PGDE Secondary at Edinburgh Uni

hello!

i am currently halfway through the PGDE at edinburgh, and I also had an offer from strathclyde so made the same decision last year.

what would you like to know?

Hello! Just would like to have a general idea of what you think about the course, the uni's organisation, content (like for prepping you to go into schools / your nqt year) lecturers, course work etc! Do you think you made the right decision??

Also, just wondering but what subject are you doing your pgde in?

Hi again

So the course is very busy, its very full on, which although I expected, I think I underestimated just how busy! Edinburgh university is lovely, the teaching campus is quite small and separate from the main campus so it is a bit quieter. Organisation can be a bit hit and miss, but i think that is the case anywhere. I think there are quite a lot of pgde students at strathclyde where as edinburgh is much smaller in numbers.

Content and prep again i think varies. I'm a biology student so mostly see scientists with only lectures and one other class per week involving other disciplines.Our content/prep has been a bit up and down, and I think we were all feeling quite apprehensive before placement one, but truth be told, no amount of prep in the world would prepare you for being in school anyway!

Coursework is ok, but I think its certainly something we all just accept has to be done as opposed to loving!

As for 'was it the right decision', I've no idea because I have never known anything different for the PGDE! What I would say is the closer you live to the uni I think the better, I do a 4hour round trip every day I have to go to uni, and though I have got used to it, it does have considerations/frustrations that my friends who stay more locally don't have the same frustrations over.

I spent lots of time looking at the logistics of where the uni was/costs to travel as much as the content of the course because I found it hard to differentiate between them before going. The logistical stuff is just as important, so make sure you pick something that works for you!

Hope that helps.