part-time postgraduates, whereas others do not: please consult the graduate prospectus or enquire with  individual colleges . (Even if you are accepted onto the degree, please note that you are not guaranteed a place at your first choice of college).

Applicants may wish to note that the majority of students on part-time degree programmes are members of Kellogg College and most of the tutors and lecturers are Fellows of the College. Kellogg is dedicated to graduate part-time students and has developed a unique expertise in attending to the intellectual, social, IT and welfare needs of part-time, mature graduate students. The College is based a short distance from the Department on the Banbury Road.

Libraries and computing facilities

Registered students receive an Oxford University card, valid for one year at a time, which acts as a library card for the Departmental Library at Rewley House and provides access to the unrivalled facilities of the Bodleian Libraries which include the central Bodleian, major research libraries such as the Sackler Library, Taylorian Institution Library, Bodleian Social Science Library, and faculty libraries such as English and History. Students also have access to a wide range of electronic resources including electronic journals, many of which can be accessed from home. Students on the course are entitled to use the Library at Rewley House for reference and private study and to borrow books. More information about the Continuing Education Library can be found at the  Bodleian website . 

The University card also provides access to facilities at Oxford University Computing Service (OUCS), 13 Banbury Road, Oxford. Computing facilities are available to students in the Students' Computing Facility in Rewley House and at Ewert House.

Graduate School

The Graduate School facilitates a stimulating and enriching learning and research environment for all of the Department’s diverse range of graduate students.

Student spotlights

Discover how others have used their Oxford DPhil for further study, career progression or personal enrichment. 

Katherine Maxwell

Shaun morley, anne jensen, steve edwards, rosemary yallop, further information.

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Application requirements for all doctoral programs (phd).

All of our doctoral programs are designed to develop outstanding educational researchers who have a deep understanding of the scientific, practical and policy issues they study. All require full-time study, and we promise five years of full-time financial support for every student we admit. Our doctoral programs are small, typically ranging from about 25 to 35 new students a year. The small size of our doctoral cohorts creates big educational advantages for students: the classes are almost always small, students receive individualized attention from their advisors, and they have many opportunities to develop close collegial relationships with fellow students.

It is extremely important to demonstrate in your statement of purpose that your interests converge closely with the current research of faculty who work in the program to which you are applying. Other doctoral applicants will certainly do this, and if you don't, you will forfeit an important competitive advantage to them. 

If you wish to contact faculty, please read our Which Degree Which Program article, by Professor Eamonn Callan, which outlines the appropriate process for contacting faculty with whom you share research interests. 

• Program website:  Degrees and Programs/PhD
• Length of Program:  5 years (average length)
• Tuition: fellowship/assistantship salary and tuition guaranteed for first five years of the program (autumn, winter and spring quarters) for all students, including international students. Funding includes two summers.

Application Requirements:

Application form.

Complete and submit Stanford's graduate online application .

Application Fee

The application fee is $125 , is non-refundable, and must be received by the application deadline.

Application Fee Waivers

Stanford offers three types of application fee waivers for which GSE applicants may apply and be considered:

• GRE Fee Reduction Certificate-Based Waiver
• Diversity Program Participation-Based Waiver
• School-Based Waiver

Please visit the Stanford Graduate Diversity website for instructions, deadlines, and the fee waiver application form.

Statement of Purpose

A Statement of Purpose is required. Your statement should be typed, single-spaced and should be between one to two pages . Describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program, your preparation for this field of study, and why our program is a good fit for you, your future career plans, and other aspects of your background as well as interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. You may indicate potential faculty mentors as part of your study and research interests. Be sure to keep a copy for your records. What's a Good Statement of Purpose?

A resume or CV  is required of all applicants, depending on which document is most appropriate for your background. There is no page limit for resumes or CVs, though we typically see resumes of one page in length. Please upload your resume or CV in the online application.

Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation . In the online application, you will be asked to identify your recommenders and their email addresses. Please notify your recommenders that they will receive an email prompt to submit their recommendation online. You can submit your request for letters of recommendation through the system without submitting the entire online application.  Stanford GSE only accepts online recommendations through the application system ; Stanford GSE cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed recommendations.

Recommendations should be written by people who have supervised you in an academic, employment, or community service setting. We very strongly recommend that at least one of these letters be from a university professor familiar with your academic work. Your recommendations should directly address your suitability for admission to a graduate program at Stanford GSE.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all three letters of recommendation are submitted through the system by the application deadline , so please work closely with your recommenders to remind them of the deadline.

