Religious Studies - Initial Teacher Education - Primary Teaching
This is a four-year honours degree programme leading to registration with the GTCNI and full recognition to teach by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor at UK Level 6 |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | Queens University Belfast |
| NFQ Level |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor at UK Level 6 | Queens University Belfast |
Duration
4 years full-time.
Entry Requirements
Applicants Presenting Irish Leaving Certificate Qualifications:
- Applicants must pass a minimum of five subjects at higher level for admission to BA (Hons) Liberal Arts and BEd (Hons) programmes. Where competition for places is high, six subjects at higher level will be required,
- Applicants must have achieved at least a grade O4 (ordinary level) in English and in Mathematics,
- Applicants for Primary courses of Initial Teacher Education other than the Primary with Science option must present Biology, Chemistry or Physics at Leaving Certificate level or have achieved Junior Certificate Science, grade C (higher level) or above. See entry guidelines for specific requirements for BEd Primary with Science.
For further information, please contact:
The Academic Registry
St Mary’s University College
191 Falls Road
Belfast
BT12 6FE
Tel: +44 (0) 28 9026 8320
E-mail: admissions@smucb.ac.uk
Careers / Further progression
Careers
The majority of students taking the BEd Primary degree course wish to pursue a career in teaching. The course has been developed in consultation with the General Teaching Council Northern Ireland (GTCNI) and fully meets the requirements of the GTCNI and the Department of Education. Graduates have Qualified Teacher Status (necessary to obtain permanent employment as a teacher) and are eligible to register with the GTCNI.
Most graduates enter employment as teachers in primary schools within Northern Ireland. However a significant percentage of graduating students decide to apply for and are appointed to teaching posts outside Northern Ireland e.g. recent BEd graduates have been successful in securing permanent teaching posts in England and Scotland whilst others have decided to move further away and secured posts in Europe and Asia.
Beyond teaching, studying for a BEd degree at St Mary’s develops the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Some graduates decide not to teach in schools, but rather, pursue other careers related to education, such as sports development. Other graduates may also decide to pursue their academic studies further and take Masters or Doctoral courses in education or other subject specialisms.
Further information
Academic Year: 2024-25.
Yes
Undergraduate Applications
All applications must be made directly to the College as St Mary’s is not a member of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
To apply, go online to www.smucb.ac.uk/admissions or contact:
The Academic Registry
St Mary’s University College
191 Falls Road
Belfast
BT12 6FE
Tel: +44 (0) 28 9026 8320
E-mail: admissions@smucb.ac.uk
The College website is regularly updated with relevant admissions information.
When to Apply
For full-time undergraduate courses, applications for 2024 entry may be submitted from Monday, 2nd October 2023 until Monday, 22nd January 2024. Any form received after the closing date will be deemed late. Late applications may be considered if vacancies remain available.
Bachelor of Education Primary
Structure of the Degree
This is a four-year honours degree programme leading to registration with the GTCNI and full recognition to teach by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland. In the first three years of the programme, students take courses in the following five strands:
• Education Studies,
• Curriculum Studies,
• Key Skills (Literacy, Numeracy, UICT),
• Professional Development and School Experience,
• Subject Study and Subject Application.
In the final year of the programme, Subject Study and Subject Application are replaced by a Specialist Module. This is an integrative and culminating module which allows the students to demonstrate the high-level skills and knowledge required to earn the BEd Honours qualification.
Education Studies
Education Studies modules are a compulsory element within each year of the BEd programmes. Each year, the modules have a core theme which provides a theoretical foundation for the areas addressed in the other strands of the programme. The modules draw on all the disciplines of Education and address a range of theoretical and professional issues. This broad area of study facilitates the development of the knowledge and understanding that underpins successful teaching.
Curriculum Studies
Modules within this strand of the programme involve the study of teaching strategies and modes of learning for all areas of the Northern Ireland Curriculum.
Key Skills
There is a strong emphasis across the BEd Programme on the areas of Literacy, Numeracy and using ICT (UICT); linking knowledge and skills in these areas to practice on School Experience.
Professional Development and School Experience
Professional Development and School Experience modules are the core of each year of the BEd programme. The modules are closely allied to the Education and Curriculum Studies modules and provide a practice-based perspective on the theoretical and pedagogical issues which those modules address. The modules focus on the development of the professional skills, capacities, knowledge and understanding required by teachers in contemporary schools. The taught element of these modules is integrally linked to School Experience and the development of the students’ professional practice.
The practical element of teaching is an important aspect of the BEd programme. The BEd degree is competence based, and each year, as students gain experience and confidence, they are asked to demonstrate increasing levels of proficiency in the classroom. Over the course of the programme, students will have opportunities to teach children of varying ages and abilities in a range of different contexts. There are also opportunities for students to choose options through which they may gain experience of teaching in nursery or special sectors. Students must pass School Experience each year to proceed to the next stage of the course.
Subject Study and Subject Application
All students spend about one third of their time in College in the study of a subject of their choice. The subject study element enables students to develop their understanding of a traditional academic discipline and provides them with specific expertise. It enhances the intellectual formation of the student teacher and facilitates the development of their curriculum leadership capacity. Subject application is a distinctive aspect of subject study at St Mary’s, and it assists students with integrating their learning in the chosen subject area with their professional development as teachers.
The BEd Primary IME Option
An optional Irish Medium course is offered on the BEd Honours programme. This offers students the opportunity to follow the BEd through Irish and English and gain significant insights into educational issues associated with immersion education. This course is available to all main subject areas.
The Certificate in Bilingual Education is awarded as an additional qualification to the BEd degree. These qualifications are indicative of essential knowledge and skills of graduates who choose to apply for positions in Nursery and Primary sectors in both Irish and English medium schools.
The course content is based on the requirements of the NI curriculum. During the four year programme there will be a bilingual dimension to the Education modules.
Students will usually spend two of the four School Experience placements in Irish medium Naíscoil or Bunscoil Lán-Ghaeilge and the remaining two in English medium schools. Some elements of the course will be taught through Irish in Years One and Two. There will be an increase in the proportion of the course taught through Irish in Years Three and Four.
How may I apply for the IME Option?
As soon as students are offered a place in St Mary’s University College, they will have the opportunity to apply for the Irish medium route. Students with Irish as their specialist subject are automatically enrolled in the Irish-medium option. Students from other subject areas may select this option during Induction Week in year one and attend an interview with the Irish-medium coordinator.
A high level of competence in Irish is essential. This normally implies an A-level standard or equivalent. It is not essential that students have Irish as their main subject. Students from other subject areas are welcome (e.g. Religious Studies, Music, History, PE) providing they can demonstrate competence in oral and written Irish.
Religious Studies
Among the areas covered in the present course are studies of selected sections of the New Testament and the Old Testament, issues relating to handing on the faith and understanding the Sacraments, selected issues in dogmatic and moral theology, aspects of Church history and an overview of the key concepts of the beliefs and practices of other major Christian denominations and selected world religions.
Students also receive tuition on practical aspects of teaching religious education at Primary Level. Teaching and learning is through interactive lectures, tutorial sessions and independent learning. Assessment is through coursework and written examinations.
Enquiries regarding admission should be directed to:
The Academic Registry
St Mary’s University College
191 Falls Road
Belfast
BT12 6FE
Tel: +44 (0) 28 9026 8320
E-mail: admissions@smucb.ac.uk
Web: www.smucb.ac.uk