PME Education Professional Master of Education

at University College Cork

The current PAC PME subject-based entry system does not have set quotas for each subject but offers in subject areas are made based on Department of Education and Skills priority subjects (e.g. languages, maths, physics, chemistry) and each institution's own local circumstances, demands and ability to cater for subjects on the programme. It is necessary to limit the number of students admitted to the PME and our current quota is circa 120 students per year. (Deferrals are not permitted on this programme due to its competitive nature.)
 

The PME is organised in partnership with co-operating second-level schools, normally located within a 50 km (30 miles) radius of Cork city. During PME school placements, students only teach the subject(s) for which they hold recognition by the Teaching Council of Ireland.
 

At the end of this course, you will have acquired the professional knowledge, understanding, and skills that you need to teach your subject or subjects in a second-level school. You will have gained practical experience in two contrasting school settings, and develop your ability to respond flexibly to the diverse and changing educational needs of students aged 12 to 18 years. You will have been challenged, encouraged, and invited to question and deepen your beliefs and assumptions about the purpose of education, the nature of teaching and learning, and the role of the teacher in the 21st century.
 

PME Subjects
 

We support the following post-primary teaching subjects: 

• Business Studies (including Accounting & Economics)

• Computer Science

• English

• French

• Gaeilge

• Geography

• German

• History

• Home Economics [available from 2024]

• Italian

• Maths

• Music

• Politics & Society

• Religious Education

• Science (including Biology, Chemistry & Physics)

• Spanish
   

Note: A minimum number of students is required for the subject-specific modules to run each year (cross-subject support may be provided if student numbers are low).
 

Year 1

Placement for PME Year 1 students is negotiated and arranged by the UCC School of Education for successful applicants, taking into account the various circumstances of the programme and of the successful students and the available placement opportunities in our partner schools. Students must sign a placement form and are contracted until the end of the school year to carry out their teaching placement in the school in question. Students must ensure that there is a minimum of twelve students in their placement class group for supervision purposes.
 

Year 2

Each student is expected to have a contrasting placement experience in a different school context for Year 2. The placement school for Year 2 will again be nominated by the student but, the choice will be mediated by the School of Education Placement Co-ordinator and must be approved by the School of Education.
 

As part of their University programme, some students are required to undertake placement and training that involves dealing directly with patients, clients, or service users. This programme is subject to the University's Fitness to Practise Policy.
 

Students will be required to start on their school placement anytime from mid to late August aligned to the re-opening of partner schools.
 

• Note: To be eligible for appointment to an incremental salaried teaching position in a secondary school, a teacher must be registered. It is the Teaching Council of Ireland alone that has the authority to determine what constitutes adequate qualifications for registration purposes. See www.teachingcouncil.ie for registration details.
   

Irish Language Requirement: While the Irish requirement has been removed for the generality of second-level teachers who do not use Irish in their everyday work, teachers of Irish and teachers employed in Gaeltacht schools and in other schools where Irish is the medium of instruction will be required to be fully proficient in Irish. A special course in spoken Irish, run by An Gaeilge Labhartha, UCC, will be available to students during their PME studies.  
 

Year 1 (60 credits)

Core Modules (50 credits)

• ED6301 Philosophy and History of Education (5 credits)

• ED6302 Introduction to Psychology and Sociology of Education (5 credits) 

• ED6303 Curriculum and Assessment (5 credits)

• ED6306 Inclusion – Special Educational Needs and Multicultural Education (5 credits)

• ED6330 School Placement 1 (20 credits)

• ED6331 School Placement: Research and Professional Experiences Portfolio A (5 credits)

• ED6332 School Placement: Research and Professional Experiences Portfolio B (5 credits)
   

Plus 10 credits from the following:*
 

• ED6308 The Teaching of Business Studies 1A (5 credits)

• ED6309 The Teaching of Civic, Social and Political Education (5 credits)

