Bachelor of Education - Primary Teaching (MI005/MI006)

CAO Points 2023: 497/457 (Gaeltacht)

Duration : 4 years full-time

Places Offered: 435 approx.

Location: MIC Limerick

Lecture Hours: 19 approx.

Tutorial Hours: 4 approx.

Assessment:

Mixed but may include presentations, portfolios, exams, group-work, poster presentations, case studies, lesson plans, objective tests, problem-based learning and essays.

Programme Overview
Programme Content
Specialisms
Entry Requirements
Ask a Question

Programme Overview

The Bachelor of Education is a four-year, full-time, honours degree (Level 8) designed to qualify students to teach in primary schools. Accredited by the Teaching Council, it seeks to equip participants with the competence to teach at all levels of the primary school. Reflecting the College's well-established reputation for excellence in teacher education, this programme enables students to examine their role as a learner, a teacher, a researcher and a leader. It comprises of on-campus study and school placement, and also gives students the opportunity to specialise in specific areas in education or the liberal arts. Insightful and challenging, the B Ed programme will prepare you for a varied and rewarding career as an educator.

Modules

The B Ed programme blends subject-specific teaching methods with modules interrogating contemporary issues in education. Over four years, students take 55 modules—47 of which are pre-defined, common to all and form the core programme.

As the programme is designed to facilitate student choice in pursuing areas of personal interest, choosing the remaining eight modules from a broad selection. Three of these must be liberal arts modules and the final five modules chosen determine whether the student graduates with a Multidisciplinary Bachelor of Education or a Bachelor of Education with a Specialism (both pathways are of equal merit).

Gaeltacht Courses

All Bachelor of Education students are required to attend two residential placements in the Gaeltacht as part of the programme – Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht 1 agus 2. Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht 1 is taken in Year 1 of the programme and Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht 2 in Year 3. Each placement lasts two weeks.

Students bear the cost of this compulsory course and the cost for 2017 - 2018 was €750 per placement. Each of these modules is graded with an examination in oral Irish. Students will take an examination in oral Irish after completing the first placement at the end of their first year of initial teacher education. Students must pass this examination in order to continue to the second year of the programme. A repeat of the examination in oral Irish test is provided by the College. All Bachelor of Education students must have completed the two Gaeltacht placements successfully before entering year four of the programme.

Professional Placement & Study Abroad

The professional placement element of the programme is designed to meet the Teaching Council’s requirements, and students will spend approximately 24 weeks in primary schools during the programme. This period will allow students to engage in observation, class-based and whole-school teaching and learning activities. Working in partnership with schools, the placements are designed to enable students to experience all class levels and a range of school types, and the student is guided and empowered along his/her learning-to-teach journey.

Semester 5 of the B Ed programme offers students the opportunity to study abroad. Students are encouraged to spend this semester in another country so that they can experience and understand the education systems and policies of other countries and, in the case of placements in continental Europe, improve their foreign language skills. Among the many benefits of studying abroad are:

Enriching a primary degree with a global perspective;
Developing independent thinking and resilience; and
A distinctive CV displaying adaptability, cultural awareness, and risk-taking, all essential attributes in today’s workplace.

Students can study abroad at one of MIC's partner universities, which is a safe and well-supported means of gaining valuable international experience. Financial assistance from the ERASMUS+ programme is currently available to students who study in an EU State. European study destinations for B Ed students currently include universities in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. Study abroad opportunities at North American and Australian universities are also a very popular option. MIC has exchange partnerships with universities across the USA.

Professional Placement

Practical experience in the classroom is a core element of the B Ed programme.

Career Opportunities

The Bachelor of Education Honours Degree is designed to qualify students to teach in primary school. This University of Limerick accredited degree is an internationally recognised qualification and was the first programme of its kind to be accredited by the Teaching Council of Ireland. The course promotes the personal and intellectual development of students, while providing the professional and academic foundation for a career in teaching.

Scholarships

Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships

Each year, Mary Immaculate College awards up to 50 Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships across all undergraduate programmes valued at €2,000 each, on the basis of results obtained in the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination.

Further information about Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships available here.

Ashling Murphy Scholarship

We are delighted to honour the memory of Ashling Murphy by introducing a new scholarship in her name in recognition of her talents and love of traditional Irish music. The scholarship, valued at €4,000 and jointly awarded by MIC and the INTO, is restricted to B Ed applicants only and will be awarded on the basis of the applicant’s exceptional achievements and talent in the field of traditional Irish music.

Further information about the Ashling Murphy Scholarship available here.

