M Ed in Education for Sustainability and Global Citizenship

Overview

The M Ed in Education for Sustainability and Global Citizenship is offered as a one-year, full-time and a two-year, part-time blended programme that focuses on critical issues such as climate justice, outdoor learning, biodiversity, intercultural education, peace studies, and the agency of children.

Key Features

• Designed to equip educators with pedagogies and theoretical frameworks to address current challenges related to climate change and biodiversity loss.
• Intended for practitioners in education, including pre-school educators, primary and secondary teachers, and those involved in non-formal education.
• Emphasizes Global Citizenship Education (GCED), empowering students to engage actively in building more peaceful and secure societies.
• Includes field trips to significant sites, such as the Burren, the Eco Village in Cloughjordan, and the Aquarium in Salthill, Galway.

Benefits of the Programme

• Introduction to foundational concepts, pedagogies, curricula, research, and contemporary issues in Sustainability and Global Citizenship Education.
• Enables critical analysis of key concepts through dialogue, active pedagogies, and research projects.
• Advocates for the promotion of sustainability and global citizenship education beyond formal educational settings.
• Fosters reflective practices on values and experiences that influence personal and educational approaches to ethical living.
• Facilitates analysis and comparison of pedagogical approaches relevant to sustainability and global citizenship.
• Develops skills in critical thinking, geo-literacy, visual literacy, and effective communication.

Career & Further Study Opportunities

• Graduates are positioned to enhance their professional practices within educational settings or diversify into leadership roles within sustainability and global education organizations.
• Opportunities for further study are available, including progression to PhD level.

Programme Structure

Year One

• Five core modules in Sustainability and Citizenship Education (SAC) and one research module.

Year Two

• Students will select a research topic within the field of education to work on under faculty supervision.

Module Descriptions

SAC 1: Education for Sustainability, Outdoor Learning, and Climate Justice

• Focus on outdoor learning, sustainability education, and climate justice.
• Includes theoretical and practical discussions related to Environmental Education and the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Involves fieldwork and outdoor activities, emphasizing local environmental practices.

SAC 2: The World in the Classroom: Education for Global Citizenship

• Engages with human rights and global justice concepts.
• Incorporates participatory methodologies for learning about global citizenship.

SAC 3: Geo-literacy: Use of Children's Literature for Promoting Global Citizenship

• Utilizes geo-literacy in teaching and exploring global citizenship through children's literature.
• Emphasizes oral language development and critical thinking.

SAC 4: Children's Agency as Local Citizens – Creative Approaches for Teaching Local History

• Provides a historical perspective on local studies and engages students in field trips for research projects.
• Allows students to develop historical research skills and create resources for classroom use.

SAC 5: Contemporary Issues in Sustainability and Global Citizenship Education: Ethics, Beliefs, Integration, and Equality

• Explores philosophical concepts and ethical reflection relevant to climate change, international development, and human rights.
• Fosters integration of philosophical ethics across educational subject areas.

Research 1: Principles and Practice of Research in Education

• Covers the entire research process from problem identification to data analysis and ethical considerations.

Entry Requirements

• Applicants must possess a relevant degree at the 2.2 Honours Level or higher (Level 8 - National Framework of Qualifications).
• A minimum of two years' experience in education is expected.
• Admissions will consider qualifications, interview performance (if applicable), language proficiency, and the application form.

Programme Format

• Available for both full-time and part-time students.
• Delivered through blended learning with workshops on campus as well as online components.

This structured approach ensures that educators are well-equipped to confront and address the pressing challenges of our time, promoting a more sustainable and globally conscious educational environment.

Mary Immaculate College (MIC), known in Irish as Coláiste Mhuire Gan Smál, is a university-level College of Education and the Liberal Arts in Limerick, Ireland, academically linked with the University of Limerick. Founded in 1898 by Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer and the Sisters of Mercy for the professional education of Catholic primary school teachers, MIC is the oldest third-level institution in Limerick City.

The foundation stone was laid on 8 December 1898 on an 11-acre site jointly purchased by the Bishop and the Sisters of Mercy, with construction led by Dublin architect George Byrne and Limerick contractors Molloy. The College opened its doors to its first students on 21 September 1901, and was officially opened on 16 May 1902. From its original 75 young women enrolled in 1901, MIC has grown into a multi-campus institution with a student population of over 5,000.

