DCU and TUS welcome first intake of students to Home Economics and Technology teacher education programme
A brand new home economics and technology teacher education degree developed by DCU and TUS has welcomed students for the first time. The BEdHET builds on the successful partnership between the two institutions, and the existing teacher education degree in Technology, Engineering and Design and Communication Graphics (BEdTEG).
The new four-year undergraduate course, which welcomed its first cohort of students this month, will see students spend the first two years in TUS Athlone, before moving to the DCU St Patrick’s Campus in Drumcondra for the final two years. Upon completion of the programme, students will be qualified to teach home economics and technology subjects at post-primary level.
This programme is the only teacher education course in Ireland to combine both subjects and is fully accredited by the Teaching Council of Ireland. Within the BEd HET programme, student teachers will learn to integrate education for sustainability within their practice through a core module on Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship in the third year.
Dean of the Institute of Education, Professor Anne Looney visited students as the course kicked off at TUS Athlone this week.
Professor Looney noted the energy and enthusiasm of the student teachers as they embarked on their studies. She said ‘the course will prepare you to teach two popular and important subjects in post-primary schools. These subjects bring together important themes of sustainability, design, problem-solving and collaboration – all of which are becoming increasingly important for how we live into the future’.
Joining Professor Looney in welcoming students, Dr Emma Reardon, Head of the Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure in TUS Athlone said, ‘This programme takes a unique approach to enable students to become confident and innovative home economics and technology teachers at second-level. We are bringing our established reputation in culinary arts, design, engineering, and sustainability to this programme and our location here at the heart of Ireland has attracted students from this region and from the east of the country where we know the demand for teachers of these subjects is growing.
About the programme
The DCU-TUS partnership provides graduates of the programme with a significant advantage in terms of future employment within the post-primary sector, given the option to teach these in-demand subjects. Teacher education graduates can also gain employment in industry, media, governmental and non-governmental organisations and other settings.
The programme also provides for the opportunity to participate in Student Teacher Internship (STInt) Programme in year three.