Education Department

Welcome to our vibrant Department, in the School of Education Sciences where we empower students through innovative and engaging programmes in Education, Religious Education, Irish, and Inclusive and Special Education.

Welcome from our Head of Department

We are a vibrant scholarly community dedicated to empowering individuals and critically addressing the educational issues, opportunities, and challenges facing society today. Our programmes are designed to highlight the wide range and depth of learning opportunities offered by the Department that values and supports the aspirations and potential of all students, providing practical knowledge and skills, encouraging personal and professional growth, thereby preparing them for exciting careers.

Academic staff in the Department are involved in a broad range of research frequently collaborating with national, cross-border and international partners. Some of the Research Partners include the DEY, SCoTENS, Teaching Council, NCSE, EU GREEN, TU RISE, UBUNTU.

The Department has a comprehensive suite of programmes.

The following undergraduate programmes are offered in collaboration with the Home Economics Department and ATU Sligo:

B.Ed. Home Economics and Gaeilge
B.Ed. Home Economics and Religious Education
B.Ed. Home Economics and Biology
B.Ed. Home Economics
B.A. Business and Irish

In addition, the Department offers a wide range of postgraduate, and online, flexible and professional development programmes such as:

Certificate in Religious Education
Certificate in Inclusive Support and Care in Education for SNAs
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma and Masters in Contemporary Innovations in Education
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma and Masters in Professional Studies in Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education
Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma in Special Educational Needs -Autism
Master of Arts (Special Education)
Master of Arts (Special Education) (Autism)
Research Masters (MRes)
PhD

All Level 8 and 9 programmes in the Education Department provide a very strong foundation to continue postgraduate study. 

Research Masters and PhD study options are available and the Education Department team welcome applications from interested students. If you are thinking about further studies at MRes and PhD, we invite you to view our expert areas of Education, Religious Education, Irish, and Special and Inclusive Education where we can offer supervision. Both MRes and PhD degrees involve working with academic supervisor(s) who will support you throughout your research project.

If you would like more information about our activities or how you might join us, please explore our website or contact us directly. We look forward to welcoming you to our Department.

Best wishes,
Ann Marie Casserly

Funding Opportunities

The Education Department aligns with ATU’s dedication to maintaining a lifelong connection with our alumni and supporting them in their educational endeavours. A 20% fee reduction applies to all members of the ATU Alumni Network who enrol in a Level 9 Master’s Award (90 credits). This applies to both full-time and part-time Level 9 taught master’s programmes and includes all delivery formats—on-campus, online, or blended.

Potential students can find further information about course fees and funding options on our dedicated Fees and Funding page. In addition, funding may be available through Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) to eligible students in approved courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and in some cases, to students studying outside Ireland.

Visit Alumni Scholarship for Masters Programmes

Visit Fees and Funding

Education Department

Teacher education continues over the entire span of a teacher’s career. The emphasis in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) is to provide student teachers with a solid foundation of high-level beginning knowledge, skills, and professional values to be built on through the continuum of teacher education (Céim, 2020). In this context, ITE is emphasised regarding students’ learning, teachers’ learning, and development of adaptive expertise and professional growth. Academic staff in the Education Discipline have a wide range of teaching and research expertise particularly in Philosophy, History, Sociology and Psychology of Education, Global Citizenship Education, Curriculum Studies, General and Specific Pedagogy, and School Placement.

Education Department Contact Details

Dr. Danielle Phelan: Danielle.Phelan@atu.ie

Dr. Deirdre Harvey: Deirdre.Harvey@atu.ie

Dr. Ciara Sloan: Ciara.Sloan@atu.ie

Kate Mohan: Kate.Mohan@atu.ie

Dr. Kathryn McSweeney: Kathryn.McSweeney@atu.ie

Dr. Louise Lehane: Louise.Lehane@atu.ie

Dr. Maria Campbell: Maria.Campbell@atu.ie

School Placement Team

Dr. Ailis Travers: Ailis.Travers@atu.ie (School Placement Academic Director)

Jack Quigley: Jack.Quigley@atu.ie

Anthony Keighron: Anthony.Keighron@atu.ie

Centre for Special Educational Needs, Inclusion and Diversity (CSENID)

Within the Education Department is the Centre for Special Educational Needs, Inclusion and Diversity (CSENID). The Centre was established in 2011, but ATU St Angelas has a long history of excellence in special and inclusive education spanning more than three decades. The Centre has 8 academic staff, a post doc researcher.

CSENID Team Contact Details

Dr. Ann Marie Casserly: AnnMarie.Casserly@atu.ie (Director of CSENID)

Dr. Annmarie Curneen: annmarie.curneen@atu.ie

Dr. Maire Love: Maire.Love@atu.ie

Dr. Tara McGowan: Tara.McGowan@atu.ie

Dr. Aoife Munroe: Aoife.Munroe@atu.ie

Ailbhe O’Halloran: Ailbhe.OHalloran@atu.ie

Richard Morrissey: Richard.Morrissey@atu.ie

Dr. Bairbre Tiernan Bairbre.Tiernan@atu.ie

Dr. Aoife Crummy aoife.crummy@atu.ie (Post Doc Researcher)

Religious Education

Academic staff in the Religious Education Discipline have a wide range of expertise including theology, scripture, religious education, ethics, and philosophy and have published extensively in their discipline areas. In particular, this expertise includes:

Heteronormative paradigms and Christian ethical theory
Religious education and care theory
The relationship between philosophy and religious education
Contemporary Catholic approaches to religious education
The philosophy of pregnancy and birth
Old Testament/Hebrew Bible
Feminist Interpretations and cultural memory theory
Synoptic Gospels
New Testament and Second Temple Judaism
Jesus and Film

Religious Education Team Contact Details

Dr. Francis Cousins: Francis.Cousins@atu.ie

Dr. Halyna Teslyuk: Halyna.Teslyuk@atu.ie

Dr. Katie Dunne: Katie.Dunne@atu.ie

Mary Shanahan: Mary.Shanahan@atu.ie

Irish

Irish is available in the Education Department as a subject on both the B. Ed Home Economics and Irish degree, and the BA in Business and Irish. Studying Irish will allow you to study and develop your knowledge of the language, its literature and culture through the medium of Irish.

There are many opportunities to speak and use the language in a wide range of contexts. You will develop your skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking both inside and outside the classroom, helping you to build confidence and fluency. In addition, you will gain the practical skills needed to work effectively as an Irish teacher or an Irish-speaking professional in the work environment. Academic staff in the Irish Discipline have published extensively in their discipline areas.

Léachtóirí Acadúla i bhFoireann Disciplinne na Gaeilge

Dr. Conal MacSeain: Conal.MacSeain@atu.ie

Dr. Anna Ni Choirbin: Anna.NiChoirbin@atu.ie

Dr. Daithi Mac Fhlaithimh: Daithi.MacFhlaithimh@atu.ie

Dr. Mairead Conneely: Mairead.Conneely@atu.ie

Sarah McNassor: Sarah.McNassor@atu.ie