Education - Post Primary Teaching - Secondary

The Professional Master of Education Post-Primary (PME) at Maynooth University is a two-year, level 9, full-time initial teacher education programme. This 120-credit programme is designed to allow students to meet the registration requirements for the Teaching Council of Ireland.



Students undertake study of the principles of teaching and learning, and develop practical teaching skills informed by the foundation disciplines of educational theory. They engage in a supervised teaching placement in at least two different post-primary (age 12-18yrs) schools, and specialise through subject-specific methodology modules. Details of the subject methodologies offered previously on the Professional Master of Education Programme are available here. The Maynooth University PME is fully recognised and accredited by the Teaching Council of Ireland.



The course commences in late August for preparatory webinars and school placement observation, with school placement and lectures commencing in September and running until the end of May.



School Placement



Prospective students are responsible for arranging their own school placements (within a 160 km radius of Maynooth University). PME students (year 1) along with their weekly placements will also undertake a three-week block placement in January.



Learning to Teach/Becoming a Teacher/Curriculum and Assessment/Global and Inclusive Education

The central focus of these modules is on enabling the student to develop a repertoire of pedagogical skills and to adopt a professional, self-analytical and reflective approach to classroom practice. This is aimed at deepening the student's understanding of the processes of teaching and learning, of assessment, of education, of pupils and their psycho-social development, of schools within their evolving social context and of the structure and development of the system within which they work. Among the research sources that inform these modules are global citizenship and social justice, inclusive approaches to education, digital literacy, pedagogical and curriculum studies, the history and structure of education, educational psychology, sociology of education and the philosophy of education



Teaching/Learning Seminars in Subject Methods

These consist of seminars/lectures/workshops devoted to the methodology teaching and learning of school subjects.



Course Duration: 2 years full-time

Entry to the PME is dependent in the first instance by your undergraduate degree (level 8 or equivalent). As a prospective candidate to the PME, you must have gained or be in the final year of an undergraduate degree in at least one curricular subject area taught at post-primary level.



Your undergraduate qualification must be recognised as relevant and of an appropriate standard by the Teaching Council. This document sets out the 'Curricular Subject Requirements' that must be met for the purposes of registration with the Teaching Council as a post-primary teacher. These requirements have been revised and we recommend this document be read carefully to determine whether your degree qualifies you to teach at second level. The onus is on the applicant to ensure the requirements as set out by the Teaching Council to teach their chosen subject have been met.



Entry to the PME programme is competitive. Applicants are required to complete an additional PME-specific online form providing information on subject specialism, degree results, additional qualifications, and professional experience. In line with the government's current initiative to increase the supply of teachers in nationally prioritised subjects, additional places will be allocated to applicants who meet the criteria for the following priority subjects: Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science and Modern Languages including Irish, German, French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.



Please ensure that your responses are accurate and provided to the best of your knowledge. Supporting evidence for your answers will be requested and verified during the application review process. Failure to provide such evidence will result in your application failing to progress to the next stage of selection. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the full guidance notes on answering these questions before submitting their responses.







International Students:



Admission to the Professional Master of Education [PME] and/or completion of said programme does not guarantee registration as a teacher in Ireland, or in any other country. Maynooth University bears no responsibility for ensuring that PME graduates meet requirements for teacher registration. It is the responsibility of the international applicant to ensure that the Maynooth University PME is recognised as a teacher education qualification by the country in which they plan to teach.

Closing Date : 31 January 2025



Applications are open for the 2025/6 academic year. Visit our online application portal to start your application.

We are here to support you throughout the admissions process.



For queries on your postgraduate course options please contact pgstudies@mu.ie

For queries or support on your application process please contact pgadmissions@mu.ie



If you are an international (Non-EU) applicant please contact internationaladmissions@mu.ie

2 years full-time

The course commences in late August and lectures and school placement end in May.

The Professional Master of Education is the main qualification recognised by the Department of Education and Skills for teaching at second-level in Ireland. It is also recognised under the EU directives on mutual recognition of professional qualifications.