H Dip in Education

Talanta

Hi All, just looking for a bit of advice. I'm doing a masters in chemistry at the moment and I'd love to get into teaching after.

Would having a masters make it any easier to get into the program? And does anyone know if there's any demand out there for science/chemistry teachers?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

sitstill

You get extra points through the CAO-type system for having a masters but you have to have actually been conferred by the date you apply for the HDip to get them.

There is not much demand for teachers of any subject at the moment in Ireland but science teachers are highly desired people in the UK.

Talanta

Thanks sitstill, so if I had been conferred by then would I stand a good chance of getting it? And since my degree and masters are in chemistry I'd only be able to teach science and chemistry, would that matter?

sitstill

Talanta wrote: »

Thanks sitstill, so if I had been conferred by then would I stand a good chance of getting it? And since my degree and masters are in chemistry I'd only be able to teach science and chemistry, would that matter?

Yeah well you'd have extra points. But it depends on your grades etc. I can't remember how many points it was when I did it, but you'd find it on www.pac.ie

I'm not sure subject wise, as I don't teach science but I think that most science teachers teach science and then 1 of physics/chem/bio - so I think you'd be fine. Some science teachers also teach maths, but it probably depends on your degree.

rainbowtrout

Talanta wrote: »

Thanks sitstill, so if I had been conferred by then would I stand a good chance of getting it? And since my degree and masters are in chemistry I'd only be able to teach science and chemistry, would that matter?

It would help to have a second subject really. E.g. I have chemistry, biology, ag science and JC science (teacher training degree in science). All teachers that have a LC science subject can teach junior science, but not all schools offer chemistry. Realistically - and I'm just going on anecdotal evidence - for chemistry to stand any chance of running as a subject in any given 5th year the school would want to have at least 300-400 students in it, for there to be enough students to opt for the subject. Numbers taking it have been dropping in the last few years, but more students are now turning to science courses so hopefully that will mean an increase in the number of schools offering the subject.

That's not to say you wouldn't be able to get a job, but your chances would be better if you had another subject.

Talanta

Thanks for the advice

I looked at the pac website and worked out that I would have 44 points. I think the points this year were 43 but not everyone that got that was offered a place. Would I be cutting it fine with 44??

Also, how would you go about teaching a second subject? I only did biology until second year of my degree...

rainbowtrout

Talanta wrote: »

Thanks for the advice

I looked at the pac website and worked out that I would have 44 points. I think the points this year were 43 but not everyone that got that was offered a place. Would I be cutting it fine with 44??

Also, how would you go about teaching a second subject? I only did biology until second year of my degree...

You'd have to ring the Teaching Council to find that out. Usually the route is take a few extra (final year) modules to meet the requirement for the subject which is it must make up 30% of your degree and you must have studied it in final year.