This research aimed to investigate the second year pre-service visual arts teachers' (PVATs) perceptions of the effectiveness of their methods course in equipping them with the knowledge and skills of teaching during teacher preparation in NTCs in Uganda and how it improved their teaching competence levels. The content for the methods course is aimed at preparing PVATs for school practice. The preparation is done while PVATs are still at college. The study followed a quantitative research design where a self-constructed questionnaire was administered to fifty-two PVATs who had just returned from school practice. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data collected through the questionnaires. The overall findings showed that PVATs needed urgent remedial support in using a variety of teaching and learning resources; lesson planning and implementation; using a variety of teaching methods and using a variety of assessment strategies. It was recommended that NTCs administration revise the methods course content and include technology-based content, conducting methods course content lectures right from the first term of an academic year, refresh tutors' knowledge of the methods course content and ensure regular attendance of both tutors and PVATs.