Portobello Institute

BA (Hons) Physical Education

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Course Details

Delivered over 3 years, the BA (Hons) Physical Education programme aims to develop your critical understanding of physical education, through theoretical, practical and work-based learning experiences. You will have the opportunity to qualify and work in professional sports coaching and the option to study a PGCEi and a MSc Physical Education.

 

Level
Undergraduate
Qualification
Honours Degree
Course Delivery Mode Start Date Duration
Course
 BA (Hons) Physical Education 		Delivery Mode
Blended Learning
 Start Date
 10th February 2024 		Duration
 3 years
Course
 BA (Hons) Physical Education 		Delivery Mode
Full Time
 Start Date
 30th September 2024 		Duration
 3 years
Course
 BA (Hons) Physical Education 		Delivery Mode
Blended Learning
 Start Date
 5th October 2024 		Duration
 3 years

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Overview

With the introduction of Physical Education as a state exam subject, this course is equipped to meet the demands of the growing market for specialist trained PE teachers in Ireland.

A degree from a recognised global leading sports science university

This degree is designed to professionally develop practitioners to progress in both their practical and future academic career. Awarded by Liverpool John Moore’s University (LJMU), graduates will hold an instantly recognised degree from one of the world’s leading universities for sports science and physical education.

This BA (Hons) Physical Education course has been co-developed by Portobello Institute and the expert academic team in LJMU who have an international reputation for the delivery of physical education degrees.

This PE degree combines practical and theoretical aspects of physical education and provides work experience opportunities at each level of study within the school and local community settings.

Alternative route to PE teaching with this programme.

Our students can use this BA (Hons) in Physical Education as an  entry pathway to becoming a PE teacher. Portobello Institute offers a Post Graduate Certificate in Continuing Education (PGCEi) with an MSc in Physical Education available from October ’23. These programmes combined are delivered over 2 academic years, offering graduates further opportunities to develop their expertise in physical education. Alternatively, many of our past students have used qualifications gained from Portobello Institute to gain entry to other universities to study post-graduate qualifications for PE teaching.

Essential knowledge for a career in physical education

Designed for those students considering entering the teaching profession, the content of this degree will equip you with an in-depth knowledge of physical education. You will study a range of modules considering learning and teaching alongside the main sports science disciplines. Modules such as Psychology and Introduction to Skills Acquisition in year 1 right through to Contemporary Issues in PE provide you with strong foundations to build a career in physical education.

Develop practical skills and techniques

You will learn practical skills relating to work as a physical education teacher and a sports coach. This is course is delivered efficiently over 3 academic years. You will complete an education-based placement as part of their course.

Learn from the experts

This honours degree is delivered by a team of expert tutors who are experienced practitioners and educators. You will have personal one to one support from a personal academic tutor who is an experienced PE teacher and is there to to support you throughout your learning journey to achieve your personal best.

Here are some reasons to choose to study with Portobello:

  • Accelerated programme completing your undergraduate degree in three years, getting you out into the world of work faster.
  • Career focused qualifications – our courses lead to awards that offer you the opportunity of immediate employment upon graduation.
  • Notable university partners – our university partners are among the top-ranking universities in the UK offering you access to a qualification from a renowned university.
  • Reputable placements – our work experience placements are with prominent organisations, connecting you with respected employers to build your future career network.
  • Realistic entry requirements – our entry requirements are reflective of the academic ability needed to successfully complete this course. These are clearly stated and remain static regardless of demand for places.
  • Individualised support – we fit your learning model with support available when you need it throughout your learning journey.
  • SMART assessments – we use a range of assessments for each module designed to support a broad range of learning styles, giving you the opportunity to excel.
  • Industry expert tutors – our tutors are all industry practitioners connecting research and theory with industry practice throughout their lectures.
  • Condensed scheduling – we value your time by ensuring your timetable is optimised for delivery over the same 2 – 3 days, helping you maintain a part-time job.
  • Flexible delivery – we deliver theory sessions on-site, online whilst also recording the session simultaneously offering you a choice of when and how you learn.
  • City Centre Location – Commuting to Portobello is very accessible – the Luas stops outside our door, and we are located within minutes from the major transport hubs.
  • Affordable payment options – all our courses offer you the option to choose an easy payment plan supporting you to spread the cost out over your learning journey.

Why should I study this course?

Portobello Institute’s BA (Hons) in Physical Education gives you the opportunity to learn from a range of experts whom bring their insight, depth of experience and passion for teaching to this degree programme. You will have career opportunities as professional sports coach working with professional athletes and teams. You will also have the option, like many of our past pupils, to engage in further to become a qualified PE teacher.

Gain employment through our strong network of connections

Gaining employment is the objective of this degree and it is important students have the opportunity to gain practical experience and build a network of contacts within the sector. If you are interested in health and physical activity promotion in community settings, this course provides you with the skills and knowledge required to work effectively in community based physical activity and health promotion.

Portobello Institute has an established network of connections with many of schools and clubs seeking PE teachers and coaches. The work experience programme for this programme affords students the opportunity to gain practical working experience and engage with those connections to advance their careers following graduation.

Visit our Graduates Success Stories to understand the opportunities they availed of, the further studies they have undertaken and their unique learning journeys.

Accessible, affordable, achievable

There is an easy payment plan designed to make this degree affordable for you. These factors, together with the one to one tutorial support, offer you the opportunity to access a career in the business of fashion, with a qualification that is accessible, affordable and achievable.

Who will recognise my qualification?

Upon completing this level 8 degree, you will hold a BA (Hons) Physical Education awarded by Liverpool John Moore’s University (LJMU), one of the leading universities globally for sports science and physical education.

You will be registered as a student of LJMU for the duration of your studies.

This degree provides you with the required credits to be eligible to apply for post-graduate qualifications in teaching for PE within Irish and UK universities.

Qualifications Frameworks in Ireland and the UK

The Irish and UK qualifications authorities have collaborated on initiatives that promote the transparency, recognition and mobility of qualifications between our respective jurisdictions. The qualifications authorities in the UK and Ireland have agreed the qualifications frameworks in operation, Brexit will not impact this agreement. Further guidance on this framework is available here.

What will I study during this BA (Hons) Physical Education course?

Contemporary content for modern day physical education

This degree has been designed and developed in 2021 and includes relevant and up to date content that reflects the context of physical education in modern society eg the module Contemporary Issues in PE covers topics such as race, technology, social media, gender, historical and philosophical concepts.

You will also learn about the underpinning principles of sports science as well as practical learning and teaching skills relating to work as a physical education teacher or sports coach. You will learn how to facilitate the enhancement of physical education through effective teaching. You will understand principles and limitations of measurement and assessment strategies in sport, exercise and physical education.

Study gymnastics, dance, games athletics, aquatics and adventure activities

The fundamental components of the revised and updated PE curriculum in Ireland (e.g. gymnastics, dance, games athletics, aquatics and adventure activities) are taught . You will develop critical consideration on national and international policy and curriculum design in PE. The degree provides you with strong foundation in motor development, psychology, sociology and physiology.

You will develop your applied teaching, lesson planning, communication, assessment and reflective practice skills through extensive work-based learning and work-related learning activities.

  • Personal and Professional Development 1 (20 credits)

    This module aims to introduce students to the necessary skills, conventions and personal development required for working at level 4. This module is a key foundation for all other modules delivered at level 4.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Inform their own development through reflection on becoming an effective learner
    • Demonstrate appropriate strategies for accessing, reading and evaluating information
    • Reflect upon personal development and career-planning through undertaking a contextualised physical education placement
  • Psychology 1 (20 credits)

    This module introduces students to the applied field of sports psychology and its application to physical education. Students will learn psychological principles and theories that they can use to explain behaviour within their domain of physical education.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Illustrate the key principles of psychology and the relationship with Physical Education
    • Demonstrate how key theories of motivation link to student engagement in Physical Education.
    • Demonstrate knowledge of methods used to evaluate and assess psychological characteristics in a physical education setting.
  • Contemporary Issues in Physical Education 1 (20 credits)

    This module aims to develop a conceptual understanding of a broad range of issues in physical education and sport. Students will analyse these issues using philosophical and sociological perspectives.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Evaluate the significance of Physical Education and sport in contemporary society
    • Identify a range of social issues and concepts relating to Physical Education and sport
    • Examine social issues and concepts in Physical Education and sport using sociological perspectives
  • Physiology 1 (20 credits)

    The aim of this module is for individuals to develop an understanding of the physiological developments, principles and energy systems required in relation to practical performance to support physical education. Individuals will also develop an awareness of the different stages of physical development through infancy, childhood, and adolescence. An understanding of theoretical knowledge and application will support the ability of individuals to devise and deliver appropriate practical sessions.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Demonstrate knowledge of exercise and physiology principles that support practical learning experiences and development.
    • Understand the relationship between physiology and physical performance during infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
    • Deliver practical learning activities that include exercise physiology principles and development, relevant to age and the physical education curriculum.
  • Applied Pedagogy 1 (20 credits)

    Module Aim:

    This module will enable students to consider and appreciate how physical education can provide a positive learning environment for the development of a wide range of skills and attributes. These include movement, sport-specific skills, leadership, and teamwork. This module will allow for reflection on how pedagogy can impact on the physical, affective, cognitive, and social development of individuals.

