Key Info

Bachelor of Science with concurrent Teacher Education (Physical Sciences with Chemistry AND Physics)

NFQ Level 8 major Award Honours Bachelor Degree
CAO points history
465
Course code
LM096
Duration
4 Years
† Students admitted to the programme are required to undergo a Garda Vetting process.
Subject area
Education
Course Director
Regina Kelly
Email
LM096@ul.ie
Admissions:
Tel
+353 (0)61 233755

UL's School of Education is the largest post-primary teacher education provider in the state and is ranked in the top 100 universities in the world for Education programmes. University of Limerick is also ranked within the top 75 universities in Europe for excellence in teaching and learning.

Graduates of this Science Teaching programme are qualified to teach the following subjects in all Irish second level schools.

  • Leaving Certificate Physics
  • Leaving Certificate Chemistry
  • Leaving Certificate Physics with Chemistry
  • Junior Certificate Science

The programme is designed to produce a graduate who is highly educated and capable both academically and professionally, and who will be prepared to meet the challenges involved in teaching the physical sciences.

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What you will study

In common with other teacher education programmes at the University of Limerick, the B.Sc.(Ed) in Physics and Chemistry is based on the concurrent model. Academic and professional studies proceed together throughout the course and modules in the core science subjects are taken.

The first two years of study provide a foundation in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Mathematics in addition to Education and Pedagogics. The latter will focus on preparing students to teach the revised science specification at junior cycle.

In the third and fourth years, you will continue to study physical sciences at a more advanced level along with further modules in Education. This will include detailed preparation in the revised physics and chemistry senior cycle specifications.

The science pedagogics modules in your degree have been designed in close collaboration with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (who designed the new specifications) and the Junior Cycle for Teachers (who are tasked with associated professional development for teachers). In addition the course director was a member of the development group that designed the junior cycle specification. This ensures that graduates are thoroughly prepared for the totality of science education in Irish schools which is well aligned with international best-practice.

In the final year, you will undertake a project which may be in the area of Physics, Chemistry, Science Education, or Educational Theory. As part of this work you are required to demonstrate abilities in research, literature review, analysis, synthesis and interpretation of research findings as applied to the selected topic. This will develop your capacity to act as a researcher of your professional teaching practice, a key focus of both the Teaching Council and the School Self-Evaluation Process facilitated by the Inspectorate.

There are two periods of teaching practice placement during the course. The first, of six weeks, occurs in Year 2, and the second, of ten weeks, occurs in Year 4. During teaching practice, you will be supervised by an academic staff member and undertake assigned coursework.

CODE  

YEAR 1 - SEMESTER 1  

ECTS  

CODE  

YEAR 1 - SEMESTER 2  

ECTS  

EN4051  

CONTEMPORARY UNDERSTANDINGS AND THINKING ON EDUCATION  

6  

EN4042  

PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL COMPETENCE FOR TEACHING    

6  

PH4131  

MECHANICS/HEAT/ELECTRICITY/MAGNETISM  

6  

EN4052  

UNDERSTANDING YOUNG PEOPLE AND HOW THEY LEARN  

6  

PH4051  

MEASUREMENT AND PROPERTIES OF MATTER  

6  

PH4102  

WAVES/LIGHT/MODERN PHYSICS  

6  

CH4701 

GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1 

6  

PH4092  

SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES  

6  

  

  

  

CH4031 

GENERAL CHEMISTRY 2 (INORGANIC) 

 

 

 

CH4041 

GENERAL CHEMISTRY 2 (PHYSICAL) 

   

Total Credits Semester 1  

24  

   

Total Credits Semester 2  

30  

   

Total ECTS Credits Year 2 = 54  

CODE  

YEAR 2 - SEMESTER 3  

ECTS  

CODE  

YEAR 2 - SEMESTER 4  

ECTS  

EN4033  

PLANNING FOR LEARNING  

6  

EN4054  

UNDERSTANDING CLASSROOM PRACTICES  

6  

SE4034  

INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE PEDAGOGY  

6  

TP4024  

CORE: SCHOOL PLACEMENT 1  

24  

PH4613  

FORCES, POTENTIAL AND FIELDS  

6  

   

   

   

PH4013  

EARTH SCIENCE  

6  

   

   

   

CH4013 

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 

6  

   

   

   

CH4303 

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 1A 

6  

   

   

   

   

Total Credits Semester 3  

36  

   

Total Credits Semester 4  

30  

   

 

   

Total ECTS Credits Year 3: 66  

CODE  

SEMESTER 5  

ECTS  

CODE  

SEMESTER 6  

ECTS  

EN4035  

CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT, POLICY AND PRACTICE  

6  

EN4046  

DIVERSITY OF LEARNERS: INCLUSION AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS  

