Education - Primary Teaching

The Professional Masters of Education (Primary) is a full-time, two-year course designed to equip student teachers with the range of knowledge and skills related to the profession of primary school teaching and its curriculum. The course structure enables student teachers to make real connections between the theory and practice of education. This is achieved through the blend of methodology and foundation discipline courses on offer.

Year 1

EDF6000 - Education (Primary)



Year 2

EDF6002 - Education (Primary)

Applications are invited from holders of an Honours Bachelor Degree (180 credits) for admission to this full-time two-year course which will commence in September 2024.



The Department of Education and Skills Entry Criteria for the Professional Masters of Education (2024) can be found at the links below:



2024 PMEd Entry Requirements: English



Persons who successfully complete this programme are eligible to be registered by the Teaching Council under Route 1: Primary and will thereby be eligible for appointment in primary schools.



Please see website for details:

https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/froebel-department-primary-and-early-childhood-education/professional-masters-education-primary-teaching#:~:text=Points%20Scoring%20System%202024,(not%20ERASMUS%20or%20equivalent).



The minimum entry requirements are outlined below.

A limited number of places will be available. Commencing with applications for the 2024-2026 programme cycle, an interview will no longer be part of the selection process for Froebel Department, Maynooth University, and will be replaced by a points scoring system, outlined under the Selection Procedure tab.



All candidates are also required to attend an open day on campus at Maynooth University on 26th April 2024. Attendance is a compulsory component of the application to the Professional Master of Education (Primary) in the Froebel Department, Maynooth University. If you have any queries about the open day, please contact us.



Please note that canvassing will disqualify.



There are two key stages in the application process as set out below.

Applicants will be required to provide documentary evidence to their chosen higher education institution of meeting the requirements at (a), (b) and (c) below, as follows.



Applicants must have the following academic qualifications:

(a) Oral Irish Examination: Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) Meánleibhéal 1 (B1

(b) Minimum Entry Requirements in Irish, English and Math

(c) Academic Qualification: Minimum H2.2 Honours Bachelor Degree



Qualification (a) is a prerequisite for application and must be achieved before the closing date: 8th April 2024 at 5pm.



Applicants must meet entry requirements (b) and (c) by 12th July 2024 and must provide documentary evidence of meeting these requirements.



A) Oral Irish Examination

Before applying to the Froebel Department, Maynooth University, prospective applicants are required to take the oral component of the Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) Meánleibhéal 1 (B1) Irish examination. Obtaining 65% in this TEG oral Irish examination is a prerequisite for application to the Professional Master of Education (Primary Teaching).



Further information on the Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) (ORAL) examination, can be found at www.TEG.ie



Please note that applications for January and February TEG B1 examinations closed on January 8th 2024.

Applications for the PMEd will not be accepted without the TEG Irish Oral result or where the TEG Irish Oral result is pending.



All prospective applicants must have completed the oral component of one of the listed TEG oral examinations and achieved the relevant grade prior to the closing date for applications in their chosen Higher Education Institution to satisfy the entry requirements.



Applicants must achieve 65% or higher on the oral component of the Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) Meánleibhéal 1 (B1) Irish examination, prior to the closing date for applications to satisfy the entry requirements



OR

• Currently hold a valid certificate in either Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) Meánleibhéal 2 (B2) or Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) Ardleibhéal (C1) Irish examination having achieved a grade of 50% or higher.

• A successful result in the TEG examination will be valid for two years before the test needs to be retaken.

• All candidates must apply separately to do the TEG oral Irish exam, which is administered by the Centre for Irish Language Research, Teaching and Testing in Maynooth University.



The closing date for submitting TEG (B1) Oral examination online applications is Monday 8th January 2024. You can register for this examination at www.teg.ie



The Oral Irish Examination will comprise:

• conversation on everyday topics, giving information and expressing opinions;

• role play on a given scenario, asking for information, giving information and expressing opinions;

• telling a simple story, describing what is happening in a series of pictures.



Applicants should note that a high standard of fluency is required in the Oral Irish Examination and should prepare for the examination accordingly.



And

B) Minimum Entry Requirements in Irish, English and Math.

(i) in the Leaving Certificate Examination



Leaving Certificate Examination Entry Requirements

Irish - Grade H4 - 60 < 70%

English - Grade O4 - 60 < 70% or H7 or 30 < 40%

Maths - Grade O4 - 60 < 70% or H7 or 30 < 40%



H – Higher Level

O – Ordinary Level



(ii) in the Northern Ireland GCSE and GCE A Level Examinations: a Grade C at GCE A Level Irish; a Grade C at GCSE Level in both English and English Literature or Grade B at GCSE Level in either; and a Grade D at GCSE Level in Additional Mathematics or a Grade C at GCSE Level in Mathematics.



Applicants must provide evidence to the Higher Education Institution that their degree is placed as a major award at the appropriate level on the National Framework of Qualifications. Applicants must meet entry requirements (a) and (b) by July 2024 and must provide documentary evidence of meeting these requirements.



Alternatives to a second-level qualification in Irish, English or Maths



A Pass in a University First Arts Examination in Irish, English or Mathematics will be accepted in lieu of the Leaving Certificate Examination or GCE/GCSE requirement for the relevant subject.



An accepted alternative to the Irish/Maths/English Leaving Certificate grade is a ‘Pass in University First Arts’. To obtain this, applicants must complete, and pass, relevant First Arts modules to the value of 15 ECTS credits (please note that it is not sufficient to pass through compensation). It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the combination of modules studied is equivalent to a University First Arts. Please be advised that you may be asked to provide an official statement from the University/ Higher Education Institution where the modules are undertaken confirming that the results attained are equivalent to a pass in University First Arts.



Alternatives to a second-level qualification in Irish



Grade C obtained in the Matriculation Examination (which existed up to 1992)

Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge, Level C1, NUIG

Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge, Level B2, NUIG

Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge, Maynooth University

Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) at Level B2, Maynooth University

Diploma in Arts (Applied Irish), University College Cork

Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge Fheidhmeach, UCD

Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge (An Ghaeilge sa Saol Comhaimseartha), University of Limerick

Diploma in Irish at the University of Ulster



Alternatives to a second-level qualification in Mathematics



A Pass grade obtained in Mathematics in the Matriculation Examination (which existed up to 1992).

A merit grade (65-79%) or distinction grade (80-100%) obtained in QQI Level 5 Mathematics Course (5N 1833).



AND ALSO



C) Academic Qualification

Applicants must possess:

Minimum H2.2 Honours Bachelor Degree (Major Award at Level 8 or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications) which has an ECTS credit weighting of at least 180 credits.



Applicants must provide evidence to their chosen Higher Education Institution that their degree is placed as a major award at the appropriate level on the National Framework of Qualifications in advance of the closing date for applications in their chosen Higher Education Institution(s).

Applications are open for the 2025/6 academic year. Visit our online application portal to start your application.

We are here to support you throughout the admissions process.



For queries on your postgraduate course options please contact pgstudies@mu.ie

For queries or support on your application process please contact pgadmissions@mu.ie



If you are an international (Non-EU) applicant please contact internationaladmissions@mu.ie

2 years full-time

Commences September

The Professional Masters of Education (Primary) is designed to prepare students to be primary school teachers.