Faculty of Social Sciences

Postgraduate Diploma in Education (One-year Full-time)

The one-year full-time Postgraduate Diploma in Education is the conventional mode of teacher education for graduates before they join the teaching profession. The programme emphasizes the four roles of a teacher: social and autonomous individual, facilitator of learning, educational innovator and professional educator. These four roles serve as the building blocks of the programme. To enable students to play these roles effectively in the teaching profession, the programme is designed to develop their knowledge, abilities, personal qualities and philosophies. The aims of the programme are:

1.	To develop in students personal qualities which support their daily work and professional development. These personal qualities include interpersonal effectiveness, creativity, self-understanding, and the motivation and readiness for self-reflection and self-improvement;
2.	To develop in student a functional knowledge of disciplines which informs educational practice. A functional knowledge of disciplines means basic knowledge of psychology, sociology and philosophy essential for the understanding of the aims and processes of education;
3.	To develop in student expertise as subject specialist teachers in local schools. This expertise consists of effective strategies for the planning, conducting and evaluating of teaching of given school subjects;
4.	To develop in student knowledge essential for effective functioning within the profession and the wider school context. This knowledge encompasses issues in the professionalization of teaching, educational management, organization and policy.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the programme, graduates are able to:

Knowledge﹣
1.	Develop functional knowledge of psychology, sociology and philosophy that are essential for the understanding of the aims and processes of education.
2.	Develop pedagogical content knowledge for effective teaching of given school subjects.
3.	Develop essential knowledge for effective functioning within the profession.
Skills﹣
4.	Acquire effective strategies for planning, conducting and evaluating of teaching of given school subjects.
5.	Enhance generic skills to support their daily work and professional development.
Attitudes﹣
6.	Demonstrate a reflective and sensitive mind in educational practice and social issues.
7.	Show commitment to uphold professional integrity and advancement of the profession.

Double Registration

Unless otherwise approved by the University, students admitted are normally not permitted to register part-time or full-time for any other qualification either at the University itself or at any other local institutions of higher learning. Students breaching this regulation are subject to discontinuation of their studies at the University.

Structure

This is a 32-unit programme, comprising core courses, elective courses and integrated practicum, to be taken in a one-year period of full-time study. A total of 30 courses are offered; 7 are core courses, 3 are the integrated practicum and 20 are elective courses.

The programme adopts a student-centred approach, using a variety of teaching and learning strategies to support classroom learning and teaching practice. These strategies emphasize reflection, creativity and continuous development of the student. Teaching is conducted through lectures, lecture-discussions and seminars. Furthermore, real-life experience of life at school as a teacher is provided during the Field Practice periods and on-site supervision and peer observation are included in the different elements of the integrated practicum, i.e. subject instruction, microteaching, school experience and supervised teaching practice.

The structure of the curriculum is as follows:

I)	Core Courses	16 units
II)	Elective Courses	4 units
III)	Integrated Practicum	12 units
		───────
		32 units

Requirements

Normally students should complete the programme within one calendar year. With special permission a student may extend the programme of study for a further period of not more than 12 months.

To be eligible for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education, a student must (1) complete a total of 32 units as required by the Department, (2) obtain grade C- or above in all courses, (3) obtain a pass in the integrated practicum, and (4) achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher. To be awarded distinction for the programme, students should attain a cumulative GPA of 3.67 or above, with no course grade below B- and no repeated courses. Students attaining a cumulative GPA between 3.40 and 3.66 will be awarded merit.

I.	Core Courses			16 units
	EDUC	7020	Psychological Foundations of Teaching & Learning	2 units
	EDUC	7030	Teacher Self Development	2 units
	EDUC	7040	Social Foundations of Education	2 units
	EDUC	7050	Philosophical Foundations of Education	2 units
	EDUC	7210	Foundations of Information Technology in Education	2 units
	EDUC	7360	Curriculum & Assessment	3 units
	EDUC	7370	Classroom Management & Communication	3 units

II.	Elective Courses*			4 units
	Each student must select two courses from the elective courses listed below. Students are advised to base their decisions on their interest or the relevance of the courses to their work.
	Area A: Social and Autonomous Individual
	EDUC	7070	Student Self Development	2 units
	EDUC	7110	Psychology of Adolescence	2 units
	EDUC	7150	Creative & Critical Thinking	2 units
	EDUC	7230	Advanced Communication Skills	2 units
	Area B: Facilitator of Learning
	EDUC	7170	School Guidance	2 units
	EDUC	7250	Inclusive Education	2 units
	EDUC	7901	Teaching of a Second Subject (Chinese)	2 units
	EDUC	7902	Teaching of a Second Subject (Information & Communication Technology)	2 units
	EDUC	7903	Teaching of a Second Subject (History)	2 units
	EDUC	7904	Teaching of a Second Subject (Mathematics)	2 units
	EDUC	7905	Teaching of a Second Subject (Economics)	2 units
	EDUC	7906	Teaching of a Second Subject (Putonghua)	2 units
	EDUC	7907	Teaching of a Second Subject (Science Education)	2 units
	EDUC	7908	Teaching of a Second Subject (Liberal Studies)	2 units
	EDUC	7909	Teaching of a Second Subject (Geography)	2 units
	Area C: Educational Innovator
	EDUC	7130	School Management & Decision Making	2 units
	EDUC	7180	Action Learning in the Classroom	2 units
	Area D: Professional Educator
	EDUC	7100	Education System & Policy in Hong Kong	2 units
	EDUC	7140	Teaching as a Profession	2 units
	EDUC	7290	Moral & Civic Education	2 units

III.	Integrated Practicum			12 units
	EDUC	7310	School Experience	0 unit
	EDUC	7320	Supervised Teaching Practice	4 units
	EDUC	7381-2	Subject Instruction I & II	8 units

*	The provision of electives, including options of EDUC 7901-9 Teaching of a Second Subject, will depend on students’ needs and resources of the Department.