Stranmillis University College Teacher Education

At Stranmillis, you will choose a full semester load of classes from one of the four pathways below and work with a dedicated academic tutor. More details about each pathway and its modules can be found here.

• Primary (Elementary) Education
• Post-Primary (Secondary) Education
• Early Childhood Studies
• Health, Physical Activity, and Sport

Electives span child development and intercultural studies as well as teaching for literacy, mathematics, the arts, religious education, physical education, and English as a second language. In addition, unique options are available for future teachers who wish to specialize in special education.

Stranmillis also offers the following special classes to visiting international students:

• Children’s Literature (fall only)
• Contemporary Approaches to Teaching Languages (fall only)
• Learning and Assessment in Diverse Classrooms (spring only)
• Northern Ireland Culture and Education
• Peacebuilding and Reconciliation
• Work Based Professional Practice, which includes field placements
• Young People, Community and Culture

Credit Conversions
A full class load at Stranmillis University College is 60 CATS credits for the semester, equivalent to 15 U.S. semester credit hours. Some modules have different credit values in the fall and spring terms.

CHART Your Course
Find the classes you need fast with CHART. Our easy-to-use tool shows you classes recently taken by IFSA students

Lab & Field Trip Fees
Please review syllabi and class materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.

While not required, Work Based Professional Practice is overwhelming popular with IFSA students and often the highlight of their Stranmillis study abroad experience.

All pathways at Stranmillis offer you the opportunity to complete school-based work (for the Primary, Post-Primary, and Early Childhood pathways) or take practical studies (for the Health, Physical Activity, and Sport pathway). School-based work students spend approximately 25 percent of their time working directly with local pupils. Community-based placements are also available with local non-profit organizations for students interested in working with students outside a school setting.

Supervision is provided by Stranmillis teacher education faculty. IFSA recommends you speak with your home institution academic advisor on how this unique class may count toward U.S. state requirements for teacher education licensure.

You must apply for and receive a PBS Tier 4 visa in order to participate in any Work Based Professional Practice. IFSA will guide you through the visa process; however, you are responsible for the cost of the visa.

New country, new way of learning!

Here’s what to expect at Stranmillis University College:

• More emphasis on independent learning. The university recommends completing ten hours of independent study for each academic credit you seek.
• Less personal access to professors. Instead, it’s common to connect with more junior faculty members. Course designers, who line up lectures, are another potential resource.
• Grades are determined by the UK scale, which is slightly different than the scale we use in the United States. (We’ll review this and give you a chart to refer to during IFSA orientation.)
• Grades are often based only on a single final paper or on a midterm exam and final paper.
• Full access to the university’s robust academic support system and resources, including assignment to an advisor. IFSA local staff are also available for individual help.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
• You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
• You must have completed at least one (1) full-time year of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.
• Eligibility requirements can vary among host institutions. Please ask your IFSA Enrollment Counselor for specific information.

Recommendation Letter
Your application to this program will require one (1) academic letter of recommendation.

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.