Mission

Mary Immaculate College is a third-level Catholic College of Education and the Liberal Arts. The College community promotes excellence in teaching, learning and research at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and seeks to foster the intellectual, spiritual, personal and professional development of students within a supportive and challenging environment that guarantees the intellectual freedom of staff and students. In particular, the College seeks to foster in its students a spirit of justice and compassion in the service of others, together with an openness to the religious tradition and values of each individual.

The College promotes a sense of identity enriched by an awareness of its Catholic tradition, the cultures, languages and traditions of Ireland, and its special commitment to the Irish language. Mary Immaculate College respects cultural diversity and strives to promote equity in society, providing an environment where all have the freedom and opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Founding vision

MIC continues to embrace the founding vision of Catherine McAuley, who established the Sisters of Mercy as champions for the most marginalised in society, with the conviction that education was essential to that mission. This emphasis on social justice and educational inclusion remains central to the College's institutional identity as it has grown and diversified over more than 125 years.

Academic structure

MIC offers programmes across two faculties, Education and Arts, spanning Level 4 to Level 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications. Undergraduate programmes are offered in:

• Primary and Post-Primary Teaching (Bachelor of Education, Teaching Council-accredited)
• Liberal Arts, with a choice of 14 subjects across a flexible, wide-ranging programme
• Early Childhood Care and Education
• Psychology, including a Bachelor of Science in Psychology incorporating workplace experience
• Drama and English
• English Language and Literature

The MIC Thurles campus additionally offers post-primary teacher education programmes in Home Economics, Gaeilge, Mathematics, Business Studies, Theology and Religious Studies, and Accounting. Postgraduate study is available across both faculties at Diploma, Master's and PhD level, alongside professional development and lifelong learning programmes.

Campuses

MIC is a multi-campus institution with centrally located, state-of-the-art facilities in both Limerick City and Thurles, Co. Tipperary:

• MIC Limerick: the College's original and main campus on South Circular Road, home to the historic 1899 building that remains central to College life today, alongside a state-of-the-art Sports Complex completed in 2008 at a cost of €16 million, and the 510-seat Lime Tree Theatre, officially opened in October 2012
• MIC Thurles: incorporated into MIC in 2016, originally established as a second-level school in 1837 and later a major seminary, today offering seven undergraduate programmes delivered by staff from both the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Arts, with on-campus accommodation and the O'Dwyer Library housing approximately 15,000 print resources

Both campuses are characterised by an informal, relaxed atmosphere and a close rapport between students and staff, with the amenities of city and town life on the doorstep.

Affiliation with the University of Limerick

MIC has been academically linked with the University of Limerick since a formal partnership was established in 1990, with UL becoming MIC's accrediting body. Degrees were conferred by the National University of Ireland until 1994, and by UL from 1995 onward. In 1999, MIC became the first Irish College of Education to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree programme. The first PhD was awarded by MIC in 2003. MIC is also a member of the Shannon Consortium, a collaborative framework alongside the University of Limerick and Technological University of the Shannon.

Student life and facilities

• Wired FM (Wired 99.9FM): Limerick's only licensed student community radio station, run in partnership with the Technological University of the Shannon
• Lime Tree Theatre: a 510-seat venue on the Limerick campus hosting theatre, music, comedy, traditional arts, school performances and conferences
• MIC Munster GAA Centre of Excellence and extensive College Sport opportunities, supported by the dedicated Sports Complex
• CRAFT Maker Space, supporting hands-on creativity and enterprise
• Mary Immaculate Students' Union (MISU), marking 25 years of representing the student body
• Clubs and Societies, Arts and Culture programming, and a strong Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Interculturalism (EDII) commitment
• Recognition as an Age Friendly Campus
• Careers Service, Study Abroad opportunities, and an Off-Campus Programme

Leadership and governance

The College's first six Presidents were members of the Sisters of Mercy, beginning with Sr Paul Quinlan in 1898, followed by Sr Veronica Cullinan, Sr Celsus Barry, Sr Loreto Ní Chonchúir, Sr Cabrini Moloney and Sr Angela Bugler. Professor Peadar Cremin, appointed in 1999, was the seventh President and the first lay person to hold the position. He was succeeded by Professor Michael A. Hayes in 2011 and Professor Eugene Wall in 2018, the ninth President in the College's history. Mary Immaculate College is currently led by Professor Dermot Nestor, President of the College, with the Bishop of Limerick serving as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.