BEd (Hons) Education Gaeilge

Teachers of Irish are now in high demand in secondary schools, both in English-speaking schools and also in Gaelcholáistí. This degree enables students to qualify as teachers of Irish in combination with a second subject through a 4-year undergraduate teaching degree. The second subjects offered in this degree are French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Mathematical Studies. For the languages, content will consist of intensive language teaching, accompanied by teaching in literature and other aspects of the culture and history of the countries where those languages are spoken. Students will spend one semester studying in the Gaeltacht. Students who chose to combine Irish with another language will also spend an Erasmus semester in the country where that language is spoken (France, Italy, Germany, or Spain). The teacher-education element of the degree includes placements and teaching-experience in schools throughout years 2–4 if the degree. This is a unique opportunity to qualify in 4 years for the exciting and challenging vocation of teaching Irish with another subject.

Modules

All modules 5 credits unless otherwise stated.

First Year Modules:

GA1003 Bunstaidéar ar Theanga agus ar Chultúr na Gaeilge (15 credits)

GA1008 An Nualitríocht (10 credits)

GA1009 An Ghaeilge Bheo

And 30 credits from ONE of the following subjects

FRENCH

FR1101 Foundation Course in Written and Oral French (10 credits)

FR1201 Introduction to French Studies

FR1104 Foundation Course in French Language for Teaching Purposes (10 credits)

FR1108 Tandem Learning for Language Teaching French 

GERMAN

German: Beginners’ German

GE1103 Integrated Written and Oral German Language Course for Beginners (10 credits)

GE1104 Introduction to German Culture and Literature for Beginners

GE1006 Beginners’ Oral and Written Classroom Language for Teaching Purposes 

GE1106 Understanding Language for the German Language Classroom: Sounds and Structures (10 credits)

OR

German: Non-Beginners’ German

GE1101 Integrated Written and Oral Language Course for German (10 credits)

GE1102 Introduction to Literature 

GE1007 Research Project in German Studies

GE1106 Understanding Language for the German Language Classroom: Sounds and Structures (10 credits)

ITALIAN

Italian: Beginners’ Italian

IT1101 Introduction to Written and Spoken Italian (10 credits)

IT1201 Post-Unification Italian Culture and Society 

IT1130 Italian Language: Text and Context 

IT1103 Understanding Language for the Italian Language Classroom: Sounds and Structures [10 credits]

OR

Italian: Non-Beginners’ Italian

This is an employment-focused degree that responds to teacher shortages in the secondary school sector.

The BEd Gaeilge is a 4-year degree which will fully-qualify graduates as post-primary teachers of Gaeilge and one other subject (French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Mathematics), without requiring any additional credits or postgraduate qualification.

Long-established, and ever-growing links between UCC and the Gaeltacht areas on its doorstep provide ready-made centres of excellence for teaching and learning of Gaeilge. Embedded features of Gaeltacht and Erasmus residencies during Years 2 and 3 facilitate immersive language exposure, and ensure that on graduation the student will have completed all Teaching Council requirements. Gaeltacht residencies will benefit from Department of the Gaeltacht subsidies. Education work-placements with UCC’s network of school affiliations, in years 2, 3 and 4, account for a significantly high proportion of credits, serving to position graduates strongly for employment.

See also BEd Gaeilge Scholarships/Scoláireachtaí Bed Gaeilge information.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

The elements of the degree completed in the four years include school-placements and Erasmus/Gaeltacht semesters. School placements occur throughout Years 2, 3 and 4 of the degree. The first semester (September to November) of Year 2 will be spent entirely in a Gaeltacht location. Where another language is chosen as the second subject, the second semester (January to March/April) of Year 3 will be spent entirely in a country where that language is spoken.