Expand+Entry/Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for consideration for a programme an applicant must possess the minimum entry requirements for that programme.

Where a programme requirement is 2 or 3 honours, grade H5 or better on Higher Level Leavi...

Hide-Entry/Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for consideration for a programme an applicant must possess the minimum entry requirements for that programme.

Where a programme requirement is 2 or 3 honours, grade H5 or better on Higher Level Leaving Certificate papers is needed to meet such a requirement.

Where a specific grade is required in a subject (H4, O3 etc) an applicant must achieve that grade or better in order to be eligible for consideration (H = Higher Level; O = Ordinary Level).

In the case of both Higher and Ordinary Level Leaving Certificate results, grades lower than H7 (Higher) or 06 (Ordinary) are not acceptable for eligibility purposes or for points calculation.

For the purpose of meeting minimum entry requirements, results from any number of sittings of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination may be combined.

An applicant’s examination score will be calculated by adding together the points scored in the best six subjects in a single sitting of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination.

Matriculation Examinations will not be accepted either for the purpose of meeting minimum entry requirements or for calculating examination scores.

Demand usually exceeds the number of places available and therefore examination results better than the minimum entry requirement are likely to be required.

When a number of applicants have the same points score, a random number is attached to the score for each course preference. This will then determine the position of each applicant on the waiting lists for offers.

Bonus Points Maths (Irish Leaving Certificate)
25 bonus points will continue to be awarded for Higher Level Mathematics for H6 grades and above. The bonus points will only be relevant where that subject is scored as one of the applicant’s best six subjects for points purposes.

Foundation Level Mathematics
The Institute will accept Foundation Level Maths for the purposes of entry requirements the case of any programme where Higher or Ordinary Level Maths is not a requirement. Please check the programme page to ensure you are aware of the individual maths requirement for that programme.

Points will be awarded as follows:-

F1 = 20 points
F2 = 12 points

Foundation Level Irish
For the most part the Institute will not consider Foundation Level Irish for the purposes of entry requirements or for points, however A grade F3 in Foundation level Irish is acceptable for meeting the minimum entry requirements for some Higher Certificate programmes. Students with an F3 in Foundation level Irish must have passed five other subjects with a minimum grade of O6 including Maths, students should check on individual course pages to determine if their foundation Irish grade is sufficient.

Expand+Entry 2022

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2022 at 5pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2022 at 5pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2022 CAO Hand...

Hide-Entry 2022

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2022 at 5pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2022 at 5pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2022 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2022 at 5pm

Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2022 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2022 at 5pm

Exceptional online late application (see page 31 of the 2022 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2022 at 5pm

Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.

LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2022. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2022, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2022 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 4 March 2022 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.

Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2022 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system.

If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.

Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.

Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, Maynooth University and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these six HEIs, you should apply through CAO.

Refer to page 31 of the 2022 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.

Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2022 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:

General Restricitons
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices

Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course

Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants

Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR

Expand+What is... Early Childhood Care and Education?

If you’re interested in working with children and finding out how they develop and learn, are eager to study different cultures, languages and diversity in the world, and enthusiastic about making a...

Hide-What is... Early Childhood Care and Education?

If you’re interested in working with children and finding out how they develop and learn, are eager to study different cultures, languages and diversity in the world, and enthusiastic about making a difference in children’s lives, this programme will suit you. It explores the varied approaches to early childhood education and care, including child development, child psychology, sociology of childhood, art, drama and music, equality, diversity and inclusion, language acquisition, health and well-being, and safeguarding children. You’ll gain insights into outdoor learning and risky play through our purpose-built outdoor classroom. You’ll be able to apply and adapt your learning in the realistic setting of our dedicated early-childhood practice room. In Year 4, you’ll can specialise in areas such as Creative Interventions; Children's Rights; Leadership, Management and Mentoring; Curriculum Design, and Leadership, Management and Mentoring.

The course includes practical and creative projects, engaging in the local community, debates, presentations and reflective journals. The programme will develop your competencies across key national and international frameworks.

Work Placement: There are two 12-week work placements, in Year 2, Semester 2 and Year 3, Semester 2.

Postgraduate Study: On graduation, you may continue to postgraduate study at TU Dublin or elsewhere.

IT Requirements: Students on this course will be required to have a medium spec computer/laptop (i.e. able to run Win 10, an AV solution and Office comfortably. It should be able to use Wi-fi and camera in order to attend online classes, and use other software such as SPSS, Adobe Connect; e.g. Latitude 5510; Latitude 5410;

Please search for the TU Dublin offer on the HEA website www.heanet.ie/store

Expand+Year 1
Semester 1:
Child Development 1
Drama and Movement
Sociology of Childhood
Health & Wellbeing in the Early Years
Child Centred Practice
Skills for Success in Higher Education

Semester 2:

Child Development 2
Art & Music
Social Ins...

Hide-Year 1
Semester 1:
Child Development 1
Drama and Movement
Sociology of Childhood
Health & Wellbeing in the Early Years
Child Centred Practice
Skills for Success in Higher Education

Semester 2:

Child Development 2
Art & Music
Social Institutions and the Early Years
Health & Safety in the Early Years
Early Learning
Early Childhood Curriculum

Year 2
Semester 1:
Practice Placement*
Practice Placement Project

* Practice Placement will be graded on a Pass / Fail basis and these 20 credits will not be included in the calculation of the GPA for the stage

Semester 2:
Psychology and Learning in Early Childhood
Team & Group Dynamics in the Childcare Sector
Childhood and Social Policy
Literacy & Numeracy
Curriculum & Pedagogy
Outdoor Learning & Risky Play

Year 3
Semester 1:
Advanced Practice Placement *
Advanced Placement Project

* Advanced Practice Placement will be graded on a Pass / Fail basis and these 20 credits will not be included in the calculation of the GPA for the stage

Semester 2:
Language Acquisition
Creative Group Facilitation for Young Children
Legal Studies for Early Childhood Care and Education
Professional Practice & Child Protection
Equality & Diversity in Early Childhood
Research Methods for the Early Years

Year 4
Semester 1:
Applied Child Psychology
Curriculum Development
Child Protection: Policy and Practice in Early Childhood Services
Preparation for Dissertation

Electives:
Creative Interventions for the Personal, Social and Emotional Development of Children
Children’s Rights: A National and International Perspective
Second Language Pedagogy
School Age Childcare

Semester 2:
Supporting Positive Interactions with Children
Family Studies
Social Justice in Early Childhood Care and Education
Dissertation

Electives:
Curriculum Design
Social Justice in Early Childhood Care and Education
Leadership, Management and Mentoring