Contact

MIC Education Office

E: EducationOffice@mic.ul.ie

Programme Content

Structure

Year 1 – Learner

During Year 1 of the programme the student will undertake a core programme of study designed around the theme of ‘Learner’. During the first semester the student will be introduced to academic life and will experience a specific programme of study that complements the first academic modules. This year comprises of on-campus study and professional placement in a primary school. See below for specific modules.

Year 2 – Teacher

During Year 2 the student will undertake a core programme designed around the theme of ‘Teacher’. During this year, students explore a broad range of subject areas and disciplines including the study of inclusive education for children with special educational needs. The student will also complete the first of their Liberal Arts modules. This year comprises on-campus study and professional placement. See below for specific modules.

Year 3 – Leader

During Year 3 the student will become more responsible for the direction of core elements of the degree and will choose electives in both Education and Liberal Arts. In Year 3 students explore a broad range of subject areas and disciplines including the study of early childhood education. See below for specific modules. During the first semester of Year 3 students may, if they wish, choose to study abroad in a variety of locations across Europe and beyond.

Year 4 – Researcher

This final year comprises on-campus study and extended professional placement. The student will spend the first semester on placement engaged in a wide variety of activities such as being responsible for teaching various class groupings for prolonged periods of time, bringing a particular curricular focus to host schools and learning about aspects of school life outside of the classroom. The student will experience teaching in the infant classes and another class grouping of their choice. During this year, students compile a portfolio showcasing samples of work completed over the course of the degree to date and will also complete a dissertation or a final suite of elective modules together with capstone modules that include a focus on leadership and policy in education. See below for specific modules.

Semester 1 (Year 1) - Student as Learner
Language and Literacy 1
An Ghaeilge agus Múineadh na Gaeilge 1
STEM 1: Introduction to Mathematics and its Teaching
Schools and Society 1: Developing criticality around recent and contemporary issues in education
Developmental Psychology
Introduction to Technology and Educational Methodology
Becoming a Student Teacher
Professional Placement 1

Semester 2 (Year 1) - Student as Learner
Language and Literacy 2
An Ghaeilge agus Múineadh na Gaeilge 2
STEM 2: Introduction to Mathematics and its Teaching 2
STEM 3: Introduction to Science
Supporting the Child as Learner 2
Introduction to the Creative Arts 1
Ethics, Religions and Beliefs
Professional Placement 2
Tréimhse sa Ghaeltacht 1

Semester 3 (Year 2) - Student as Teacher
Language and Literacy 3
An Ghaeilge agus Múineadh na Gaeilge 3
STEM 4: Introduction to Mathematics and its Teaching 3
Social Studies 1: The Global Teacher
Christian Religious Education 1 or Religious Education in Multi-denominational Schools 1
Social, Personal, Health, and Physical Education 1
Inclusive Education for Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) 1
Creating a Positive Classroom Climate
Elective 1 (Liberal Arts)

Semester 4 (Year 2) - Student as Teacher
Language and Literacy 4
STEM 5: Pedagogy of Maths and teaching and Learning with ICT
Social Studies 2: Teaching History and Geography in Primary Schools
Christian Religious Education 2 or Religious Education in Multi-denominational Schools 2
Social, Personal, Health, and Physical Education 2
Schools and Society 2
The Creative Arts 2
Professional Placement 3

At the end of Year 2 students will decide whether to take the Multidisciplinary B Ed programme or to pursue a specialism in Liberal Arts or Education.

Semester 5 (Year 3) - Student as Researcher
Early Childhood Education: Curriculum, Research and Pedagogy
STEM 6: Teaching Mathematics and Science
Research Methods: Ethical foundations for teaching and research
Creative Arts 3
Christian Religious Education/Multi-Denominational Religious Education
Assessment For and Of Learning
Elective 2 (Liberal Arts)
Elective 3 (Liberal Arts)

Semester 6 (Year 3) - Student as Researcher
Research Methods 2
Schools and Society 3
Language and Literacy 5
Early Primary Education and Advanced Educational Methodology
Christian Religious Education/Multi-Denominational Religious Education
Inclusive Education for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) 2
Elective 4 (Liberal Arts)
Elective 5 (Liberal Arts)

At the end of Year 3 students will select whether to take the dissertation or taught elective option.

Semester 7 (Year 4) - Teacher as Leader
Professional Placement 4
Professional Placement 5
Professional Placement 6
Professional Placement 7
Portfolio

Semester 8 (Year 4) - Teacher as Leader
Policy and Leadership in Education
Schools and Society 4
Elective 6 (Education)
Undergraduate Dissertation 1 or Taught Elective 7
Undergraduate Dissertation 2 or Taught Elective 8

Note: At the end of Year 2 students will select whether to take the Multidisciplinary Bachelor of Education programme or to pursue a specialism in Liberal Arts or Education. At the end of Year 3 students will select whether to take the dissertation or taught elective option.

