What is a selection event?

It's a process to assess whether you're suitable for a place on the course. It's a chance to show us your knowledge about the subject and your enthusiasm for the career.

Being invited to a selection event doesn't mean you're guaranteed a place on the course - the point of the day is to help us come to a mutual decision. We need to decide whether to make you an offer and you need to decide whether you like the course and the university.

To find out what will happen on the day, see the subject-specific information below. The timings listed are approximate, so please keep your plans flexible.

When and where is my selection event?

All interviews are conducted in person at our campus.

If you're invited to a selection event you'll receive an email telling you when it is.

It's important to be punctual, if for any reason you cannot attend or you have difficulties accessing the meeting, please contact the member of staff who has invited you for an interview.

What happens on a selection event?

Selection event process

The Social Sciences PGCE selection event is made up of three key components:

1. You will be asked to deliver a short presentation (no more than 5 minutes) on the importance of sociology and psychology in understanding key aspects of the education system and in explaining potential barriers to academic achievement.
2. An interview that will focus on your knowledge of the Social Sciences’ 14-19 curriculum and your understanding of teaching and learning in general. You will also be expected to articulate why you believe that you have the potential to be a good Social Sciences teacher.
3. Finally, in order to assess your ability to communicate in written form, you will be asked to respond to a subject specific written task and an educational article.

The selection event will last approximately 2.5 – 3 hours.

Do I need to prepare anything in advance?

There are a number of tasks that you will be asked to complete prior to the interview:

1. You will need to prepare for your presentation and ensure that you have all of your resources ready for the interview.
2. Complete a short subject audit. This should be returned 24 hours before the interview takes place.
   
    

What do I need to bring with me?

For the interview you should bring the following.

Identification

You must bring photographic identification (photo ID). If possible please bring a passport or photo driving license. If you do not own either of these, other forms of photographic identification will be sufficient for the selection event but should you be offered a place on the course you will be required to present further official identification documentation to complete the professional requirements referred to above. Full details of the ID evidence you will require can be found here. 

What are we looking for?

At this stage we assess your:

• Knowledge of your specialist subject.
• Ability to communicate clearly.
• Knowledge of the area of education you are interested in.
• Interest in, and commitment to a career in teaching.
• Potential to work effectively with students in an educational setting.

Who is on the selection event panel?

You will be assessed by a range of staff from across the PGCE Secondary Education in Social Sciences with Qualified Teacher Status team and partners across the Initial Teacher Education Partnership.

What should I wear?

Dress reasonably smartly, but you don't need to wear a suit. Smart but casual clothing will allow you to feel confident and at ease.

Disability support

If you have a disability (this includes sensory and physical disabilities, dyslexia, mental health conditions and medical conditions) and you feel that you will need some support during the selection event process (for example, a sign language interpreter, note taker, materials provided in different format) please inform the tutor upon receipt of your invitation to the selection event.

Disability advice whilst studying at the University

You may or may not have indicated that you have a disability on your application form. In either case, the Disabled Student Support Team is keen to hear from you. If you would like to meet or talk to an advisor to discuss, in confidence, possible support whilst studying, please ring +44 (0)114 225 3813 or email disability-support@shu.ac.uk

Please note that any offer of a place is subject to acceptance by you of the University's terms and conditions. If you require a printed version, please contact Admissions on 0114 225 5555. You must read these terms and conditions before accepting any offer.

What happens after my selection event?

We cannot tell you our decision on the day of the selection event. After the selection event our decision will be communicated via email, so please check your inbox regularly.

You will receive one of the following decisions.

Conditional offer for the course that you have applied for – you must fulfil certain criteria (usually based on the qualifications you are currently taking) before you can be accepted on the course. If the requirements are met, the offer becomes unconditional.

Unconditional offer for the course that you have applied for – usually made when you have already completed your qualifications and met the academic requirements we are asking for.

Unsuccessful – unfortunately we are not able to offer you a place on the course. We do not feel that you have the necessary skills or experience to be successful on one of our courses. However, this does not prevent you from applying in the future, should you undertake further study to develop your skills and experience.

Important accommodation information for Initial Teacher Education Students

As you have chosen to apply for an initial teacher education course with us, the start of your course will be earlier than the standard term dates. This means that some of the accommodation on offer by the University may not be suitable for you. You will need to refer to the accommodation services website when making your accommodation choices. Once you have accepted your offer of a place, you can submit your online application directly to accommodation services.

What can I choose?

To help you in choosing suitable accommodation, filter from the halls on the website those which are available for early arrivals. You must also specify that you need an early start date in the notes section of your application.

The first few weeks

We know that not all courses start at the same time and we also know which courses start early. This means that your halls won't be full when you first arrive, but we will try and make sure you're not on your own for long so that you don't get lonely and you feel safe.