Early Years Educator
Early Years Educators provide education for children from the age of three until their transfer to primary school. They require a minimum QQI Level 5 qualification in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) while Room Leaders require a minimum Level 6 on the NFQ.
Colleges of Further Education providing courses nationwide in ECCE can be found here.
A Level 7/8 degree in Early Childhood Studies / Education may also be required by some services offering the free ECCE pre-school year. Explore our CourseFinder here.
Montessori Teaching
Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. To work as a Montessori Teacher, an undergraduate Montessori Qualification is required, which has been taken over a minimum period of three years of full time study (or equivalent) at a minimum of Level 8 on the NFQ, and carrying at least 180 ECTS.
A list of course providers can be found here.
Applicants wishing to register with the teaching council on the basis of qualifications as a Montessori teacher must meet the qualifications requirements set out in Regulation Three of the Teaching Council Registration Regulations [click here to view].
Under Department of Education and Skills regulations, such teachers are eligible for employment as a teacher in restricted school settings, i.e. in certain categories of special schools and in certain classes in mainstream schools where Irish is not a curricular requirement.
Studying to become a teacher is known as initial teacher education (ITE). You can study to be a teacher either by doing an undergraduate degree or a two-year postgraduate Professional Master of Education (PME).
There are minimum requirements in mathematics, English and Irish at Leaving Certificate. A full breakdown of the requirements can be found here.
Undergraduate - B.Ed. Programme
A full-time course leading to a Bachelor of Education degree is held in each of the state funded Colleges of Education for primary teachers. Explore CourseFinder here. Persons who successfully complete the course may then be registered with the Teaching Council.
Accredited Programmes:
Online Primary Teacher education
An online Post Graduate Masters in Education, accredited by QQI is provided by Hibernia College. Hibernia College is a privately-owned, non-state-funded, company. This blended learning course takes place over 2 years and is recognised by the Teaching Council for the purposes of primary teachingTeastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) provides a series of general Irish language proficiency examinations and qualifications for learners of Irish. Level B2 (Meánleibhéal 2) can be accepted in place of the required Leaving Cert Irish grade.
Post Primary Teaching
Post-primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) is also provided on an undergraduate/concurrent or postgraduate /consecutive basis.
You can study to be a teacher either by doing an undergraduate degree (concurrent programme) or a two-year postgraduate Professional Master of Education (PME) (consecutive programme).
Applications for undergraduate ITE courses can be made through the Central Applications Office (CAO).
A full list of accredited ITE programmes can be found here.
Suitable degrees must be from a state-recognised university or similar third-level college and the content or modules in the programme must enable the holder to teach at least one curricular subject to the highest level within the post-primary school's curriculum. For most subjects, this means to Leaving Certificate Higher Level.
Suitable ITE qualifications must incorporate three specific elements:
In addition to the general entry requirements of the 3rd level institutions, there may be additional entry requirements for particular post primary teaching programmes. Please refer to the individual entry requirements for your chosen programme for more details.
The Teaching Council website provides details of the individual subject requirements (subject criteria) for all post-primary curricular subjects (i.e. English, Maths, Art, Languages etc). The Teaching Council website also provides a list of degrees deemed to meet the requirements for named curricular subjects.
Online Post Primary Teacher education
An online Post Graduate Masters in Education, accredited by QQI is provided by Hibernia College. Hibernia College is a privately-owned, non-state-funded, company. This blended learning course takes place over 2 years and is recognised by the Teaching Council for the purposes of post primary teaching.
The Teaching Council website provides details of the individual subject requirements for all post-primary curricular subjects.
It also provides a list of degrees which have in the past been deemed to meet the requirements for named curricular subjects. Because degree programmes and the elective modules within them can change over time, this list should only be considered as a guide.
| The following institutions in Ireland currently provide Post Primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes, more commonly called the Professional Master's in Education (PME): | ||
| INSTITUTION | TYPE OF PROVISION | WEBSITE |
| University College Cork (UCC) |
Concurrent & Consecutive |
www.ucc.ie |
| University College Dublin (UCD) |
Consecutive | www.ucd.ie |
|
University of Galway |
Consecutive | www.nuigalway.ie |
| Maynooth University |
Consecutive | www.nuim.ie |
| Trinity College Dublin (TCD) |
Concurrent & Consecutive |
www.tcd.ie |
| DCU Institute of Education |
Concurrent | www.dcu.ie |
| University of Limerick (UL) |
Concurrent & Consecutive |
www.ul.ie |
| National College of Art & Design (NCAD), Dublin |
Concurrent & Consecutive |
www.ncad.ie |
| MTU | Consecutive | www.mtu.ie |
| TUS | Consecutive | www.tus.ie |
| ATU | Concurrent | www.atu.ie |
| Hibernia College |
Consecutive | www.hiberniacollege.net |
Garda Vetting
All teachers must also comply with current Garda Vetting requirements - see Teaching Council Garda Vetting requirements here.
Think about Teaching is a year long foundation course for aspiring teachers run in Maynooth University. The course aims to diversify the Irish classroom by fostering a culture among students from the most educationally disadvantaged groups to consider the teaching profession as a desirable and achievable career option. The preparation course will support students academically, personally and socially; providing a pathway to degree courses within the Maynooth University in both primary and secondary education.
Possible progression routes on successful completion of the Foundation Cert:
Click here for more information.
Registration with the Teaching Council is essential for those wishing to work in State-funded teaching positions in the primary, post-primary and further education sectors as only registered teachers can be paid from State funds.
