getting OU degree recognized by TC

D.Mar

Hi, I want to teach English at post-primary level. I was hoping to do the English Literature degree with the OU but when I asked the teaching council if this degree would be recognized to qualify me to teach English, they replied that they cannot give me this information until I have completed the degree. So I have to do the degree first, and then find out if it's recognized!!
Does anybody know if the OU English literature degree has ever been approved by the teaching council in the past? Thanks

Powerhouse

Is there such a thing as an OU English Literature degree per se, or can you complete the degree by covering a variety of different modules. By that I mean is could you and I do that degree by studying completely different modules?

Mad as seems at first glance, that might be what the TC is on about - that they cannot be sure what modules/levels you will have covered until you actually cover them as you could say you will do a particular course and then do something different.

Having said that I see no reason why an OU degree would not be recognised if the proper credits are knocked up at each level along the way. But I would have thought the TC could have been more helpful in advising you.

Fergus08

The OU English degree isn't recognised, at present. See the attached link and "Recognised Degrees for Eligibility 2009". The OU are on page 24, the last page. There are only two OU degrees listed qualifying their holders to teach Maths and Chemistry. If you cross-check the English syllabi with the OU's English modules you might be able to construct a degree pathway that would lead to recognition. But it's a bummer that you have to complete the degree before they'll assess it. Best of luck.

Fergus08

Sorry, link included here http://www.pac.ie/hdip.php?ln=e

D.Mar

This link explains the OU English course. It looks great.
http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/english/b02/litprog-guide.pdf

I might contact the Teaching Council again and give them more information about the course. Although I doubt I'll get a definite answer, so I won't risk going this route. Thanks for the replies!

niall3r

I actually rang the TC about this a while back as i was curious about having a third teaching subject and the one on the phone gave me the same answer, and when i asked her personal opinion, she said she doubted it.

Thats only hearsay and conjecture, but still. . .

TC suck. have a friend going through trouble at the moment, saying she isnt qualified to teach math even though she has been for ten years, it was part of her degree and there hasnt been any issue since.

pathway33

Why not do the oscail online degree in english and another subject(s)? It's recognised by the teaching council so you wouldn't be messing around with sending in modules and sweating. www.oscail.ie

Traq

Hey, just wondering if you'd had any luck finding out anymore about getting the OU English literature degree recognised by the Teaching Council?
I'm very interested in going down the same route but don't want to end up at the end of three years finding that the degree isn't recognised, and of course I'm getting the same vague answer when I contact the Teaching Council!

CLAUDINE

Fergus08 wrote: »

There are only two OU degrees listed qualifying their holders to teach Maths and Chemistry.

Do you know of any other online degrees combined with Maths that the TC will recognise.

I think its disgraceful that they wont tell people before they begin a three year degree if they will accept it or not at the end of it! For the love of God ! surely they can give guidance on module choices.

---

I read in another forum the following message - maybe they dont need to be consulted on extra subject recognition after all.

"It should be noted that The Council is in receipt of legal advice which confirm that it has no legal remit to assess qualifications of registered teachers. Its remit is confined to assessment for the purposes of registration only. This legal advice was reviewed by the Council and it is now in discussion with the Department of Education and Science with a view to enabling the Council to carry out assessments of registered persons. As an interim measure the council has agreed to assess qualifications, when requested to do so, on the understanding that any decision in this regard will be issued for “information purposes only” and cannot be recorded on the register of teachers until specific sanction is granted by the Minister."

mimmi

If you look at the TC 'special requirements for recognition to teach' and the english section, it's very broad. English should be 30% of your degree extending over 3 years...study a body of relevant literature as an integral part of the degree in 3 of the following areas - Drama/theatre studies, Poetry, Fiction, Media OR Communication OR Film studies.

I think it would be very odd for the OU english degree or even an assortment of modules which cover the above to be turned down. I know it's unhelpful that the TC dont give a more positive steer to enquirers, but I know people who have done 2 x 60pt modules in RE to add to their other teaching subject and got these accepted for teaching RE.

