Course Summary
The PGCE (Irish-medium) at St Mary’s University College Belfast is a 36 week programme, designed to equip student teachers with the professional competences required to become an effective teacher.
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
On admission applicants must possess:
A high level of competence in Irish, both written and oral, commensurate with competence to teach the primary school curriculum.
A good honours degree (2.2 or above)
GCSE (grade C or above) in English Language, Mathematics and Science. For applicants from the Republic of Ireland, the equivalent qualification for English and Mathematics is Leaving Certificate Ordinary Level Grade D or above. For Science, the minimum requirement is Junior Certificate at Higher Level, Grade C or above.
Candidates are Interviewed as part of the selection process. Oral and written Irish language proficiency is among the competences that are evaluated at interview.
Application Details
PGCE Applications are open from Monday 4th November 2024 and close Friday 7th March 2025.
PGCE interviews will be 20th & 21st March.
For further information contact:
The Academic Registry,
St Mary’s University College
191 Falls Road Belfast,
BT12 6FE
Tel: +44 (0)28 9026 8320
Email: [email protected]
Academic Year 2024-25.
Fees
Information about the fees for the academic year is available on the College website: www.smucb.ac.uk/admissions/studentfinance
The fees can be paid for through a student loan from the student finance company. Further contact details, application forms and guidelines are available from the website: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
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.
Administrative
Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.
They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.
Career Progression
The demand for qualified Irish-medium teachers remains high in this growing sector and most students take up positions in Irish-medium schools and continue their professional development in schools. Some teachers pursue careers in other relevant avenues relating to Irish-medium education, such as resource production, in the media, or in other branches of education.