Admission criteria of School/Discipline
The major focus of the School of Education is to prepare quality pre-service and in-service teachers for early childhood, primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions as well as provide on-going professional development programs. This is consistent with the vision, mission, values, and the key priority areas of the USP, the FAL and the SOE. The need for professional development has resulted in significant enrollment increase during the last three years.
Minimum Entry Requirements
The age range of SOE students is 19-66 years. In the undergraduate programs, the SOE enrolls students who have successfully completed a USP Senate-recognized or equivalent examination with an aggregate mark of not less than 250 out of 400 with a minimum of 50 marks each in English and three other subjects (USP 2010 Calendar, Page 386). A person who does not meet the above requirement may be admitted as a mature student to a specific program if they are considered likely to complete it successfully (USP 2010 Calendar, page 368).
USP Foundation Studies Grades/Marks/GPA
In SOE’s BA/BSc Graduate Certificate in Education programs, the candidates are also required to provide a character reference from the head or a senior teacher of their last school. To progress in the second year of study, the first year students in the program are to obtain a GPA ‘C+’ and pass in an interview organized by the SOE. This initiative has been taken to produce quality teachers as articulated in the SOE mission. In order to cater for the wide age range of student population, SOE provide a variety of programs developed in a blended mode comprising face to face, distance and flexible learning, online, Moodle platform, video-conferencing, audio satellite and summer and winter schools.
For enrolment in the SOE’s Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programmes, a GPA of at least ‘B’ is required in the undergraduate degree. The students are also required to obtain at least a ‘B’ in PGDE if they wish to progress into MEd with SRP or MA in Education with thesis. The students who complete MEd by coursework, may not be enrolled in PhD program of study. SOE is now preparing an EdD degree proposal for them as well as those who wish to take it.