College and University Transcripts

Transcripts are required from every college and university you have attended for at least one academic year as a full-time student. When submitting your online application, transcripts should be uploaded to the application as a scanned copy or PDF ; this is sufficient for the application review process. Please refrain from sending a secured PDF/transcript with a digital signature as our system cannot upload these properly. The best way to ensure we receive an upload-able document is for you to print out the secured transcript, scan it, and upload the scanned copy (not to exceed 10MB) as a PDF. 

If you earned a degree at the institution from which you are submitting a transcript, please ensure that the degree conferral date and the degree conferred is clearly visible on the document. If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Only if admitted will we contact you with instructions on sending two copies of your official transcripts to our office. We cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed copies of your transcripts during the application process. Please note: the instructions for sending transcripts on the online application and on the general Stanford Graduate Admissions Office website differ from this Stanford GSE requirement.

Concerning course work completed in a study abroad program

If the coursework and grades are reflected on the transcript of your home institution, you do not need to submit original transcripts from the study abroad institution.

Concerning foreign institutions

If your institution provides a transcript in a language other than English, we require that you submit a translation of the transcript that is either provided by the institution or a certified translator. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records.

If your transcript does not include your degree conferral date and the degree conferred , please submit a scanned copy of your diploma, a conferral statement, or a conferral document in addition to your transcript . If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Stanford University requires the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from all applicants whose native language is not English. The GSE requires a minimum TOEFL score of 250 for the computer-based test, 600 for the paper-based test or 100 for the internet-based test in order to be considered for admission. The Test of Written English (TWE) portion of the TOEFL is not required. Applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree or a two-year master's program (or its equivalent) in the U.S. or at an institution where English is the main language of instruction are not required to take the TOEFL. For more information on TOEFL requirements, please refer to the Required Exams  page on the main Stanford Graduate Admissions website. You may register for the TOEFL test directly at the ETS website .

TOEFL Dates and Deadlines

PhD applicants who are required to take the TOEFL should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test and have official TOEFL scores sent electronically to Stanford at institution code 4704 (department code does not matter) no later than November 1 . This will give your official TOEFL scores time to be sent from ETS and be received by our system in time for the December 1 deadline. PhD applicants to Knight-Hennessy Scholars should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test no later than October 16 so your scores can be received by our system in time for the November 16 KHS GSE deadline. Please note that the TOEFL may be taken no earlier than 18 months prior to the application deadline.

Does Stanford accept tests other than TOEFL?

No. We accept only TOEFL scores; we do not accept IELTS or other test scores.

Contact Information

Admissions:  [email protected]  

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Igniting the Fire of Discovery: Creating Partnerships between Research, Education, and Practice

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Stacey C Dusing, Igniting the Fire of Discovery: Creating Partnerships between Research, Education, and Practice, Physical Therapy , 2024;, pzae044, https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzae044

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In the 28th H.P. Maley Lecture, Stacey Dusing, PT, PhD, FAPTA, shares a perspective on the importance of clinician–scientists in bridging the chasm that currently exists between scholarship and clinical practice. Describing herself as a clinician–scientist, or a qualified health care professional who functions mainly as a career scientist with the other portion of time dedicated to clinical practice, Dusing highlights the potential impact of limited training for clinician–scientists in the physical therapy profession and its impact on the future of physical therapy. She challenges all physical therapists to consider the impact of Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education requirements on scholarship and the lack of requirement for clinical practice, while also recognizing that training programs for clinician–scientists are quite limited. Reviewing some historical data and highlighting possible areas for growth, Dusing calls physical therapists to action in 4 areas.

Impact. This paper calls all physical therapists, especially educators and administrators, to consider the role of clinician–scientist in promoting physical therapy and knowledge translation. The author challenges the profession to consider whether we are helping to train or embed clinician–scientists in our clinical workplaces to promote knowledge translation. Suggestions are made to improve research and clinical training programs to increase the number of clinician–scientists in physical therapy.

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Department of

Department of Education

Partnership schools.

Our Postgraduate Certificate in Education course offers you the opportunity to train to teach the secondary age group in one of the leading educational establishments in the country. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 places us as 1st in the UK for Degrees in Education for the eleventh year running. The University of Oxford’s Department of Education has a long history in initial teacher education, dating back to 1892.

The department works in partnership with over 37 secondary comprehensive schools in Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties, with most being within 30 miles of Oxford.

We work on an internship model (the Oxford Internship Scheme) which recognises the different roles of university and schools in teacher education and the need for a truly collaborative partnership. Such collaboration involves joint responsibility within the partnership for the planning, delivery and assessment of the programme.

All of our PGCE programmes run on a full-time basis for one academic year.

In addition to being awarded the PGCE qualification, successful students are also recommended for Qualified Teacher Status, which indicates that they have met the requirements of the Government’s Teachers’ Standards.

