Education - Literacy Education

Programme Overview

The Department of Language and Literacy Education, Mary Immaculate College is pleased to announce a M Ed / Structured PhD in Literacy Education in response to recommendations for high quality professional development in effective literacy instructional practice in recent policy reports at national level.



Key Features

The MEd / Structured PhD in Literacy Education fosters the development of research, critical thinking and communication skills within the context of the evolving nature of literacy in the twenty first century.



In line with national and international recommendations, this programme seeks to promote literacy leaders within schools and communities whose literacy knowledge reflects the highest standards of academic rigour. It is of particular interest to classroom teachers, aspiring literacy leaders, school principals, policy makers and those engaged in the provision of continued professional development in the area of Literacy Education.



The programme is delivered through blended learning approaches and provides participants with the opportunity, in a collaborative setting, to reflect critically and synthesise key issues, debates, and controversies in Literacy Education. Evaluative feedback provided below.



The M Ed in Literacy Education programme is designed for people with a committed interest in literacy education.



M Ed in Literacy Education

The first two semesters of Year 1 of the programme will consist of taught discipline-specific modules, including research modules c. The core modules in Semester One will explore the nature of literacy in the 21st century and provide foundational knowledge on literacy acquisition and diversity in the developmental trajectory of same.



The core modules in Semester 2 will focus on inclusive instructional practice, literacy difficulties, early interventions and literacy leadership. Pedagogies such as dialogic teaching, the role of play in language development, the importance of high quality children’s literature in the promotion of children’s literacy development and the role of parental support in the process of enhancing language skills will be investigated. Participants will be encouraged through the process of school self-evaluation to evaluate critically current national policies and curricula with respect to the promotion of effective literacy instruction.



Students who intend to exit the programme at the end of Semester 2 of Year 1 may qualify for a Postgraduate Diploma in Literacy Education qualification, provided they fulfil the University requirements for such an award.



Students who intend to exit with a Master's degree in Year 2 will begin working on their dissertation proposals in Semester 2 of Year 1 and will begin work on the dissertation in Semester 1 of Year 2 of the programme.



Structured PhD

Students may decide at the end of Semester 2 of Year 1 to continue onto the PhD stage of the programme. Those prospective doctoral candidate will develop a research proposal and participate in the International Research Methods Summer School (IRMSS) during the summer semester. On application to the doctoral component of the programme (Years 2, 3 and 4), participants are required to submit a draft proposal in summer semester, Year 1, which is approved at department and faculty level in terms of academic merit and suitability of topic. This proposal will then be reviewed by the MIC Postgraduate Research Sub-Committee (PRSC). Only students whose proposals have been approved at PRSC are eligible to continue onto the doctoral component of the programme.



Academic progress during stage two of the Structured PhD in Literacy Education will continue to be monitored by the Doctoral Studies Panel (DSP), in accordance with general academic regulations. The DSP will include a principal supervisor, plus any additional supervisor(s) and at least one other member, who will act as the student’s advisor. The DSP will be chaired by the principal supervisor; it will support and advise the student and supervisor(s) throughout the course of a student’s research programme. Members of the DSP will normally be members of faculty, or adjunct, visiting or affiliated academics or professionals.

M Ed in Literacy Education:

60 Credits (Taught and Research) split over two years.

Semester 1 (Year 1)

Foundations of Literacy Acquisition and Development

Diversity in Literacy Acquisition and Development

Advanced Research Methods 1: Principles and Practices of Research in Education

Critical Approaches to Children’s Literature

Autumn Masterclass



Semester 2 (Year 1)

Inclusive Literacy Pedagogy

Promoting Effective Literacy Leadership in Educational Settings

Advanced Research Methods 2: Critical and Interpretive Research in Educational Settings

Leadership and Learning

Spring Masterclass



Semester 3 (Year 2)

Dissertation 1 (M-Grade)



Semester 4 (Year 2)

Dissertation 2 (M-Grade)



Structured PhD:

360 Credits (Taught and Research) split over four years



Semester 1 (Year 1)

Foundations of Literacy Acquisition and Development

Diversity in Literacy Acquisition and Development

Advanced Research Methods 1: Principles and Practices of Research in Education

Critical Approaches to Children’s Literature

Autumn Masterclass



Semester 2 (Year 1)

Inclusive Literacy Pedagogy 1

Promoting Effective Literacy Leadership in Educational Settings

Advanced Research Methods 2: Critical and Interpretive Research in Educational Settings

Spring Masterclasses



Summer (Year 1)

Individual doctoral thesis work under supervision of designated supervisor and Doctoral Studies Panel

International Research Methods Summer School (IRMSS) subject to availability



Semester 3 (Year 2)

Individual doctoral thesis work under supervision of designated supervisor and Doctoral Studies Panel

Advanced Research Methods 3: Collecting and Analysing Cross Sectional and Statistical Data in Educational Settings

Graduate Studies Generic Skills



Semester 4 (Year 2)

Individual doctoral thesis work under supervision of designated supervisor and Doctoral Studies Panel

Descriptive and Inferential Statistics in Educational Research

Graduate Studies Generic Skills



Summer (Year 2)

Individual doctoral thesis work under supervision of designated supervisor and Doctoral Studies Panel



Semester 5 & 6 (Year 3)

Individual doctoral thesis work under supervision of designated supervisor and Doctoral Studies Panel



Summer (Year 3)

Individual doctoral thesis work under supervision of designated supervisor and Doctoral Studies Panel



Semester 7 & 8 (Year 3)

Individual doctoral thesis work under supervision of designated supervisor and Doctoral Studies Panel



Summer (Year 4)

Individual doctoral thesis work under supervision of designated supervisor and Doctoral Studies Panel

The minimum entry requirements for this programme are as follows:

Applicants should be the holders of a first class honours primary degree or upper second class honours (2.1) primary degree (Level 8, NFQ) in a relevant or cognate discipline that incorporates a substantial education or social science component.



Or



A Master's degree or equivalent qualification (Level 9, NFQ), at a minimum 2.2 honours level, in Literacy Education, that has been obtained from a university or other institution recognised by the University of Limerick and in accordance with the University of Limerick Policy on the Recognition of Prior Learning.



And



• A minimum of two years’ experience as a teacher of Literacy or Literacy Education or related fields, may be considered as a basis for entry on a case-by-case basis. Acceptance under this criteria may be subject to an interview, which may be done in person or alternatively via video conferencing where the applicant is unavailable to attend.



• Applicants for whom English is not a first language must provide evidence of their proficiency level in English in the form of an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) composite score of 6.5 – 7.0 with no less than 6.0 in any one component, or IELTS equivalent accepted by UL. Such applicants will be required to undergo an interview through English.



And



• Submission of a research proposal (PhD applicants only) and application form in line with the requirements set out by the Research and Graduate School, MIC.



• Places on the programme will be offered based on all the above, viz. qualifications, performance at interview (if applicable), language proficiency level (if applicable), PhD proposal, as well as applicants’ references given in the application form.



For English language requirements, go to: https://www.mic.ul.ie/international/study-in-ireland/essential-information/english-language-requirements

How to Apply

MEd in Literacy Education

Please see "Application Weblink" above.

Closing date for applications is 4pm, Friday 14 August 2026.



Structured PhD in Literacy Education

The SPhD in Literacy Education programme is dependent upon staffing capacity for doctoral supervision.



Contact

Programme Coordinator

Dr Josephine Brady

+353 85 8702647

Josephine.Brady@mic.ul.ie

2 years (MEd) part-time. Delivery Mode: Blended - a monthly in-person commitment on Saturdays alongside online sessions/tutorials.