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Science Teaching UCC

  • 10-02-2015 5:46pm
    #1
    xLisaBx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 901 ✭✭✭


    Just wondering what you all think of the degree? I'm considering transferring to this course as I'm unhappy in my own. The structure seems a little odd. What's the current situation on employment in Ireland with it? Would I be better off doing biology or chemistry? Thanks in advance :)


Comments

  • #2
    solerina
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭solerina


    xLisaBx wrote: »
    Just wondering what you all think of the degree? I'm considering transferring to this course as I'm unhappy in my own. The structure seems a little odd. What's the current situation on employment in Ireland with it? Would I be better off doing biology or chemistry? Thanks in advance :)


    Employment situation is pretty bad at the moment, there are loads of qualified Science/Biology/Chemistry teachers who are working but on very low hours or who cant find work at all. Think long and hard before doing any teaching course, there is just so little work, and the job is getting more difficult by the day !!


  • #3
    xLisaBx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 901 ✭✭✭xLisaBx


    solerina wrote: »
    Employment situation is pretty bad at the moment, there are loads of qualified Science/Biology/Chemistry teachers who are working but on very low hours or who cant find work at all. Think long and hard before doing any teaching course, there is just so little work, and the job is getting more difficult by the day !!

    Thank you :) Are there any subjects that have high teaching employability?


  • #4
    solerina
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭solerina


    xLisaBx wrote: »
    Thank you :) Are there any subjects that have high teaching employability?

    At the moment, honestly...NO !!


  • #5
    TheDriver
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,689 ✭✭✭✭TheDriver


    Yes: Home Economics, Gaeilge, French, Maths.
    The issue with UCC course is that it gives registration in Bio or Chem whereas other courses such as UL gives 2 subjects I believe.


  • #6
    xLisaBx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 901 ✭✭✭xLisaBx


    I wouldn't mind teaching maths and chemistry if that was possible!


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  • #7
    Corkgirl18
    Closed Accounts Posts: 894 ✭✭✭Corkgirl18


    xLisaBx wrote: »
    Just wondering what you all think of the degree? I'm considering transferring to this course as I'm unhappy in my own. The structure seems a little odd. What's the current situation on employment in Ireland with it? Would I be better off doing biology or chemistry? Thanks in advance :)

    I'm currently doing this course and I did the Chemistry stream. Employment apparently isn't great at the moment but all the graduates who did the chemistry stream last year all have some sort of employment now. There are jobs in the UK most definitely.
    The course is tough enough. The first 3 years are basically all chemistry with bits of biology and physics and maths and 4th year is mostly teaching placement and some education modules. You're really thrown in at the deep end in regards to teaching placement in 2nd and 3rd year but that is good sometimes.
    Its a better option than paying 11k to do the PME. I'll be qualified to teach Science and Chemistry. A school could put you teaching physics or maths if they see you have studied it in your degree though.


  • #8
    xLisaBx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 901 ✭✭✭xLisaBx


    Corkgirl18 wrote: »
    I'm currently doing this course and I did the Chemistry stream. Employment apparently isn't great at the moment but all the graduates who did the chemistry stream last year all have some sort of employment now. There are jobs in the UK most definitely.
    The course is tough enough. The first 3 years are basically all chemistry with bits of biology and physics and maths and 4th year is mostly teaching placement and some education modules. You're really thrown in at the deep end in regards to teaching placement in 2nd and 3rd year but that is good sometimes.
    Its a better option than paying 11k to do the PME. I'll be qualified to teach Science and Chemistry. A school could put you teaching physics or maths if they see you have studied it in your degree though.

    It sounds really good, is there more employment in biology or chemistry teaching? I'm used to hard work, I'm in biomed at the moment :D


  • #9
    Inspector Coptoor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,818 ✭✭✭Inspector Coptoor


    Biology is the biggest option subject in the country at LC with 32000 candidates per year on average taking the exam at either HL or OL.

    The problem is it's also the widest science so there are so many biology based graduates who heve a H Dip.

    I have a biochem degree & teach LC Chem & bio.


  • #10
    Corkgirl18
    Closed Accounts Posts: 894 ✭✭✭Corkgirl18


    xLisaBx wrote: »
    It sounds really good, is there more employment in biology or chemistry teaching? I'm used to hard work, I'm in biomed at the moment :D

    Its hard to say. Our head lecturer Declan Kennedy is probably biased but he said that it was madness that they started up the biology route in UCC because there are no jobs for biology teachers whatsoever. He must think we have some hope.


  • #11
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,397 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Corkgirl18 wrote: »
    I'm currently doing this course and I did the Chemistry stream. Employment apparently isn't great at the moment but all the graduates who did the chemistry stream last year all have some sort of employment now. There are jobs in the UK most definitely.
    The course is tough enough. The first 3 years are basically all chemistry with bits of biology and physics and maths and 4th year is mostly teaching placement and some education modules. You're really thrown in at the deep end in regards to teaching placement in 2nd and 3rd year but that is good sometimes.
    Its a better option than paying 11k to do the PME. I'll be qualified to teach Science and Chemistry. A school could put you teaching physics or maths if they see you have studied it in your degree though.

    Not so much any more when there is an oversupply of teachers in most subject areas and not too many jobs. That and there has been a drive to get qualified teachers by offering post grad to teachers already teaching maths who are not qualified. We have 8 qualified maths teachers on staff. So much so that we didn't have anyone doing the extra qualification to upskill.

    Corkgirl18 wrote: »
    Its hard to say. Our head lecturer Declan Kennedy is probably biased but he said that it was madness that they started up the biology route in UCC because there are no jobs for biology teachers whatsoever. He must think we have some hope.


    Less students taking chemistry qualifications at third level for teaching, but less students doing chemistry at Leaving Cert level too. It's swings and roundabouts really.

    I'd go so far as to say that it's harder to get a physics teacher that either chemistry or biology.


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