Irish Medium Enhancement Course for Post-Primary PGCE students
at Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University

In response to the demand for subject specific teachers in the growing Irish Medium Post Primary sector, St Mary’s University College, Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Ulster University (UU) have formed a partnership to offer a one year enhancement course for students interested in becoming teachers in Irish Medium post-primary schools.

Additional places have been added to the PGCE intake quotas for both QUB and UU specifically for those applicants who wish to teach in the Irish Medium Post-Primary sector. On completion of the enhancement course, the students will be awarded a Certificate in Bilingual Education (St Mary’s University College) in addition to a PGCE qualification (UU/QUB).

 

Applying for the Irish Medium Post Primary PGCE

Applicants will apply to do a PGCE with either QUB or UU (depending on their subject specialism) and should express an interest in Irish Medium Education if they wish to be considered for this option. Competence in Irish is required. Usually, this means an A Level or the equivalent qualification in the language.

 

Course Structure

Students will follow the PGCE course at either QUB or UU depending on their subject specialism.

QUB prepares students to teach in the following subject areas: English, Mathematics, ICT/Computing, Science, Modern Languages, Religious Education and Social Science/Citizenship.

UU prepares students to teach in the following areas: Art and Design, English with Drama and Media Studies, Geography, History, Home Economics, Music, Physical Education and Technology and Design.

 

Further information on specific subjects offered and on PGCE course structures is available on QUB (www.qub.ac.uk) and UU websites (www.ulster.ac.uk).


Irish-medium students who enrol on the enhancement course will complete additional elements in the area of bilingual/immersion education. This will include completing summer and spring Gaeltacht study periods (15 days in total), an induction week in August and an additional week in June. This bilingual focus will be provided by St Mary’s University College, which has a long and successful tradition in preparing teachers to teach in the Irish-Medium sector.
See the latest ETI Inspection Report

 

Contact

Anyone requiring additional information is invited to contact Dr Seán Mac Corraidh (Irish Medium Post-Primary PGCE Enhancement Course Co-ordinator) by telephone on 028 90268283, or by e-mail.