PGDip Education in Special Educational Needs

The Postgraduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs is a full-time programme running for 9 months from the date of first registration for the programme designed for primary and post-primary teachers.  You will be notified by the School of Education, UCC, when to attend your first lecture.

Teachers will be released from their schools for 8 weeks during the academic year to attend lectures and seminars at the University. In addition, teachers will be supervised in their schools during the portion of the academic year when they return to their teaching duties. Teachers will also be required to undertake action research and case study work in their schools, all of which will form an integral part of the programme.

Full details on the programme including APPLICATION DETAILS can be found on the DES site: https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0009_2021.pdf 

Attendance: Satisfactory attendance at lectures, workshops and seminars is required.

Examination: In order to be eligible for admission to the University Examination for the Postgraduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs, a candidate must have satisfactorily pursued the prescribed programme of study, and satisfactorily undertaken a supervised school practicum, evaluated by the School of Education staff, on a Pass/Fail basis.

Each module is assessed by continuous assessment (and in ED6201 by supervised school practicum) and candidates must pass each module. Candidates may be required to attend for an oral examination.

Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2018 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.

Students take 60 credits as follows:

Further details on the content and modules are available in Calendar - Book of Modules

For candidates who satisfactorily meet the entry requirements of the MEd, and have achieved an honours grade in the Postgraduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs, an exemption of 60 credits of the taught element of the MEd programme will be granted. However, the remaining 60 credits of the MEd programme must include the compulsory dissertation of 30 credits. Places on the MEd are limited each year and there is a competitive selection procedure for places.

Link to MEd prospectus Entry: MEd