Specialisms

Students taking the Multidisciplinary programme may select their electives from a range of modules offered by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Education. These lists will include many of the modules being offered to students on selected streams depending on the pre-requisites for each module and whether the module can cater for additional students. The provision of electives and specialisms will depend on the level of resources available. The full range of specialisms provided in any academic year cannot be affirmed until the resource allocation is confirmed.

B Ed with a Specialism
Students may pursue a specialism in either Liberal Arts or Education. This means that students select eight modules, of which five modules are in a given subject/area. These five modules may comprise five taught modules or a combination of three taught modules and two dissertation modules.This allows students to develop their personal interests and talents and to customise their own individual degree paths. These students gain expertise in a specific area of relevance to primary education.

Examples of the Education Specialisms that are currently on offer include:

Special Education
Mathematics Education
Technology Enhanced Learning
SPHE
Language and Literacy
Primary Geography and Global Education
Educational Disadvantage (DEIS)
Early Childhood Studies
Physical Education
Teagasc i Suíomhanna Lán-Ghaeilge
Theology/Religious Education (Joint Specialism with Liberal Arts)
Visual Arts Education

Alternatively, students may elect to pursue a specialisation in one of the following Liberal Arts disciplines:

Gaeilge
Irish Heritage
German Studies
Mathematics
History
Music
Theology/Religious Education (Joint Specialism with Faculty of Education).

Students may select to follow a Multidisciplinary Bachelor of Education which means that they select any eight modules from across the range of modules on offer. Students may take modules from either Education or Liberal Arts. These eight modules may comprise eight taught modules or a combination of six taught modules and two dissertation modules. This allows students to develop their personal interests and talents and to customise their own individual degree paths. These students gain expertise across a range of areas of relevance to primary education.

Entry Requirements

Second-Level Pupils

Applicants must be at least 16 years old on 15 January of the year of entry.

Applicants must have obtained the following minimum grades at a single sitting of the Leaving Certificate examination:

Grade H5 on a Higher Level paper in not less than three subjects
Grade O6/H7 in three other subjects (Higher or Ordinary Level)

Applicants must have obtained the following grades, at minimum, in the following subjects:

Gaeilge - Grade H4
Mathematics - O4 or H7
English - O4 or H7

Foundation Level Mathematics does not satisfy the entry requirement in Mathematics.

The Department of Education and Skills Entry Requirements for 2023 available here.

Note: Minimum grades required in Gaeilge, English and Mathematics can be obtained at different sittings of the Leaving Certificate Examination(s). The requirement to achieve a minimum of Grade H5 in three Higher Level papers and Grade O6/H7 in three other subjects (Higher or Ordinary Level) must be obtained in a single sitting of the Leaving Certificate Examination.

Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP)

Link modules will be accepted for points purposes but they will not qualify as a subject for matriculation purposes.

GCE/GCSE Applicants

Further information about minimum grades and entry requirements is available here or please contact the MIC Admissions Office at E: Admissions@mic.ul.ie.

Student Fitness to Teach Form

In order to establish students’ fitness to teach, all incoming teacher education students are required to complete a Student Fitness to Teach Form.

Garda Vetting /Criminal Records Bureau Check (for UK students)

Registration will be conditional upon successful completion of the Garda Vetting/CRB checking process.

Mature Applicants

If you are at least 23 years old on the 1 January of the year of entry to College, you are considered as a mature applicant.

Mature applicants wishing to apply to Mary Immaculate College for MI005/MI006 must apply for entry through CAO www.cao.ie. The closing date each year is 1 February and applications will not be accepted after this date.

While 1 February is the deadline through CAO for completed applications, programme choices may be amended up until 1 March.

In March, those mature applicants meeting the eligibility criteria will be sent an email (to the email account registered to their CAO account), with instructions for completing and submitting a supplementary form, which must be returned to the MIC Admissions Office.

Download the supplementary form here (file format: pdf) and the completed form must be emailed to admissions@mic.ul.ie.

In addition to applying through CAO, mature applicants must also complete a Personal Statement and email it to admissions@mic.ul.ie. The Personal Statement guideline can be downloaded here.

The CAO has a video guide for Mature Applicants wishing to apply, and it can be accessed on the CAO website.

The Department of Education and Skills Entry Requirements for 2023 available here.

