Education - Post Primary / Second Level Teaching

The PME is designed to enable graduates to become second level teachers. Successful candidates are recognised to teach across a range of areas including second level education, further education and community settings.



Business

Dr Dan OSullivan - dan.j.osullivan@ul.ie

This two year Level 9 qualification sets about generating a wide spectrum of capabilities for the modern business teacher. In addition to generating leadership of learning in any combination of the three core subject areas (Business, Accounting or Economics), competence and expertise is cultivated in Entrepreneurship Education/Enterprise Education; Business input into Transition Year and LCVP/LCA learning areas; Project work in business topics, in line with curricular developments, coupled with capacity to promote learning using appropriate ICT pedagogical supports.



Languages

Bláthnaid Breslin - Blathnaid.Breslin@ul.ie

The Languages stream of the PME programme is a two-year, full-time Level 9 programme that aims to be creative, innovative and consistent with good practice internationally. The programme is a required qualification for individuals wishing to work as postprimary school teachers of languages in Ireland. It aims to develop competence and appropriate expertise, both disciplinary and pedagogical in the chosen subjects. Applicants shall normally be required to hold a minimum of an honours 2.2 Level 8 degree.



Mathematics

Dr Patrick Johnson - patrick.johnson@ul.ie This is a two-year full-time initial teacher education programme designed to train mathematics teachers for Irish post-primary schools. It facilitates an interactive and imaginative approach to teaching mathematics at post-primary level in order to enhance school students’ mathematics learning and performance while deepening and enriching the prospective teachers’ knowledge and understanding of mathematics. Applicants shall normally be required to hold a minimum of an honours 2.2 Level 8 degree.



Music

Jean Downey - jean.downey@ul.ie

The Music stream of the Professional Master of Education is taught at Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and is specially designed to meet the needs of graduates who wish to become teachers of music. This course will prepare you to teach music in innovative and creative ways and will introduce you to research in music education. PME Music students demonstrate the ability to adapt specialist knowledge to the music classroom and to plan appropriate courses in music education with a specific focus on effective teaching of composition, performance, improvisation and listening to music.



Physical Education

Dr Antonio Calderón -

antonio.calderon@ul.ie

The Physical Education pathway of the Professional Master of Education is a full-time two-year initial teacher education to prepare graduates for a professional teaching qualification in physical education. This course will prepare teachers skilled in designing instructionally aligned, evidence based physical education programs. PME Physical Education students will gain cutting edge knowledge regarding the content and implementation of Junior Cycle, Senior Cycle, and Leaving Certificate Physical Education.



Science

Ceren O’Connell - Ceren.OConnell@ul.ie

The Science stream of the Professional Master of Education is a two-year full time programme designed to meet the needs of graduates who wish to become post-primary teachers of junior cycle science and one of: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Agricultural science to Leaving Certificate. Building on the Level 8 background of the graduate student, this programme promotes inquiry based learning as well as enhancing students understanding of contemporary issues relating to science and nature of science.



Technological Education

Dr Diarmaid Lane - Diarmaid.Lane@ul.ie

The Technology stream of the Professional Master of Education is a two-year full-time programme designed to meet the needs of graduates who wish to become post-primary teachers of technology subjects including; Engineering, Technology, Construction Studies, and Design & Communication Graphics. Building on the Level 8 background of the graduate student, this programme promotes an interactive and creative approach to becoming a teacher of Technology subjects.

Year 1

Autumn Modules

• Becoming a teacher: Identity and Agency

• Planning for School placement

• Understanding Diversity of Learners

• Pedagogy 1A

• Pedagogy 1B



Spring Modules

• School Placement 1

• Diversity of Learning: Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Inclusive Teaching

• Pedagogy 2A

• Pedagogy 2B



Year 2

Autumn Modules

• School Placement 2

• Teacher as Researcher 1



Spring Modules

• Curriculum and Professional Agency

• Teacher as Researcher 2

• History, Policy and Contemporary Issues in Education

• Sociological Perspectives on Diversity and Social Justice in Schools and Society

• Pedagogy 3A

• Pedagogy 3B

Applicants must possess a relevant primary degree at 2.2 honours level or higher (Level 8 - National Qualifications Authority of Ireland or equivalent) or be about to graduate with such a degree. In line with Teaching Council and HEA protocol, when applying for a place on the Professional Master of Education programme, the PME Applicant is required to make a formal declaration, using a Subject Declaration Form, that he/she:



1. Holds/will hold, by the date of commencement of the PME programme, a level 8 honours degree

2. Has studied the relevant number of ECTS credits in the relevant subject area(s) as part of their degree

3. Has studied higher-level degree content related to the subject area(s) in year 3 or 4 of their degree

4. Has covered, as part of their degree, the mandatory topics/subjects as set out in the Teaching Council subject requirements.



It is the applicants responsibility to ensure that his/her primary degree meets the requirements of the Teaching Council of Ireland for the purposes of teaching their chosen subject(s). Any successful application to join the course is subject to the individual applicant having established and declared for himself/herself that he/she has met this requirement.



Candidates will be required to attend an interview for all subject pathways as part of the selection process.



Languages: As the professional practice of language teaching involves teaching through the target language, applicants are expected to evidence competency in this regard in the selection process (screening, shortlisting, and interview partly conducted through MFL, Gaeilge and ESL as appropriate).



Short-listing

Within each subject area, interview priority will be given to candidates who meet the full Teaching Council requirements (content and credits)

Physical Education: All applications will be screened and shortlisted for interviews considering four criteria: (1) Education and awards (undergraduate, postgraduate and respective awards); (2) Relevant work or voluntary experience (subbing, shadowing, etc.); (3) Personal statement (see below); and (4) Application quality (CV format / structure and Subject Declaration Form correctly submitted)



Please have the documents ready to upload with your application: please note your application will not be processed without these required documents. View course webpage for details of documents required. (link below)

2 years full-time, on-campus.

Intake: Autumn/Fall

View course subject disciplines application deadlines on course webpage - link above

Graduate careers

Graduates are qualified to work as teachers in Irish secondary schools. UL Offers a unique opportunity for students who wish to specialise in two different disciplines selected from the main pathways e.g. Mathematics and Business. This is dependent on the students meeting the Teaching Council requirements for Level 8 study.