Programme Code | A1P014 | C2P035 |
Mode of Study | One-year Full-time | Two-year Part-time |
Year 1 & 2 Coordinator | Dr Chan Chi Keung | |
Programme Leader | Prof Song Yanjie |
Programme Aims
This programme prepares university graduates to become competent and confident teachers in primary schools in Hong Kong. It provides opportunities for participants to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required of fully qualified primary school teachers, together with an understanding of the responsibilities and obligations of belonging to the teaching profession. In addition, the programme seeks to foster a commitment of the participants to their students and to lifelong professional development.
Programme Structure
This programme is delivered in two different modes: One-year Full-time (FT PGDE(P)) and Two-year Part-time (PT PGDE(P)). It is a modularised programme normally consisting of 30-33 credit points (cps). Participants of FT PGDE(P) are normally required to attend classes on weekdays from 8:30 am to 9:20 pm and/or Saturdays from 8:30 am to 6:20 pm. Participants of PT PGDE(P) are normally required to attend classes on several weekday evenings from 6:30 pm to 9:20 pm and/or Saturdays from 8:30 am to 6:20 pm. Classes in the same or different semester(s) will be held in the Tai Po Campus and/or Tseung Kwan O Study Centre/ North Point Study Centre/ Kowloon Tong Satellite Study Centre / Sports Centre / other locations as decided by the University. Participants must thoroughly consider their travel arrangements and time back to the campus/centres to attend face-to-face classes punctually. Combined classes for part-time and full-time participants would be arranged where necessary. Different modes of delivery (including face-to-face classes), teaching and learning activities as well as assessment methods will be adopted as deemed appropriate.
The programme comprises a programme orientation and the following components:
FT PGDE(P)* | PT PGDE(P) | |
---|---|---|
1. Teaching Subject Study 1 – Subject Methods | 3 cps | 3 cps |
2. Teaching Subject Study 2 – Subject Methods | 3 cps | 3 cps |
3. Education Studies | 12 cps | 12 cps |
4. Elective Studies | 4-7 cps | 6-9 cps |
5. Field Experience | 6 cps | 6 cps |
6. Common Core | 2 cps | - |
*Important Note: Starting from the 2025/26 cohort, participants admitted to the full-time Postgraduate Diploma in Education programmes are required to fulfil the “Exit Requirements for Teachers’ Professional Conduct and Ethics”, which consists of three components: 1) Fulfilment of assessment requirements of Field Experience; 2) Satisfactory completion of two required courses related to Teachers’ Professional Conduct and Ethics; 3) Fulfilment of relevant co-curricular requirement.
Programme Orientation
All participants must attend a programme orientation which includes information sessions about the curriculum, campus facilities and services.
Teaching Subject Studies
Teaching Subject Studies (TSS) are focused on the primary curriculum, teaching methodologies and special features of the subjects. Participants will normally choose two Teaching Subject Studies, TSS1 and TSS2. TSS1 is the subject in which participants already have substantial relevant knowledge from their first degree. TSS2 is the participants' chosen second teaching area. Participants who study English have to study One-TSS Route (English) and have no credit points to study a second subject. Participants who cannot speak or read Chinese can choose only the One-TSS Route (English). Participants who study TSS1 Mathematics have the choice to study One-TSS Route (Mathematics) or TSS1 Mathematics and a TSS2 subject. Subject to sufficient demand, the following subjects may be offered in the 2025/26 academic year:
Teaching Subject Study 1 (TSS1)
- 中文
- English (One-TSS Route)
- Mathematics (One-TSS Route or TSS1 Mathematics and a TSS2 subject)
- Music
- Physical Education
- Primary Humanities
- Primary Science
- Putonghua
- Special Needs (PT only)
- Visual Arts
Teaching Subject Study 2 (TSS2)
- 中文
- Information Technology
- Mathematics
- Physical Education
- Primary Humanities
- Primary Science
- Putonghua
- Special Needs
Click here for the list of courses offered in 2025/26
Education Studies
This component provides participants with an understanding of foundational disciplines required of classroom teachers, i.e. psychology, sociology and philosophy of education, together with generic skills for planning, teaching and assessment. This interdisciplinary knowledge helps participants understand their own teaching, their own personal development, and culture and society at large. The participants can also evaluate current local curriculum and assessment issues, and advocate the professional ethics and values for implementing different types of curricula and assessment strategies in schools. They are introduced to the implications for teaching and learning arising from the diverse range of learners' needs, the organisational culture of the school and the need to create and maintain a positive classroom climate.
