Professional Master of Education (Post Primary Education)
The Professional Master of Education (Post Primary) is a full-time teacher education qualification delivered through evening and flexible learning modes for those who meet the Teaching Council's Curricular Subject Requirements for at least one subject and wish to become a teacher in a post primary school.
The PME programme in DCU provides graduates with the knowledge and skills required for twenty first century classrooms. The programme prepares teachers to respond to current curricular developments at second level and promotes teacher autonomy and collegiality in the design, delivery and assessment of curriculum. A wide range of teaching strategies and methodologies are used to encourage an equitable, student-centred and creative approach to teaching and learning.
The DCU Institute of Education is home to leading global research centres in the areas of Assessment, Evaluation, Citizenship and Human Rights Education and Anti-Bullying. Students will benefit from the expertise in these centres to develop knowledge, skills and opportunities. DCU promotes a spirit of leadership, inquiry, reflection and evaluation as students develop professional practice and recognise the importance of their own lifelong learning.
Application/Documentation Dates and Fees for 2024 PME DC905 entry
|
Fee |
Application Opening Date |
Application Closing Date |
Documentation Closing Date (Uploading only allowed) |
|
€100 |
Monday 6th November 2023 |
Friday 9th February 2024 |
Friday 23rd February 2024 |
Applications for admission to the Professional Master of Education (Post-Primary Teaching) in DCU will be processed in accordance with the regulations, procedures and timeline described on DCU’s Website. No applicant should attempt to complete the application without first reading the instructions on this webpage.
For Information on the subject specialisms offered at DCU please click here.
In line with current government national strategies to increase the supply of teachers in priority subjects, additional places will be reserved for applicants who meet the requirements for the subjects listed below:
| Mathematics | Applied Mathematics | Physics | Chemistry | Irish | German | French | Italian | Spanish |
The Professional Master of Education (PME) programme starts in late August each year. Students are required to complete an Induction Programme which runs in advance of formal lectures. Formal lectures begin in September and are held in DCU St. Patrick's Campus, Drumcondra on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm. Students will participate in lectures, seminars, tutorials and online components.
School Placement
The programme includes two school placements. Students complete placement in one school in Year 1 and in a different school in Year 2. Placements can occur in a variety of school settings including Voluntary Secondary Schools, Educate Together Secondary Schools, Community Colleges, Community Schools and Comprehensive Schools.
Students must secure their own placements in a recognised post-primary school within the Republic of Ireland. Only the first placement needs to be secured at the time of application.
Placement Hours Required: Over the course of two years all students must engage in a minimum number of hours of direct teaching, placement related activities and observation as outlined in the table below.
|
Activity |
Year 1 (Sept to June) |
Year 2 (Sept to June) |
|
Direct Teaching |
4 hours per week |
4 hours per week |
|
Placement Related Activities |
4 hours per week |
4 hours per week |
|
Observation |
24 classes |
24 classes |
View the current course structure
Expertise and Excellence
The DCU Institute of Education is the largest provider of education and training in Ireland with more than 150 academic staff with expertise in education and over 4000 students. We take a modern, innovative and creative approach to teaching and learning.
Choice and Flexibility
Our two year full time flexible delivery PME programme addresses the need for a flexible teacher education qualification for individuals who wish to work in second-level schools but who are not in a position to engage in a traditional day-time programme of study.
Employability
DCU Graduate Teachers experience high employment success rates. Our school partnerships and professional development initiatives for in-service teachers ensure continued commitment to our students and beyond.
Life on Campus
We have three academic campuses close to Dublin City centre - they are located in Glasnevin and Drumcondra, and can be reached by public transport (Dublin Bus).
Each campus has libraries, study spaces, restaurants, and on-campus residencies. Sports facilities are located on two of the academic campuses. We also have a dedicated sports campus in the form of St Claire’s.
Exceptional facilities
DCU students have access to exceptional teaching and learning facilities across our three academic campuses.
These include modern learning theatres, research centres, new media and TV studio, radio/podcast studios, classrooms, computer suites and advanced labs in the areas of languages, engineering, physics, chemistry and biotechnology, as well as a sports performance centre and training hospital ward. In 2021, we opened our first virtual reality ‘Leadership Lab’, which is located in our Business School.
Construction on our FutureTech building on the Glasnevin campus will get underway in 2022. Once completed, this facility will advance DCU’s international reputation for excellence in science and health, computing and engineering disciplines. It will have the capacity to accommodate an additional 3,000 STEM students on the university’s Glasnevin campus.
Campus life
DCU student facilities boast a fully equipped sports complex with a 25-metre pool, three libraries and The Helix, our renowned performing arts centre.
Our purpose built, state-of-the-art new student centre known as 'The U' serves the needs of a rapidly growing student body of 18,500. It is home to the Student Leadership and Lifeskills Centre, performing arts and cultural spaces for students and the wider community, and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub.
There are more than 140 clubs and societies for students in DCU, with ‘Clubs & Socs’ days taking place on both the Glasnevin and Drumcondra campuses at the start of the academic year.
Student Supports
We have a number of academic, professional and social supports for students.
Student Advice Centre: Offers a wide range of supports and services to students and advice.
The Writing Centre - drop-in writing workshops for students through the academic year.
Maths Learning Centre - provides maths support for students of all ability levels with maths modules.
Student Learning: facilitate the transition from passive to active learning for students at DCU, by teaching study skills, nurturing critical thinking and building student confidence.
Careers work with students to help them on their professional journey into graduate employment.
Our student support team offers a comprehensive support programme, helping students make that all important transition into university life and focusing on building confidence and skills which are key to success at third level.
Career Prospects
While most of our graduates will work as teachers in post-primary schools, others will pursue further studies in education and related fields, such as guidance, pastoral care, school leadership and management. Others again will work in Further Education, Higher Education, government departments and other education and training settings.
Requirements
First, you need to consult the Teaching Council’s Requirements for Teacher Registration to see if your undergraduate qualifications meet the requirements set out by the Teaching Council of Ireland, the professional standards body for teaching in Ireland. As part of the application process, you will need to confirm that your degree complies with these requirements.
Please see here for all information on how to apply, and to submit an application through the online portal. Please ensure you read all details carefully prior to submitting the application.
International Applications:
Where such candidates are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the University of their competency in the English language. For further information on international applications click here.