TUS and DCU launch new joint Home Economics and Technology teaching degree
Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and Dublin City University (DCU) have launched a new joint Bachelor of Education in Home Economics and Technology (BEd HET).
This four-year degree programme will qualify students to teach Home Economics and Technology subjects at post-primary level.
The programme is the only teacher education course in Ireland to combine both subjects and is fully accredited by the Teaching Council of Ireland.
Within the BEd Home Economics and Technology programme, student teachers will learn to integrate education for sustainability within their practice and also through a core module on Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship in the third year of the programme
The first two years of the degree will take place at the TUS Athlone campus, and the final two years at the DCU Institute of Education, St. Patrick’s Campus in Dublin.
President of TUS, Prof Vincent Cunnane, welcomed the collaboration with DCU’s Institute of Education and said: "This collaboration means that TUS and DCU are playing a central role in educating the next generation of second-level teachers in two subjects of the highest importance.
"We are building on our record of successful collaboration and cooperation in order to deliver innovative and flexible programmes that benefit students, society and the economy.
"By offering a post-primary teaching degree combining these two subject areas, we are meeting the demand for graduates with the knowledge and experience to succeed. This reflects our workplace orientation.”
The TUS-DCU partnership provides graduates with a significant advantage in terms of future employment within the post-primary sector, given the option to teach such in-demand subjects across the curriculum.
Teacher education graduates can also gain employment in industry, media, governmental and non-governmental organisations and other settings.
The programme also provides for the opportunity to participate in the Student Teacher Internship (STInt) Programme in year three.
The launch of the teaching degree has been described as "innovative" by Town Mayor, Cllr Frankie Keena.
"I was delighted to have been in attendance to witness the launch of an innovative degree partnership between these two esteemed Irish universities which adds to the suite of fabulous courses already available at both campuses.
"It is so important to thank TUS President Professor Vincent Cunnane and DCU President Professor Daire Keogh for their vision and wisdom in identifying the need to offer this degree programme which will produce graduates to fit the need of our rapidly growing country," the Town Mayor said.
Graduates from this degree programme will be eligible to register as a newly qualified teacher and apply for employment as a teacher of Home Economics and Technology in post primary schools in Ireland.
"These teacher education graduates can also gain employment in industry, media, governmental and a wide range of other settings. This is a four year honours degree course with students studying at TUS for the first two years and based on DCU campus for the closing two years. It is anticipated that there will be a lot of interest in this degree programme, the good news for students being that it is on the CAO for this year with registration to start this coming September.
"It would be remiss of me not to thank both Dr. Emma Reardon Head of the Tourism & Hospitality Department in TUS and her counterpart Dr. Shivaun O’Brien in DCU, and indeed all their wider colleagues, for delivering this first Bachelor of Education degree programme in TUS. I am told that this will be the first of many new degree programmes that will be provided," Cllr Keena concluded.
More details about the new degree are available at https://tus.ie/courses/bed-hons-home-ec-and-technology/