The Professional Master of Education (PME) in Primary Education is a two year, 120-credit award at level 9, designed to qualify graduates as primary teachers. Combining theory and teaching practice, the programme is designed to equip student teachers with the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary to develop creative and flexible approaches to teaching in different settings, embracing pupils with a range of diverse and often complex needs. This programme of learning positions graduates to be leaders in the field of primary education.

Teacher Education Colleges

In Ireland there are six Colleges of Education:

Hibernia College, Dublin (blended learning approach – online and face-to-face)

• St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
• Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
• Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education at NUI Maynooth, Maynooth, Co. Kildare
• Colaiste Mhuire, Marino Institute of Education, Dublin 
• Church of Ireland College of Education, Dublin

In Northern Ireland there are three Colleges of Education:

• Stranmillis University College (a college of Queen’s University Belfast)
• St. Mary’s University College (a college of Queen’s University Belfast)
• University of Ulster

TEG

see http://www.teg.ie/

TEG & PME

Institutions of Education around Ireland accept applications annually for the Professional Master in Education (PME - Primary Teaching). As part of the entry process, applicants are required to take the Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge (TEG) Meánleibhéal 1 (B1) Irish-language oral examination. This exam is based on the CFER (common European language framework) and it is a means of verifying an applicant’s minimum level of required proficiency in the language. For entry to primary teaching, applicants must achieve 65% or higher in this oral examination to satisfy entry requirements. Further information and sample exam papers are available at

http://www.teg.ie/about-exams/teg-pme-primary-teaching.860.html