Expand+Application Procedures
All applications must be made directly to the College as St Mary’s is not a member of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

To apply, go online to www.smucb.ac.uk/admissions or contact:

The Academic ...

Hide-Application Procedures
All applications must be made directly to the College as St Mary’s is not a member of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

To apply, go online to www.smucb.ac.uk/admissions or contact:

The Academic Registry
St Mary’s University College
191 Falls Road
Belfast
BT12 6FE
Tel: (+44) 028 9026 8320
E-mail: admissions@smucb.ac.uk

The College website is regularly updated with relevant admissions information.

When to Apply
For full-time undergraduate courses, applications for 2017 entry may be submitted from 1st October 2016 until 9th January 2017. Any form received after the closing date will be deemed late. Late applications may be considered if vacancies remain available.

Expand+Entrance Requirements for Undergraduate Courses
An indication of specific entry requirements appears in the College Entry Guidelines. Students may also receive a copy of the Entry Guidelines by contacting the Academic Registry at the College.

I...

Hide-Entrance Requirements for Undergraduate Courses
An indication of specific entry requirements appears in the College Entry Guidelines. Students may also receive a copy of the Entry Guidelines by contacting the Academic Registry at the College.

It should be noted that the Entry Guidelines may change depending on the number and standard of applications received.

Students with a Disability
St Mary’s welcomes applications from students with a disability, and these applications are viewed on the same academic grounds as other applications. St Mary’s has a Disability Policy which outlines the College’s commitment to making every reasonable effort to accommodate students with a disability or a specific learning difficulty. Most areas of the campus have been adapted to cater for people with disabilities, including sensory impairments. Any student who has a disability or a specific learning difficulty is advised to contact the Student Support Officer as early as possible to discuss any needs which he or she may have.

Funded Support for Disabled Students
Applicants may be eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (or the Fund for Students with Disabilities, if the applicant is from the Republic of Ireland). Support entitlements include assistive technologies, special equipment and non‑medical helpers, as well as study skills and exam support.

Applicants for courses of Initial Teacher Education (BEd and PGCE) are also subject to the requirements of Circular 2000/8 from the Department of Education regarding Medical Fitness to Teach.

Further details of these requirements and confidential advice on specific applications may be obtained by contacting the Academic Registry.

Potential candidates are encouraged to visit the College on Open Days or, by arrangement, to meet staff before applying.

Access for Mature Applicants
St Mary’s welcomes applications from mature students. Each application is considered individually, and account is taken of the applicant’s experience and achievements. However, the College requires evidence of recent study at A-Level standard (or equivalent) or an Access Course in a relevant subject area to indicate the applicant’s ability to complete successfully an honours degree course. Access Courses are offered at colleges of Further and Higher Education within Northern Ireland and Great Britain as well as at Institutes of Technology in the Republic of Ireland. It is important that the content of the subjects and modules studied contain A-Level equivalence in relation to the course subject.

Mature applicants are advised that they must demonstrate an acceptable level of competence in English Language and Mathematics subjects. In addition, all new entrants to primary-level courses must demonstrate an acceptable level of competence in at least one Science subject. An acceptable level of competence is defined as a GCSE level pass at grade C or higher, or an equivalent qualification.

Applicants with a Criminal Record
It is College policy to consider applications from anyone with a criminal record on their individual merits and in the light of all available information. The College will seek permission to carry out a police criminal record check on all applicants. There are specific requirements for a criminal record check for all applicants for courses of Initial Teacher Education (BEd and PGCE).

St Mary’s recognises the key role of education in the rehabilitative process, and a criminal record will not necessarily exclude an applicant. Further advice on specific applications may be obtained, in confidence, by contacting the Academic Registry.

Prerequisites
In addition to the requirements on the pages that follow, all applicants must have minimum GCSE grade C (or equivalent) in English Language and in Mathematics.

Applicants Presenting A-Level Qualifications
• All applicants must pass three A levels,
• Applied A levels are accepted as part of the A-level requirement. However, there may be special considerations in relation to the subject applied for and applicants should check the Entry Guidelines for the year of entry,
• Two Advanced Subsidiary GCE or VCE qualifications will not be acceptable in place of one A-Level,
• The applicant’s GCSE profile will be taken into account when considering applications,
• Applicants for BEd Honours Primary degree courses other than Science must have minimum GCSE grade C (or equivalent) in a Science subject.