6  

EN4045  

DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN EDUCATION SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES  

6  

SE4016  

ADVANCED SCIENCE PEDAGOGY  

6  

PH4041  

OPTICS  

6  

PH4042  

THERMAL PHYSICS  

6  

CH4003 

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 2 

6  

CH4304 

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 2 

6  

CH4253 

INORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2B 

6  

CH4004 

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 3 

6  

   

Total Credits Semester 5  

30  

   

Total Credits Semester 6  

30  

   

Total ECTS Credits Year 3: 60  

   

Total ECTS Credits Year 3: 60  

CODE  

SEMESTER 7  

ECTS  

CODE  

SEMESTER 8  

ECTS  

TP4027  

Core Module: Placement  

30  

EN4018  

TEACHER AS PROFESSIONAL  

6  

   

   

   

PH4072  

ELECTROMAGNETISM  

6  

   

   

   

PH4132  

MODERN PHYSICS  

6  

   

   

   

CH4027 

NANOTECHNOLOGY 

6  

   

   

   

CH4104 

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 3 

6  

   

Total Credits Semester 7  

30  

   

Total Credits Semester 8  

30  

   

Total ECTS Credits Year 4: 60  

   

Total Credits Year 1, 2, 3, 4 = 240  

Entry requirements

CAO points history
465
Minimum grades

Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the established Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with a minimum of six subjects which must include: Two H5 (Higher level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English. 

Subject requirements

In addition, applicants must hold an H4 grade in Mathematics and an H4 grade in at least one of the following: Physics, Chemistry, Physics with Chemistry, Engineering and Applied Mathematics. 

 Garda Vetting is required for this programme. 

Additional considerations

We welcome applications from mature students. Mature applicants must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February.

Application information for mature student applicants (PDF)

QQI Pathways information available here.

Note: the University’s Special Mathematics Examination is applicable to this programme.

Non-EU Entry Requirements

How to apply

Where are you applying from? How to Apply
Ireland Irish students must apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found here. 
The UK  Students who have completed their A-Levels can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website. 
The EU EU Students can apply to UL via the CAO. More information can be found on the Academic Registry website.

 

Fees and funding

Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Levy and Tuition Fees.

A number of illustrative examples of fees for this course based on the current fee levels have been set out in the tables below.

An explanation of the components, how to determine status and the criteria involved is provided below the examples as is a list of possible scholarships and funding available.

EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant

HEA pays Tuition Fees €4,262
SUSI pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant

HEA pays Tuition Fees €4,262
Student pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant

Student pays Tuition Fees €4,262
Student pays Student contribution €3,000
Student pays Student Levy €100
€7,362

Non-EU Students

Student pays Tuition Fees €20,900
Student pays Student Levy €100
€21,000

Student course fees are comprised of the following components:

Student Contribution

Annual charge set by the government for all full-time third level students. All students are liable unless they have been approved for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please refer to https://www.studentfinance.ie to determine your eligibility for a grant and for instructions on how to apply. The current student contribution is set at €3000.

Student Levy

All students are liable to pay the Student Levy of €100. Please note the Student Levy is not covered by the SUSI Grant.

Tuition Fees

These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.

Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows

  1. Residency
    • You must have been living in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course
  2. Citizenship
    • You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
  3. Course Requirements (all must be met)
    • You must be a first time full-time undergraduate (Exceptions are provided for students who hold a Level 6 or Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 course in the same general area of study).
    • You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 year’s duration
    • You cannot be undertaking a repeat year of study at the same level unless evidence of exceptional circumstances eg serious illness is provided (in which case this condition may be waived)

Depending on how you meet these criteria your status will be one of the following -

  • Free Fee Status: You satisfy all three categories (1, 2 and 3) and therefore are eligible for the Higher Education Authority’s Free Fees scheme.
  • EU Fee Status: You satisfy the citizenship and/or residency criteria but fail to satisfy the course requirements and are liable to EU fees
  • Non EU Fee Status: You do not meet either the citizenship or residency criteria and are therefore liable to Non EU fees.

More information about fees can be found on the Finance website

These scholarships are available for this course

Title Award Scholarships Available
Johnson and Johnson WiSTEM2D Programme

These scholarships are available for all courses

Your future career

This programme has been fully accredited by the Teaching Council. Graduates of this programme are qualified for appointment to all second level schools (vocational, secondary, community and comprehensive schools), and for admission to the open register of the Registration Council for Secondary Teachers. Graduates achieving an adequate standard may also proceed to obtain a higher degree by research.

Want to find out more about possible careers with this degree? Click Here