Design & Technology Education MDTechEd

This degree programme qualifies you to teach craft, graphic communication, design and manufacture, and engineering science in all secondary schools.
- This is the only integrated masters for Design & Technology Education in Scotland and is accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS). Students who successfully complete this programme are eligible for provisional registration with the GTCS.
- On this programme, students will access a range of unique resources to support rich learning experiences across a breadth of technology areas. These resources include: technology, design and prototyping labs; full-scale workshop facilities; graphics and modelling software; materials testing facilities; virtual reality, 3D scanning and robotic systems.
- Students will undertake placements in our partner schools in years 1-4 of the programme. Students will also undertake an industrial placement in year 3.
- Personal choice is built into courses across all years of the programme, and we encourage students to specialise in areas of interest during year 4 taught electives, year 4 professional enquiry and the year 5 dissertation.
- Students can exit with an honours degree in Year 4 of the programme. Students who wish to continue on the programme can complete an integrated masters year in Year 5 of study, which extends knowledge and critical understanding of Design & Technology Education and practitioner research.
- September start
- Session dates
- Design & Technology Education MDTechEd: H112 5 year degree
Programme structure
The Integrated Masters is a five year programme:
- Years 1 to 4 consist of core technology and education subjects plus school experience. There is an exit point at the end of year 4 where students can leave with a secondary teaching qualification (Bachelor of Technology with Secondary Education) if they do not wish to complete the integrated Masters programme in year 5.
- Year 5 consists of two taught courses and a dissertation.
Years 1 and 2
You will study subjects including technology craft, design, graphics, electronics, mechanics and mathematics. In addition, there will be also be a focus on learning theory and teaching.
Year 1 courses
- EDUCATION IN PRACTICE (SECONDARY) 1
- SCHOOL EXPERIENCE 1
- DESIGN 1
- ELECTRONICS 1
- GRAPHICS 1
- ENGINEERING 1
- TECHNOLOGY CRAFT 1 (Glasgow Clyde College)
Year 2 courses
- EDUCATION IN PRACTICE (SECONDARY) 2
- SCHOOL EXPERIENCE 2
- DESIGN 2
- DESIGN 2
- ELECTRONICS 2
- ENGINEERING 2
- TECHNOLOGY CRAFT 2 (Glasgow Clyde College)
Years 3 and 4
In years 3 and 4 you will further develop your skills across a range of technology courses by exploring themes such as technology and society, materials and sustainable resources. In year 4, you will select an elective study in either Advanced 3D design or Engineering systems & robotics. You will also undertake a final-year project that will develop your skills in practitioner enquiry.
Year 3 courses
- EDUCATION IN PRACTICE (SECONDARY) 3
- SCHOOL EXPERIENCE 3
- DESIGN 3
- GRAPHICS 3
- TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND SOCIETY
- ENGINEERING 3
- TECHNOLOGY CRAFT 3
Year 4 courses
- EDUCATION IN PRACTICE (SECONDARY) 4
- SCHOOL EXPERIENCE T4
- LEARNING AND TEACHING IN SECONDARY TECHNOLOGY
- PROFESSIONAL ENQUIRY
- PHILOSOPHY OF DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
Year 5
In year 5 you will continue your study of education, research methods and practitioner enquiry in the form of a dissertation.
Year 5 courses
- EDUCATION IN PRACTICE 5
- PROFESSIONAL ENQUIRY AND DECISION MAKING
- PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: DISSERTATION
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional
circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information,
please see: Student contract.
Special Glasgow feature
This is a Masters degree with undergraduate entry which will develop knowledge, skills and research within technology education in secondary schools. It will take five years to complete the Masters aspect of the programme; however students will be qualified to teach in schools at the end of year 4, where they could elect to teach on a supply basis while completing their Masters degree. This in turn will help to inform the 5th year of study and research within technology education. Studies throughout the programme will blend theoretical and research approaches with classroom practice.
Entry requirements
for entry in 2021
Summary of entry requirements for Design & Technology Education
SQA Higher Entry Requirements (by end of S6)
- AAABB
- Additional requirements: Higher English and Higher Mathematics or Higher Science Subject. National 5 Mathematics Grade B. Interview.
SQA Higher Adjusted Entry Requirements* (by end of S6)
- AABB – BBBB
- Additional requirements: Higher English and Higher Mathematics or Higher Science Subject. National 5 Mathematics Grade B. Interview. Successful completion of Top-Up or one of our Summer Schools.
* See Access Glasgow for eligibility.
A-level Standard Entry Requirements
- AAB – BBB
- Additional requirements: A-level Mathematics or a Science Subject. GCSE Mathematics at Grade B or 5 and English Language and Literature at Grade C or 4. Interview.
IB Standard Entry Requirements
- 36 (6,6,5 HL) – 32 (6,5,5 HL)
- Additional requirements: HL English and Mathematics or a Science Subject. SL Mathematics at 4. Interview.