Our PGCE offers you excellent career prospects. As of October 2021, 90% of our 2020-21 student cohort were employed as a teacher or seeking teaching roles; 61% were working as a teacher in the state sector and 30% were working in a partnership school.

Student statistics for 2021-22 entry

• Application success: we accepted 1 in 3 applications
• Average age on starting the course: 25
• Age range of course starters: 37
• 8% of our students had previously studied at Oxford
• 37% of our students had never studied at a Russell Group University before
• Highest qualification: Undergraduate: 72%; Masters: 27%; PhD: 1%

Watch Dr Judith Hillier, Deputy PGCE Course Director, give us her account of the PGCE course programme

We offer the PGCE in the following subject areas:

English Geography History Mathematics Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish, Mandarin) Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)

The course structure

The course begins with an orientation experience in September in a primary of your choice.

This is followed by the first week in the University of Oxford’s Department of Education. The rest of the autumn term is made up of ‘joint weeks’ with days spent in the University and days in school. You will be attached to the same school for the majority of the year, which makes it possible for you to get to know teachers and pupils in the school and to understand the school’s policies and practices.

The spring term consists primarily of school experience and for the summer term, interns move to a second school so that they have the opportunity to consolidate and extend their understanding and experience of learning and teaching.

This course structure reflects the internship model in that it is designed to:

• enable interns to become fully integrated into one school over a long period
• enable interns to learn about their own teaching in the context of the wider school, rather than focusing initially on their own classroom and only later widening their view
• allow schools to offer coherent and challenging professional development programmes over the course of the long placement, and in the short placement focus on preparation for continuing professional development
• enable school-based tutors to see interns’ development from the start of the course to a position of competence
• offer interns the opportunity to encounter a new school context at a time of the course when they are ready to make critical comparisons.

Components of the PGCE course

• Curriculum (subject related) work.
• Professional Development Programme.

Curriculum work includes a range of activities related to the teaching of a specific subject in the secondary school. These activities include seminars and workshops in the University, as well as collaborative teaching, solo teaching, observation and discussion in school. The activities are aimed at giving interns competence in teaching their subject, the opportunity to develop a range of teaching strategies, an understanding of wider issues affecting the teaching of those subjects within the whole school curriculum. The work in each subject is organised by the Curriculum Tutor and school mentor for that subject. Part of the work in each subject area is planned for all interns, and part develops from the progress of individual interns.

An experienced teacher (or mentor) co-ordinates the subject related classroom based activities of the intern. The mentor provides guidance and support and, as the year goes by, judges when and how to increase an intern’s experience and responsibilities. The school based mentor liaises with the Curriculum Tutor from the University to plan tasks and activities for the interns.

Interns complete up to three written assignments related to their subject teaching. These all involve school based investigation and the critical analysis of relevant research and professional literature.

The professional development programme (PDP) involves a range of activities related to important educational issues. These activities include lectures in the University, weekly seminars in school and an assignment focused on a specific aspect of schooling of the interns’ own choice. These activities are aimed at giving interns an understanding of whole-school and cross-curricular issues, and an appreciation of the contribution which they can make to developing these issues through teaching their own subjects.

The Professional Tutor responsible for interns at the school co-ordinates school based activities related to general educational issues, called the school professional development programme. Some aspects of the PDP are planned and organised for all interns by university tutors, who take responsibility for particular issues. The detailed programme for the interns in each school, however, is organised by the Professional Tutor and General Tutor for that school.

The PGCE at Oxford is assessed as an M level course (in line with the National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education). Successful completion of the examined assignments at Masters level carries the award of 60 M level credits. Those who pass the assignments at Honours level can be awarded a Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (provided that their practice also meets the Teachers’ Standards).

Watch Dr Katharine Burn, PGCE Course Director, tell us a little bit more about the PGCE Course Programme

Find out more about the Professional Development Programme (PDP) with Dr Katharine Burn

Study for your PGCE with us and you will benefit from our unrivalled relationship with local schools. We enjoy close links with more than 37 well established partner schools across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties.  

Our partnerships, developed over many years, will enrich and inform your teaching experience, setting you on a path towards a bright future in the classroom. The non-selective, state-funded schools are all located in easy travelling distance across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties. They offer genuine diversity, both in terms of intake and location. You will work in two of the schools, enabling you to experience and compare different approaches to policy and practice.   

School placements are allocated by your tutor and would depend on a school’s capacity for subject specialisms, your circumstances (e.g. childcare, disabilities), where you live, transport and your training/development plan. You will be expected to travel regularly between home, the department and partnership schools. You would also be responsible for organising your own transport.

