Course Summary
Are you interested in a teacher qualification in Further, Adult and Community Education? The Postgraduate Diploma in Further, Adult and Community Education is custom built for teachers in this sector to enable them to meet the needs of their students.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
Requirements
- Applicants must have a Second-Class Honours Grade 2 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in a subject area that is currently taught in Further and/or Adult Community Education in Ireland.
- No prior experience of teaching/tutoring is required.
- Candidates with a Level 7 NFQ which has a ECTS credit weighting of at least 180 credits degree and a minimum of three years senior professional experience in a related field such as educational leadership and instruction in FET and/or Community Education settings will be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in accordance with UCC’s Recognition of Prior Learning policy for applicants who have successfully demonstrated outstanding achievement.
Or
See https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/support/ovptl/documents/RecognitionofPriorLearningPolicy.pdf
- Certified accreditation of prior learning based on a minimum of three years’ experience in a workplace or instructional setting which is relevant to the candidate’s qualifications such as may be recognised by the Council as suitable for the purpose of registration as a teacher under this route.
- Applicants will need to provide an up-to-date CV (including an outline of any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme), references from existing or previous employers and separate details of related teaching/tutoring duties in FET.
- An interview may also be required.
It is the primary responsibility of candidates to ensure that their qualifications are acceptable for the purposes of registration as a Further Education teacher with the Teaching Council. Applicants are advised to review (prior to programme entry) the Teaching Council Regulations with specific reference to registration requirements and the education, training and qualifications criteria that apply. They are also advised to contact the Further Education section (www.teachingcouncil.ie) to fully determine if they meet the criteria set down in Regulation 5 of the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations, 2009.
Garda Vetting
Students, or applicants in receipt of an offer on this programme will be subject to Garda Vetting as relevant. Students will be prohibited from engaging in a relevant work placement unless the vetting process has been cleared. Click here: (http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/undergrad/admissionspolicies/) to view UCC's Student Garda Vetting Policy.
Fitness to Practise
This programme will be subject to the University's Fitness to Practise Policy - full details may be found at
https://www.ucc.ie/en/academicsecretariat/fitnesstopractise/
Minimum English language requirements
All applicants whose first language is not English must have attained:
- IELTS: 6.5 minimum overall score, with a minimum of no less than 6.0 in any single section
- TOEFL (Paper based test): 585
- TOEFL (Internet based test): 95
- PTE (Pearson): 62
Application Details
Closing Date: Complete the expression of interest and you will be contacted when registration opens.
Start Date: September 2025.
Fees
The total fee for this 18-month (3-semester) part-time programme is set at 7,500 euros. This is broken down by yearly costs:
Year 1 – 5,000 euros
Year 2 – 2,500 euros
50% of the tuition fees must be paid at the time of application for your application to be processed
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Social
The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.
Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.