2021 Admissions Policy and further information about entry requirements
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
English language requirements
Important information for entry in Autumn 2020 and January 2021
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training):
- overall score 6.5
- no sub-test less than 6.0
- or equivalent scores in another recognised qualification (see below)
Common equivalent English language qualifications:
- ibTOEFL*: 90; no sub-test less than: Reading: 20; Listening: 19; Speaking: 19; Writing: 23
- CAE (Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English): 176 overall: no sub-test less than 169
- CPE (Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English): 176 overall: no sub-test less than 169
- PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English, Academic test): 60; no sub-test less than 59
- IGCSE: English as a First Language (0500/0522): C in Reading and Writing, plus 1 in Listening, 2 in Speaking, where applicable. All four components (listening, writing, speaking, reading) must be examined and detailed on results slip
- IGCSE: English as a Second Language (0510/0511): A in Reading and Writing, plus A in Listening, 2/B in Speaking, where applicable. All four components (listening, writing, speaking, reading) must be examined and detailed on results slip
- Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English: ISEII at Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests
* Please note that TOEFL is still acceptable for admission to this programme for both home/EU and international students.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use TOEFL to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level courses. We therefore still accept TOEFL tests taken in the last two years for admission to this programme.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:
FAQs
What do I do if...
my language qualifications are below the requirements?
The University's School of Modern Languages and Cultures offers a range of Pre-Sessional Courses to bring you up to entry level. The course is accredited by BALEAP, the UK professional association for academic English teaching; see Links.
my language qualifications are not listed here?
Please contact External Relations
If you require a Tier 4 student visa, your qualification must be one of the secure English language tests accepted by UK Border Agency:
- UK Border Agency Tier 4 English Language requirements
- UKBA list of approved English language tests [pdf]
Visa requirements and proof of English language level
It is a visa requirement to provide information on your level of English based on an internationally recognised and secure English language test. All test reports must be no more than 2 years old. A list of these can be found on the UK Border Agency website. If you have never taken one of these tests before, you can get an initial idea of your level by using the Common European Framework self-assessment grid which gives you a level for each skill (e.g. listening B1/writing B2 etc.) However, please note that this is not a secure English language test and it is not sufficient evidence of your level of English for visa requirements.
For further information about English language, please see School of Modern Languages and Cultures: English for Academic Study.
Career prospects
Graduates from our previous programme had an excellent record of finding employment as secondary school technology teachers and college lecturers. You are guaranteed one year as a probationary teacher upon graduation and can then begin to make your way through the various levels of promotion within schools. A number of our graduates went on to funded postgraduate research, usually working towards a PhD in a topic relevant to their role as educators.
Accreditation
This programme leads to registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
Degrees and UCAS codes
When applying you will need to know the UCAS code for the subject or subject-combination that you wish to apply to:
MDTechEd
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
How and when you pay tuition fees depends on where you’re from: see Tuition fees for details.
Scholarships
The University is committed to supporting students and rewarding academic excellence. That's why we've invested more than £1m in additional scholarship funding in recent years.
Cowrie Foundation Scholarship
The University of Glasgow and The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation (CSF) will offer a scholarship to support Black African and Caribbean heritage applicants from socio-economically challenged backgrounds. Applicants must be ordinarily resident in the UK and commencing an undergraduate study in the academic year 2021-2022.
The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation wants to fund 100 Black British students through UK universities in the next decade. More information on the Foundation can be found here.
Undergraduate Talent Scholarships
The University of Glasgow awards c.50 undergraduate Talent Scholarships each academic year to support students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University. The value of each scholarship is typically £1,500 p.a. for each year of the degree programme, subject to satisfactory progress. Talent Scholarships are available to students entering any of the University's Colleges.
Dental School students are eligible for a Talent Scholarship in their first year of study only. They are eligible for the NHS Dental Student Support Grant in the following years.
The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
How to apply
Full-time students must apply through the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The University will accept Centre or Teacher Assessed Grades in lieu of exam results.
SQA applicants who are eligible for our Widening Participation programmes are encouraged to participate in one or more of these programmes, including Summer School, to support your application and the transition to higher education.
International students to Arts, Engineering, Law, Nursing, Science, and Social Sciences can also apply using The Common Application: however, if applying to more than one UK university, we recommend using UCAS. Applications to Dentistry, Education, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine must be made through UCAS.
Application deadlines
- 15 October: if including Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or also applying to Oxford or Cambridge
- 29 January: all other UK/EU applicants (unless otherwise stated on the UCAS website): this has been extended from 15 January 2021 due to covid restrictions.
- 30 June: international (non-EU) students
We do not usually accept any applications after these deadlines.
It's your responsibility to ensure the accuracy of your application before submission. Requests to correct application content, change degree programme or change college of entry, will not be accepted after these deadlines. This policy is in place to ensure fairness and consistency to all applicants, and no exceptions will be made.
- Apply at www.ucas.com or through your school or college
- Contact UCAS on 0871 468 0468
- Apply at commonapp.org (international students to certain areas only)

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