Certificate in Religious Studies
The part-time Certificate in Religious Studies prepares primary teachers to teach in Catholic schools in accordance with the requirements of the Council for Catechetics of the Irish Episcopal Conference. In making appointments, Catholic school management boards will normally require the CRS as a condition of employment. As well as being recognised as a qualification to teach Religious Education in Irish Catholic primary schools,the CRS is also accepted by some of the Catholic elementary school systems in the UK, North America and Australia.
The aim of the programme is to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills to teach religious education in Catholic primary schools.
View the current course structure
Staff on the programme are at the forefront of key developments in Catholic primary school religious education and have been involved in the writing of the RE curriculum and programmes for Catholic primary schools in Ireland.
Delivery of the programme has been tailored to suit students’ needs which have been identified since the inception of the programme over a decade ago. The timetable has been arranged on a student-friendly basis.
Many graduates of the programme have been successful in receiving some reimbursement of fees by applying to the DES Refund of Fees Scheme.
Feedback from students has been very positive overall. The majority of students allude to some initial reluctance, scepticism and apathy which they say was allayed or transformed, as they pursued their studies on the programme.
"The content of the programme was thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile for any teacher teaching in a Catholic school".
"The programme was structured deliberately and effectively to ensure balance between learning principles of religious education and applying these principles to classroom settings. This course is very well planned and delivered by an expert team of presenters".
"I found the course very helpful and insightful and I learned a lot about Catholicism and different religions".
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.
Teachers applying for positions in Catholic primary schools in Ireland are required to hold a qualification equipping them to teach religion according to the tenets of the Catholic faith. The Certificate in Religious Studies (CRS) offered by DCU meets the requirements of the Irish Episcopal Conference in this regard and graduates have been successful in obtaining positions in Catholic primary schools.
Requirements
Entry to the part time Certificate in Religious Studies is open to any teacher with a recognised qualification (Level 8, Pass Degree / Third Class degree from Ireland or elsewhere) to teach in a primary school in Ireland.