Applicants Presenting Irish Leaving Certificate Qualifications
• Applicants must pass six subjects at higher level for admission to BEd courses. The exception to this requirement is BEd Honours Post-primary with Technology and Design, where applicants must pass five subjects at higher level,
• Applicants must pass five subjects at higher level for admission to the BA Liberal Arts course,
• Applicants must have achieved at least a grade D (ordinary level) in English and in Mathematics,
• Where a grade B (higher level) is listed as a guideline in a particular subject, a minimum grade of B2 will normally be expected,
• Applicants for Primary courses of Initial Teacher Education must have achieved Junior Certificate Science, grade C (higher level).

EQUIVALENT QUALIFICATIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSE
BTEC/OCR Qualifications
The College will consider BTEC/OCR qualifications as equivalent to GCE A-level. However, admission decisions will be based on the outcome of individual unit results. The College will not assign the equivalent UCAS tariff for the overall grade presented. The qualifications concerned are as follows:

BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/OCR National Certificate/Cambridge Technical & Introductory Diploma (6 Units) – equivalent to 1 GCE A-Level Grade A - 6 Distinctions, Grade B - 3 Distinctions and 3 Merits, Grade C - 6 Merits BTEC National Diploma/OCR Diploma/Cambridge Technical Diplomas (12 Units) – equivalent to 2 GCE A-Levels Grade AA - 12 Distinctions, Grade AB - 9 Distinctions and 3 Merits, Grade BB - 6 Distinctions and 6 Merits, Grade BC - 3 Distinctions and 9 Merits BTEC/OCR/Cambridge Technical Extended Diplomas (18 Units) – equivalent to 3 GCE A-Levels Grade AAA - 16 Distinctions and 2 Merits, Grade AAB - 14 Distinctions and 4 Merits, ABB - 12 Distinctions and 6 Merits, Grade BBB - 10 Distinctions and 8 Merits

BTEC National Awards/OCR National Certificates/Subsidiary Diploma
BTEC National Award/OCR National Certificates/Subsidiary Diploma qualifications are acceptable although (normally) a maximum of one BTEC National Award/OCR National Certificate will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications.

CACHE Diploma
The CACHE Diploma is accepted for entry to the BEd Degree as long as the subject requirement is met.

For further information, please contact:
The Academic Registry
St Mary’s University College
191 Falls Road
Belfast
BT12 6FE
Tel: +44 (0) 28 9026 8320
E-mail: admissions@smucb.ac.uk

Interview for the BEd Honours
Applicants for courses of Initial Teacher Education will be interviewed. They will also be asked complete a short written task.

Interviews will normally be held in the College in February or March of the year of entry.

Whilst examination performance is the most significant factor in determining admission, the interview outcome is also significant.

Expand+Tuition Fees
All full-time and part-time students will be charged tuition fees. This includes PGCE students. For students who are Northern Ireland domiciled these are currently £3,925 per year and are normally subject to an annual inflationary uplif...

Hide-Tuition Fees
All full-time and part-time students will be charged tuition fees. This includes PGCE students. For students who are Northern Ireland domiciled these are currently £3,925 per year and are normally subject to an annual inflationary uplift. A student will be liable for the full tuition fee at the point of enrolment and registration. This includes a non-refundable element of 25% of the calculated tuition fee.

Tuition Fee Loan
Students may defer their fees by applying for a Tuition Fee Loan of currently up to a maximum of £3,925 or pay the full fee directly to the College or a combination of taking out a fee loan for part of the fees, and paying the rest directly to the College.

A single application form PN1 is used for applying for a fee loan, loans for living costs and maintenance grants and the St Mary’s College Bursary.

Students can apply online or download an application form via the Student Finance Northern Ireland website www.studentfinanceni.co.uk.

Once applications have been assessed, the local branch of Student Finance NI will send the student a Student Notification which will include details of the amount of fee loan the student has requested.

Payment Options
Students who do not avail of the fee loan can pay their fees in one of two ways:
• Direct Debit – students can complete a direct debit authorisation which spreads the fee due over six months from December to May.

• Cash or Cheques – students who do not complete a direct debit authorisation will receive one invoice in November for the full amount, which will be payable within 30 days.

EU Students Non-UK EU Students, including students from the Republic of Ireland, can defer their fees by applying for a fee loan of currently up to a maximum of £3,925.

The application is essentially the same as the system for applying for fee loans and other support. EU students may also be eligible for a College Bursary. This will be dependent on the level of their household income. EU students should contact the Student Loan Company EU team by telephoning 0141 243 3570 in Darlington for advice. For maintenance support EU students should contact their local county council.

Expand+Maintenance Grants
Grants of up to a maximum of £3,475 will be available to full-time undergraduate students from lower income households. Students from Northern Ireland with a household income of less than £19,203 will receive the full non-refun...

Hide-Maintenance Grants
Grants of up to a maximum of £3,475 will be available to full-time undergraduate students from lower income households. Students from Northern Ireland with a household income of less than £19,203 will receive the full non-refundable grant of £3,475 per annum. Partial grants will be payable to students where household income is between £19,204 and £41,065.