The courses are:
- Foundations and Processes of Learning
- Teacher Leadership and Professionalism in Changing Contexts
- Curriculum and Assessment
- Philosophical and Socio-cultural Issues in Education
Elective Studies
The Elective Studies domain enables participants to fulfill specific subject requirements as well as to allow participants to have choices in directing their own professional development. Normally participants have to study 1-2 Elective Core courses from TSS1 and TSS2 respectively and 1 Elective Subject Methods Relevant course for TSS2. Also, they can study 0-1 Elective General course. These Elective General courses are interdisciplinary in design in order to encourage participants to develop new areas of interest connected to their academic and education studies. FT PGDE(P) participants of TSS1 English or Putonghua have to take part in the language immersion programme as their Elective Core course. PE participants have to study 2 PE Elective Core courses.
Field Experience
Field Experience provides opportunity for participants to engage and socialise in schools where they learn to teach, experience school life and work, and develop competence and readiness to enter the teaching profession. Participants of FT PGDE(P) will be arranged to undertake two blocks# of teaching practice in local primary schools to try out teaching while participants of PT PGDE(P), who are serving teachers in schools, undertake Field Experience to broaden their experience in classroom practice, reflect and improve their practice by testing out new ideas and applying pedagogical principles in classroom teaching. For details, please refer to the below section Teaching Requirements for Field Experience.
# except that FT PGDE(P) participants who have chosen English or Putonghua as their TSS1 will take part in the compulsory immersion programme in Semester One.
Important Note: The University requires participants of our full-time teacher education programmes to declare all records of conviction and prosecution of sex-related offence in Hong Kong or elsewhere, and report on whether they are involved in any ongoing criminal proceedings or investigations, and to provide relevant details prior to undertaking teaching practice. The University reserves the right to deny participants with records of conviction or prosecution of sex-related offence attendance or access to the block teaching practice, whereby their graduation requirements of the programmes will not be met.
Common Core (For full-time only)
The curriculum incorporates three areas of curriculum emphasis, which aim to prepare the participants of FT PGDE(P) to be future ready, equip them with the necessary skills to meet diverse workplace/school requirements and offer them GBA/Mainland experience.
Domain | Curriculum Emphasis | Credit Points | |
---|---|---|---|
Common Core | 1. | Digital Competency | 1 |
2. | Legal Knowledge and National and National Security Education | 1 | |
3. | GBA/Mainland Experience | N/A (embedded into the courses) |
Important Note: Participants admitted into the full-time PGDE(P) programme are required to visit the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and/or other parts of Mainland China. The programme may also require participants to participate in other non-local learning experience for completion of the programme. While the visits are subsidised, participants are required to contribute part of the estimated cost of the visits ("students’ contribution"), whereas any personal entertainment, meals expenses, travel document fee and personal insurance costs shall be at participants’ own expense. The estimated cost of the visits and students’ contribution for participants admitted to the coming cohort is yet to be available due to a variety of factors such as inflation of cost of the visits, trip duration, traveling expenses, the exchange rate, etc.
