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On this course, you will: 

• develop the skills, confidence and passion to make a real difference in the lives of young learners as a teacher;
• study contemporary issues in education, psychology and sociology to develop a sound knowledge base of children’s developmental pathways and the range of factors that affect them;
• gain an understanding of how pedagogic theory and knowledge inform classroom practices at the early years and primary school level;
• develop a detailed knowledge of all areas of the curriculum and become skilful at integrating literacy, numeracy and wellbeing throughout your teaching;
• benefit from practical experience in educational, community, and outdoor learning settings, learning how to build positive relationships with children and work alongside other professionals;
• develop your academic literacies including digital and data literacy; and
• develop research skills to enable you to develop as an autonomous, critically thinking, reflective professional.

Structure

You will study for four years to become qualified to work as a primary school teacher. Progression into Year Two will be dependent on successfully engaging with and completing all modules, a community-based education placement and a presentation that evidences emerging planning and pedagogical skills in Year One. If, after the first year you decide not to pursue teaching there is an option to transfer to our BA (Hons) Education course. This is a broad-based social sciences degree with an emphasis on broader aspects of education.

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will learn through lectures, seminars, workshops, enquiry-based, student-led activity, independent study, and school experience/community placements. An innovative feature of the course is the incorporation of outdoor learning skills, as well as the opportunity to undertake a British Sign Language course. Assessment methods are varied, including essays, reports, presentations, audiovisual submissions and assignments that specifically draw on school experience, such as reflective work and case studies.

Placements

School experience: School experience is a core element of the course. You will complete a total of 30 weeks school experience split into three blocks across the four years. Placements are allocated by matching students to schools based on information provided by universities, local authorities and schools. Placements are based on a student’s term-time address and students may be required to travel up to 90 minutes each way to a school placement. Students are not permitted to seek placements independently. Students are continually assessed throughout each school experience by maintaining a professional development portfolio. All students are supported on placement by school and university tutors.

Community experience: Undertaking a community-based education experience is a unique aspect of this course and enables students to learn about the integration of formal and informal education through a range of community projects. In Year One you will complete a 5-day (or equivalent) community-based education experience. Students are responsible for sourcing the placement host organisation. To help with the process, we can suggest suitable organisations.

Please note that there are additional costs associated with placements. Please see the ‘Other fees’ section under the ‘Entry requirements’ tab for more details.

Teaching staff, class sizes and timetables

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

For more information, please also visit ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn

Year One

You will:

• begin to develop an understanding of education theory;
• complete a 5-day (or equivalent) community-based education experience;
• develop skills in using British Sign Language (BSL) in an education setting; and
• gain skills and experience to enable you to incorporate outdoor learning into your future teaching. 

You will study the following modules:

• Introduction to Education Studies in the 21st Century: This module aims to provide a broad introduction to education from a range of different theoretical, political and historical perspectives enabling you to analyse contemporary educational issues in Scotland, UK, nationally and internationally.Ìý
• Humans in the World: This module introduces you to humans, and to knowing humans through the lenses of key Social Sciences – Psychology, Sociology and Education.
• Developing Your Academic Voice: This module is intended to introduce students to ways of construing meaning through learning and engaging with their studies such that they develop their student identity and a sense of belonging to their academic communities and disciplines. ÌýÌý
• Developing Academic Literacies for Learning and Teaching: This module will focus on the importance of developing and consolidating personal knowledge and skills of literacy, numeracy, digital/data literacy (including AI literacy) and British Sign Language (BSL) as Primary Education students and practitioners.
• Learning for Sustainability Outdoors: The module explores the relationship between Learning for Sustainability and nature-based outdoor learning as a way of developing rights-based approaches to social and environmental concerns.
• Being Human: A Multidisciplinary Exploration: Students will explore key aspects of the human condition and engage in long-running debates on topics that still confront and fascinate us. Students can expect to explore a range of selected themes each year, covering economic, political, social, and cultural debates.
• Introduction to British Sign Language: This module provides a gentle introduction into BSL.

Year Two

You will:

• complete Ìýa placement experience across semesters 1 and 2: including weekly serial days in school, a weeklong nursery placement Ìýand a 6-week teaching placement at the end of semester 2. These placements are based within the early level and first level (Nursery to Primary 3);
• develop your knowledge and understanding of numeracy and literacy education as well as early childhood development; and
• develop practical teaching skills in creative education across the curriculum, including expressive arts, drama and health and wellbeing.

You will study the following modules:

• Languages & Literacy 1: This module will develop your understanding of emergent language and literacy development, with a focus on early years and lower primary. You will explore children’s texts and develop your understanding of early reading, writing, talking and listening in the context of the Curriculum for Excellence.
• Placement: Planning for Learning and Teaching: This module is a placement module where you will: i) develop your pedagogical understanding and knowledge across the breadth of the curriculum, ii) apply and develop short term planning skills for teaching and assessing learners, iii) take a professional, reflective and social justice based approach to your practice.Ìý
• Sustainability and Wellbeing: Foundations for Future Educators: This module further develops students' understanding of sustainability through the lens of Scotland's Learning for Sustainability Action Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.Ìý
• Early Childhood Development and Learning in Context: This module explores children’s learning and development in early childhood (0-8 years old), exploring a wide range of theories, concepts and practices in early childhood development and combining this with research that challenges those ideas.
• Mathematics & Numeracy: Theory and Pedagogy: This course provides students with the opportunity to further develop their knowledge of the Scottish Mathematics curriculum and the relationship between inclusive learning, teaching and the curriculum, whilst continuing to undertake critical evaluations of their own developing practice in mathematics.
• Curriculum and Context: This course provides students with the opportunity to further develop their knowledge of the Scottish curriculum and the relationship between inclusive learning, teaching and the curriculum, whilst continuing to undertake critical evaluations of their own developing practice.Ìý

Year Three

You will:

• complete a 10-week placement in a school with primary 4-5, with responsibility for planning and delivering whole class teaching*;
• further develop your skills in literacy and numeracy education;
• develop your skills as a reflective teacher, in key areas such as planning and inclusive practices; and
• develop your understanding of the subject of children’s rights in the context of the classroom, learning how educational skills and knowledge can offer a method to realise rights.