Watch partnership school Professional Tutor, Rob, give his account of how he supports PGCE Interns

Watch Ex PGCE Intern, Liz, talk about her experience as a teacher in one of our partnership schools

Watch Ex PGCE Intern, Ross, talk about his experience as a teacher in one of our partnership schools

Watch Ex PGCE Intern, May, talk about her experience as a teacher in one of our partnership schools

Tuition Fee and Maintenance Loans

Students who are entitled to support under the student finance criteria can apply for a:

• tuition fee loan of up to £9,250 to cover your teacher training (‘Home’ student fee level), so you do not need to pay course fees upfront
• maintenance loan to help with living costs

You can still apply for a tuition fee and a maintenance loan if you already have a student loan, and regardless of whether you get a teaching bursary or scholarship. You will only have to make loan repayments once you’re earning. Your repayments will not increase if you already have a student loan and take an additional loan for teacher training.

Please note that if you are not eligible for ‘home’ fees, the international fee level for entry in 2024-5 is £36,000.

UK Government Teacher Training Bursaries & Scholarships 2024/25

The PGCE course fees (Home: £9,250; Overseas: £36,000) are due before any teacher training bursary or scholarship is paid. Therefore, a teacher training bursary or scholarship cannot be relied upon to cover the course fees.

Students cannot receive a bursary and a scholarship. Both the bursary and scholarship are tax-free and are paid via monthly instalments directly into your UK bank account whilst you study. All students are given an application form once an offer to study the PGCE at the University of Oxford has been accepted.

Teacher training bursaries and scholarships are separate from any Student Finance application. Students could receive all three types of funding: tuition fee loan, maintenance grant and a teacher training bursary/scholarship.

Postgraduate bursaries for PGCE students are as follows:

The scholarships available are as follows:

A scholarship award will replace a government teacher training bursary. Students cannot hold a teacher training bursary and a scholarship. For Languages and Physics, it is possible for international applicants to be eligible for a bursary or scholarship and still be required to pay international fees of £36,000. For all other subjects, international applicants are not eligible for any bursary or scholarship.

Please visit Funding: initial teacher training (ITT), academic year 2024 to 2025 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)   for more information.

Oxford Bursary

Home or Republic of Ireland PGCE students who are not in receipt of a teacher training bursary or scholarship, and who are from lower income households are eligible to be assessed for an Oxford Bursary. There is no additional application as the Oxford Bursary is based on the household assessment carried out by your regional student finance funding agency. Eligible students could receive up to £4,000. If you are eligible you will be notified of your entitlement from mid to late September 2023, you must have your financial assessment completed by May 2024 to be considered. Please visit the Oxford Bursaries webpage for more details.

Brasenose College: Oxford-Robert and Soulla Kyprianou Graduate Scholarships

One full scholarship is available for applicants who are ordinarily resident in the Republic of Cyprus and who are accepted by Brasenose College. The scholarship is jointly funded by the University and Robert and Soulla Kyprianou. Robert Kyprianou was a student at Brasenose College 1973 – 1976 and was one of the first students of Cypriot origin to study at Oxford. The scholarship covers course fees and provides a grant for living costs. The scholarship is only tenable at Brasenose College but all eligible applicants will be considered, regardless of which college (if any) you state as your preference. However, successful applicants will be transferred to Brasenose College in order to take up the scholarship. To apply an application must be submitted and an original Cypriot passport shown to the PGCE Office before Friday 6th January 2023.

The Queen’s College: Hastings Senior Scholarship

PGCE students who are accepted by The Queen’s College can apply for this scholarship which is a contribution of £3,500 towards course fees.  Eligible students would have completed all examinations for their Bachelor’s Degree at the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, York or Bradford and would have achieved a First Class Honours. For further details please, including how to apply, please see click here.

Blackfriars Hall

PGCE students who are accepted by Blackfriars Hall can apply for the New Blackfriars Scholarship (for more details please click here and/or for the Dominique Pire Scholarship (for more details please click here ).

When do applications open?

Applications for September 2024 entry open on Tuesday 10 October 2023. Apply through the Department for Education’s new site .

When do applications close?

There are no formal application deadlines for the PGCE at the University of Oxford. The University tutors continually review new applications until spaces for each subject are filled. If you meet our entry requirements we encourage you to submit your competitive application as soon as possible.

Do you offer a Primary PGCE?

No. The PGCE course at the University of Oxford works exclusively with state-funded secondary schools.

I have applied; when will I receive a response?

We will review and process your application as quickly as possible. If you meet the selection criteria for interview, you will be contacted by email and invited for an interview. If your application does not meet the selection criteria, it will be rejected on the DfE Apply system.

Do you accept qualifications from outside of the UK?