    Learning Outcomes:

    After completing the module the student should be able:

    1 Critically appraise theories of teaching and learning commonly deployed in a
    physical education context and discuss factors that influence the learning process.

    2 Apply pedagogical theories to varied Physical Education learning environments.

    3 Critically evaluate safe practice conventions to practical activities and identify
    appropriate adaptations for inclusive PE practice for students with disability.

  • Introduction to Skill Acquisition (20 credits)

    This module will introduce students to key concepts related to skill acquisition and motor development throughout childhood and adolescents. It will also illustrate how these concepts can be applied in a range of physical education environments such as gymnastics, dance, games, and athletics.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Describe key concepts of skill acquisition and stages of motor development
    • Apply skill acquisition concepts to individual in physical activities in a range of artistic, technical and creative contexts such as gymnastics, dance, team sports, athletics and games
  • Personal and Professional Development 2 (20 credits)

    This module allows students to experience, observe, contribute, and apply professional principles within a work-based learning community environment.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Reflect upon your own personal and professional development in relation to a work-based placement
    • Demonstrate organisational awareness gained through a work-based placement and appreciate and review organisational structures within the workplace
    • Apply safeguarding and child protection conventions and safe-practice procedure in relation to the work-based learning environment
  • Applied Pedagogy 2 (20 credits)

    Module Aims:

    This module will allow for critical reflection on how pedagogy can affect the physical, affective, cognitive, and social development of individuals. Students will be introduced to physical education curriculum models and how they can used in classroom settings. Models such as Sport Education, Cooperative learning and Adventure education will be explored. Students will explore these curriculum models through the lens of a variety of different content strand areas including Adventure activities, aesthetic activities, and athletics. Students will consider how these pedagogical approaches can be practically used to enhance teaching and learning in the PE classroom.

    Learning Outcomes:

    1. Critically evaluate pedagogical models and apply them to practical teaching situations
    2.Plan and deliver adventure, aesthetic and athletics activities in a pedagogically appropriate manner
    3. Deliver positive physical education learning environments that enable young people to develop physical, affective, cognitive, and social skills
    4. Use qualitative research methods to develop further knowledge of curriculum models

  • Research Design (20 credits)

    This module will develop students’ understanding of a range of research methodologies and methods typically used within social science research. Students will create a research project proposal that will prepare them for further research study in level 6.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Explain methodological approaches to social science research
    • Design and plan a research proposal
    • Analyse and evaluate the use of teaching and learning and assessment resources in physical education across the phases of learning
  • Contemporary Issues in Physical Education 2 (20 credits)

    This module aims to develop a conceptual understanding of physical education and sport within society, by considering the influence of external partners and examining the current community and National strategies and initiatives that impact on the development of young people and analyse these from sociological perspectives.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Apply sociological perspectives to demonstrate an understanding of contemporary issues in physical education.
    • Reflect on and analyse the structures and influential partners that contribute to the development of opportunities for young people in physical education.
    • Examine and evaluate current community and National strategies and initiatives and their impact upon young people in physical education.
  • Physical Education Teacher Education 1 (20 credits)

    This option module aims to provide students with the opportunity to understand and analyse the role of physical education in terms of planning, teaching, learning and assessment in the primary school years age range.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Reflect on and analyse physical education planning and curriculum across the phases of learning
    • Develop an appreciation of teaching, learning and assessment approaches and assessment in physical education across the phases of learning
    • Analyse and evaluate the use of teaching and learning and assessment resources in physical education across the phases of learning
  • Skill Acquisition 2 (20 credits)

    This module aims for students to develop an understanding of how to implement non-linear pedagogy to improve motor skills and psychosocial skills during physical education lessons. This will be based upon a dynamical systems framework and include a constraints-based approach to teaching using, games and athletics, adventure activities and aquatics to explore physical literacy development.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Evaluate models of skill acquisition
    • Design physical education activities which meet the needs of all learners
    • Analyse practical activity from a skill acquisition perspective
  • Make it Happen – Project Plan (10 credits)

    The aim of this module is to prepare to undertake a community physical education activity project as a team and in doing so develop an understanding of how leadership, management and teamwork skills have the potential to be effectively  applied.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Construct a rationale and action plan for a ‘make it happen’ community physical education activity project.
    • Apply leadership, management, and teamwork principles in the preparation of a ‘make it happen’ physical education activity project, within a school or community environment.
  • Applied Pedagogy 3 (20 credits)

    Module Aim:

    This module aims to critically analyse the needs and performance of learners. By providing students with a conceptual understanding of pedagogical and talent development theory.

    Learning Outcomes:

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    1 Critically evaluate talent development theory

    2 Use ICT to critically analyse more advanced skills, tactics, or concepts in physical
    education activities.

    3 Using established learning theories, design solutions to pedagogical issues

  • Physical Education Teacher Education 2 (20 credits)

    This option module will provide students with the opportunity to critically evaluate physical education (12-18) in relation to teaching, learning and assessment.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Critically research and evaluate the effects of transition on pupil’s performance and personal development in physical education.
    • Critically evaluate methods used to ensure progression and continuity with regards to teaching, learning and curriculum planning in relation to physical education.
    • Critically evaluate the current philosophy behind the provision for learners by associated agencies within the 12-18 phase of education in relation to personal experience.
  • Research Project (40 credits)

    This module aims to build on students’ research skills gained at levels 4 and 5 of the programmes and will rigorously investigate an issue from a physical education or sport in the form of a dissertation.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Synthesise their knowledge and apply it to the chosen area of study.
    • Implement the range of research skills to conduct independent research relevant to their chosen topic, by selecting an appropriate approach and methodology, and by utilising a broad range of primary and secondary sources.
    • To develop understanding, knowledge, and critical analysis of the area of research selected.
  • Contemporary Issues in Physical Education 3 (20 credits)

    Module Aim:

    This module aims to develop a deeper understanding of the role physical education plays in promoting physical activity, health, and well-being of young people. Students will also critically reflect on the challenges, choices, and constraints that young Page 2 of 3 people experience within the complexity of the educational environment and wider society using a range of philosophical and sociological perspectives.

    Learning Outcomes:

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Critically examine the processes and structures in physical education that contribute to the development of physical activity in young people.
    • Reflect on and critically analyse the provision, policy and practice of Physical Education and the impact this has on young people.
    • Critically examine the role of physical education in promoting health and well-being.
  • Make it Happen Implementation (10 credits)

    The aim of this module is to initiate and complete a community physical education activity project as a team. The module also aims to critically evaluate how leadership, management and teamwork skills impacted on a community physical Page 2 of 3 activity project.

    After completing the module the student should be able to:

    • Critically evaluate an innovative physical education activity project within a school or community.
    • Critically reflect on their personal development.

Who will I learn from?

Programme Manager

Dr Liam Clohessy

“I aim to support students, exposing them to different ideas and helping them to
identify things that would be aligned to their beliefs and values. Highlighting that
there are lots of different areas, different approaches and different ways of going
about it and helping them to come up with their own teaching philosophy and their
own beliefs about what is quality PE.” – Liam Clohessy, Programme Lead BA (Hons)
Physical Education, Portobello Institute.

About

As a child, Liam Clohessy wanted to grow up to be a sports commentator. With an
innate interest in sports, getting into coaching and summer camps as a teenager
gave him the buzz for helping others to progress, leading him to a career that
perfectly combines teaching, PE and leadership.

Liam holds a Bachelor of Education in Primary Teaching specialising in PE, a PhD in
the area of Leadership in Physical Education as well as experience as the former
Chairperson of the Irish Primary PE Association (IPPEA) and PE Advisor for the
Department of Education Professional Development Service for Teachers Health and
Well-being team (PDST).

Liam brings this wealth of experience and passion for educating others who want to
pass the baton in developing the role of PE throughout education in Ireland to
Portobello Institute’s sports department as the Programme Lead for the LJMU BA (Hons) Physical Education.

“Having worked as a teacher and worked in a variety of different settings I have the
experience to share with people. I also really enjoy teaching and working with people
and supporting them to develop themselves, to facilitate and point them in the
direction they want to go.

