College Choice/Brian Mooney - Primary teaching:Teachers enjoy a minimum starting salary of €34,224 per year, which includes a €4,690 allowance for honours degree holders at first or second-class level, and an entitlement to an index linked State-funded pension. The current salary range for primary school teachers is €34,224 - €62,093.
Three-year, level 8 Bachelor of Education degrees, are offered in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick; and St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin. Coláiste Mhuire, Marino, Dublin; Froebel College, Sion Hill, Dublin; and the Church of Ireland College, Rathmines, Dublin, offer three-year level 7 ordinary Level degrees.
Mary Immaculate College offers a four-year level 8-degree programme also in education and psychology. Ten per cent of places are reserved for Gaeltacht applicants. Mary Immaculate reserves up to 5 per cent of places for applicants who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. This scheme is open to all applicants irrespective of geographical location or school attended. Such applicants, who come within 40 points of the cut-off point, are considered under this scheme.
Graduate entry to primary teaching
For those who take an undergraduate degree in any discipline at level 8, and who meet the minimum entry requirements in Gaeilge, English, and mathematics, there has been, for the past number of years a graduate entry route to primary teaching.
Entry to this 18 months programme, which begins in February, is by interview.
The interview comprises a general suitability interview (100 points) plus an interview in Irish (40 points). Two hundred and eighty places are available for the February 2007 intake. Graduates apply to Limerick (Mary Immaculate College - 100 places) or to Dublin - 180 places (St Patrick's College Drumcondra; Coláiste Mhuire, Marino; or Froebel College, Sion Hill. Hibernia College offers a fully recognised online postgraduate entry option to primary teaching.
CAO points requirements for primary teaching courses
- Mary Immaculate, Limerick
B Ed (MI 005), 2006 (460); Gaeltacht entry - (MI 006), 2006 (420). Primary teaching & psychology - (MI 008), 2006 (460).
- St Patrick's, Drumcondra
B Ed (PD 101), 2006 (455); Gaeltacht entry - (PD 102), 2006 (425).
- Coláiste Mhuire, Marino
B Ed (CM 001), 2006 (445); Gaeltacht entry - (CM 002), 2006 (405);
- Froebel College, Sion Hill
B Ed (FR 001), 2006 (445); Gaeltacht entry - (FR 002), 2006 (405)
- Church of Ireland College - (CE 001), 2006 (365).
Only students with a minimum of a C3 or better in Irish at higher-level will be eligible for a place on the above courses. The Church of Ireland College requires Irish at higher-level. It may accept a D grade, but only if there are not enough applicants with a C3 or better.
Second-level teaching
Over 1,000 new second-level teachers register each year with the Teaching Council, over 75 per cent are female. The traditional route is through a primary degree in arts, science, or business, followed by a Higher Diploma in Education. Securing a place on the Higher Diploma in Education course can be very difficult for graduates.
University of Limerick
Starting in September 2007 is a BA (education) in modern languages/ELT. This will provide opportunities for school leavers with proven ability and interest in languages to acquire competence in two languages, and to qualify to teach in post-primary schools.
UL also offers a B Sc in physical education; B Sc (education) in biological sciences with physics or chemistry; B Tech (education) in materials and construction technology; B Tech (education) in materials and engineering technology; BSc (education) in physics and chemistry.
Religious education
Mater Dei Institute offers religious education with English (MD 201); history (MD301); music (MD401).
St Patrick's, Thurles offers: religious studies, business studies, and education (TH001).
Home economics at St Angela's
St Angela's, Sligo: offers courses in home economics with biology (AS001); catechetics (AS002); Irish (AS003); economics (AS004); religious education (AS005), from between 400-460 points. From 2007, students will require a foreign language for entry.
University College, Cork
NUI Cork introduced a B Ed in sports studies (CK116) in 2006, which required 460 points. It also offers (CK402) sciences biological and chemical, (CK406) chemical sciences, CK (407) sciences mathematical, and (CK408) physics and astrophysics. Students in these degree programmes may choose to follow a teaching route.
Dublin City University
DCU offers science education (DC203). This degree course, allows you to specialise in any two subjects from chemistry, physics and mathematics. These options kick-in during the second year.
You will be qualified to teach your two speciality subjects to honours Leaving Cert level, as well as science and mathematics to Junior Cert level. DCU also offers (DC205) physical education & biology.
Tomorrow: science degrees