Bachelor of Education in Languages

Module Electives - what are they?

Electives give you the opportunity to choose modules that you want to study.

Each Semester you will be given a choice of a number of modules and you will be asked to select a certain amount to study. This can range from 1 module to 4 modules, based on the course.

For example, you may be given a list of 4 modules, and will be asked to choose 2 to study for the upcoming semester.

Course Pathways - what are they?

A course pathway, or elective stream, is where you choose a particular area to specialise in within the broader course.

The pathway you choose will influence the modules you can study each semester and will be recognised in your final degree as an area of expertise.

For example, if you are studying Applied languages you are required to specialise in 2 languages from a selection of French, German, Irish and Spanish.

Pathways in Bachelor of Education in Languages

Students on this course will be required to choose 2 languages from the below to study for their 4 years:

• Gaeilge
• French
• German
• Spanish
• Japanese

You will need to hold a Leaving Certificate H3 in one of the two languages you are choosing to study. German, Spanish and Japanese will be available to study from a beginner level, so can be one of your choices if you didn't study it up to Leaving Certificate level. 

What you will study       

This programme will provide opportunities for school-leavers with proven ability and interest in languages to acquire a high level of cultural and communicative competence in two languages. The languages students can choose from are French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Irish. You will choose two of these. As part of teacher preparation, students will go on two practicum placements for teaching practice. The first school placement is for 8 weeks in the 2nd year of your studies and for 10 weeks in 4th year.

Please note that in order to register with the Teaching Council of Ireland graduates must have verifiable residential experience of at least two months in a country where the vernacular (spoken language) is that of the language they wish to teach or two months in a Gaeltacht area in the case of Gaeilge/Irish (6 months in the case of Japanese). This experience is not a structured part of the BEd Languages programme and students are advised to gain this experience in advance of course completion.

By the end of this course, graduates will:        

• Demonstrate the required skills to competently and confidently teach through the target languages
• Apply your professional knowledge base to planning and implementing appropriate teaching, learning and assessment strategies and integrate this knowledge with qualities of inquiry and reflective practice
• Observe, reflect and critique practice in a variety of educational settings as well as engaging in non-teaching activities.
• Demonstrate the professional competencies identified in the Teaching Council’s Codes of Professional Conduct for Teachers
• Exercise sound judgement based on well-considered educational principles in their planning, design and delivery of relevant disciplinary based teaching and learning experiences in second-level schools
• Develop the personal and interpersonal skills necessary to promote the academic, social and personal development of students in their care

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this programme are qualified for appointment to all second-level schools (vocational, secondary, community and comprehensive schools).  Graduates achieving an adequate standard may also proceed to obtain a higher degree by research.

Follow-on Study

Graduates have the opportunity to pursue further study in the disciplines of Languages or Education. In addition, graduates can register for higher degrees by research in either Languages or Education that lead to Masters or PhD qualifications.