“It’s great to see people going on and flourishing and getting into something that
they really enjoy working at,” he said.

As a passionate educator, Liam values the one-to-one student support
provided at Portobello Institute.

“The biggest highlights include working with teachers, and maybe you are working
with somebody who is not that confident with a particular topic or maybe struggling
with a particular class or issue and working together and helping them to come up
with solutions is probably the most satisfying thing and seeing the positive outcome
for the students involved.

“The biggest thing is actually seeing the impact for that learner,” he said.

With his PhD covering leadership in PE, Liam works to support and share the positive
impacts of PE in education in Ireland.

“When you think about leadership, I think about influencing others leading to
positive changes so basically it’s about looking at how you can work with people to
have a positive influence on other people.

“That can be with your students but perhaps if you are working in a school maybe
there are other teachers you could share new ideas with or share the things that
have worked well for you?

“It’s about sharing the ways we work whereby all the students in the school are
going to benefit from that expertise rather than maybe just the group that you are
working with.

“Are there simple ways we can share and maximise the positive impacts and
expertise of the particular person within the school context, within the club or within
the sporting organisation and look at strategies to help spread that positive impact?”
he said.

He aims to guide his students on their education journeys through Portobello
Institute.

“I aim to help support the students as they are exploring the world of PE for the first
time and to help facilitate their own learning and their own exploration of it.

“Highlighting that there are lots of different areas, different approaches and
different ways of going about it and helping them to come up with their own
teaching philosophy and their own beliefs about what is quality PE.

“Supporting them around how they could help the people that they are going to be
working with in a school context or maybe in a physical activity context either and to
have really positive experiences that lead to meaningful experiences for their
students.

“I aim to support students, exposing them to different ideas and helping them to
identify things that would be aligned to their beliefs and values in terms of working
with young people or working with people in this area,” he said.

With his academic research and publications and his roles with the IPPEA and
Department of Education, as well as teaching experience, Liam is practice-based and
research-led in his position leading the BA in PE programme.

Qualifications

  • Mary Immaculate College, Limerick PhD PhD in the area of Leadership in
    Physical Education
  • Higher Diploma Probated by Department of Education.
  • Mary Immaculate College, Limerick – Bachelor of Education – Education
    Specialism: Physical Education

Publications and Selected Conference Presentations

  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & Ní Chróinín, D (2021): Follow the leader? Generalist
    primary school teachers’ experiences of informal physical education
    leadership, Education 3-13, 49 (6): 661-673
  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & NíChróinín, D (2020). “Playing to our Strengths:
    Generalist Teachers’ Experiences of Class Swapping for Primary Physical
    Education.” European Physical Education Review 26 (2): 571–586. Doi:
    10.1177/ 1356336X19877195
  • Clohessy, L, (2020), Teaching circus skills for PE using self-paced progressions,
    Irish Primary Physical Education Association Conference, Mary Immaculate
    College (practical workshop)
  • Clohessy, L, (2019), Teaching social skills in physical education, Irish Primary
    Physical Education Association Conference, Watershed Kilkenny (practical
    workshop)
  • Clohessy, L. & Cosgrave, C, (2017) Cooperative games, Irish Primary Physical
    Education Association Conference, Croke Park Dublin (practical workshop)
  • Clohessy, L. (2016). Quality Primary Physical Education. InTouch. Jan/Feb,158,
    49
  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & NíChróinín, D., (2016), Class swapping for Physical
    Education in Irish Primary Schools: Effectively Utilising Generalist Teachers’
    Talents, PEPAYS Ireland Annual Forum, Institute of Technology Tralee (Oral
    presentation)
  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & NíChróinín, D., (2016), Playing to our strengths:
    Leading physical education in Irish primary schools, European Conference on
    Educational Research, University College Dublin from 22-26August, 2016 (Oral
    presentation)
  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & NíChróinín, D (2015) Physical Education in Irish
    Primary Schools: Generalist Classroom Teachers Experiences of Subject
    Leadership. Oral presentation at AIESEP International Conference, Universidad
    Europe Madrid
  • Clohessy, L. (2014). Outdoor and Adventure Centres as Part of a PE
    Programme. InTouch. Jan/Feb, 141, 63-65

Personal Academic Tutor

You will learn from a range of applied practitioners including primary and secondary school PE specialists, psychologists, sports and exercise scientists.

Each student is assigned a personal academic tutor to support you throughout your learning journey. They are available to offer you telephone and email support at any time. You can arrange to meet them for further one to one guidance at a time convenient to you.

Many of our past graduates have found it is the opportunity to ask a simple question, seek direction and submit a draft of their assessment that supported them most to successful completion. Emailing your tutor at any stage during your programme to ask a query or submit a draft of your assessment supports you to achieve your personal best throughout your studies with Portobello.

This level of one to one support is a particular benefit to choosing Portobello as your Institute of choice to complete your studies.

Alan Whelan

Alan Whelan is a Portobello Institute lecturer who worked in psychology away from sports before moving into sports education. Cathal Brady was a Portobello student before becoming a lecturer. Barry Roe underwent a late career change to become a sports lecturer.

Alan Whelan?

Alan Whelan did all three.

“The big thing for me is I put off going back to full-time education. I sat in a job for six years, six out of 10 years that I knew I didn’t like it…I put off for years making that jump. And that’s always something I say to a lot of people, just go and chase what you want to do.

Even if it’s a mistake you won’t regret it.”

It wasn’t a mistake for Alan. He was 36 years of age when he first walked through the doors at Portobello Institute. Fearing that he would be the oldest student in the class, he’s familiar with how mature students feel when they now walk into his lectures.

Fortunately for Alan, his class was diverse and he wasn’t even the oldest student in the class. He almost proudly noted that another student was six months older than him.

Many of our sports students come back to education later in life because they weren’t pushed towards a career in sports when they left school. Despite being an intelligent student and a sports-obsessed teenager, the adults in Alan’s life guided him towards a more traditional college and career choice.

Real estate and corporate finance made up most of Alan’s next 18 years.

The day-to-day monotony of going into school to study subjects he had no interest in was replaced by the day-to-day monotony of going into an office and doing the same work over and over again.

“That mundane 9-5, sitting in a desk in front of a computer in that kind of corporate world was just killing me. It was boredom, it was monotonous. It was the same thing day in day out with little gratitude.

It was my wife who pushed me. She said ‘Look, you’re clearly not happy. Go and take the risk and do it’…I completely packed in my job, I was a couple months shy of 10 years working there.”

Had Alan reached the 10-year milestone, he could have earned an extra five days off each year. That was the only thing driving him to stay in work, the opportunity to get out of work. Instead of getting that five days off, he took three years off and studied the Sports Science and Physical Education degree at Portobello Institute.

“When I gave up my full-time job, I had a little bit of savings behind me. My idea was I was going to completely stop working and I was going to focus on year one of the degree, then with the potential of getting some part-time work in year two and three to help.

But I actually ended up not working for the entire three years.

I remember I used to say to people ‘I have never been so broke in my entire life but I’ve never been as happy as I am now.’”

That happiness extended further when Alan travelled up to the University of Ulster in Belfast to do his master’s in sports psychology.

Dr. Susan Giblin had noticed Alan’s enthusiasm for his education in sports. She also noticed how impressive his dissertation was before offering him the opportunity to become a lecturer at Portobello. Alan took all of five seconds to realize it was a great idea.

“I’m enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. It’s more freedom [compared to my previous jobs]…Now I’m working in Portobello and I set up my own psychology business last February.

It’s night and day the difference, particularly in relation to my own happiness.”

Having followed the path from uninterested secondary school student to college dropout to staying in the wrong career for more than 10 years, Alan can empathize with all of his students. Those students who have experienced that office depression can listen to him outline what his job is now and where he works.

He is no longer chained to an office for eight hours a day. Instead, he can work from home, can work in a sports hall, a classroom, on a field, in a locker room or, if he suddenly gets the urge, he can go and work in an office.

But working in an office would now be a choice he makes rather than something he does out of necessity.

That is because of the education he received at Portobello Institute and the decisions he made to take risks in pursuit of what he wanted.

Alan himself notes that he’s a happier person now, which makes him a more effective lecturer. He loves engaging his students and guiding them towards where they want to go.

“I am a very open and approachable tutor. I believe in a student-centred approach to learning, with student engagement and discussion at the heart of every lecture.

A firm believer in the benefits of effective goal setting, engaging in reflective practice and practical application, I employ a number of sport psychology related skills into the education setting to ensure all students maximize their potential for learning.”

Anthony Sheriff

“I very much took the scenic route to education.”

Anthony Sheriff isn’t joking. After leaving school in Ireland, he spent a year in Australia before returning to Ireland before then going to college in Liverpool. From there he found his way to different cities in the United Kingdom before spending two years as a teacher in Dubai.

