Application Guide Autumn 2023

PME in Post-Primary Education


Please ensure that you meet the entry requirements before starting your application.

If you have further questions, please call our Enrolment Helpline at +353 (0)1 661 0168 (press 2) between 9 AM and 5 PM Monday to Friday.

Do you meet the entry requirements?

NFQ Level 8 degree

You must hold an undergraduate degree at Level 8 or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). This degree must have an ECTS weighting of at least 180 credits and meets all the necessary criteria in the relevant Teaching Council Subject Declaration Form. Your degree must match directly to a Leaving Certificate subject.

Sufficient credits in chosen subject(s)

To complete the PME in Post-Primary Education, you must select at least one subject (or you can select two subjects) in which you meet all the requirements. You must carefully consider both subjects because you will be examined about both in your interview. You will need to have sufficient credits from your undergraduate degree in one of your chosen subjects. If you have less than 40 credits in your second subject, we recommend that you select the Digital Technology in Teaching and Learning module (5 ECTS) instead of a second subject.

Hibernia College currently offers the following teaching methodologies:

  • Accounting
  • Agricultural Science
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science*
  • Economics
  • English
  • French
  • Gaeilge
  • Geography
  • German
  • History
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Politics and Society*
  • Spanish

*pending validation and accreditation

Do you have your supporting documents?

NFQ Level 8 Transcripts

You are required to upload your official undergraduate transcripts when making your application. Transcripts are a breakdown of the results you received in each module for each year of your degree. They are NOT the certificate/parchment you received on your graduation day. If you do not have your transcripts in your possession, you can re-order them from your awarding institute. Please note this may take some time, so you should request for them as soon as possible.

If you are in the final year of your degree or are scheduled to re-sit your Leaving Certificate this June, you can apply for our Autumn programme pending these results. You should upload transcripts of results for previous years and indicate that you are pending results by recording a ‘P’ in your application, where appropriate. If successful in your application, any offer will be issued on a conditional basis. For further information about conditional offers, please refer to the application terms and conditions.


Subject Declaration Form

To complete the Teaching Council Subject Declaration Form, you must have your degree transcripts from your Level 8 degree at hand. These must have a breakdown of the degree’s ECTS credits and module codes. Please note you will not be able to progress with an application without these ECTS credits and module codes.

If your transcripts do not include ECTS credits and module codes, you must request these from your awarding institution. This is also relevant if your degree was awarded outside of Ireland and/or if you were awarded your degree before 2006. Please contact us as soon as possible so that we can provide you with template letters that you can send to your awarding institution.

Is your Subject Declaration Form complete?

You must complete and upload all pages of the Subject Declaration Form must be completed and uploaded.

  • Answer all questions in the yes/no section.
  • Ensure credits and modules are legible and within the lined sections.
  • Ensure the document is legible, in the correct order and has a written signature (e-signatures are accepted).

When making your subject choices, it is important to note that you are required to meet all Teaching Council requirements in your Subject 1, including the requisite number of ECTS credits and completed Subject Declaration Form. If you hold 40 credits or more in a second subject, we recommend you select this as your Subject 2. While you will not be in a position to register in this subject unless you meet all Teaching Council requirements, you will be required to upload a Subject Declaration Form for the purposes of your application only.

If you have less than 40 credits in your second subject, we recommend that you select the Digital Technology in Teaching and Learning module (5 ECTS) instead of a second subject.

If you have chosen a language as one of your subjects, you must provide evidence of linguistic competency and proof of residency and immersive educational experience.

Are your documents in the correct format?

You must scan and upload all documents must be scanned and uploaded in a clear, legible PDF format (one PDF file per document). We cannot accept Word documents, pictures or other formats.

  • If your file size is over 4 MB, you must use a file compressor. To find this tool, do an online search for ‘PDF file compressor’.
  • If you need to merge multiple pages into one document, you must use a file merger. To find this tool, do an online search for ‘PDF file merger’. 

Note: Only documents submitted in the correct PDF format will be reviewed.

Are you ready to interview?

Once your online application has been reviewed and you are deemed to meet all entry requirements, you will be placed in a queue for an interview. The interview will be approximately 25 minutes in length.

At the start of the interview, you will present on a Junior or Senior Cycle curriculum topic of interest. The chosen topic should be related to your first subject choice. Your presentation should be no longer than three minutes. You will then be given the opportunity to show your interest and enthusiasm for both of your chosen subjects and the profession. Please note if one or both of your subject choices is a modern language, your proficiency in this language will be assessed.

The interview will focus on the following key elements: motivations and the profession, suitability to teach and subject knowledge, and preparation and competencies. Remember that your personal statement may be discussed in the interview.

To further enhance your subject knowledge and to ensure you are familiar with the curriculum, we advise reviewing curriculumonline.ie.

Ready to start your application?

Take the next step

Download complete version of
sample undergraduate transcript