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Want to teach but I have a nursing degree

Hello everyone,

So basically I've wanted to teach since I was in high school but unfortunately where I am from (North America) the prospects for jobs for teachers are extremely poor. Teaching is very over saturated where I live and the vast majority of new graduate teachers are struggling while being on the supply teachers list for 6+ years before ever securing full time employment. Due to this I pursued a degree in something else which would involve helping people; nursing. I have been working as a nurse for about 3 years now and will be making a move to England for personal reasons. My degree GPA is 3.6/4.0 which I believe is a 1st but I am not sure. I want to teach primary.

So basically what I want to ask is, will my professional degree work against me in applications? I intend on gaining classroom experience in the UK before I apply (obviously). But do I stand a chance?
Original post by simmys
Hello everyone,

So basically I've wanted to teach since I was in high school but unfortunately where I am from (North America) the prospects for jobs for teachers are extremely poor. Teaching is very over saturated where I live and the vast majority of new graduate teachers are struggling while being on the supply teachers list for 6+ years before ever securing full time employment. Due to this I pursued a degree in something else which would involve helping people; nursing. I have been working as a nurse for about 3 years now and will be making a move to England for personal reasons. My degree GPA is 3.6/4.0 which I believe is a 1st but I am not sure. I want to teach primary.

So basically what I want to ask is, will my professional degree work against me in applications? I intend on gaining classroom experience in the UK before I apply (obviously). But do I stand a chance?


To teach in the UK you would need Qualified Teacher Status which in the UK is usually obtained by doing a PGCE (post graduate certificate of education) after graduating from your first degree. It involves a year of experience and training in schools in the UK after which you would be qualified as an NQT (Newly qualified teacher) and thus eligible to apply for teaching jobs in the subject area of your choice

Since you hold an international qualification and have been resident in the UK for less than 3 years I doubt you would be eligible for funding to undertake a PGCE. It's best to check before hand if you would ever be eligible for it.

That being said, I know qualified nurses who have lectured medical students in biology before; but I can't comment on whether or not they had specific teaching qualifications or not.
Reply 2
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simmys
OP
Funding is not an issue for me. But the question is will having a nursing degree as opposed to a general sciences degree (this is just an example) make my application to PGCE programs less desirable?

I know a lot of the programs just state that you need a 2:1 degree and do not list a specific major.
Original post by simmys
Funding is not an issue for me. But the question is will having a nursing degree as opposed to a general sciences degree (this is just an example) make my application to PGCE programs less desirable?

I know a lot of the programs just state that you need a 2:1 degree and do not list a specific major.


The UK Government classifies a nursing degree as a 'STEMM' subject (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, Medicine) so I doubt you would be at a disadvantage especially if you're applying to programs that don't list a specific major. Your grade is more than adequate (it is very good, in fact :biggrin:)

I would say you stand a good chance of getting in. There isn't really a degree in the UK that you could say is 'general sciences' unless you count the natural sciences program at somewhere like Cambridge where biology, chemistry and physics are covered.

Edit: Do you meet the GCSE requirements?
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 4
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simmys
OP
I have what would be considered GCSE equivalents from my understanding some programs take equivalents while others do not. I went to an IB school but I am unsure if that makes a difference.

Great to hear that having a nursing degree could be advantageous! Thank you for all your help
Hi,
I've got a pharmacy degree (I graduated in 1988), it has not been a barrier to applying and my work experience has served me well with lots of transferable skills. I will be starting Secondary PGCE Chemistry. What I will be doing is a 12 week chemistry course to bridge the knowledge gap as although there was a lot of chemistry in my degree - it wasn't pure chemistry and it was a long long time ago.
I'm sure your nursing degree will stand you in good stead.
Good luck.
Reply 6
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simmys
OP
Original post by VelmaStaplebot
Hi,
I've got a pharmacy degree (I graduated in 1988), it has not been a barrier to applying and my work experience has served me well with lots of transferable skills. I will be starting Secondary PGCE Chemistry. What I will be doing is a 12 week chemistry course to bridge the knowledge gap as although there was a lot of chemistry in my degree - it wasn't pure chemistry and it was a long long time ago.
I'm sure your nursing degree will stand you in good stead.
Good luck.

Thank you so much! Love hearing stories like this

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