Primary Teacher Posts - these are advertised by the Boards of Management of individual schools. Selection is by interview.
Second Level Teacher Posts - Voluntary Secondary Schools and Community and Comprehensive Schools: Teaching posts are advertised by the Boards of Management of individual schools and selection is by interview. In order to be entered onto the Register of Teachers on the basis of qualifications in post-primary teaching, applicants must comply with the requirements as set out in Regulation Four of The Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations:
Candidates must hold:
Vocational schools - Teaching posts are advertised by the Education and Training Board. Teachers are appointed as teachers of a specific subject and must have a qualification to Degree level in the relevant subject area. In the past, it was not essential for a graduate to have professional teacher training.
There is no Irish language requirement for appointment as a Post-Primary teacher in the case of the majority of teachers (i.e. those who do not need to use Irish to carry out their daily duties). There is still an Irish language requirement in the case of teachers in the following categories:
1. Those employed in Gaeltacht schools
2. Those employed in schools in which Irish is the daily teaching medium (in the case of subjects other than Irish)
3. Those who teach any subject (except Irish) through Irish in any school.
Teachers in these three categories are required to hold the An Teastas Gaeilge do Mhúinteoirí Iarbhunscoile (TGMI) certified by the State Examinations Commission Exemptions, as follows, apply to those who:
Further Education covers education and training which occurs after second level schooling but which is not part of the third level system.
Qualifications required to work in this area include:
A primary degree or equivalent (not less than level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) carrying at least 180 ECTS credits, AND a teacher education qualification approved by the Council for post-primary teaching (First Year to Sixth Year) or an accredited further education teacher education qualification,
OR
An ordinary degree or equivalent (not less than level 7 on the NFQ) carrying at least 180 ECTS credits, PLUS
i) an appropriate additional qualification, or
ii) 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 Teaching Council as suitable for the purpose of registration as a teacher under this regulation which meets such requirements as the Teaching Council may publish from time to time,
AND
iii) a teacher education qualification approved by the Council for post-primary teaching (First Year to Sixth Year) or an accredited further education teacher education qualification.
The following Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) provide programmes of initial teacher education for further education.
Dublin City University (undergraduate only)
Dublin City University (undergraduate only). Show this section
Marino Institute of Education
Marino Institute of Education. Show this section
Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Show this section
Maynooth University (National University of Ireland Maynooth)
Maynooth University (National University of Ireland Maynooth). Show this section
National College of Ireland
National College of Ireland. Show this section
University of Galway
University of Galway
South East Technological University
South East Technological University (formerly Waterford Institute of Technology). Show this section
Teacher training programmes specific to this sector can be found in the 'Entry Routes' section here.
Higher Education in Ireland is provided mainly by Universities and Institutes of Technology. In general, the first appointment to an academic position at an Irish university usually is at the level of lecturer. Lecturers need a PhD degree and publications of high quality.
The career structure is generally consistent across Irish universities:
Members of staff are under the general direction of a Department Head or Professor.Posts in Colleges, Universities, Institutes of Technology or other public sector higher education institutions, are advertised and achieved by Open Competition.
In general, teachers are recruited by the school board of management, or by the local Education and Training Board (ETB).
Teaching posts are usually advertised in the national and local press. Lists of schools may be obtained from:
Approved websites for teaching vacancies and substitute panels:
Career Structure
At Primary level, a teacher will be required to teach all the subjects across the Primary Curriculum. It is possible to start in a temporary capacity or as a substitute for another teacher who is on leave or to enter a permanent post directly.
Teachers can be promoted into Posts of Responsibility where they undertake duties delegated by the Principal Teacher in addition to their teaching activities.
The next level of progression is to Deputy Principal or Principal. The Principal Teacher manages the day-to-day operations of the school.
Learning/language support and resource teachers are also employed in schools with a particular focus on providing additional support to children experiencing learning difficulties, pupils with special needs or children needing additional language assistance.
Second level schools are generally larger than Primary schools. Teachers usually provide classes in a particular subject area. Individuals can aspire to posts of Assistant Principal, Principal and Deputy Principal.
At second level, learning/language support teachers and resource teachers are also employed. There are also opportunities within second level schools for part time work for teachers in particular subject areas.
Teachers registered with the Teaching Council and working in a school where the post is full-time may apply through an open selection process for secondment to the various Support Teams which form part of the curriculum support services funded by the Department of Education and Skills which provide professional development for teachers, usually based in the network of 21 Education Centres. These teams work for a period designing and delivering training programmes to teachers around the country, for example when a syllabus is revised, or in a key area of policy, such as assessment, addressing disadvantage, catering for children with special needs etc.
Teachers may apply for career opportunities in the Inspectorate Section of the Department. The role of the Inspector is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning for children and young people in Irish schools, centres for education and other settings and to support the development of the Irish education system. It does this through providing high-quality evaluation, analysis and advice.
Professional development
All teachers are expected to engage in continuing professional development (CPD). This can be through in-service courses provided by the Department and through summer and local courses offered by the network of education centres, or through pursuit of formally certified higher education programmes. In some cases, substitution may be granted and appropriate levels of expense are met. Teachers may also seek unpaid leave and longer term sabbaticals.
Information on pay scales can be obtained by accessing the relevant circulars at www.education.ie. Please see information section above for detail of entry routes and recruitment process. You can also visit www.teachingcouncil.ie.
