Computing with Secondary Education

Computing with secondary education is a degree designed for students who want to combine a rigorous foundation in computing and computer science with preparation for a career teaching the subject at secondary school level. Computing is now a compulsory part of the national curriculum in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and there is a well-documented shortage of qualified computing teachers. This programme directly addresses that need, producing graduates who are both technically capable and professionally prepared to teach computing effectively to young people aged 11 to 18.

At Nottingham Trent University, this three-year full-time programme integrates computing content with educational studies and school-based experience. You will develop a solid understanding of computer science, including programming, algorithms, data structures, computer systems, databases, and networks, giving you the subject knowledge to teach the full range of secondary computing content confidently. Alongside this, you will study educational theory, pedagogy, and curriculum design, developing your understanding of how young people learn, how to plan and deliver effective lessons, and how to support learners with a range of backgrounds and abilities.

School placement experience is built into the degree, giving you practical teaching experience in real secondary school settings.

NTU has strong connections with schools in Nottingham and the surrounding region, and the programme is designed in close alignment with the requirements for qualified teacher status, positioning graduates well for postgraduate teacher training or direct entry into teaching roles through the various routes available.

Graduates of this kind of combined computing and education degree typically move into secondary school computing teaching, either through a postgraduate teacher training qualification or directly where programmes have QTS-enabling elements. Others move into education technology, school support roles, curriculum development, and the broader education sector, as well as into computing roles in industry where the communication and problem-solving skills developed through teacher training are valued.