Education - Further Education

This programme offers and excellent opportunity for ambitious professionals in the adult, further, and community education sectors seeking professional development and career progression. Fully online, the programme offers the flexibility to balance study alongside work and other life commitments. *



* This course does not qualify graduates to register with the Teaching Council for Route 3 (Further Education)



Who is the Course for?

The programme attracts candidates who wish to establish themselves as highly competent and well-informed adult and further education leaders and practitioners. Drawing on learners’ experience of working in the further education sector, we have created a teaching and learning experience that supports learners to engage with core issues within their own professional contexts. The programme is suitable for teachers who hold an initial teacher education qualification in Further Education or Post Primary Education, graduates of the Professional Diploma in Education (Further Education) (PDE-FE) or equivalent and national and international students with a level-8 degree who have some experience of teaching or working in the adult and further education sector.



Year 1: Students gain a strong foundation in the key theoretical, historical, and policy contexts of further education via six modules: Theoretical Perspectives on Further Education; Teaching & Learning in Further Education; Policy & Practice in FE; Leadership & Management; Innovation in Curriculum & Design; and Supporting Communities of Reflective Practice.



Year 2: Students focus on an area of interest in the field of further education, develop research skills and write a dissertation.



How is the course delivered?

Fully online with both synchronous and asynchronous classes. Synchronous classes take place on weekday evenings. There is a more flexible schedule suited to independent study and supervisory meetings in Year 2. The delivery format respects the needs of practising educators and professionals

Year 1



Module 1 - Theoretical Perspectives on Further Education

› Conceptualisations of teaching and learning

› Equality, diversity and inclusion in FE

› Leading lifelong learning



Module 2 – Teaching & Learning in Further Education

› Theories of adult learning and teaching

› Special educational needs for adults

› UDL in Further Education



Module 3 - Policy & Practice in Further Education

› The Irish FE landscape

› Further Education policy and governance

› The structure & administration of FE in Ireland



Module 4 – Leadership and Management

› What is educational leadership?

› Developing educators

› Leading and managing educational change



Module 5 – Innovation in Curriculum Design

› What is curriculum design?

› Promoting equality in FE through the curriculum

› Curriculum assessment and evaluation



Module 6 – Supporting Communities of Reflective Practice

› Advanced understandings of reflective practice

› Understanding PLC’s and collaborative reflection

› Facilitating communities of reflective practice



Year 2

Dissertation Module

› Research methods in education

› Research design and ethics in education research

› Constructing a research proposal

› Independent research

› Dissertation

Minimum entry requirements



› An honours degree (level 8) with second class honours or higher and at least three years’ teaching experience or equivalent professional experience



› In exceptional cases students who meet the honours degree requirement but do not have the necessary experience, may be required to satisfy the course admission committee, through an interview process and a written academic assignment, that they have the ability to complete and benefit from the course and are resident in a time zone that is compatible with full participation on the course.



› English Language Requirement: please check www.mie.ie/study_with_us/how_to_apply/ english_language_requirement/

2 years part-time.



Delivery online (synchronous and asynchronous, on mid-week evenings GMT).

The next intake for this programme is August/September 2027. Applications will open in February 2027 for more information about applying for this programme or to express your interest in the programme, please contact admissions@mie.ie