Immersion Programme (For full-time only)
English Immersion
To enhance the participants’ cultural and academic experiences relating to English language teaching, a compulsory immersion programme will be arranged in an English speaking country in Semester One for FT PGDE(P) participants who choose English as TSS1. This component of the programme not only aims to enhance participants’ language proficiency, but with the campus-based input and teaching practice in local schools also aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to English language teaching to prospective English language teachers. Details of the immersion programme will be announced after the commencement of the full-time programme.
Putonghua Immersion
To enhance the language proficiency of participants in Putonghua, a compulsory immersion programme will be arranged in Semester One for FT PGDE(P) participants who choose Putonghua as their TSS1. Details of the immersion programme will be announced after the commencement of the full-time programme.
Digital Competency Requirement (For part-time only)
Before graduation, PT PGDE(P) participants are required to complete and pass the IT e-Portfolio Checking (ITEP) and a reflective statement (ITC3003). For the details of Digital Competency Requirement, please visit www.eduhk.hk/mit/en/dcr.
Medium of Instruction
The medium of instruction is Chinese (Cantonese) and/or English. Applicant’s adequate proficiency in both Chinese and English is required. Putonghua is adopted as the language of instruction for courses related to the Putonghua subject, while English is adopted as the language of instruction for relevant courses, as appropriate. TSS1 English participants are required to take Education Studies core courses in English, if available. Participants of other Teaching Subject Studies can choose to take additional language courses to enhance their English proficiency, if desired.
Entrance Requirements
To be eligible for admission, applicants should normally:
- hold a recognised Bachelor's degree which includes a field of study relevant to their chosen Teaching Subject Study 1*, or equivalent;
- have passed the admission interview/subject test(s) and/or language test(s), where required; and
- be serving teachers in local primary schools or mainland-based primary schools catering to Hong Kong pupils and offering the Hong Kong curriculum (內地設立港人子弟學校) in the Greater Bay Area (for PT PGDE(P)).
- Applicants for English who do not hold a degree majoring in English are also welcome to apply.
- Applicants for Primary Humanities should normally hold a degree in Social Sciences/ Humanities, or other related disciplines.
- Applicants for Primary Science should normally hold a Bachelor’s degree in an area with a strong relevancy to science and technological education. Applicants holding a degree majoring in one of the following disciplines/areas will be advantageous:
- Science (e.g. Physics, Chemistry, Biology; or specialised areas such as Biochemistry, Environmental science, Applied Science, Physical Geography, etc.);
- Computer Studies and Information Technology; and
- Education (including areas of study with a thematic focus in education).
- Applicants for Putonghua should normally hold a degree majoring in Linguistics / Language Studies or related disciplines (申請人必須具備與語言學或語言學習相關的學位). Other applicants who do not hold a degree majoring in any of the above but meet the minimum admission requirements for Putonghua as TSS2 may also be considered.
- Applicants for Special Needs should normally hold a degree majoring in Special Needs / Psychology / Counselling / Social Psychology / Social Work / Applied Social Studies and/or related subjects.
(Note: For part-time applicants, it is at your discretion to invite your employer/principal to complete a recommendation form. Priority of admission will be given to applicants who are recommended by their employers/principals.)
