Higher Diploma in Religious Education

Course details

Participants must satisfy the course committee that they have both the potential to achieve the academic and educational standards of the course, the motivation to achieve the aims of the course and access to formal and informal contexts of Religious Education. Participants must satisfy one of the following entrance requirements:

• Graduates who are recognised primary or post-primary teachers;
• Other persons with third level qualifications or equivalent;
• Candidates with sufficient motivation, interest in and experience of Religious Education who can demonstrate at interview that they have the potential to attain the standard required by NUI Galway and to achieve the specific aims of the course.

The specific aims of this programme are:

• To provide appropriate in-service support to secondary teachers of Religious Education who are teaching or preparing to teach the new Religious Education Syllabuses at Junior and Leaving Certificate Level.
• To support teachers of Religious Education at primary school level in developing participative and creative methodologies in harmony with the new ‘Alive-O’ programme.
• To support adults involved in Religious Education with children, young people and adults in non-formal contexts.
• To provide input on Theology and Religious Studies relevant to the personal and professional needs of the participants and which facilitates them in integrating these needs.
• To contribute to the spiritual and moral development of all participants on the course.
• To develop within the religious educator the skills, understanding and attitudes of the ‘reflective practitioner’.

Assessment

Given the underlying philosophy and methodology of the Higher Diploma, the forms of assessment will be both formative and summative. Coursework, which facilitates the aims of the Higher Diploma, will be undertaken throughout the two years of the course. As it is a Higher Diploma in Religious Education, the teaching element of the course will be assessed on an A-E scale.Students will need to achieve A, B or C in Teaching Practice to be eligible for an Honours Award. Given the practical nature of the Higher Diploma, full attendance on the course is required.

Career Opportunities

It also provides the knowledge and skills to deliver Religious Education programmes in primary schools and in a range of non-mainstream educational contexts.