Grants are usually paid in three instalments, one at the start of each term. To apply for a maintenance grant students should contact their local Student Finance NI Branch as soon as possible.

Special Support Grant
For students who are in receipt of Income Support or other means tested benefits such as Housing Benefit a Special Support Grant is available, which effectively replaces the maintenance grant.

It will cover additional course costs such as books, equipment and travel that result from attending a course. The amount of support, the income assessment arrangements and the payment arrangements are the same as for the new Maintenance Grant. However, it will not reduce entitlement to support for maintenance from the Maintenance Loan.

To apply for the Special Support Grant students should contact their local branch of Student Finance NI.

Maintenance Loans
Students may apply for a student loan to help cover living costs through their local Student Finance NI branch using the PN1 form. Rates will vary according to household income but like tuition fee loans will not have to be repaid until you leave university and are earning £17,495 or more. Student loans are paid in three instalments by credit transfer directly into students’ bank accounts.

St Mary’s Bursaries
St. Mary’s will provide additional financial support, based on assessed household income, in the form of a non-repayable annual College Bursary. Students who are entering St Mary’s as first year students with assessed household income of less than or equal to £19,203 will be entitled to a College Bursary which is currently £510. College Bursaries will be increased annually to take account of inflation.

Students do not need to complete a separate application form for entitlement to a St Mary’s Bursary. The College will use information submitted in the PN1 application to the local student finance provider to assess eligibility.

Student Support Funds
Each year an amount is made available to the College to provide help to students who have serious financial difficulties or who might not otherwise be able to afford to enter higher education.

Student Support Funds are available to full-time students, and part-time students studying at least 50% of a full-time course. To qualify, students must meet the same residence conditions as for Student Loans and be following an undergraduate or postgraduate course.

To qualify for a grant from Student Support Funds, students must be able to show that they need financial assistance and that they have explored other ways of supporting themselves including having taken out the maximum amount of Student Loan available.

Students from England, Scotland, Wales
St Mary’s will charge £9,000 to full-time undergraduate students who are resident in England, Scotland and Wales. Students will not normally have to pay upfront for tuition and can defer payment of their tuition fees by taking out a fee loan. Students should apply to their respective student finance providers.

Expand+Why Become a Teacher?
Children will always need and deserve excellent teachers. It is their right as individuals, it is the expectation of their parents and it is necessary for the future prosperity of our society. At St Mary’s University College w...

Hide-Why Become a Teacher?
Children will always need and deserve excellent teachers. It is their right as individuals, it is the expectation of their parents and it is necessary for the future prosperity of our society. At St Mary’s University College we believe that our mission is to prepare excellent teachers who in turn can lead and inspire our children in a life of learning and who will pass on the beliefs, values, knowledge and skills necessary for leading a life of full participation in society.

Teaching is more than merely a job: it is truly a vocation. Teachers must believe in their vocation and the importance of their responsibilities for the future of each individual child and the well-being of society as a whole. In our teacher education courses we aim to foster teachers who have the following qualities:
• a caring attitude for children and a sensitivity to their needs

• an enthusiasm about teaching and a commitment to the value of the educational process

• a belief in the promotion of equal opportunities, recognising and celebrating differences occasioned by race, religion, gender, class and special needs

• a willingness to learn, a confidence to constructively reflect, and an openness to change and innovation

• a lively and inquisitive mind and a range of cultural, intellectual and other personal interests

These attributes reflect the core values set forth by the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI).

Partnership with Schools
Teacher Education courses in St Mary’s are designed to promote effective and mutually enhancing partnerships with our colleagues in schools and the wider educational field. Our relationship with schools is collaborative and productive. Particular significance is placed on the student developing teaching competence through substantial periods of school experience.

BEd (Hons) Post-Primary
Structure of the Degree
This is a four-year honours degree programme leading to registration with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI) and full recognition to teach by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland. Each year contains the following four strands:

• Education Studies
• Aspects of the Post-Primary Curriculum
• Professional Development and School Experience
• Subject Study and Subject Application.

In the final year of the programme, students also have the opportunity to take a Capstone module. This is an integrative and culminating module which allows the student to demonstrate the high-level skills and knowledge required to earn the BEd (Hons) qualification.

Education Studies
Education Studies modules are a compulsory element within each year of the BEd programme. Each year, the modules have a core theme which provides a theoretical foundation for the areas addressed in the other strands of the programme. The modules draw on all the disciplines of Education and address a range of theoretical and professional issues. This broad area of study facilitates the development of the knowledge and understanding that underpins successful teaching.

