Professional Master of Education (Primary Teaching)
Duration: 2 years full-time
NFQ Level: 9*
Location: MIC Limerick
Delivery Mode:
Face-to-face
Assessment:
A variety of methods across the 2 years including portfolios, essays, examinations, school placement, presentations and dissertation.
- Programme Overview
- Programme Content
- Entry Requirements
- How to Apply
- Ask a Question
Programme Overview
The Professional Master of Education (Primary Teaching) is a two-year, full-time Level 9 postgraduate professional teacher education programme designed to qualify graduates as primary teachers. A key element of the PME is practice-oriented inquiry where students interrogate experiences and forge new understandings, integrating educational theory and practice through structured reflection and research applications. The programme is designed to equip student teachers with the cognitions and competencies necessary to develop creative and flexible approaches to teaching in different contexts and settings embracing pupils with diverse and often complex needs.
Key Features
Thematic in nature, the programme focuses iteratively on students’ role as learner, teacher, researcher and leader. In addition to the established broad range of curriculum and foundation studies areas studied traditionally within ITE programmes at MIC, this programme contains a strong focus on research methods. Students undertake practitioner based research while on their extended school placement and complete a Taisce portfolio combining their research in the final semester.
This course provides students with the opportunity to spend two Tréimhse Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht across their two years. These two modules are usually undertaken within the first year of the programme and between semesters; in early January and during the Summer break between first year and second year.
A range of assessment modes are employed across the two year programme, comprising written examinations and course work including group presentations.
Professional Placement & Career Opportunities
The students have the opportunity to undertake a number of school placement experiences across a range of classes over the course of the two years and assessment and mentoring supports the student during this process. Assessment of school placement and micro-teaching is also a core component of this programme.
On successful completion of the course, graduates are qualified to teach all classes in the primary school.
Programme Aims
The PME programme aims to develop student teachers' knowledge skills, beliefs, and values in ways that support:
- The development of professionals who promote and maintain a strong commitment to education and teaching and to the quality of the educational experiences of their pupils based on the principles of compassion, empathy, honesty, trust, integrity, democracy, social justice and social engagement, within a strong ethic of responsibility to children, parents and community;
- The development of professionals who will respect and value childhood and help children to unlock and realise their potential as children and as future adults. The PME programme endeavours to recognise the uniqueness of every child with their own particular history, culture and life experience;
- The emerging identity of students as learners, teachers, researchers and future leaders;
- The recognition of the dignity of the individual student teacher who brings their own unique identity to the teaching profession;
- The development of professionals who understand, respect, question and think critically about knowledge and who can adapt this knowledge within the complexities of their educational practice;
- The development of professionals who are committed to promoting rich, flexible, creative learner-centred environments, where pupils are active agents in the learning process, and who support the general aims of primary education within the context of each individual child's social and cultural background, development, potential, learning and the multiple forms of understanding the child brings to the classroom;
- The development of professionals who are competent, assured, creative, caring, active and participative citizens. In addition to demonstrating excellence in knowledge and skills, they will have a sense of the needs of those who are vulnerable in society; they will be enabled to recognise their dignity; and they will have a profound sense of social justice;
- The development of personal and professional qualities including creativity, enthusiasm, risk-taking, commitment and responsibility, all of which equip teachers to actively initiate, contribute to and respond positively to change in Irish society in the twenty-first century. Also, when appropriate, to act as dynamic agents of change within, and for education;
- The promotion of the reflective practitioner through inquiry based critical examination and consideration of all aspects of professional practice linked to a commitment to the teacher as learner and sustained by Professional Learning;
- The development of professionals who challenge and confront social injustice and inequality helping them to become agents of change;
- The development of professionals who are empowered to recognise, appreciate and celebrate difference and most importantly, create an inclusive environment for all children;
- The development of professionals who understand and recognise the contribution of educational research to teacher formation.
NFQ Levels
*Graduate Certificates are Level 9 Minor Awards, Graduate Diplomas and Masters are Level 9 Major Awards and PhDs are Level 10 Major Awards on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), awarded by the University of Limerick.
- Programme Overview
- Programme Content
- Entry Requirements
- How to Apply
- Ask a Question