Travelling the world may or may not have been a goal for Anthony that he was always aware of but it definitely would have been a surprise to his younger self that he was travelling as a teacher.

“When I was a teenager absolutely I was sports mad. Right back as far as I can remember as a child, my mam always says that I was kicking a football before I could walk. You’d probably struggle to find a sport that I haven’t played or competed in at one stage.

I was never the academic type. I was never the type to be massively interested in school apart from PE. When I was in school all I wanted to do was to be out playing sport really. It’s not that I hated school, I got the work done that had to be done but I think my mind was just on sport the whole time so I was never massively interested.”

Initially after leaving school, Anthony worked in different jobs. He was a greenkeeper, worked in a bar and in construction. He moved to Australia for a year on a whim when his friend asked him if he wanted to go.

Anthony openly admits that he didn’t know what he wanted to do at that stage of his life.

College didn’t become an option for him until he was 22 years of age after leaving secondary school at 18. It was all that time he spent on building sites in Australia that made him realize what he really wanted to pursue in life.

“I was doing a lot of these labouring jobs and it was a bit of craic and all on the site, it was enjoyable at times but I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do long term. That’s when I started to have a deep think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.”

Since PE was the only thing he had any care for during his time in school, Anthony began searching through online courses to see what qualification he could actually earn and what career he could build. That led him to Liverpool John Moores University in England.

Once he started studying in Liverpool, Anthony no longer had to figure out what he wanted to do. His career outlined itself in front of him.

“Liverpool was where the opportunity was…an absolutely excellent college. It’s just a fantastic place. The tutors the way they worked with us so closely because going into it I was worrying you’d be going into a class of 100 people the way you see college on television and there’s these big lecture halls. It’s very impersonal.

But that wasn’t the experience at all. They focus on each individual. They’re just very, very helpful and the course they put on was excellent.”

After finishing his degree at LJMU, Anthony became a qualified PE teacher in England and earned his master’s degree in Sports and Exercise Psychology. Working in Manchester and studying in Leeds after going to college in Liverpool, Anthony was able to broaden his connections within the sports industry.

Since then he has worked with top level athletes to help them in sports psychology while also starting his own podcast that features some big names across different sports.

The balance between his two areas of expertise, sports psychology and teaching, have helped Anthony to become a very approachable tutor who encourages discussions in lectures to maximize the time he has with his students.

“I believe strongly in working together with the students n my class and will always encourage students to share their opinions to help create interesting discussions. I am also a strong believer in reflective practice and believe that this approach will allow me to improve continuously which will then maximize the student’s potential to achieve their goals.”

The broad nature of Anthony’s skill set and the fact that he has worked internationally in different roles at high levels made him an appealing tutor for Portobello Institute.

Our students continually benefit from his ability to connect with the individual and understand their needs.

“I’m used to working with children, teenagers, adults, whatever it may be. But also when I see students coming in and they’re studying PE, I can better understand them because I’ve taken the scenic route.

A lot of people come in straight from school, straight to college and then back into a classroom teaching whereas I very much didn’t do that. I know what it’s like to finish school and not really have a clue about what you want to do.

I’m one of those people who did every job in the world and I found out what I didn’t want to do before I found out what I did want to do. That’s definitely helped me understand students coming from different areas of life.”

 

Qualifications 

BA(Hons) Education Studies and Physical Education

PGCE Primary Education with PE Specialism

MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology

 

Catherine Corcoran

Position: Tutor in Physical Education

“As a passionate physical educator, I am keen to share my enthusiasm for the subject and promote the limitless benefits of physical activity for physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.”

About Catherine Corcoran 

In 2015, I concluded my undergraduate studies at the University of Limerick, graduating with a first-class honours qualification in Physical Education, in addition to receiving a certificate for outstanding academic achievement. 

Having worked in a diverse range of educational settings, I am presently working as a physical education teacher at Mount Anville Secondary School, contributing to a comprehensive and dynamic physical education programme. Having previously represented Ireland as a youth athlete and the South East in the interprovincial hockey series, I also contribute to extensive hockey and athletics programmes within the school, winning a number of Leinster and All Ireland titles. 

Outside of academia, I coach club and county athletes up to the youth international level and have previously coached the SIAB Schools International team. I am also presently Chairperson of the East Leinster Schools Athletics Union.  

Catherine’s Teaching Philosophy

When teaching, I combine the practical knowledge obtained and utilised on a daily basis with the theoretical content acquired during two degrees and various professional development opportunities. I aspire to engage in Socratic teaching methodologies that encourage students to consider the knowledge that they have acquired and how this can best be adapted and utilised within a diverse range of classroom environments. I believe that this ability to utilise our knowledge to engage all students is essential to the successful delivery of any physical education programme 

Qualifications 

  • BSc Physical Education 
  • MSc Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine

Meet more members of our sports lecturing team here.

John Murphy

Position: Lecturer in Physical Education

“My job is focused on preparing students for the challenges involved in teaching PE to Irish adolescents. PE has never been more important as we are more aware of both the physical and mental health benefits. Physical activity levels are at an all-time low while mental health issues are on the rise. We can provide students with an opportunity to enhance their experiences of physical activity with a view to increasing their activity for the future.”

About John Murphy

I have been a PE teacher for 10 years mixed between an all-girls school and more recently in a mixed school. I have coached a number of sports, mainly GAA, across all levels and provide a lot of Coach CPD for both the GAA and Sport Ireland. I completed my PhD on the associations between physical activity and mental health in adolescents. The knowledge and experience gained throughout this journey have highlighted the importance of enjoyment during physical activity experiences and how we can benefit students in a number of ways through high-quality PE teaching.

John’s Teaching Philosophy

My approach to teaching is based on engaging students in the key topics being taught. I like to employ a practical teaching style where possible and prefer to facilitate learning across the group instead of a largely didactic approach. I get the most excited about teaching topics that I see have an immediate impact on the wider physical activity and the sporting world such as coaching through games, coaching teenage girls, and developing life skills through physical activity.

The current PE landscape values far more than the execution of physical skills but includes the holistic development of the whole person. PE teachers play a huge role in developing students physically, emotionally and mentally, therefore must be equipped with the skills required to do this in a manner that is both enjoyable for the students and also the teachers themselves.

Qualifications

  • BSc Physical Education
  • MSc Exercise & Nutrition Science
  • Postgrad Cert Leadership & Management
  • PhD Physical Activity & Wellbeing

Research/Industry Participation 

  • Award 2 GAA Coach & Tutor
  • SENr Nutritionist
  • S&C Coach
  • PEAI Member

Meet more members of our sports lecturing team here.

Paidi Kelly

Position: Sports Tutor

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I will remember. Involve me and I will learn.”

About Paidi Kelly

My teaching journey started with the B.Ed Sports Studies and Physical Education at UCC where I studied to be a PE and maths teacher. After finishing my undergraduate degree in 2020, I studied for an M.Sc in Sports Performance at the University of Limerick.

Since graduating, I have worked in several schools in the Cork area, including various DEIS schools. I have continued to work in education after completing my master’s due to the passion that I have for teaching and providing education, especially in DEIS schools.

I have also worked with various teams and clubs as a sports performance analyst from the local level to the intercounty/elite level.

Paidi’s Teaching Philosophy

I use my experience from the various types of schools that I have thought in, as well as current research to guide students to their own academic journey. My classes are highly interactive, with a lot of peer-to-peer teaching and practical elements designed to prepare students for teaching PE.

Qualifications

  • B.Ed Sport Studies and Physical Education – UCC 2020
  • M.Sc Sports Performance – UL 2022

Research/Industry Participation

  • IMART 2022 –Injury surveillance researcher

Meet more members of our sports lecturing team here.

Brian Spring

Brian Spring is a tutor for Portobello Institute’s sports department, working across a number of different modules including Human Physiology and Applied Principles of Strength and Conditioning.

Brian grew up in Co. Mayo, developing a strong love for sport and fitness through his playing of soccer and Brazilian jiu jitsu. He carried that love of sport right through his youth and into university.

“I decided to do Sport and Exercise Science in UL. Did my undergrad degree there for four years and loved every second of it. Ended up graduating top of my class.

“Then I went on and did a master’s in Sports Performance in UL also,” he said.

During his time doing his undergraduate, Brian was able to avail of some valuable practical experience many miles from his Mayo home.

“I worked with the West Coast Eagles in Australia for a year during my undergraduate degree.

“During their 2018 Grand Final winning season, I helped out with them on the sports science. Things like GPS, questionnaires, RPE monitoring and also their strength and conditioning side of things. In the gym with the lads every day, helping them with their gym programmes,” Brian said.

