It is recognised and accredited by the Teaching Council of Ireland for the purpose of registration as a post-primary teacher of Art and Design in Ireland and the EU. The programme integrates three strands of study.

1. Firstly, it involves the student in direct teaching of Art and Design through two, year-long school placements.
    
2. Secondly, students attend a range of art and design workshops and lectures that broaden the student’s subject knowledge to meet the demands of the post-primary Art and Design curricula along with exploring Art and Design Pedagogy.
    
3. Thirdly, students attend lectures and tutorials at both MTU Crawford College of Art & Design and UCC, which develop student teachers’ requisite professional knowledge, skills, understanding and competences.
    

During the two-year PME (Art and Design) programme, students are introduced to best practice in teaching, learning and educational research with special emphasis on meeting the diverse needs of learners, on the curriculum and on current issues in education. Students are encouraged to integrate educational theory and practice through extensive reflection on their own professional classroom practice. They are supported in their development by experienced teachers in school and tutored by specialist MTU Crawford College of Art & Design and UCC staff in nurturing their professional identity as teachers.