Academic Requirements

Minimum Grades in Leaving Certificate Examination 2021

Grade H4 on a Higher Level paper in Irish, and Grade H5 in two other subjects.
English - H7 or O4
Maths - H7 or O4
One H7 or O6 grade in another subject

Minimum Grades in Leaving Certificate Examination 1992-2016

Grade HC2 in a higher level in Irish and 2 HD1 grades in two other subjects.

Applicants must have obtained the following grades at minimum in subjects specified:

Irish - HC2
English - HE or OC2
Maths - HE or OC2
One HE or OD3 grade in another subject

Accepted Examination Alternatives

There are a number of acceptable alternatives to Leaving Cert Irish, English, and Maths, and these are listed on the Department of Education and Skills Minimum Entry Requirements each year.

Combination of Leaving Certificate Examination Grades

Mature applicants for MI005/MI006 who wish to be considered on the grounds of age, and wish to attend for Interview and Oral Irish test, may combine results obtained at the Leaving Certificate Examination in different years for the purpose of meeting the academic requirements.

Interview and Oral Irish Test.

All mature applicants who make an application to MIC through the CAO for MI005/MI006 and, are meeting the eligibility criteria, will be invited for an interview and an Oral Irish test. Applicants are awarded a mark for their performance at the interview and an additional mark for the Oral Irish test. The combined score determines the applicant’s place on the order of merit list. Where places remain unfilled after the list of successful first preference applicants has been exhausted, offers will be made to other applicants in order of preference and in accordance with the order of merit. Applicants who get a fail in either the interview or Oral Irish test will be eliminated from the competition. Applicants who fail the interview on two previous occasions are not eligible to reapply.

Mature Applicants - Interview Marking Sheet available to download here.

Mature Applicants - Oral Irish Marking Sheet available to download here.

For details of Uversity Scholarships for Mature Applicants click here. Applications can be submitted from 1 February 2024 to 26 March 2024.

Offer of Place

Mature applicants who have completed an Interview and Oral Irish test will be contacted by the College to indicate whether or not they are being offered a place, and all places will be offered by the CAO.

Student Fitness to Teach Form

In order to establish students’ fitness to teach, all incoming teacher education students are required to complete a Student Fitness to Teach Form.

Garda Vetting /Criminal Records Bureau Check (for UK students)

Registration will be conditional upon successful completion of the Garda Vetting/CRB checking process.

Teacher Education Access Programme for Mature Learners

This programme is designed for mature students, who do not hold the minimum entry requirements, but who wish to gain entry to the B Ed. Further information about the Teacher Education Access Programme for Mature Learners, available here. Please contact the MIC Admissions Office on Admissions@mic.ul.ie. Tel: 061 205137/ 204348

Gaeltacht Entry Route (MI006)

Up to 10% of places on the Bachelor of Education programme are reserved for applicants from the Gaeltacht, who normally reside in an official Gaeltacht designated area, and whose normal language of the home is Irish. From September 2022 applicants wishing to commence the B Ed through the Gaeltacht Entry Route must meet the following updated criteria in order to be eligible to apply for entry to the programme:

Be resident in a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area and must obtain at least a H3 in Leaving Certificate Irish.

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media will confirm to CAO whether applicants are resident in a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area. In order to assist in this process in determining eligibility, applicants to this route are requested to provide their Eircode when applying through CAO. The CAO will check that the applicant has met the entry requirements for the programme, including H3 in Irish before points are calculated. Successful applicants will be notified through the normal CAO offer process. Gaeltacht Entry Route applicants, may, if they wish also apply under the normal MI005 code for the B Ed.

Fees & Grants

Fees

Tuition fees may be paid in respect of full-time undergraduate students undertaking approved courses in eligible institutions. Details of the Free Fees criteria are listed here.

If you do not qualify for free fees, undergraduate tuition fees and other charges may apply. See Undergraduate Fees here.

Grants

Students apply for a grant through Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) and if they meet certain criteria, they may be eligible for full or partial financial support.

Before applying at www.susi.ie, please review the criteria carefully.

Contact

MIC Admissions Office

061 205137/ 204348

Admissions@mic.ul.ie

Programme Overview
Programme Content
Specialisms
Entry Requirements
Ask a Question

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Bachelor of Education – Primary Teaching (MI005/MI006)

Programme Overview

Modules

Gaeltacht Courses

Professional Placement & Study Abroad

Career Opportunities

Scholarships

Contact

Programme Content

Structure

Specialisms

Entry Requirements

Second-Level Pupils

Mature Applicants

Gaeltacht Entry Route (MI006)

Fees & Grants

Ask a Question

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