Brian’s disciplines cover a wide area of professional sports, but he says there isn’t one specific area he prefers working in.

“I enjoy everything because it all works together in terms of nutrition, psychology, physiology.

“Nothing works by itself; they all complement each other. I like looking at sport in a broader sense, trying to make the puzzle work and make everything fit together,” he says.

While on the field success was always the end goal for him and the team, Brian says there’s much more to enjoy from a backroom perspective than winning on matchday.

“Obviously seeing the team win on game day is great.

“But I also like seeing players return or if they are coming off a bad patch of performance and you’ve helped them do a bit of extra work in the gym. Whether it’s a bad patch of performance or coming back from injury, seeing them have a good game on the day is quite satisfying as well,” Brian said.

Upon returning from Down Under, and completing of his second degree with the university, Brian was offered a role as a teaching assistant with UL, discovering a passion for teaching along the way.

“After my master’s I worked as a teaching assistant in UL for a year. I taught labs and tutorials on nutrition, physiology, biomechanics, strength and conditioning, a bit of everything really, from undergraduate to postgraduate degree.

“I really enjoy seeing the students reach their goals for learning.

“From week one, their knowledge on physiology isn’t that wide and you get them to week 12 and you can have a proper discussion about exercise physiology and strength and conditioning, and they can start critically analysing what I’m saying to them and ask questions. Knowing that they can bring that information into a practical setting is quite rewarding too,” he said.

Like many practitioners who teach alongside their practical work, he likes how one can inform the other, and vice versa.

“The better understanding you have of the physiology and the strength and conditioning and all the theoretical things, the better you are able to explain these things to the athletes. That increases their buy-in, it makes them more likely to engage in the programme and what you’re telling them to do.

“And vice versa, obviously having a better understanding of how to communicate with athletes, how the theoretical knowledge is used in a practical sense, you can take that information to the students. There are times when there’s a bit of a disconnect between people who are lecturers, and who aren’t practitioners. It’s good to do both,” Brian said.

Brian now works with Portobello Institute across multiple degree programmes. While the UL position was something offered to him, he says that his current role with Portobello that he actually went looking for.

“In UL, it was something that I was approached for. But the Portobello gig is something I sought out and got in contact with Susan about. I love the teaching so it’s definitely something I want to keep on doing going forward.

“Now I’m in Portobello, lecturing on physiology, exercise physiology and strength and conditioning modules.

“I’m loving it so far. As I mentioned, I love working with people and helping them reach their goals. But I think the part I’m enjoying the most, so far, is seeing people’s knowledge grow.

“Having them a bit confused on week one until they’re asking some really great questions come week 12. We’re able to have conversations as a class and have a debate in class on certain topics. Just seeing their understanding and confidence grow is probably my favourite bit,” he said.

While he is exploring his passion for teaching with Portobello, Brian does not rule out a future focus on a return to more practitioner work.

“I definitely would like to keep working in sport in some respect.

“I think before, I always wanted to work at the highest level of sport. I now like the idea of working at the academy levels or with youth athletes a bit more because I feel like their development is nearly more important than the elite athletes’ development, which has nearly peaked.

“You’re maintaining their levels of fitness or skill whereas in a developing age, you can see the growth a lot more.”

Programme Manager

Dr Liam Clohessy

“I aim to support students, exposing them to different ideas and helping them to
identify things that would be aligned to their beliefs and values. Highlighting that
there are lots of different areas, different approaches and different ways of going
about it and helping them to come up with their own teaching philosophy and their
own beliefs about what is quality PE.” – Liam Clohessy, Programme Lead BA (Hons)
Physical Education, Portobello Institute.

About

As a child, Liam Clohessy wanted to grow up to be a sports commentator. With an
innate interest in sports, getting into coaching and summer camps as a teenager
gave him the buzz for helping others to progress, leading him to a career that
perfectly combines teaching, PE and leadership.

Liam holds a Bachelor of Education in Primary Teaching specialising in PE, a PhD in
the area of Leadership in Physical Education as well as experience as the former
Chairperson of the Irish Primary PE Association (IPPEA) and PE Advisor for the
Department of Education Professional Development Service for Teachers Health and
Well-being team (PDST).

Liam brings this wealth of experience and passion for educating others who want to
pass the baton in developing the role of PE throughout education in Ireland to
Portobello Institute’s sports department as the Programme Lead for the LJMU BA (Hons) Physical Education.

“Having worked as a teacher and worked in a variety of different settings I have the
experience to share with people. I also really enjoy teaching and working with people
and supporting them to develop themselves, to facilitate and point them in the
direction they want to go.

“It’s great to see people going on and flourishing and getting into something that
they really enjoy working at,” he said.

As a passionate educator, Liam values the one-to-one student support
provided at Portobello Institute.

“The biggest highlights include working with teachers, and maybe you are working
with somebody who is not that confident with a particular topic or maybe struggling
with a particular class or issue and working together and helping them to come up
with solutions is probably the most satisfying thing and seeing the positive outcome
for the students involved.

“The biggest thing is actually seeing the impact for that learner,” he said.

With his PhD covering leadership in PE, Liam works to support and share the positive
impacts of PE in education in Ireland.

“When you think about leadership, I think about influencing others leading to
positive changes so basically it’s about looking at how you can work with people to
have a positive influence on other people.

“That can be with your students but perhaps if you are working in a school maybe
there are other teachers you could share new ideas with or share the things that
have worked well for you?

“It’s about sharing the ways we work whereby all the students in the school are
going to benefit from that expertise rather than maybe just the group that you are
working with.

“Are there simple ways we can share and maximise the positive impacts and
expertise of the particular person within the school context, within the club or within
the sporting organisation and look at strategies to help spread that positive impact?”
he said.

He aims to guide his students on their education journeys through Portobello
Institute.

“I aim to help support the students as they are exploring the world of PE for the first
time and to help facilitate their own learning and their own exploration of it.

“Highlighting that there are lots of different areas, different approaches and
different ways of going about it and helping them to come up with their own
teaching philosophy and their own beliefs about what is quality PE.

“Supporting them around how they could help the people that they are going to be
working with in a school context or maybe in a physical activity context either and to
have really positive experiences that lead to meaningful experiences for their
students.

“I aim to support students, exposing them to different ideas and helping them to
identify things that would be aligned to their beliefs and values in terms of working
with young people or working with people in this area,” he said.

With his academic research and publications and his roles with the IPPEA and
Department of Education, as well as teaching experience, Liam is practice-based and
research-led in his position leading the BA in PE programme.

Qualifications

  • Mary Immaculate College, Limerick PhD PhD in the area of Leadership in
    Physical Education
  • Higher Diploma Probated by Department of Education.
  • Mary Immaculate College, Limerick – Bachelor of Education – Education
    Specialism: Physical Education

Publications and Selected Conference Presentations

  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & Ní Chróinín, D (2021): Follow the leader? Generalist
    primary school teachers’ experiences of informal physical education
    leadership, Education 3-13, 49 (6): 661-673
  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & NíChróinín, D (2020). “Playing to our Strengths:
    Generalist Teachers’ Experiences of Class Swapping for Primary Physical
    Education.” European Physical Education Review 26 (2): 571–586. Doi:
    10.1177/ 1356336X19877195
  • Clohessy, L, (2020), Teaching circus skills for PE using self-paced progressions,
    Irish Primary Physical Education Association Conference, Mary Immaculate
    College (practical workshop)
  • Clohessy, L, (2019), Teaching social skills in physical education, Irish Primary
    Physical Education Association Conference, Watershed Kilkenny (practical
    workshop)
  • Clohessy, L. & Cosgrave, C, (2017) Cooperative games, Irish Primary Physical
    Education Association Conference, Croke Park Dublin (practical workshop)
  • Clohessy, L. (2016). Quality Primary Physical Education. InTouch. Jan/Feb,158,
    49
  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & NíChróinín, D., (2016), Class swapping for Physical
    Education in Irish Primary Schools: Effectively Utilising Generalist Teachers’
    Talents, PEPAYS Ireland Annual Forum, Institute of Technology Tralee (Oral
    presentation)
  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & NíChróinín, D., (2016), Playing to our strengths:
    Leading physical education in Irish primary schools, European Conference on
    Educational Research, University College Dublin from 22-26August, 2016 (Oral
    presentation)
  • Clohessy, L, Bowles, R & NíChróinín, D (2015) Physical Education in Irish
    Primary Schools: Generalist Classroom Teachers Experiences of Subject
    Leadership. Oral presentation at AIESEP International Conference, Universidad
    Europe Madrid
  • Clohessy, L. (2014). Outdoor and Adventure Centres as Part of a PE
    Programme. InTouch. Jan/Feb, 141, 63-65

Personal Academic Tutor

You will learn from a range of applied practitioners including primary and secondary school PE specialists, psychologists, sports and exercise scientists.

