How to qualify as a primary teacher

There are four state-funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) which offer four-year fulltime programmes of primary initial teacher education accredited by the Teaching Council for primary teaching.

• Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9
• Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
• DCU Institute of Education, DCU, St Patrick’s Campus, Drumcondra, Dublin 9
• Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Co Kildare

A new B.Ed (Irish Sign Language) (ISL) Programme for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) is available in DCU.

The purpose of this programme is to introduce a separate CAO entry route in to primary teaching specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students who communicate through ISL. This degree will allow ISL to be accepted as an alternative to Irish as an entry requirement once certain criteria has been fulfilled. However, the required minimum entry in Maths and English still apply for entry to this programme.

The four state-funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) above offer a two-year Professional Master of Education (PME) programme of Initial Teacher Education.

In addition, a Professional Master of Education in Primary Teaching is provided by Hibernia College. Hibernia College is a privately owned, non state-funded, company. This blended learning programme takes place over two years and is accredited by the Teaching Council.

Persons who successfully complete the above primary initial teacher education programmes may be registered by the Teaching Council.

To view the most recent entry requirements for the Bachelor of Education and Professional Masters of Education, please see the following:

The requirements to register as a primary-school teacher are set out in Route 1 of the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations, 2016.

www.teachingcouncil.ie