Professional Masters in Education (P.M.E.)

NFQ Level 9
2 years full-time
120 Places

Overview

Course Overview

The Professional Masters of Education (PME) is a required qualification for those wishing to work as post-primary school teachers in the Republic of Ireland and a recognised teaching qualification within the EU. The course aims to prepare new entrants for the teaching profession who are subject experts in their chosen discipline, are knowledgeable, creative and reflective about the aims and processes of education and who are professional in all aspects of their work.

The programme achieves a high level of integration between theoretically informed professional studies, the foundation disciplines and school placement providing for a coherent, holistic student experience across a range of sites of practice. The student experience is underpinned by research-informed teaching, which facilitates student teachers to engage with research as an integral part of their postgraduate education throughout the programme.

On entering the programme, students are embarking on a process of professional development which continues through to their induction and probation as a newly qualified teacher and then on to continuing their professional development as an experienced teacher. The two-year full-time programme of Initial Teacher Education constitutes the first stage of this process, primarily a programme of professional development with a significant academic dimension. There is a clear emphasis on the acquisition of key teaching competences and students are expected to develop the competences both during their time in university and while on school placement.

Is This Course For Me?

The Professional Master of Education is best suited to individuals who wish to develop specialist pedagogical knowledge of their subject(s), thereby allowing them to teach in post-primary schools.

Career Opportunities

This course provides a holistic programme to prepare graduates for a career in the teaching profession through the development of critical and analytical skills, creative methods and strategies for teaching and a reflective professional approach to teaching and learning.

Course Structure

The Professional Master of Education is a two-year, 120 ECTS, NFQ Level 9 programme.

Course Content

The 2-year full-time PME with specialisms in nine post primary curriculum subjects. Applicants select one at the time of application as their Major subject; Business Studies (including Accounting and Economics); English; Geography; History.; An Ghaeilge; Mathematics (including Applied Mathematics); Modern Languages (including French, German, Italian, Spanish and other curricular languages; Music: Science (including Biology, Chemistry and Physics).

The programme consists of four components which work together in a spiral, iterative manner:

  1. Foundation of Education disciplines aim to provide aspiring teachers with the critical theoretical knowledge necessary to underpin their professional practice.                      
  2. Professional Studies focus on the student teacher’s specific subject area. These modules work together to develop student teachers’ competence and confidence teaching their chosen subjects.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
  3. School Placements in Year 1 and Advanced School Placement in Year 2 are major elements of the programme and students are accepted for the programme must source these placements these two placements in two different schools within 85km of the university.                                                                                                              
  4. Electives modules, which can include: Literacy and Numeracy; Youth Mental Health Promotion; Social, Personal Health Education (SPHE); Global Citizenship Education; Drama in Education; Arts Education; Irish Traditional Music; and History of Education. Please note: electives are subject to change.

Students will be equipped with the relevant knowledge and skills to reflect on their periods of School placement and academic studies in education and to complete a substantial research project (10,000-word thesis).

Click here for further information on modules/subjects.

Study Professional Masters Education (P.M.E.) at Trinity

Introduction to the Professional Master in Education (P.M.E.) at the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin.

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Course Details

Awards

NFQ Level 9

Number of Places

120 Places

Next Intake

September 2025

Course Coordinator

Dr. Louise Heeran Flynn

Closing Date

As per the dates on the apply links

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Admission Requirements

Applicants must be university graduates, with an honours Bachelor's degree. The qualifying degree must be equivalent to at least Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications(NFQ). The qualifying degree must carry at least 180 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits (or equivalent), and include, as a substantial component, (at least 60 ECTS credits), in at least one subject from the list of those taught at Leaving Certificate level in Ireland.

Applicants should be aware of specific entry criteria to the teaching profession which are set and regulated by the Department of Education and Skills in association with the Teaching Council of Ireland, and which must be satisfied independently of the School of Education’s entry requirements. The School of Education is committed to ensuring an inclusive approach to education with a broad and diverse teaching profession. We shortlist and interview candidates on the basis of their degree award and their professional and life experiences. 

Students will be required to undergo Garda Vetting. For more information please visit: www.tcd.ie/students/orientation/postgraduates/garda-vetting.php

English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements. For more details of qualifications that meet Band B, see the English Language Requirements page here.

Course Fees

Click here for a full list of postgraduate fees.

Register Your Interest

Register your interest in studying at Ireland’s leading university, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.

Register Your Interest

I was always drawn to the field of education and enrolling in the P.M.E. in Trinity gave me the perfect opportunity to do this. I studied Mathematics and French in Trinity, and so finishing the P.M.E. programme marked the end of a six-year relationship I had with the university. The course is a whirlwind of an experience. I was so lucky to have some fantastic lecturers who worked with me closely throughout the programme. My peers on the course introduced me to new ways of thinking about teaching: the way the classroom should and could be. It was exciting to be given the chance to challenge and enhance my ideas of education. My fellow teachers-to-be and I learned from each other’s experiences and from the differences and similarities in our educational values and ideals. We shared the highs and lows of teaching for the first time. For me, the solidarity of working alongside like-minded, passionate people was invaluable.

Iseult O’Rourke

Graduate