Each student is assigned a personal academic tutor to support you throughout your learning journey. They are available to offer you telephone and email support at any time. You can arrange to meet them for further one to one guidance at a time convenient to you.

Many of our past graduates have found it is the opportunity to ask a simple question, seek direction and submit a draft of their assessment that supported them most to successful completion. Emailing your tutor at any stage during your programme to ask a query or submit a draft of your assessment supports you to achieve your personal best throughout your studies with Portobello.

This level of one to one support is a particular benefit to choosing Portobello as your Institute of choice to complete your studies.

Alan Whelan

Alan Whelan is a Portobello Institute lecturer who worked in psychology away from sports before moving into sports education. Cathal Brady was a Portobello student before becoming a lecturer. Barry Roe underwent a late career change to become a sports lecturer.

Alan Whelan?

Alan Whelan did all three.

“The big thing for me is I put off going back to full-time education. I sat in a job for six years, six out of 10 years that I knew I didn’t like it…I put off for years making that jump. And that’s always something I say to a lot of people, just go and chase what you want to do.

Even if it’s a mistake you won’t regret it.”

It wasn’t a mistake for Alan. He was 36 years of age when he first walked through the doors at Portobello Institute. Fearing that he would be the oldest student in the class, he’s familiar with how mature students feel when they now walk into his lectures.

Fortunately for Alan, his class was diverse and he wasn’t even the oldest student in the class. He almost proudly noted that another student was six months older than him.

Many of our sports students come back to education later in life because they weren’t pushed towards a career in sports when they left school. Despite being an intelligent student and a sports-obsessed teenager, the adults in Alan’s life guided him towards a more traditional college and career choice.

Real estate and corporate finance made up most of Alan’s next 18 years.

The day-to-day monotony of going into school to study subjects he had no interest in was replaced by the day-to-day monotony of going into an office and doing the same work over and over again.

“That mundane 9-5, sitting in a desk in front of a computer in that kind of corporate world was just killing me. It was boredom, it was monotonous. It was the same thing day in day out with little gratitude.

It was my wife who pushed me. She said ‘Look, you’re clearly not happy. Go and take the risk and do it’…I completely packed in my job, I was a couple months shy of 10 years working there.”

Had Alan reached the 10-year milestone, he could have earned an extra five days off each year. That was the only thing driving him to stay in work, the opportunity to get out of work. Instead of getting that five days off, he took three years off and studied the Sports Science and Physical Education degree at Portobello Institute.

“When I gave up my full-time job, I had a little bit of savings behind me. My idea was I was going to completely stop working and I was going to focus on year one of the degree, then with the potential of getting some part-time work in year two and three to help.

But I actually ended up not working for the entire three years.

I remember I used to say to people ‘I have never been so broke in my entire life but I’ve never been as happy as I am now.’”

That happiness extended further when Alan travelled up to the University of Ulster in Belfast to do his master’s in sports psychology.

Dr. Susan Giblin had noticed Alan’s enthusiasm for his education in sports. She also noticed how impressive his dissertation was before offering him the opportunity to become a lecturer at Portobello. Alan took all of five seconds to realize it was a great idea.

“I’m enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. It’s more freedom [compared to my previous jobs]…Now I’m working in Portobello and I set up my own psychology business last February.

It’s night and day the difference, particularly in relation to my own happiness.”

Having followed the path from uninterested secondary school student to college dropout to staying in the wrong career for more than 10 years, Alan can empathize with all of his students. Those students who have experienced that office depression can listen to him outline what his job is now and where he works.

He is no longer chained to an office for eight hours a day. Instead, he can work from home, can work in a sports hall, a classroom, on a field, in a locker room or, if he suddenly gets the urge, he can go and work in an office.

But working in an office would now be a choice he makes rather than something he does out of necessity.

That is because of the education he received at Portobello Institute and the decisions he made to take risks in pursuit of what he wanted.

Alan himself notes that he’s a happier person now, which makes him a more effective lecturer. He loves engaging his students and guiding them towards where they want to go.

“I am a very open and approachable tutor. I believe in a student-centred approach to learning, with student engagement and discussion at the heart of every lecture.

A firm believer in the benefits of effective goal setting, engaging in reflective practice and practical application, I employ a number of sport psychology related skills into the education setting to ensure all students maximize their potential for learning.”

Anthony Sheriff

“I very much took the scenic route to education.”

Anthony Sheriff isn’t joking. After leaving school in Ireland, he spent a year in Australia before returning to Ireland before then going to college in Liverpool. From there he found his way to different cities in the United Kingdom before spending two years as a teacher in Dubai.

Travelling the world may or may not have been a goal for Anthony that he was always aware of but it definitely would have been a surprise to his younger self that he was travelling as a teacher.

“When I was a teenager absolutely I was sports mad. Right back as far as I can remember as a child, my mam always says that I was kicking a football before I could walk. You’d probably struggle to find a sport that I haven’t played or competed in at one stage.

I was never the academic type. I was never the type to be massively interested in school apart from PE. When I was in school all I wanted to do was to be out playing sport really. It’s not that I hated school, I got the work done that had to be done but I think my mind was just on sport the whole time so I was never massively interested.”

Initially after leaving school, Anthony worked in different jobs. He was a greenkeeper, worked in a bar and in construction. He moved to Australia for a year on a whim when his friend asked him if he wanted to go.

Anthony openly admits that he didn’t know what he wanted to do at that stage of his life.

College didn’t become an option for him until he was 22 years of age after leaving secondary school at 18. It was all that time he spent on building sites in Australia that made him realize what he really wanted to pursue in life.

“I was doing a lot of these labouring jobs and it was a bit of craic and all on the site, it was enjoyable at times but I realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do long term. That’s when I started to have a deep think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.”

Since PE was the only thing he had any care for during his time in school, Anthony began searching through online courses to see what qualification he could actually earn and what career he could build. That led him to Liverpool John Moores University in England.

Once he started studying in Liverpool, Anthony no longer had to figure out what he wanted to do. His career outlined itself in front of him.

“Liverpool was where the opportunity was…an absolutely excellent college. It’s just a fantastic place. The tutors the way they worked with us so closely because going into it I was worrying you’d be going into a class of 100 people the way you see college on television and there’s these big lecture halls. It’s very impersonal.

But that wasn’t the experience at all. They focus on each individual. They’re just very, very helpful and the course they put on was excellent.”

After finishing his degree at LJMU, Anthony became a qualified PE teacher in England and earned his master’s degree in Sports and Exercise Psychology. Working in Manchester and studying in Leeds after going to college in Liverpool, Anthony was able to broaden his connections within the sports industry.

Since then he has worked with top level athletes to help them in sports psychology while also starting his own podcast that features some big names across different sports.

The balance between his two areas of expertise, sports psychology and teaching, have helped Anthony to become a very approachable tutor who encourages discussions in lectures to maximize the time he has with his students.

“I believe strongly in working together with the students n my class and will always encourage students to share their opinions to help create interesting discussions. I am also a strong believer in reflective practice and believe that this approach will allow me to improve continuously which will then maximize the student’s potential to achieve their goals.”

The broad nature of Anthony’s skill set and the fact that he has worked internationally in different roles at high levels made him an appealing tutor for Portobello Institute.

Our students continually benefit from his ability to connect with the individual and understand their needs.

“I’m used to working with children, teenagers, adults, whatever it may be. But also when I see students coming in and they’re studying PE, I can better understand them because I’ve taken the scenic route.

A lot of people come in straight from school, straight to college and then back into a classroom teaching whereas I very much didn’t do that. I know what it’s like to finish school and not really have a clue about what you want to do.

I’m one of those people who did every job in the world and I found out what I didn’t want to do before I found out what I did want to do. That’s definitely helped me understand students coming from different areas of life.”

 

Qualifications 

BA(Hons) Education Studies and Physical Education

PGCE Primary Education with PE Specialism

MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology

 

Catherine Corcoran

Position: Tutor in Physical Education

“As a passionate physical educator, I am keen to share my enthusiasm for the subject and promote the limitless benefits of physical activity for physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.”

About Catherine Corcoran 

In 2015, I concluded my undergraduate studies at the University of Limerick, graduating with a first-class honours qualification in Physical Education, in addition to receiving a certificate for outstanding academic achievement. 

Having worked in a diverse range of educational settings, I am presently working as a physical education teacher at Mount Anville Secondary School, contributing to a comprehensive and dynamic physical education programme. Having previously represented Ireland as a youth athlete and the South East in the interprovincial hockey series, I also contribute to extensive hockey and athletics programmes within the school, winning a number of Leinster and All Ireland titles. 