Aspects of the Post-Primary Curriculum
Modules within this strand of the programme involve the study of teaching strategies and modes of learning for key areas of the Northern Ireland Curriculum at Post-Primary level. There is a strong emphasis on issues relating to the Entitlement Framework including the areas of literacy, numeracy and UICT across the curriculum and Learning for Life and Work. The content of the modules is closely related to the development of the students’ competence during School Experience.

Professional Development and School Experience
Professional Development and School Experience (PDSE) modules are a central element of each year of the BEd programme. The modules are closely allied to the Education and Curriculum modules and provide a practical, practice-based perspective on the theoretical and pedagogical issues which those modules address. The modules focus on the development of the professional skills, capacities, knowledge and understanding required by teachers in contemporary schools. The taught element of these modules is integrally linked to School Experience and the development of the students’ professional practice.

The practical element of teaching is an important aspect of the BEd programmes. The BEd degree is competence based, and each year, as students gain experience and confidence, they are asked to demonstrate increasing levels of proficiency in the classroom. Over the course of the programme, students will have opportunities to teach children of varying ages and abilities in a range of different contexts. There are also opportunities for students to choose options through which they may gain experience of teaching in the special sector. Students must pass School Experience each year to proceed to the next stage of the course.

Subject Study
BEd Post Primary students spend about one half of their time in College in the study of a subject and subsidiary subject. The subject study element enables students to develop their understanding of a traditional academic discipline and provides them with specific expertise. It enhances the intellectual formation of the student teacher and facilitates the development of his or her curriculum leadership capacity.

Subsidiary subject study takes place in Years One and Two. Business Studies and Religious Studies students can choose one of the following subsidiary subjects: Computing and ICT, English, History or Science. Mathematics and Science students are effectively already studying two subjects. Technology and Design students must choose either Computing and ICT or Science.

Expand+Business Studies
Business Studies is a multi-disciplinary subject and students studying in St Mary’s undertake a broad range of courses including economics, financial and management accounts, human resource management, marketing, statistics and op...

Hide-Business Studies
Business Studies is a multi-disciplinary subject and students studying in St Mary’s undertake a broad range of courses including economics, financial and management accounts, human resource management, marketing, statistics and operations research, information technology and business strategy and policy. While the course entails theoretical study through lectures, seminars and tutorials, there is also a substantial programme of field courses and visits to industrial organisations, supplemented by guest speakers at lectures and seminars.

As part of their coursework, students are regularly required to give individual and joint presentations. There are also a number of group activities which afford opportunities for students to develop team-building and collaborative skills, which are so essential for employment in the modern world.

Expand+Subsidiary Subjects
In addition to their main subject, Post-primary students take a subsidiary subject for the first two years of their course. They will be trained to teach this subject in addition to their main subject, but not to the same level...

Hide-Subsidiary Subjects
In addition to their main subject, Post-primary students take a subsidiary subject for the first two years of their course. They will be trained to teach this subject in addition to their main subject, but not to the same level in school.

The following subjects are on offer to study as subsidiary subjects:

Computing and ICT
This two-year course combines an introduction to selected topics in Computing with a preparation for the effective integration of ICT in teaching. Topics covered include an introduction to computer hardware and computer programming, multimedia studies, web design, app design, e-learning, database technology and UICT in the Northern Ireland Curriculum.

The course is suitable for students who have studied ICT to GCSE or A-Level (or equivalent) or students who have an aptitude for logical thought and who are interested in this practical subject. A good mathematical background, while not essential, would be helpful. The teaching approach will reflect good practice with a high level of ICT integration, including use of the interactive whiteboard, audio-visual devices and mobile technologies. The classes are interactive, and students are expected to prepare materials in advance and take part in class discussions.

In the practical elements of the course, students will be required to work both in class and outside class time. Assessment varies from module to module but includes examinations, coursework, reflective journals, assessed practicals and projects.

English
English explores the three main literary genres—poetry, prose and drama—in the context of their historical development. Study begins with the Renaissance Period in first year and considers the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in second year.

History
The first year of study focuses on twentieth-century American History. In the second year the course examines Modern European History 1914 to 1989, a study of which helps students acquire a more discerning approach to the modern world.

Science
The two years of the course encompass the major concepts in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This will facilitate the development of a range of conceptual knowledge and understanding and key skills important in the teaching of Science up to KS4.

During the course, students will experience a broad range of teaching methodologies including lectures, practical sessions, seminars, group work, peer tutoring and field work. They will engage in independent research to broaden subject knowledge and understanding and inform clinical practice. Emphasis is placed on developing connections between the main subject and subsidiary disciplines. Students will also receive guidance and tuition on the practical aspects of teaching Science at the post-primary level.