Admission Requirements for Teaching Subject Study 2 (TSS2)
TSS2 | Minimum Admission Requirements |
---|---|
Chinese |
A pass in Chinese Language in the HKCEE, or Level 3 in Chinese Language in the HKDSE, or equivalent |
Information Technology |
A pass in Computer Studies/Information Technology/Computer and Information Technology/Mathematics in the HKCEE, or Level 3 in Information and Communication Technology/Mathematics in the HKDSE, or equivalent |
Mathematics |
A pass in Mathematics in the HKCEE, or Level 3 in Mathematics in the HKDSE, or equivalent |
Physical Education |
Grade D in Physical Education in the HKCEE, or Level 3 in Physical Education in the HKDSE, or equivalent; or Satisfactory performance in a subject test |
Primary Humanities |
Level 3 in at least one Social Sciences subject in the HKDSE, or A pass in Social Sciences/Humanities in the HKALE, or equivalent |
Primary Science |
Level 3 in at least one Science subject in the HKDSE, or A pass in Science in the HKALE, or equivalent |
Putonghua |
Level 3 in the Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers (Putonghua LPAT) conducted by the HKEAA; or Grade 2B in the Putonghua Shuiping Ceshi (PSC) conducted by the State Language Commission(國家語言文字工作委員會普通話水平測試); or A pass in the Test of Advanced Proficiency in Putonghua (TAPP) conducted by the HKEAA in 2008 or before(香港考試及評核局普通話高級水平測試) |
Special Needs |
Level 3 in at least one subject in the HKDSE, or A pass in at least one subject in the HKALE, or equivalent |
Teaching Requirements for Field Experience
The medium of instruction in the vast majority of Hong Kong schools is Cantonese and/or English depending on the policy of the schools. Participants are required to possess a proficient level of language skills (oral, listening and written) to enable them to perform the duties during Field Experience.
For Full-time PGDE(P) Participants
Full-time participants will be arranged to undertake 4# and 8 weeks of full-time block practice in Semester One and Two respectively in primary schools. Block practice for local participants will be conducted in local primary schools. Non-local participants## may conduct their block practice at local primary schools or primary schools outside Hong Kong, such as mainland-based schools catering to Hong Kong pupils and offering the Hong Kong curriculum. Non-local participants teaching in mainland-based schools may also be required to possess a proficient level of Putonghua to enable them to perform the duties during Field Experience.
The teaching load for participants with Teaching Subject Studies 1 & 2 is normally 12-16 periods per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle (with a minimum of 4 periods per Teaching Subject Study) throughout the block practice period.
For One-TSS route participants, they are required to have at least 8-12 periods of their chosen TSS per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle.
# except that FT PGDE(P) participants who have chosen English or Putonghua as their TSS1 will take part in the compulsory immersion programme in Semester One.
## Notes for Non-local Applicants: As a prominent feature of our teacher education programmes, participants are required to conduct and pass the Field Experience which lasts for around 12 weeks during their studies in the programmes. This is a requirement for participants’ graduation and final registration as a Registered Teacher in Hong Kong, subject to the approval of the Education Bureau. Non-local participants may be arranged to conduct their Field Experience at local schools or schools outside Hong Kong, such as schools for Hong Kong children on the Mainland (內地港人子弟學校) which are teaching Hong Kong curriculum, according to the placement allocation policy and subject to the availability of such placement. Non-local participants are required to bear the respective costs of the Field Experience at schools outside Hong Kong, including travel expenses, accommodation fees and other living costs such as meal expenses, personal entertainment, etc. The final decision on the allocation of Field Experience will rest with the School Partnership and Field Experience Office and/or the relevant Faculties. For placement details, please refer to the websites of particular programmes.
For Part-time PGDE(P) Participants
The part-time programme is primarily designed for serving teachers. Participants should conduct Field Experience at local primary schools or mainland-based primary schools catering to Hong Kong pupils and offering the Hong Kong curriculum (內地設立港人子弟學校) in the Greater Bay Area. Participants in the programme are required to fulfill the following teaching requirements for Field Experience:
1. About teaching periods
- For participants having a full-time teaching post in primary schools note 1
They are required to have a minimum of 4 periods note 2 per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle for each of the two chosen Teaching Subject Studies during the course of study in the programme. - For participants without a relevant teaching post
They are required to make own arrangements to undertake 6 consecutive weeks of full-time block practice in primary schools note 1 during the FE supervision period note 3 in each FE and teach at least 12 periods note 2 per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle for the two chosen Teaching Subject Studies (with a minimum of 4 periods per subject) throughout the block practice period.
For One-TSS route participants, they are required to have at least 8 periods note 2 of their chosen TSS per week / per 5 to 7-day cycle.
2. About class setting and class size
All participants are required to conduct teaching / teaching practice in regular class settings with a minimum of 10 pupils in a class note 4.