Outside of academia, I coach club and county athletes up to the youth international level and have previously coached the SIAB Schools International team. I am also presently Chairperson of the East Leinster Schools Athletics Union.  

Catherine’s Teaching Philosophy

When teaching, I combine the practical knowledge obtained and utilised on a daily basis with the theoretical content acquired during two degrees and various professional development opportunities. I aspire to engage in Socratic teaching methodologies that encourage students to consider the knowledge that they have acquired and how this can best be adapted and utilised within a diverse range of classroom environments. I believe that this ability to utilise our knowledge to engage all students is essential to the successful delivery of any physical education programme 

Qualifications 

  • BSc Physical Education 
  • MSc Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine

Meet more members of our sports lecturing team here.

John Murphy

Position: Lecturer in Physical Education

“My job is focused on preparing students for the challenges involved in teaching PE to Irish adolescents. PE has never been more important as we are more aware of both the physical and mental health benefits. Physical activity levels are at an all-time low while mental health issues are on the rise. We can provide students with an opportunity to enhance their experiences of physical activity with a view to increasing their activity for the future.”

About John Murphy

I have been a PE teacher for 10 years mixed between an all-girls school and more recently in a mixed school. I have coached a number of sports, mainly GAA, across all levels and provide a lot of Coach CPD for both the GAA and Sport Ireland. I completed my PhD on the associations between physical activity and mental health in adolescents. The knowledge and experience gained throughout this journey have highlighted the importance of enjoyment during physical activity experiences and how we can benefit students in a number of ways through high-quality PE teaching.

John’s Teaching Philosophy

My approach to teaching is based on engaging students in the key topics being taught. I like to employ a practical teaching style where possible and prefer to facilitate learning across the group instead of a largely didactic approach. I get the most excited about teaching topics that I see have an immediate impact on the wider physical activity and the sporting world such as coaching through games, coaching teenage girls, and developing life skills through physical activity.

The current PE landscape values far more than the execution of physical skills but includes the holistic development of the whole person. PE teachers play a huge role in developing students physically, emotionally and mentally, therefore must be equipped with the skills required to do this in a manner that is both enjoyable for the students and also the teachers themselves.

Qualifications

  • BSc Physical Education
  • MSc Exercise & Nutrition Science
  • Postgrad Cert Leadership & Management
  • PhD Physical Activity & Wellbeing

Research/Industry Participation 

  • Award 2 GAA Coach & Tutor
  • SENr Nutritionist
  • S&C Coach
  • PEAI Member

Meet more members of our sports lecturing team here.

Paidi Kelly

Position: Sports Tutor

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I will remember. Involve me and I will learn.”

About Paidi Kelly

My teaching journey started with the B.Ed Sports Studies and Physical Education at UCC where I studied to be a PE and maths teacher. After finishing my undergraduate degree in 2020, I studied for an M.Sc in Sports Performance at the University of Limerick.

Since graduating, I have worked in several schools in the Cork area, including various DEIS schools. I have continued to work in education after completing my master’s due to the passion that I have for teaching and providing education, especially in DEIS schools.

I have also worked with various teams and clubs as a sports performance analyst from the local level to the intercounty/elite level.

Paidi’s Teaching Philosophy

I use my experience from the various types of schools that I have thought in, as well as current research to guide students to their own academic journey. My classes are highly interactive, with a lot of peer-to-peer teaching and practical elements designed to prepare students for teaching PE.

Qualifications

  • B.Ed Sport Studies and Physical Education – UCC 2020
  • M.Sc Sports Performance – UL 2022

Research/Industry Participation

  • IMART 2022 –Injury surveillance researcher

Meet more members of our sports lecturing team here.

Brian Spring

Brian Spring is a tutor for Portobello Institute’s sports department, working across a number of different modules including Human Physiology and Applied Principles of Strength and Conditioning.

Brian grew up in Co. Mayo, developing a strong love for sport and fitness through his playing of soccer and Brazilian jiu jitsu. He carried that love of sport right through his youth and into university.

“I decided to do Sport and Exercise Science in UL. Did my undergrad degree there for four years and loved every second of it. Ended up graduating top of my class.

“Then I went on and did a master’s in Sports Performance in UL also,” he said.

During his time doing his undergraduate, Brian was able to avail of some valuable practical experience many miles from his Mayo home.

“I worked with the West Coast Eagles in Australia for a year during my undergraduate degree.

“During their 2018 Grand Final winning season, I helped out with them on the sports science. Things like GPS, questionnaires, RPE monitoring and also their strength and conditioning side of things. In the gym with the lads every day, helping them with their gym programmes,” Brian said.

Brian’s disciplines cover a wide area of professional sports, but he says there isn’t one specific area he prefers working in.

“I enjoy everything because it all works together in terms of nutrition, psychology, physiology.

“Nothing works by itself; they all complement each other. I like looking at sport in a broader sense, trying to make the puzzle work and make everything fit together,” he says.

While on the field success was always the end goal for him and the team, Brian says there’s much more to enjoy from a backroom perspective than winning on matchday.

“Obviously seeing the team win on game day is great.

“But I also like seeing players return or if they are coming off a bad patch of performance and you’ve helped them do a bit of extra work in the gym. Whether it’s a bad patch of performance or coming back from injury, seeing them have a good game on the day is quite satisfying as well,” Brian said.

Upon returning from Down Under, and completing of his second degree with the university, Brian was offered a role as a teaching assistant with UL, discovering a passion for teaching along the way.

“After my master’s I worked as a teaching assistant in UL for a year. I taught labs and tutorials on nutrition, physiology, biomechanics, strength and conditioning, a bit of everything really, from undergraduate to postgraduate degree.

“I really enjoy seeing the students reach their goals for learning.

“From week one, their knowledge on physiology isn’t that wide and you get them to week 12 and you can have a proper discussion about exercise physiology and strength and conditioning, and they can start critically analysing what I’m saying to them and ask questions. Knowing that they can bring that information into a practical setting is quite rewarding too,” he said.

Like many practitioners who teach alongside their practical work, he likes how one can inform the other, and vice versa.

“The better understanding you have of the physiology and the strength and conditioning and all the theoretical things, the better you are able to explain these things to the athletes. That increases their buy-in, it makes them more likely to engage in the programme and what you’re telling them to do.

“And vice versa, obviously having a better understanding of how to communicate with athletes, how the theoretical knowledge is used in a practical sense, you can take that information to the students. There are times when there’s a bit of a disconnect between people who are lecturers, and who aren’t practitioners. It’s good to do both,” Brian said.

Brian now works with Portobello Institute across multiple degree programmes. While the UL position was something offered to him, he says that his current role with Portobello that he actually went looking for.

“In UL, it was something that I was approached for. But the Portobello gig is something I sought out and got in contact with Susan about. I love the teaching so it’s definitely something I want to keep on doing going forward.

“Now I’m in Portobello, lecturing on physiology, exercise physiology and strength and conditioning modules.

“I’m loving it so far. As I mentioned, I love working with people and helping them reach their goals. But I think the part I’m enjoying the most, so far, is seeing people’s knowledge grow.

“Having them a bit confused on week one until they’re asking some really great questions come week 12. We’re able to have conversations as a class and have a debate in class on certain topics. Just seeing their understanding and confidence grow is probably my favourite bit,” he said.

While he is exploring his passion for teaching with Portobello, Brian does not rule out a future focus on a return to more practitioner work.

“I definitely would like to keep working in sport in some respect.

“I think before, I always wanted to work at the highest level of sport. I now like the idea of working at the academy levels or with youth athletes a bit more because I feel like their development is nearly more important than the elite athletes’ development, which has nearly peaked.

“You’re maintaining their levels of fitness or skill whereas in a developing age, you can see the growth a lot more.”

How will I learn?

Full-Time delivery offers you the opportunity to study with a more traditional schedule with lectures delivered on-site in Portobello during weekdays. Typically, those lectures are generally scheduled between Tuesday and Thursday. Monday’s lectures are delivered online.

Blended Learning is essentially the same, with a blend of online and on-site lectures taking place at the weekends. This makes it easier for you to study while working full-time. It also makes studying for a degree more accessible if you live outside of Dublin.

With both delivery modes, there will be lectures you need to attend on-site due to the nature of the content – practical skills etc. All online only lectures are recorded for you to catch up later. Where lectures are delivered onsite – these will simultaneously be delivered online and will also be recorded so you can customise your learning journey – attend on-site, online, or catch-up later.

Delivery Mode

Blended learning takes the schedule of a traditional face to face learning programme and re-structures it to reduce the contact tuition time by introducing more online learning together with one to one tutor support.

