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Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programmes
Patrick S.Y. Lau
by Professor

Associate Dean - Professional Programmes

The Postgraduate Diploma in Education programme the beginning of the PGDE programme, only nine Based on the initial-training nature of the PGDE The Postgraduate Diploma in
(PGDE) – the first programme offered by the Faculty SCT courses were offered to students. These included programme, the curriculum is built on two structural Education (Primary) Programme
of Education – was launched in 1965. Since its Chinese Language and Literature, English Language, principles. First, emphasis is given to classroom-level
inception, the PGDE programme has aimed to Mathematics, History, Chinese History, Geography, practice. In accordance with this principle, most of In 1997, the HKSAR government announced a new
train and nurture professional secondary school Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Presently, the the teaching hours are allocated to the role-frame policy objective in education that required all new
teachers with a university degree in a relevant coverage of the SCT courses has been expanded so of classroom teacher while less time is assigned to primary school teachers to have a university degree
subject discipline. It is an initial teacher education much that nearly all subjects found in secondary and the institutional and cultural role-frames at a macro- and professional training in teaching. To respond to
programme totally funded by the Government primary school levels are available in our curriculum. level. Second, the learning experiences available to this policy and societal needs, the Faculty introduced
through the University Grants Council (UGC). Over student-teachers are well structured and specified. A the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Primary)
the last decades, the programme has established larger proportion of the curriculum is in the form of programme (PGDP) in 1998. Initially, the programme
a good reputation in the education community and Programme Content and Structure required courses and core electives while electives was offered in part-time mode to provide professional
attracted a large number of prospective and in- take up a smaller portion. training to in-service primary school teachers.
service teachers to apply and study. Over 17,000 The curricular content of the PGDE programme has
graduates have been trained in the past 50 years evolved from four areas (Category I: Curriculum and To facilitate the process of student-teachers becoming Soaring demand for professional training on the
ever since the programme was launched, and many Teaching Method; Category II: Society, Institution and reflective practitioners, the curriculum is designed part of primary school teachers led to the launch of
of them have taken up important positions in the Organization; Category III: Culture and Thought; in a way that incorporates theory and practice. the PGDP programme in a full-time mode in 2000,
schools they are serving, making a difference to the and Category IV: Psychology and Counselling) to the As such, three major components were proposed aiming to train and nurture professional primary
education arena in Hong Kong. existing three areas (Category 1: Curriculum and when the curriculum was designed, namely school teachers with a university degree in a relevant
Instruction; Category 2: Educational Administration Coursework, Teaching Practice (TP) and Overseas subject discipline. It is an initial-teacher education
15 In 1996, the programme title was changed and Policy, and Category 3: Educational Psychology). Immersion Programme (for full-time students programme totally funded by the Government 16
from “Diploma in Education Programme” The philosophy underpinning the current PGDE whose subject-teaching is English Language). through the UGC.
( 教育文憑課程 ) to “Postgraduate Diploma in curriculum is to prepare students to become
Education Programme” ( 學位教師教育文憑課程 ) “Reflective Practitioners” in education, a move from TP is a major component in the PGDE programme The curriculum of the PGDP is similar to that of
to reflect the postgraduate level of the programme. the “Theory-to-Practice” model and “Competence- because one of the primary aims of the programme the PGDE programme, comprising three major
Though PGDE is well-established, it responds based” model used when the programme first is to equip student-teachers with the necessary components – Coursework, Teaching Practice and
proactively to the changing needs of the education started. knowledge and skills required for classroom Overseas Immersion Programme. Over the past
community by regularly reviewing and making teaching. TP provides opportunities for student decade, since the commencement of the PGDP
adjustments to its curriculum to ensure that the The programme is structured so that students are to teachers to put theory into classroom practice. Full- programme, the Faculty has trained more than 1,750
curriculum is up-to-date and suits the current take courses in the three areas mentioned above. In time student teachers are required to complete a 10- graduates.
requirements of a professional teacher. For example, line with the “Reflective Practitioner” model in teacher week TP within the study period. Part-time student
in 2005, we started to offer professional training education, the content of curriculum in course work teachers are required to conduct TP in their serving The Mode of Study
in Liberal Studies for teachers – in both full-time is organized into five role-frames which constitute schools within the two-year period of study. Part-time
and part-time modes – to respond to the changes five essential domains of professional practice of student-teachers who are not in-service teachers (i.e. Both PGDE and PGDP programmes are offered in
made to the Senior Secondary Education curriculum Hong Kong school teachers. These role-frames are non-teaching mode) will have two blocks of TP, with two modes of study: full-time and part-time. For
proposed by the Education Bureau (EDB) in which (1) classroom teacher, (2) psycho-social development each block lasting for five weeks. Full-time students the part-time mode, applicants who are serving
the subject would become compulsory in the senior facilitator, (3) member of school organization, (4) are encouraged to reflect on their TP experience and teachers are eligible to apply while a small number
secondary curriculum. In 2011, to respond to the executor of education policy, and (5) professional share with fellow classmates by requiring them to of non-serving teachers who aspire to develop a
increased awareness of the special educational needs and intellectual. Each of the three Departments in attend review meetings after the teaching practice. teaching career can apply for the part-time-non-
of students, a course on how to deal with students the Faculty including Department of Curriculum and teaching mode. On the other hand, the full-time
of students, a course on how to deal with students
with special educational needs was made compulsory Instruction, Department of Educational Administration In addition, in order to fulfill the Language Proficiency mode is offered to students who have finished their
with special educational needs was made compulsory
to all students in professional programmes.
to all students in professional programmes.
to all students in professional programmes. and Policy, and Department of Educational Requirements set by the Education Bureau (EDB), first degree, are interested in developing in the field
Psychology designs and contributes relevant theory to full-time English major students are required to of education and are not employed by an education
In fact, the number of subject-curriculum-teaching practice courses according to the five role-frames. complete a six-week overseas immersion programme institution.
In fact, the number of subject
In fact, the number of subject-curriculum-teaching -curriculum-teaching
(SCT) courses to enhance their competence in using English as a
(SCT) courses has been increasing constantly to meet has been increasing constantly to meet
(SCT) courses has been increasing constantly to meet
the demands and trends in the education arena. At demands and trends in the education arena. At means of communication.
the demands and trends in the education arena. At
the