What to study to become a lecturer after completing PGCE?

So I will be starting my PGCE in modern languages (Spanish) this year and I would like to think about my professional development. I've read a bit and apparently I could study a master's degree in education or maybe something related to Spanish language and then try to get a PhD?

Has anyone done something similar?

Thank you!

Reply 1

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Achotiodeque

Do you want to be a teacher or an academic? The main function of a university lecturer is to do academic research, teaching undergraduate students forms a relatively minor part of the job. Are you interested in research?

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Lecturers at university are usually primarily research staff as @snufkin stated - although some places do advertise specific teaching fellowships. In any case, a PGCE is not required to teach at university. In theory usually a Masters degree is the minimum (sometimes a Bachelors will be sufficient for some small aspect of the course) although most have a PhD, both because they are also research academics and because most PhD programmes include aspects of university teaching - e.g. marking work, running seminars/labs/tutorial sessions and so on. These degrees will be in their subject area (i.e. of the department/subject they're teaching in). Few have any formal educational qualifications - although often they'll have some teaching "training" comprising a day course or something during their PhD, and some experience in demonstrating/marking as above.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 3

ivcannula

Lecturers at university are usually primarily research work so do about your interest

Reply 4

almostmaybe

It depends if you means a College lecturer/teacher (i.e. teaching A level, adult courses etc.) or University lecturer (teaching undergraduates and conducting research).For a college lecturer/teacher you can pretty much apply straight after your PGCE, you want to be a university lecturer than a PGCE isn't going to help much (there is also such as thing as a PGCHE, although you can only do this once you have a position). At this stage you need to focus on research development - a masters and then a PhD in your chosen field, with papers or books published and presentations given at conferences. This is a long and difficult route, unfortunately, and requires dedication, although potentially with a lot of fun and job satisfaction if you like the academic world (and you get to be a student for quite a while!).

Reply 5

Achotiodeque

Oh thank you for your responses. Well I am not that attracted by research I guess. I was thinking in career development and obviously I would like to teach in a higher level some day thats why I thought of becoming a lecturer!

Can you think of any other career development for a teacher? Thank you!

Reply 6

S27

Original post by Achotiodeque

Teaching fellow. You absolutely can lecture at university level without doing research*.

*aside from your PhD obviously.

Reply 7

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by S27

Teaching fellow. You absolutely can lecture at university level without doing research*.

*aside from your PhD obviously.

In Spanish? Unlikely. If a university wants a teaching fellow to just teach and conduct no research at all then they will almost certainly hire a native Spanish speaker.

Reply 8

Interrobang

You could work at a uni teaching on the pgce? I doubt that involves a lot of research. Otherwise it's progression in school such as senior leadership

Reply 9

Achotiodeque

Original post by Snufkin

In Spanish? Unlikely. If a university wants a teaching fellow to just teach and conduct no research at all then they will almost certainly hire a native Spanish speaker.

I forgot to mention I am actually a native Spanish speaker, does it change anything?

Reply 10

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Achotiodeque

I forgot to mention I am actually a native Spanish speaker, does it change anything?

Possibly, it is true that some language teaching fellows don't (or at least, aren't required to) do research, but you'd still need a PhD, and a lot of luck.

Reply 11

Achotiodeque

Original post by Snufkin

Possibly, it is true that some language teaching fellows don't (or at least, aren't required to) do research, but you'd still need a PhD, and a lot of luck.