Course information

Teacher Training Code

W4X1

Length

1 year full-time

Course overview

We recognise the importance and potential of theatre as an art form. Our goal is to promote pupils’ personal, social, spiritual and cultural development through theatre and performance.

Why study PGCE (Secondary) Drama at Goldsmiths?

  • If you want to empower young people through Drama then this is the course for you. You'll learn about the process of teaching and performance, observe Drama in schools, look at the work of key practitioners, and develop the conceptual underpinnings of classroom practice.

  • You’ll also work on your performance skills and analyse them from the perspective of a viewer.

  • You’ll work with school-based tutors (heads of department or experienced Drama specialists), and be supported by alumni as “buddies”. 

School Direct

It is also possible to study this course via our School Direct programme. Please visit our School Direct page to see which schools offer this subject.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Amanda Kipling.

What you’ll study

In College-based sessions, you engage in practical Drama at your own level and then analyse this from the perspective of participant and teacher.

Starting to teach grows out of this, coupled with you observing Drama in schools, re-visiting the work of key practitioners, and beginning to develop the conceptual underpinnings of classroom practice.

School-based tutors are heads of department or experienced Drama specialists. In addition, you will be supported by alumni as ‘buddies’.

In the Autumn Term, you have an intensive introduction to Drama in education at the College, and begin weekly induction visits to your first teaching practice school.

As the term develops, you spend four days a week in school beginning to develop teaching skills, and return to Goldsmiths on the fifth day for support in lesson planning, managing behaviour, and assessing and recording pupils’ progress.

At the start of the Spring Term there is a similar pattern of College-based work, with an induction visit to your second teaching practice school. This enables you to build on everything you have learned in the first term and to plan for your second block of school experience.

You then spend four days a week in this school until the spring half-term.

After this you are in school five days a week gaining a sense of what it means to be a full-time Drama teacher. In the final weeks you return to College and complete your Career Entry Development Profile. You also engage in a review and evaluation of the programme as a whole.

Download the programme specification. If you would like an earlier version of the programme specification, please contact the Quality Office.

Between 2020 and 2022 we needed to make some changes to how programmes were delivered due to Covid-19 restrictions. For more information about past programme changes please visit our programme changes information page.

How to apply

You apply for this PGCE through the Department for Education’s Apply for Teacher Training website. More information about the process can be found on the Get into Teaching website.

Please take a look at the information on applying, including the specific qualifications or experience you need for this course.

There's no closing date for primary or secondary applications, but we advise you to apply early to avoid disappointment.

Learning & teaching

A range of teaching methods is employed across all our PGCE programmes, including:

  • Taught subject sessions
  • Practical workshops
  • Compulsory lectures
  • Seminars
  • Group and Individual tutorials
  • Individual and group presentations
  • Supported self-study

Course requirements

You'll need:

  • to meet our fitness to train requirements
  • a GCSE Grade C/4 or above in English and Mathematics. Please note, we can only accept some UK and international GCSE equivalent qualifications. A complete list of accepted UK GCSE equivalencies can be found here: link. If you have a non-UK qualification that you believe is GCSE equivalent, you must check this with the Admissions team.
  • an undergraduate honours degree, at 2:2 or above from a university in the United Kingdom or an international equivalent in a related subject, such as Drama, Theatre Studies or English

You are expected to be a practitioner in your own right with experience in the theatre industry. If you would like to discuss this before application please contact Amanda Kipling.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2023/2024 academic year.

  • Home - full-time: £9250
  • International - full-time: £18790

If your fees are not listed here, please contact the Fees Office - fees (@gold.ac.uk).

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries for prospective students, and our careers service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.