Note 1: It refers to local primary schools adopting local primary school curriculum or mainland-based primary schools catering to Hong Kong pupils and offering the Hong Kong curriculum (內地設立港人子弟學校) in the Greater Bay Area.
Note 2: Each period normally refers to a 30-40 minutes duration.
Note 3: FE Supervision period is normally from November to early May of the academic year.
Note 4: For special schools, the minimum number of pupils in a class is 8 according to the actual class size.
Other subject(s) specific teaching requirements
- Special Needs
For participants choosing Special Needs as TSS1 / TSS2, their teaching periods should be arranged in another chosen TSS to demonstrate understanding of and to cater for pupils with learning difficulties in classes. For example, a participant with TSS in Mathematics and Special Needs is required to conduct Field Experience in Mathematics subject during the course of study in the programme / throughout the block practice period. - Primary Humanities
For participants choosing Primary Humanities as their TSS1/TSS2, they are required to teach Primary Humanities and/or General Studies (with Primary Humanities-related topics) in Field Experience.
Relevant subjects to teach for Field Experience include:- Primary Humanities
- General Studies (with Primary Humanities-related topics)
- Primary Science
For participants choosing Primary Science as their TSS1/TSS2, they are required to teach Primary Science and/or General Studies (with Primary Science-related topics) in Field Experience.
Relevant subjects to teach for Field Experience include:- Primary Science
- General Studies (with Primary Science-related topics)
A summary of Field Experience Requirements for Part-time PGDE (Primary)/(Secondary) programmes is provided here for easy reference.
Block Entry Credits (Advanced Standing)
For Full-time PGDE(P) Participants
The full-time PGDE(P) participants of 2025/26 cohort with any of the following qualifications within 8 years prior to the admission to the programme may be eligible for the Block Entry Credits (Advanced Standing) for the Education Studies (ES) courses, subject to their satisfactory completion of the corresponding Online Bridging Course(s) before the commencement of the Full-time PGDE(P) programme:
- Graduates of Bachelor of Education programme from our University in 2017/18 academic year and thereafter who have completed 6 ES core courses (please refer to Annex a for details); or
- Graduates of non-Bachelor of Education programme from our University with Minor in Education Studies in 2017/18 academic year and thereafter (please refer to Annex b for details); or
- Graduates of City University of Hong Kong with Minor in Education Studies completed in our University in 2017/18 academic year and thereafter (please refer to Annex c for details).
If participants fail to complete the required Online Bridging Course(s) specifying in the respective annex above, they will not be eligible for the Block Entry Credits (Advanced Standing) of ES courses. Nevertheless, they may still apply for credit transfer for individual ES course(s) in accordance with the policy on credit transfer by following the content equivalence, time limit, minimum grade and other departmental and programme-specific requirements. Applications for the individual ES course(s) will be considered on a case-by-case basis after the programme commencement.
For Part-time PGDE(P) Participants
The part-time PGDE(P) participants of 2025/26 cohort with any of the following qualifications within 8 years prior to the admission to the programme may be eligible for the Block Entry Credits (Advanced Standing) for the Education Studies (ES) courses:
- Graduates of Bachelor of Education programme from our University in 2017/18 academic year and thereafter who have completed 6 ES core courses (please refer to Annex d for details); or
- Graduates of non-Bachelor of Education programme from our University with Minor in Education Studies in 2017/18 academic year and thereafter (please refer to Annex e for details); or
- Graduates of City University of Hong Kong with Minor in Education Studies completed in our University in 2017/18 academic year and thereafter (please refer to Annex f for details).
Enquiry
Admission | Programme | Field Experience | |
---|---|---|---|
Tel | (852) 2948 6886 | (852) 2948 8036 |
(852) 2948 8064 |
Email: | pgdeadmission@eduhk.hk | pgdep@eduhk.hk | feo@eduhk.hk |