International qualifications viewed as comparable to qualifications taken within the UK are accepted for the PGCE. In order for the University of Oxford to formally recognise any overseas qualification, you must present a Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC. Students in this position should wait until they have accepted an offer to study on the Oxford PGCE and should then contact Get Into Teaching on 0800 389 2500, as a teacher training applicant you can obtain the Statement of Comparability for free (this usually costs £49.50 plus VAT).

Do you offer distance learning?

The PGCE is a full-time course requiring attendance at the University and in school for placements. It is not possible to take this course through distance learning.

Will I be required to travel for my interview?

All applicants shortlisted will be interviewed online via Teams.

What degree class do I need?

Applications are welcome from candidates with a 2:2 classification or higher. In all cases we  review both your academic history and your attitudes towards teaching. Consequently we would also encourage applications from those who have extensive UK school experience and a 3 rd class classification. Honours classification would be competitive but is not essential when applying for the PGCE, however it will be essential for any teacher training bursary or scholarship application.

Do I need to complete school experience?

Candidates are encouraged to spend at least one day of observation in a non-selective, state funded UK secondary school prior to making an application. If, however, you cannot complete this observation, then you are still able to submit an application. All candidates are also encouraged to spend at least one day of observation in a non-selective, state funded UK secondary school prior to an interview. If, however, you cannot complete this observation, then you are still encouraged to attend the interview. Although strongly encouraged, school experience is not a condition for the Oxford PGCE.

Is there a residency requirement?

All PGCE students are normally expected to live within 25 miles of Oxford’s city centre. If you are moving to Oxford for the first time, we suggest that you seek accommodation as centrally as possible, because you will then have access to more public transport options and thus can be considered for placements within more partnership schools. As the PGCE works with schools across Oxfordshire and in neighbouring counties we can consider requests to be excused from this requirement, but this is not guaranteed.

What accommodation is available?

Accommodation is not guaranteed for any student, but there are plenty of options to explore. Colleges  and the Graduate Accommodation Office offer a wide range including non en-suite single rooms and private flats. Once an offer has been accepted PGCE students can simultaneously apply for college and Graduate accommodation.  If you have childcare responsibilities then advice is available from Childcare Services.

How are partnership schools allocated?

School places are decided by the University department, but are informed by student’s: home location, professional preferences, caring responsibilities and disabilities. Throughout the PGCE students experience two partnership schools, when your second school placement is decided the University department also consider your experience so far on the course and the developmental priorities that have emerged. It is important to note that not every school will offer a training place for every subject and that a place at a particular partnership school cannot be guaranteed.

How do I select my college?

All PGCE interns are guaranteed a college place. For the PGCE, a college choice is not made at the point of initial application. If you make your application before 1 March, upon accepting your offer to study you can select your preferred colleges from a list of available institutions, or you can choose to not state a preference. Those applying after 1 March will be allocated to a college with availability by the admin team.  Many PGCE students approach their college for accommodation and/or car parking facilities.

Can I be considered for a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course?

We do set SKEs as conditions of offers. SKE courses give students the opportunity to improve their knowledge before the PGCE starts. We typically set SKE courses where students have been outside of formal education for a significant period, or when they have studied a subject related to the area that they wish to complete a PGCE in. If invited to interview there will be an opportunity to have a tailored conversation about your SKE options with the panel. If you are interested in completing a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course then you should briefly mention this in your application form. For more information please see this website .

Do you accept international students?

Around two thirds of Oxford’s graduate students are international, and international students are welcome to apply for Oxford’s PGCE. Although not a condition of an application or of an interview, experience within a state-funded UK secondary school is highly recommended. If this is not possible then observing elements of UK teaching outside of the UK (for example, International GCSE lessons) is also highly relevant. Although strongly encouraged school experience is not a condition for the Oxford PGCE. International qualifications viewed as comparable to qualifications taken within the UK are accepted for the PGCE. In order for the University of Oxford to formally recognise overseas qualification the student must present a Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC. Students in this position should wait until they have accepted an offer to study on the Oxford PGCE and should then contact Get Into Teaching on 0800 389 2500, as a teacher training applicant you can obtain the Statement of Comparability for free (this usually costs £49.50 plus VAT).

Can I get feedback about my application?

All unsuccessful applicants will be provided with feedback on their application via the Department for Education application system.

What if I’m unhappy about the outcome of my application?

Please refer to the University guidance on complaints and appeals regarding graduate admissions decisions, available on the University website at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/applying-to-oxford/university-policies/complaints-and-appeals .

Please note that each admissions decision is made on the basis of a number of different factors and on an assessment of your application as a whole. There is no right of appeal in relation to the University’s academic assessment of your application.

