Primary teaching among careers in new degree course pathways outside CAO 'points race'

Nursing, social work, business, ICT, the arts, and public health among new career paths opened up as ministers launch 32 new tertiary bachelor’s degrees

Under the new career pathway, prospective primary teachers will start with a foundation year with Tipperary ETB or Limerick and Clare ETB and proceed on to Mary Immaculate College in Limerick City. Picture: iStock

A new route to becoming a primary school teacher outside of the CAO ‘points race’ is one of the new degree course pathways among more than 30 being launched today, Wednesday.

Higher and further education minister James Lawless will today announce 32 new tertiary bachelor’s degrees open for the upcoming academic year.

For 2026, 1,200 tertiary places will be available outside the traditional points system across dozens of courses in subjects including nursing, social work, business, ICT, arts, process manufacturing, occupational therapy, and public health.

Among the new options being launched today is the first direct route to becoming a primary school teacher available outside of the CAO system.

With tertiary degrees, students begin their studies with local education and training boards (ETBs) before progressing on to the relevant higher education institution.

Entry to each course is not based on points, and no college fees apply during the first one or two years of study while students are enrolled in an ETB.

Students will graduate with the same bachelor’s degree qualification as they would have if they entered the university course through any other route.

Foundation at Tipperary or Limerick & Clare ETBs 

The tertiary bachelor’s degree route into primary teaching takes five years. Students will begin their studies with a ‘foundation year’ completed with Tipperary Education and Training Board or Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board.

They will then progress to Mary Immaculate College in Limerick City for years two to five, completing the NFQ Level 8 Bachelor of Education in Primary Teaching.

Demand to study primary school teaching is strong every year, with courses regularly attracting CAO cut-off points upwards of 470.

A full-time, two-year professional masters in education (PME) requires students to pay two years of MA fees, and students must have completed an undergraduate degree first.

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Tertiary degree programmes remove “longstanding barriers” such as points pressure and initial fees, while maintaining the same academic standards and outcomes as any other degree pathway, Mr Lawless said.

“They offer flexibility and fairness and reflect the reality that talent and potential exist in every walk of life. I would encourage anyone considering their next step in education, whether leaving school or returning later in life, to explore these opportunities.”

Education minister Hildegarde Naughton said the introduction of a new pathway to primary teaching is a “significant step” forward in supporting the next generation of teachers.

We are opening the door to a broader and more diverse cohort of future teachers. 

Tertiary bachelor's degree routes are built on people’s potential and interests “not on points”, said Tanya Jones, head of the National Tertiary Office.

“They are opening doors for individuals who may never have seen third-level education as an option and offering a real chance to progress into higher education without the traditional barriers that can hold people back.”

• Jess Casey, Education Correspondent