Religious Education and English
Fully qualifies you to teach second level Religious Education and English in just four years. This course offers a streamlined track to a profession in post-primary teaching, qualifying you to teach RE and English to Honours Leaving Certificate Level.
In addition to teacher education, you’ll receive instruction in how to make the most of teamwork, leadership, communication and creativity. Your coursework will also cover Foundational and Professional Studies in Education; Theology, Religious Studies and Ethics; and English Literature. You’ll learn how to think intelligently, imaginatively, and independently about storytelling and song-making in civilization, from classical texts to contemporary pop culture.
English for me was always fascinating; there were great lectures and a wide variety of literature to engage with. Religion, while different to anything I had previously studied, was fascinating and thought provoking. Since graduating I have completed a Masters in Guidance Counselling and I am now working full-time in Wexford as a Guidance Counsellor and teacher of RE and English. I put my career success down to the top-class education I received and the colleges' reputation for training top-quality teachers.
Throughout the course you’ll cover four integrated areas:
- Foundational and Professional Studies in Education: We offer a student-friendly, supportive, open, dynamic and practical approach to the study of Education. The diverse, exciting, engaging, and challenging study of Education and Religious Education is reflected in the modules on offer.
- Teaching, Including School Placements: One of the most exciting and rewarding elements of the course is our hands-on approach to School Placement. Over the four years of the course, you’ll have an opportunity to gain valuable and extensive experience within a range of teaching and learning environments, including engagement in observation of practice, micro-teaching, peer-teaching, team-teaching and school-based placement (in both primary and post-primary sectors). You’ll be supported throughout your professional development by experienced School Placement tutors, school-based cooperating teachers and METIS (a custom-built web-based environment for School Placement).
- Theology, Religious Studies and Ethics: These elements provide a strong foundation for teaching Religious Education in second level schools and meet the subject criteria required by the Teaching Council. The specific subjects include: Ethics; Philosophy; Scripture; Systematic Theology; World Religions. You’ll be encouraged to critically engage with a wide range of topics and develop the skills to work in contexts of cultural and religious diversity.
- English: Studying English Literature provides you with the skills to think creatively and intelligently about the fundamental roles played by storytelling and song-making in civilization. You’ll engage with a wide range of literature and become familiar with the vital characteristics and contexts of drama, poetry, film and fiction. You’ll study style and substance—what literature describes, as well as how it does it. Our priority is developing your critical independence, enabling you to read and redirect on literary texts across traditions: from Greek tragedy to Breaking Bad; Jane Austen to Father Ted; Shakespeare to Kanye West.
View the current course structure
We have a unique and vibrant culture on our modern campus close to Dublin city centre. We provide state-of-the-art study facilities for all our courses and everything else you need for a healthy, fun and active student life.
Exceptional Facilities
DCU students enjoy exceptional teaching and learning facilities across our 3 academic campuses. These include modern learning theatres, research centres, television and sound studios, classrooms, computer suites and advanced laboratories in the areas of languages, engineering, physics, chemistry and biotechnology, as well as a sports performance centre and a virtual hospital ward.
A Vibrant, Dynamic Social Environment
Student facilities include a superb sports complex with a 25 metre pool, two libraries and The Helix, our renowned performing arts centre. In 2016 we announced plans to invest over €230m in developing new, world-class facilities across our three academic campuses. Already building has begun on an exciting, new €14m Student Centre that will be home to the more than one hundred and twenty student clubs and societies. This commitment to student facilities means that our world-class learning experiences are complemented by a vibrant, dynamic social environment.
English for me was always fascinating; there were great lectures and a wide variety of literature to engage with. Religion, while different to anything I had previously studied, was fascinating and thought provoking. Since graduating I have completed a Masters in Guidance Counselling and I am now working full-time in Wexford as a Guidance Counsellor and teacher of RE and English. I put my career success down to the top-class education I received and the colleges' reputation for training top-quality teachers.
This course is fully recognised by the Teaching Council of Ireland, and upon graduation, you can register as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) and apply immediately for employment in second level schools. Graduates seek work as:
Requirements
There are no additional entry requirements for this programme apart from the general entry requirements for admission to the university.
There are no additional entry requirements for this programme apart from the general entry requirements for admission to the university.
For details of QQI requirements and relevant codes please click here. Simply enter the DC code for the programme you are interested in or if you are not sure of the code enter DC in the Select by Institution option, then click on Go.
Applications are welcomed from students who have studied at Level 6, Level 7 and Level 8 in relevant areas. Such students may be admitted to Year One of the course and exempt from certain modules.
International candidates are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to those outlined above. In addition, 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.