Couldn’t find your answers under our FAQ section?

Please direct all enquiries to our PGCE administrative team , and they will be happy to assist you.

Phone: +44 (0)1865 274020 or 274058 Email: [email protected]

Course code Q3X1

The PGCE Internship programme in English is designed to prepare you to teach the subject in comprehensive schools. It aims to help you make the complex transition from having been a successful student of English in higher education to becoming a successful school teacher.

The English programme has been developed with colleagues from our partnership schools and is based upon the following core principles:

• the view that the creative, imaginative and expressive aspects of the subject have a key role in pupils’ learning
• the view that English teachers should write for pleasure, read widely for enjoyment and participate in cultural events in their school and in the wider community
• the view that English teachers should share their experiences as writers, readers, speakers and listeners with their pupils
• the understanding that writing is a practice that covers a wide range of processes, functions, rhetorical situations, and categories of discourse
• a broad view of what constitutes text and the understanding that technological innovation can change both what is considered as text, how text is prepared and how it may be interpreted
• the importance of literature in the development and understanding of human cultures and in personal, social and ethical development
• the importance of diversity in reading practices and the value of a range of interpretative approaches to texts
• an understanding of the English language at word, sentence and text level recognition and respect for varieties of language and languages
• a belief that English, as a subject, involves the development of social relationships and collaborative work
• the inter-relationship of speaking, listening, reading and writing

In addition, the programme covers the key professional skills of:

• lesson and course planning and preparation;
• assessment, recording and reporting;
• responding to individual learning needs;
• classroom and behaviour management.

English teaching in England is subject to continuous change and development. The Internship English programme is intended to enable beginning teachers to meet the challenges of change confidently and creatively.

Assessment of your progress and achievements are jointly carried out by your schools and the university, and you take part in informal and formal discussions about this. Continuous assessment is used throughout the course and there are no examinations.

We look for applicants with a good degree in English  or  a degree in another subject that involves textual study together with further degree-level work (through the Open University, for example) in English. We of course welcome applications from those with degrees in English Language or Linguistics as well as in English Literature.

If you think Oxford isn’t for people like you – talk to us! More than three quarters of our interns have degrees from outside Oxbridge.

Watch student, Daisy, give her account of the PGCE English course

Watch student, Jamilyn, give her account of the PGCE English course

Course code F8X1

Learning to become a geography teacher at Oxford is challenging, stimulating, very rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable. The subject naturally lends itself to a huge range of student learning activities, both in the classroom and in the field, and most interns find this diversity one of its attractions.

The main aims of the geography course are to provide the foundations for you to become an inspiring and effective geography teacher of young people who now find themselves living in a fast-changing world, and to quickly become innovative leaders in the field.

Central to the course is the basic tenant that all young people, regardless of social class, race, ethnicity, gender or ability can learn and enjoy geography, and that geography, as a discipline, has a significant contribution to make to the broader aims of education.

The idea of ‘subject’ is central to the design of the course and we encourage you to engage critically with ongoing policy and academic debates about what kinds of geographies are fit for a 21st century education system.

It follows that, by the end of the course, you should:

• be competent in the skills of teaching geography, as specified in the Standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status
• understand the contribution that you as a geography teacher can make to the education of pupils in the widest sense
• be able to take responsibility for your continuing professional development

The course consists of an integrated programme of lesson observations, school-based activities, teaching and reflection in school and university workshops, lectures, tutorials and fieldwork. In school you will begin by working with teachers and small groups of pupils. As your confidence grows, you will plan and teach lessons with a class teacher and with other interns, sometimes working with a group of pupils, sometimes with a whole class.

In the University, you will work with the other geography interns, and with the geography education tutors. You will be expected to read and to think about teaching in a critical and theoretical way, taking account of your own ideas about the sort of teacher you would like to be.

You will be able to make a real difference to pupils, fostering their learning of the important issues which shape the future.

All geography interns gain fieldwork experience in their schools and during a weekend residential course at a Field Studies Council Centre; the practicalities of organising such trips are explored in departmental sessions.

We welcome applications from candidates who have not studied Geography but have completed a degree in a related area, such as Geology. Applications from those who may need to complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course are also welcome. If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your degree then please contact the PGCE Office.

Watch student, Daniel, give his account of the PGCE Geography course

Course code V1X1

We are committed to enabling you to teach history in rigorous ways while taking account of the learners’ needs, desires and dispositions, across a range of different contexts. Our course is based on a strong set of partnerships built over a long period of time with local schools.  This partnership extends to include visits to local museums, a local case study and visits to a number of London schools to explore EAL and diversity issues. We have a real passion for history and young people and are looking for candidates that share this passion. Our course looks to support successful history teaching based on the use of engaging and rigorous historical enquiries that link substantive historical knowledge with critical historical thinking.

