Competition intense for places on teaching degree courses

Primary TeachingMore than 13 per cent of the elite group scoring 450 CAO points or more in the Leaving Cert go on to teach and the competition for places is intense.

Some 90 per cent of primary school teachers under 40 are women and today, the Department of Education is launching a promotion campaign to attract men into primary teaching.

Teachers are well paid, with a minimum starting salary of €33,000 a year and an index- linked State-funded pension.

Three-year level 8 bachelor of education degrees are offered in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, and St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin.

Coláiste Mhuire, Marino, Dublin, Froebel College, Sion Hill, Dublin, and the Church of Ireland College, Rathmines, Dublin, offer three-year level 7 ordinary level degrees. These three colleges offer their degrees in conjunction with Trinity College, where it is possible to obtain a level 8 degree by taking a fourth year after graduation.

The department reserves up to 10 per cent of places for Gaeltacht applicants. Mary Immaculate reserves up to 5 per cent of places for applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Those who come within 40 points of the cut-off point are considered under this scheme.

Graduate entry to primary teaching

For those who take an undergraduate degree in any discipline at level 8 and who meet the minimum entry requirements in Gaeilge, English, and maths, there is a graduate entry route to primary teaching.

Entry to this 18-month programme, which normally begins in February, is by interview. Hibernia College also offers a recognised online postgraduate entry option. Points are high (450 plus) for most teaching courses. Only students with a minimum of a C3 in higher-level Irish will be eligible for a place on any of the above courses. The Church of Ireland college requires higher-level Irish. It may accept a D grade, but only if there are not enough applicants with a C3 or better.

Second-level teaching

More than 1,000 second-level teachers registered in 2004, 75 per cent of them women. This indicates that teaching is a very attractive option today.

The traditional route into teaching is through a primary degree in arts, science, or business, followed by a higher diploma in education, entry to which is by no means automatic.

Securing a place on the higher diploma in education can be difficult for new graduates, which has led to the growth of a wide range of specialist teaching degree programmes which have the higher diploma aspects build into the programme.

Specialist degrees

You may opt for a specialist degree such as physical education at the University of Limerick (LM 090).

UL announced this week the discontinuation of the movement ability test for (LM090). Other options are: biological science with physics/chemistry teaching (LM092); materials and construction technology with teacher-training (LM094); materials and engineering technology with teacher-training (LM095); physics and chemistry teaching (LM096).

All programmes at colleges of education are also completely aligned with the requirements to teach the proposed new Leaving Cert subjects, technology and design and communication, from September 2007.

Religious education

The programmes offered by the Mater Dei Institute are religious education with English (MD 201); history (MD301); music (MD401). St Patrick's, Thurles, offers: religious studies, business studies and education (TH001).

Home Economics at St Angela's

At St Angela's, Sligo: home economics with biology (AS001); catechetics (AS002); Irish (AS003); economics (AS004); religious education (AS005).

Following the decision to close the home economics college at Sion Hill, the NUI has agreed to waive the foreign language requirement for entry to home economics at St Angela's in 2006. From 2007, students will require a foreign language for entry.

Other courses

UCC is offering a new B Ed in sports studies (CK116). It also offers chemical sciences (CK406), physics and astrophysics (CK408). Students in both may choose to follow a teaching route from second year. Finally, DCU offers science education (DC203).

Art and design

For those who want to teach art, completing a level 8 degree in art and design (AD001), then taking the higher diploma in art and design education at the National College of Art and Design, or the diploma for art and design teachers offered by some institutes of technology, may also secure a teaching qualification in art.

Graduates of the furniture degree programmes in Letterfrack can from this year take a one year H Dip in technology, which will qualify them to teach one or more of the Leaving Cert technology subjects.

Music

Trinity has music education (TR009); the DIT has music education (DT501), which it runs in conjunction with TCD TR009. Traditional Irish musicians are catered for on this programme.

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