CLAUDINE

But doesnt the subject have to make up 30 percent of a three year degree to qualify for teaching?
So much uncertainty and concern among potential degree students is unacceptable. Surely students have enough to worry about besides this cloak and dagger style acceptance.
On the other hand If they do have such a lenient policy then why cant they just come out and say so.
I dont agree that only certain courses are elligible if they are done in certain colleges.
Surely once a course has been recognised by the NUI/DIT/etc it should be a valid degree course for teaching purposes.

mimmi

120pts in OU is a third of a degree. The person I was refering to was already qualified to teach e.g. degree in english, H.Dip, she was just adding another subject.

Apparently the TC hope to move towards a self assessment model in terms of degree content relevant for teaching a subject...I think that's a long way off.:rolleyes:

CLAUDINE

Mimi - dont get me started on TC!!!:mad:

I am surprised that they allowed the 120 credits to be completed over 2yrs on its own or have I misunderstood. I was informed that the subject must be part of a 3yr degree.
but what you say is intersting about being able to add on another subject by completing a single subject /2yrs/12o pts.
BTW was it just single modules totalling 120 pts over 2 yrs or was it part of a bigger degree?

mimmi

CLAUDINE wrote: »

Mimi - dont get me started on TC!!!:mad:

I am surprised that they allowed the 120 credits to be completed over 2yrs on its own or have I misunderstood. I was informed that the subject must be part of a 3yr degree.
but what you say is intersting about being able to add on another subject by completing a single subject /2yrs/12o pts.
BTW was it just single modules totalling 120 pts over 2 yrs or was it part of a bigger degree?

Just 2 x 60pt modules - one at Level 2 and one at Level 3, so quite a high standard.

Re the 3 year durations of study, OU degrees are rarely completed in 3 years but it cann't be an issue for them as they accepted the maths and chemistry degrees and under the 'individual assessment' have accepted many more.

CLAUDINE

thanks Mimi for that.

The TC had told me that I would need to complete another full degree if I wanted to be recognised to teach another language/subject and if I was to do it PT it would take up to 6yrs.

What you say your friend has done is more logical. To me it makes sense if you already has one three year degree completed that you shouldnt have to complete another 3 yr degree if only 30% of the total content is required for teaching purposes.
I wonder can the TC be relied on to follow this criteria to everyone though.

mimmi

Depends on who you get at the other end of the phone.:rolleyes:

Say you had an aeronautical degree and had it assessed for Physics but it fell a little short in apropriate physics content, would you need to do a whole degree again? Well No, they suggest you do some OU study e.g. 30/60pts in the appropriate area. The trick here, is that you have had an assessment, paid your money and you can at least go back and say if I do X or Y will that suffice.

What bugs me is that many teachers are just trying to top up what they have, they already have 'qualified status', why cann't the TC be more helpful. I have now read about the TC has no legal power to assess qualifcations of registered teachers, so that throws a big fat fly in the ointment for now.

CLAUDINE

Maybe challenging their legal status is the begining of a much needed overhaul of the TC

D.Mar

Hi, sorry I haven't been online in awhile. I haven't got very far with this. Information from TC really does depend on who you get on the phone on a particular day, it's not very consistent. I have decided that most likely I will do the OU degree and pick my modules very carefully. Hopefully I won't have to fight for it to be recognized, but I will if I have to! Since I am only starting out on the hdip course I'm not sure of the way it works when you get a job. Can you show the principal proof of what degrees you have and your hdip, and then teach those subjects, or do you get a certificate from the TC or something like that? Sorry if that's a stupid question! But if the principal knew you had a hdip and a degree in a particular subject, then would be be allowed to teach without referring to the TC?

CLAUDINE

Hi DaisyPem, To be recognised to teach by the teaching council you must have a recognised degree accompanied by teaching methodology in the subject/s in your PGDE.
The TC supply you with a letter of confirmation which states the subjects you are recognised to teach and the status e.g. conditional etc.

If you have additional add on subjects after that the TC will assess them for information purposes only and as far as I understand they do not appear on the official form with teaching number on it.
This is because of the legal issues we were discussing earlier.