Course development evolves in response to feedback from all PGCE partners, combining insights from up to date research with the perspectives of PGCE students and their mentors. The course integrates teaching experience in partner secondary schools with practical university-based workshops and helps you develop teaching skills and a critical understanding of learning and teaching across a range of different contexts.

The curriculum programme is organised around six broad themes:

• exploring your preconceptions about the nature of history and about effective teaching and learning
• the context of history teaching today, including the nature of the history curriculum itself (Key Stage 3, GCSE and post-16), the relationship between history and citizenship education and the wider professional context of teachers’ work
• managing history classrooms
• planning for learning – exploring the range of decisions that you need to make in planning for single lessons and longer schemes of work, examining the range of goals and activities possible, and the ways in which you can select and tailor your objectives and learning tasks to ensure that all pupils are engaged and can make progress
• carrying out your plans
• evaluation: of both your own teaching and the pupils’ learning in history

In school you will be involved in all aspects of a teacher’s role. You will observe experienced teachers, and discuss your observations and your own developing ideas and practice with them; you will plan and teach collaboratively, and design and develop resources for that teaching. You will work both with individuals and small groups of pupils, as well, of course, as taking responsibility for teaching history to whole classes. In the university you will work with other history interns in seminars and workshops using a wide variety of approaches intended to develop your own repertoire and understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies, informed by both practical and research-based, theoretical perspectives. One key aspect of the PGCE programme is the space to share knowledge and understanding of the variety of contexts.

We welcome applications from candidates who have not studied History but have completed a degree in a related area, such as Law or Sociology. If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your degree then please contact the PGCE Office.

Watch Dr Katharine Burns, PGCE Course Director, tell us about the PGCE History course

Watch student, Melissa, tell us about her account of the PGCE History course

Mathematics

Course code G1X1

The aim of the Mathematics course is to help you to become an effective secondary school teacher of mathematics. To help you achieve this goal, we teach you through a variety of styles, paces, approaches and presentations in the hope that you will use a similar variety when you teach. Learning mathematics can be challenging. It requires concentration, and can feel like hard work, but it also has the ability to surprise, and to give a sense of achievement and enjoyment. Learning to be a teacher will be all of these things too. Teaching on the PGCE course is strongly informed by the mathematics education research which takes place in the Department, some of which is undertaken collaboratively with partner schools. Course tutors are active researchers and experienced in writing for teacher trainees and practising teachers of mathematics.

Objectives of the course

• to provide mathematical experiences on which you can reflect as a learner, and relate these to planning for teaching
• to offer insights into children’s learning and, through recognition of their particular conceptions, to help you plan your teaching accordingly
• to provide skills and experiences in planning, teaching and managing effective lessons through which learners can gain mathematical knowledge, awareness and understanding
• to help you to reflect on and analyse your teaching, and make decisions about how to modify and adapt it to be more effective for students’ learning
• to introduce you to a range of resources, research and theoretical perspectives on which to base your growth as a teacher
• to enable you to develop skills and experience in ICT that will support your teaching and its management

Main themes of the course

• Developing reflective teaching (DRT): in which you think about your practice in a professional, developmental manner
• Learners’ mathematical development (LMD): in which you think about mathematics and lessons from the point of view of how learners think
• Teaching and learning a topic (TLT): in which you learn how to structure mathematical knowledge so that your teaching is effective
• Planning and management (PM): in which you look at planning and managing lessons, classrooms, professional work and yourself.

If you are committed to teaching mathematics in state comprehensive schools, can demonstrate your commitment to working with children in schools through voluntary work or other experience, have a good degree (a 2:2 or above) in mathematics or a mathematics-related subject, such as engineering or economics, and can provide an excellent academic or work reference, you are encouraged to apply. Applications from those who may need to complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course are also welcome. If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your degree then please contact the PGCE Office.

Watch student, Joanna, give us her account of the PGCE Mathematics course

Modern Languages

The University of Oxford offers a PGCE in Modern Languages (Chinese (Mandarin), French, German and Spanish).

We expect you to be able to offer two Modern Languages (from the four listed above), and we can provide a range of placements for various combinations of these languages. We may not be able to offer you an interview if we do not have school placement capacity in your preferred language combination.

It is important that you have qualifications in both the languages that you wish to teach. For your main language, these qualifications should preferably be at university level, or you should have it as one of your first languages, e.g. have spoken it from a young age. You will be expected to teach your main language up to and including A-level.

