Qualification : POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA
Award Type and NFQ level : POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA (9)
CAO/MU Apply code : MHZ58;MHZ59
CAO Points :
Closing Date : 31 July 2025
The Postgraduate Diploma in Spanish for Teaching at Post-Primary Level is intended for candidates who already possess a Professional Masters of Education (PME), or equivalent, or those who intend to pursue a PME upon completion.
The programme aims to provide domestic and international candidates with an opportunity to engage in a programme of studies that has been designed with the intention of meeting Teaching Council requirements for registration as an accredited Spanish teacher at post-primary level. The programme offers intensive studies in the areas of Spanish translation, Spanish/Latin American literary and cultural studies, and Spanish language pedagogy. The Postgraduate Diploma programme may also serve as an entry route to the MLitt/PhD programme in Spanish and Latin American Studies.
IMPORTANT: This programme does not involve professional accreditation. It provides its graduates with the requisite 60 ECTS credits configured to meeting current Teaching Council requirements for Spanish. In order to be accredited by the Teaching Council, all graduates of this programme must hold a PME or equivalent, and will be required to submit themselves for individual evaluation by the Teaching Council of Ireland.
Applicants must have a recognised primary degree (NFQ Level 8 or equivalent honours degree) which is considered equivalent to Irish university primary degree level. Under normal circumstances, applicants should have a BA involving Spanish Studies or a cognate discipline (e.g. linguistics, literary/cultural studies) with at least a 2.1 degree, or equivalent. Applicants whose previous history of education does not fit this profile are invited to contact the Programme Director to enquire about their eligibility to apply for the programme.
Minimum CEFR Proficiency level of B2.2 in Spanish and C1.1 in English. You will be required to provide one of the following:
a) Documentation from a previous institution/course in which the proficiency acquired is deemed to be commensurate with B2.2
b) Where this is not available, you could complete a SIELE exam to confirm level of proficiency. The Cervantes Institute in Dublin, for example, would facilitate these exams.
Minimum English language requirements:
Applicants for whom English is not their first language are required to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study. For information about English language tests accepted and required scores, please see here. The requirements specified are applicable for both EU and international applicants.
Maynooth University's TOEFL code is 8850
Academic
Department of Spanish & Latin American Studies
Department of Motherhood Project
Department of School of Modern Languages
Department of Sexualities and Gender
Academic
Academic
Academic
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Academic
Applicants can choose up to 30 ECTS from the following modules:
| Module code | Module title | Semester 1, 2, or full year | New or existing module | Compulsory or optional module | Credit weight |
| SPA638 | Border Crossers and Borderlands: Mexican and Chicana/o Studies | 1 | New | Compulsory | 10 |
| SPA644 | Narratives of ConflictSpain | 1 | New | Compulsory | 10 |
| SPA646 | Methodologies for Teaching Spanish module as a Foreign Language | 1 | New | Compulsory | 10 |
| SPA622 | Advanced Translation I | 1 | Existing | Compulsory | 5 |
| SPA641 | Advanced Translation II | 2 | Existing | Compulsory | 5 |
| SPA637 | Crime Narrative and Globalisation in the Americas | 2 | New | Compulsory | 10 |
| SPA643 | Narratives of ConflictLatin American Documentary Film | 2 | New | Compulsory | 10 |
| Year | Total credits for the year | 60 |
NB: prospective candidates who are undertaking the programme in order to meet the Teaching Council requirements for Spanish are strongly advised to consult with the Teaching Council regarding the number and type of credits that they must complete.
Online application only. To make an application please click here.
To apply for your chosen postgraduate study at Maynooth University, please ensure you have the following documents to make an application:
- Evidence of your primary degree
- Academic transcripts
- A copy of your passport
- A personal statement
- Evidence of proficiency in Spanish
Applicants for whom English is not their first language are required to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study. For information about English language tests accepted and required scores, please see here. The requirements specified are applicable for both EU and International applicants.