If teaching is your career goal, then you'll need a degree. First, however, you will need to have the equivalent of at least a C in GCSE maths and English. If you want to teach in a primary school or up to GCSE level in a secondary school, you will also need the equivalent of at least a C in a science subject. These are needed to teach and are in addition to any entry requirements for your degree course. There are two basic ways to achieve a degree and then go into teaching: Postgraduate routes - You can take a degree related to the subject you want to teach and then a postgraduate teacher training course (such as a PGCE). Undergraduate routes - You can take a degree that includes Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) - the qualification needed to teach in a state school - such as a bachelor of education (BEd) or a BA or BSc with QTS. A BSc or BA with QTS are typical honours degrees that also incorporate teacher training. As such, they include school-based training along with the typical lectures and seminars and commonly last for four years. Because they lead to QTS, you must study a National Curriculum subject. A BEd also leads to QTS but is an honours degree in education. The content may vary according to the university or college providing it, but they usually involve study of the history and theory of education and can incorporate elements of sociology, philosophy, politics and psychology. Teaching and assessment also vary from institution to institution, but you can expect to learn from a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials and school placements, assessed by essays and examinations, plus a dissertation in your final year. Because they do not have a single-subject bias, BEds are a popular choice for people interested in teaching primary school children, but they are also an option for anyone wanting to teach secondary. For most BEd and BA or BSc with QTS courses starting in September or October, UCAS accepts applications between the preceding September and January. It is often also possible to apply to defer entry for a year. To find out more, visit the TDA's website www.teach.gov.uk Alternatively, call the Teaching Information Line on 08456 000 991. minicom (01245) 454343). | 
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