• ED6312 The Teaching of English (5 credits)

• ED6313 The Teaching of a Second Language 1A (5 credits)

• ED6314 The Teaching of a Second Language 1B (5 credits)

• ED6315 The Teaching of Geography (5 credits)

• ED6316 The Teaching of History (5 credits)

• ED6317 The Teaching of Mathematics (5 credits)

• ED6318 The Teaching of Music (5 credits)

• ED6319 The Teaching of Religious Education (5 credits)

• ED6321 Cross-Curricular Pedagogies (5 credits)

• ED6325 The Teaching of Physical Sciences (5 credits) 

• ED6326 The Teaching of Biological Sciences (5 credits) 

• ED6327 The Teaching of Irish (5 credits)

• ED6328 The Teaching of Business Studies 1B (5 credits) 

• ED6329 The Teaching of Home Economics (5 credits) [only available from 2024]

• ED6333 The Teaching of Computer Science (5 Credits)
   

Year 2 (60 credits)

• ED6341 Collaborative Seminar: Contemporary Issues in Irish Schools (5 credits)

• ED6354 Literacy and Numeracy Development in the Post-Primary Classroom (5 credits)

• ED6359 PME Professional Research Paper (10 credits)

• ED6360 PME School Placement 2 (30 credits)

• ED6361 Specialist Subject Pedagogies 2 (5 credits)

• ED6362 Designing Curriculum and Assessment for the Contemporary Classroom (5 credits)

Candidates must have a primary degree at a minimum level of 2H2 or equivalent (e.g. primary degree and Masters) that is recognised by the Teaching Council of Ireland for the teaching of at least one subject in a post-primary school.
 

Entry to the PME programme is competitive and selection is according to a subject-based application system with points awarded based on the marks obtained in the undergraduate degree, any subsequent academic qualifications, and certain categories of relevant professional work experience. See the PAC website for details.
 

Subject Teaching Choice

Students are normally allowed to teach only those subjects, which they have pursued to an advanced level in their degree. At least one of these subjects must be approved by the Teaching Council for teacher registration.
 

To teach French, German, Irish, Italian, &/or Spanish, students must have studied the language as a major subject in their primary degree extending over at least three years and of the order of 30% at a minimum of that period.
 

Students normally also teach a second subject in which they have some recognised academic attainment and for which they are recognised to teach by the Teaching Council. All students are required to attend pedagogy courses to support the teaching of both their teaching subjects. Students who do not have a second teaching subject will be required to attend a cross-curricular pedagogy course to further support, develop and deepen the teaching of their main subject.
 

Candidates must also complete and submit a Subject Declaration Form from the Teaching Council in respect of their eligibility to meet the requirements to teach their specific subjects.
 

Minimum Requirements and Accepted English Language Tests & Examinations

The minimum English language entry requirements for admission onto a postgraduate programme at UCC are outlined below. These requirements are for postgraduate applicants whose first language is not English. If Gaeilge (Irish) is your first language these requirements do not apply to you.
 

There are a small number of programmes with a higher minimum English language entry requirement and we list these below under Programmes with a Higher Minimum English Language Requirement.

IELTS*    

• 6.5 Overall

• 6.0 Individual Skills (academic version)
   

TOEFL iBT    
 

• 90 Overall

• Listening 20

• Reading 19

• Speaking 21

• Writing 20

Fees for Non-EU Students are payable in one instalment in August.The fees for PME Education Professional Master of Education may vary from  - €16,000 to €25,000 anually for tuition fees. The fee's prices may get higher for international students.

Graduates of the PME will be well equipped to begin a teaching career in Ireland or abroad. Our graduates are highly sought after in the UK and elsewhere. Furthermore, the skills gained in teaching are easily transferrable to other careers. Teachers learn to communicate with groups and to present material in an organised manner, which is an enduring skill that is much sought after in many fields. Our PME graduates are working in many other non-school settings.