For your second language, your qualifications should preferably be at A-level or equivalent (B2 CEFR level). You will be expected to teach your second language up to age 14 as a minimum.

The Modern Languages PGCE course is designed and implemented jointly by colleagues in schools and the university working in close partnership. It is not our aim to prescribe particular approaches to teaching Modern Languages, but rather to enable you to draw on the full range of different sources available to you for your own professional learning – and in so doing to develop a clear and reasoned understanding of the sort of teacher that you want to become.  Tutors on the course, who have many years of classroom teaching experience as well as teacher training experience, will guide you and support you in this exciting but challenging process.

Our course will help you to become an effective and confident teacher by providing you with the following:

• opportunities to observe other practitioners in the classroom and to understand their decision making;
• insight into theories and findings from research into Second Language Acquisition, helping you to understand how adolescents learn a modern language in a classroom setting;
• opportunities to learn from school students themselves about their experiences of language learning and the barriers they encounter;
• opportunities to learn from, and share good practice with, other beginning teachers working in different school contexts;
• practical advice on: the preparation, teaching and evaluation of languages lessons; how to assess and monitor students’ progress; promoting positive behaviour for learning; and responding to the diverse needs of individual students;
• opportunities to try out and systematically evaluate a range of teaching approaches in a range of classrooms over an extended period of time;
• many ideas for using and adapting a range of modern language materials in the classroom.

Assessment of your progress and achievements are jointly carried out by your schools and the university, and you take part in informal and formal discussions about this. Continuous assessment is used throughout the course and there are no examinations

Student Ye-Ye Xu (French with Mandarin 2020-21) discusses her PGCE experiences in this podcast .

Watch Modern Languages PGCE student, Constance, tell us about her experience

Watch Modern Languages PGCE student, Phil, tell is about his experience

Religious Education

From 2024, the PGCE in Religious Education is suspended.

Course codes:   Biology C1X1           Chemistry F1X1          Physics F3X1

The teaching of the sciences in schools is normally organised within a single Science department or faculty to which teachers from the different sciences contribute their respective expertise Such a structure is reflected in the Oxford Department which, while actively recruiting for trainee teachers of the separate sciences – biology, chemistry and physics – works as a co-ordinated team of scientists.

The course aims to produce high quality teachers of the sciences across the 11-19 age range who will not only become competent teachers but will quickly become innovative leaders in their field. Interns will gain expertise in the different strategies for teaching science, and will get insights into the way that pupils learn across the whole range of attainments, aptitudes and pupil differences.

Interns will learn how to turn their own subject knowledge into a form that can be appreciated by pupils and will think critically about the aims and practicalities of teaching science in schools. To attain these goals, interns work with each other, the University tutors and their mentors in schools as adult learners, motivated to take responsibility for their own learning. The learning is structured through workshops, seminars, discussions, focussed assignments, school-based activities and sympathetic, expert, supervision and support. There are opportunities to prepare science lessons, in particular, by trying out practical work both here in the Department as well as in school. Between them the six science tutors cover such subjects as biology, chemistry, physics, earth and environmental sciences. All have extensive experience of teaching and are involved in curriculum developments and research in science education at national and international level.

Rather than attempt to train all interns to teach in a particular way, we aim to build on your existing strengths – as good scientists and as mature, autonomous, motivated personalities – to help you teach in the way most suited to you and your school students.

Aims of the course

• To develop as a professional
• To explore your pre-conceptions about science and teaching science, and draw on your teaching experiences in a positive and reflective way
• To have opportunities to use research and academic study to inform your thinking and practice
• learn how you can plan lessons which take account of how students learn science, so that you can  develop their scientific understanding and investigative skills
• To organise and manage school science lessons which are safe and secure learning environments
• To contribute to students’ understanding of science in society, citizenship and development of literacy and mathematical skills

We welcome applications from candidates who have not studied Biology, Chemistry or Physics but have completed a degree in a related area, such as Earth Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Science, Materials or Zoology. Applications from those who may need to complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course are also welcome. If you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your degree then please contact the PGCE Office.

Watch Lead PGCE Science Tutor, Dr Judith Hillier, tell us about the main PGCE Science course 

Watch student, Ed, give us his account of the PGCE Physics course

Watch student, Rebecca, give us her account of the PGCE Chemistry Course

PGCE Science student, Jacob, gets a big hug from one of the snakes during an end-of-term reptile science lab visit!

PGCE Science student, Lucy, is not scared of her new acquaintance!

PGCE Science student, Euan, has discovered a natural bond with reptiles in our end-of-term reptile science lab visit.

Thomas, our PGCE Science student, makes friends with a reptile in our end-of-term science lab visit.

• Entry Requirements
• Fees and funding
• Application Procedure

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