You will study the following modules

• Placement: Planning for Continuity and Progression: This module is a placement module where you will i) increasingly develop your pedagogical content knowledge across the breadth of the curriculum, ii) develop and apply skills and knowledge around planning, teaching, and assessment of learners, including development of digital literacy and iii) take a professional, critically reflective and social justice-based approach to your practice.Ìý
• Languages & Literacy 2: The module will broaden and deepen Primary Education students’ understanding of literacy and languages for the middle and upper primary. Ìý
• Inclusive Education: Difference and Diversity: This module draws policy, practice and research together, to consider how we can tackle barriers to education and promote equity, accessibility, support and the participation of all learners, regardless of their background.
• Maths in Context: This module aims to introduce you to different approaches to problem solving and investigation in primary schools, develop pedagogical strategies for the inclusive teaching of primary mathematics, expand your understanding of creativity within the discipline, investigate interdisciplinary curricular links, and explore the use of learning resources, including digital technology. Ìý
• Teacher as Reflective Practitioner: This module aims to explore teacher professionalism, professional values and professional identity as explored through academic, political, policy and theoretical perspectives.
• Realising Rights in the Classroom: Supporting Learners' Needs: This module examines the diverse range of social and educational needs which may affect children at school.

Year Four

You will:

• complete a further 10-week placement in a school with primary 6 - 7;
• look at the role of a teacher in working with other professional agencies ( e.g. educational psychologists and social workers);Ìý
• carry out a professional enquiry into education and classroom practice; and Ìý
• develop skills in using data to inform teaching.Ìý

You will study the following modules:

• Teacher as Professional: Inter-agency Working: The course will take an interdisciplinary and multi-agency perspective, encouraging students to undertake critical analysis of the place and purpose of schooling in both the broader context of children's lives and of the students' own workplaces.
• Placement: Planning Across the Curriculum: This module is a placement module where you will i) increasingly develop your pedagogical content knowledge across the curriculum, ii) apply an enquiring approach to the planning, teaching, and assessment of learners and iii) take a professional, critically reflective and social justice based approach to your practice.
• Professional Enquiry into Practice: The Enquiry into Practice (dissertation) is an independent desk-based project during which students will perform an in-depth study of a chosen aspect of education.
• Final Year Elective: Students will choose one elective from a number of options (these may vary from year to year). Ìý

You will graduate fully qualified to work as a primary school teacher. By law, graduates must register with the GTCS before they can be employed as a teacher in a Scottish education authority primary, secondary, further education or additional support needs  school. A teacher’s fitness to teach (i.e. in terms of conduct) will be considered at the point of application for registration. Graduates will be provisionally registered with GTCS, and Home/Rest of UK/Republic of Ireland students will be eligible to join the Teacher Induction Scheme and undertake a one-year induction in a Scottish primary school to become fully registered with the GTCS. For information on teacher salaries in Scotland, visit the .

Entry requirements

Scottish Higher: Standard - ABBB, Minimum - BBBB

A Level: BBC

Irish Leaving Certificate (ILC): H2 H2 H2 H3

International Baccalaureate: 30 points

International: IELTS of 6.0 with no element lower than 5.5

HNC: HNC in a related subject with B in the graded unit, plus Higher English at grade C and Maths Nat 5 at grade C or equivalent.

Required subjects:

• Higher English AND Maths at Nat 5 at grade C or above. We can also accept National 5 Application of Maths or Lifeskills at the same grade.
• A levels: GCSE English Literature C/4* AND GCSE English Language C/4 AND GCSE Maths C/4 or aboveILC: English H2 AND Maths O4
• IB to include HL English and SL Maths at grade 4 or above

Am I a Widening Access student?: We apply the minimum entry criteria to applicants who meet one or more contextual factor. To see if this would apply to you, please refer to the access and application page.

Mature/Access: We welcome applications from mature students with relevant qualifications or experience. Visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page for more information. 

Direct Entry:

Year Two

• There may be limited places for applicants with HNC Childhood Practice (120 SCQF credits), A in the graded unit, evidence of 40 placement hours, plus Higher English at grade B and Maths Nat 5 at grade C or above.

Visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page for more information. 

Other requirements

A satisfactory criminal records check from the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme.

Disability/health conditions 

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at ³ÉÈ˶¶Òõ. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the Disability Service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you. 

Fee information

Fees: Please follow the link in the 'Course Overview' box for information on fees for 2027 entry.

Other costs: 

• The cost of professional indemnity insurance is your responsibility.
• You will be required to pay any additional costs associated with placement travel and accommodation. If you receive SAAS funding you may be able to claim for some of these expenses to be reimbursed.

For more information on this, visit the UG 2027 fees page on our website.

Application information

How to apply: Application for this course should be made through . More application information is available in the 'Start your Application' box at the top right of this page.

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Email Admissions

• The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2027/28 Entry Terms and Conditions (Undergraduate).
• The course information on this page is correct at the time of print (Feb 2026) but is subject to change. Please check back here for updates.