Social Personal & Health Education / Relationships & Sexuality Education

This innovative, one-year, part-time NFQ Level 9 post-graduate programme of continuing teacher professional development is specifically designed to upskill and enable registered post-primary teachers to acquire, develop and advance their core competencies in the teaching of SPHE/RSE at Junior and Senior Cycle levels. The programme purposely incorporates three areas of professional learning, namely; personal development, skills and knowledge. Alongside the development of specialist subject knowledge, a focus on teachers' own personal development and on the development of a skills-set needed for the SPHE/RSE classroom are key components of this programme.

Programme
This programme is open to all serving teachers who are employed in a position funded by the DE and who teach, and will continue to teach, SPHE/RSE in recognised Post-Primary schools. No fees or registration changes will apply to participants on the programme, who will continue to receive their salary in the usual way during their participation. Substitution cover will be supported by the DE through block release days, up to four weeks/20 days across the duration of the programme, from the school in which the participant works. A blended approach to programme provision will be employed, combining in-person and synchronous and asynchronous online delivery. These varied modes of delivery are intended to accommodate the needs of working/in-service teachers and facilitate their participation in the programme. The teaching, learning and assessment methodologies employed across the programme seek to facilitate teachers' critical interrogation of their knowledge and understanding of the policies, theoretical foundations and curricula salient to SPHE/RSE and of innovative, collaborative pedagogies and co-productive and creative ways of working with young people.

To view the current course structure, please visit the Provider's website.

Requirements
This programme is open to all serving teachers who are employed in a position funded by the DE and who teach, and will continue to teach, SPHE/RSE in recognised Post-Primary schools.

View the relevant DE Circular Eligibility Criteria:
https://www.gov.ie/en/circular/aba7e-nqf-level-9-graduate-diploma-in-social-personal-and-health-education-relationships-and-sexuality-education-spherse-programme-2023/

Application Deadlines
Applications along with supporting documentation must be uploaded by the following date: 8th December 2022. All entry requirements should be met by this deadline.

Applications open on Thursday, 17th November

Queries
Queries from EU applicants should be directed to postgraduateadmissions@dcu.ie

Queries from non EU applicants should be directed to internationalapplications@dcu.ie

All Applicants must apply through DCU's Student Application Portal.

All Applicants must submit
• Certified academic transcripts for each and every year of study, with certified English translations if applicable
• Copy of passport
• Certified copy of parchment / degree certificate, with certified English translation if necessary
• Please upload your details of details of completion of introductory training in SPHE and/or RSE under the academic qualifications section
• Please upload a CV under the "Supplemental Items & Documents" section.
• Personal statement outlining your reasons for applying, using the following template: GDip SPHE_RSE Personal Statement.docx
• Evidence of Teaching Council Registration
• Letters of reference (Academic OR Professional) - This must be the Principal Declaration template outlining your eligibility for this Programme, using the following template: GDip SPHE_RSE Principal Declaration.docx

Non Native English Speakers - Additional
Evidence of English competency which meets DCU entry requirements.

1 year part-time.

Careers
Post-Primary Education