This mode of delivery includes contact tuition and web-based e-learning sessions. The e-learning platform is interactive including recorded sessions, webinars with weekly content and assigned tasks to themes and topics. This mode of delivery will usually include a minimum of 1 weekend seminar per month attendance required.  This type of delivery is generally applied to courses with a practical skills element such as this BA (hons) Physical Education and allows you to work full-time and balance the requirements of a degree programme with home and work.

There is a fully equipped gym with strength and conditioning equipment available for use as part of your course.

Tutor Support

You can email your tutor at any stage during the module to ask a simple query and there will be scheduled opportunities to submit a draft of your assignment. Our programme management team are always available to meet you or offer you telephone and email support. For more information about our team, click here. Many of our past graduates have found it is the opportunity to ask a simple question, seek direction and submit a draft of their assessment that supported them most to successful completion.

This level of one-to-one support is unique and is a particular benefit to choosing Portobello Institute. We have invested in a team of programme managers and tutors who are experienced sports therapists and clinicians as well as knowledgeable educators. They are available to assist you at every stage of this programme and support you to achieve your personal best.

Online Learning Portal – ePortobello

During the induction seminar, we will show you how to navigate and find what you need with all of the information you need to complete this programme uploaded on to ePortobello. The content of this programme is set out in an easy to follow format with a combination of notes, articles, podcasts and other materials that will help you to understand the subject and complete your assessments.

Course Structure

The course is delivered over three academic years with entry points in October and February each year. There are supported seminars held at weekends with an exact schedule available here. There will be online activities to complete also but these can be completed in your own time.

In first year, you will complete four year long core modules which will introduce you to the programme of study and provide you with essential skills that will aid your study for the course of your degree.

In second year, you will complete a total of five modules, two year long core modules which run for the duration of both semesters, alongside two additional modules each semester. You will have a choice of certain modules to study which will be specific to your area of interest.

In third year, you will complete five modules, three core year long modules that run for the duration of both semesters, as well as an additional module each semester. The core modules include your final year dissertation project in the area of Sports Science and Therapy and your work placement. You will have the option to choose a module related to your area of interest to complete in first semester.

Course Schedule- February 2024

Semester 1

Semester 1 runs from 10/02/24 – 31/05/24

Semester 2 

Semester 2 runs from 08/06/24 – 31/08/24

Course Schedule - October 2024

Semester 1

Semester 1 runs from 05/10/24 – 24/05/25

A FLEXIBLE LEARNING JOURNEY

Classes are delivered on scheduled Saturdays or Sundays. Theory classes are delivered simultaneously onsite and online by Webinar whilst practical classes are delivered on site.

Webinars are recorded so you may catch up later if you are unable to attend offering you further flexibility during your learning journey. There are activities to be completed in the virtual learning environment however these can be completed in your own time.

Real Life Learning Opportunities

Work Placement

As part of your BA (Hons) Physical Education you will gain important practical skills and experience through placement. While school settings are recommended, flexibility will be provided to students to also complete placements in other related contexts such as sport clubs and community settings. Placement will take place in year 1,2 and 3. In year 1, your role will be primarily an observer and assistant, building up to year 3 where you will be independently leading classes. Year 1 placement will take place over 5 days, year 2 over 15 days and year 3 will encompass two separate placements totaling 15 days or an equivalent number of hours.

This allows you to put into practice the skills you have learnt in class. If you are interested in progressing to a Masters in Education and becoming a PE teacher, our graduates have found this first-hand experience and insight into physical education in schools gave them advantage when preparing for interview and subsequent successful entry to Masters programmes.

How will I be assessed?

SMART assessments – we use a range of assessments for each module designed to support a broad range of learning styles, giving you the opportunity to excel.

The primary aim of the varying assessment styles is to support you to demonstrate your knowledge of theory and practical as a result of a range of assessments.

Group assignments will add another dimension to your learning experience – they will help you to learn to work in teams and will provide you with benefits of peer learning.

All these methods are seeking to support you to combine theory with scenario-based learning and encourage and guiding you for future implementation into your career as a physical education teacher.

Delivery Mode

This programme is delivered full-time; in third level education this means 12- 16 hours of lectures per week. Portobello ensures scheduling of course timetables is considerate of students travel and accommodation arrangements, part-time working and study-life balance. The course timetable is condensed to be delivered with onsite classes 2-3 days per week over 2 semesters. Examinations are held at the end of each semester.

There is a fully equipped gym with strength and conditioning equipment available for use as part of your course.

Tutor Support

You can email your tutor at any stage during the module to ask a simple query and there will be scheduled opportunities to submit a draft of your assignment. Our programme management team are always available to meet you or offer you telephone and email support. For more information about our team, click here. Many of our past graduates have found it is the opportunity to ask a simple question, seek direction and submit a draft of their assessment that supported them most to successful completion.

This level of one-to-one support is unique and is a particular benefit to choosing Portobello Institute. We have invested in a team of programme managers and tutors who are experienced sports therapists and clinicians as well as knowledgeable educators. They are available to assist you at every stage of this programme and support you to achieve your personal best.

Online Learning Portal – ePortobello

During the induction seminar, we will show you how to navigate and find what you need with all of the information you need to complete this programme uploaded on to ePortobello. The content of this programme is set out in an easy to follow format with a combination of notes, articles, podcasts and other materials that will help you to understand the subject and complete your assessments.

Course Structure

The course is delivered over a three academic years with entry points in September and February each year.

In first year, you will complete the core modules which will introduce you to this programme of study and provide you with essential skills that will aid your study for the course of your degree.

In second year, you will complete a total of six modules, three 20 credit modules each semester.

In third year, you will complete five modules and your final year dissertation project in the area of Physical Education and your work placement.

Course Schedule - September 2024

The first academic year of this course runs from 30/09/2024 – 24/05/2025

Classes are generally delivered 2-3 days per week and are scheduled mid-week where possible.

The second and third academic years of this course will run on a similar schedule in 2025 and 2026.

A FLEXIBLE LEARNING JOURNEY

Classes are delivered on scheduled Saturdays or Sundays. Theory classes are delivered simultaneously onsite and online by Webinar whilst practical classes are delivered on site.

Webinars are recorded so you may catch up later if you are unable to attend offering you further flexibility during your learning journey. There are activities to be completed in the virtual learning environment however these can be completed in your own time.

An exact schedule is available here.

Real Life Learning Opportunities

Work Placement

As part of your BA (Hons) Physical Education you will gain important practical skills and experience through placement. While school settings are recommended, flexibility will be provided to students to also complete placements in other related contexts such as sport clubs and community settings.  Placement will take place in year 1,2 and 3. In year 1, your role will be primarily an observer and assistant, building up to year 3 where you will be independently leading classes.  Year 1 placement will take place over 5 days, year 2 over 15 days and year 3 will encompass two separate placements totaling 15 days or an equivalent number of hours.

This allows you to put into practice the skills you have learnt in class. If you are interested in progressing to a Masters in Education and becoming a PE teacher, our graduates have found this first-hand experience and insight into physical education in schools gave them advantage when preparing for interview and subsequent successful entry to Masters programmes.

How will I be assessed?

SMART assessments – we use a range of assessments for each module designed to support a broad range of learning styles, giving you the opportunity to excel.

The primary aim of the varying assessment styles is to support you to demonstrate your knowledge of theory and practical as a result of a range of assessments.

Group assignments will add another dimension to your learning experience – they will help you to learn to work in teams and will provide you with benefits of peer learning.

All these methods are seeking to support you to combine theory with scenario-based learning and encourage and guiding you for future implementation into your career as a physical education teacher.

Downloads

Course Delivery Mode
Course
 BA (Hons) Physical Education 		Delivery Mode
Blended Learning
 Download Brochure
Course
 BA (Hons) Physical Education 		Delivery Mode
Full Time
 Download Brochure

Career prospects

On completion of this BA (Hons) Physical Education degree, graduates will have the opportunity to pursue further education at post-graduate level as there is an emphasis on research skills to support those who wish to pursue a combined career in applied practice and academia at MSc or PhD level.

After gaining the foundations in physical education during their degree, many of our graduate’s progress to a Professional Masters in Education and begin their careers as a PE teacher.

Alternative route to PE teaching with this programme.

Portobello Institute will offer, from October ’22, a Post Graduate Certificate in Continuing Education (PGCEi) with an MSc in Physical Education available from October ’23. These programmes combined are delivered over 2 academic years, offering graduates the qualifications they require to further their expertise in physical education. This BA (Hons) Physical Education fulfils the entry requirement for the PGCEi and MSc programmes. Alternatively, many of our past students have used qualifications gained from Portobello Institute to gain entry to other universities to study post-graduate qualifications for PE teaching.

Wide variety of employment opportunities

Portobello Institute sports graduates are eligible for a huge array of post graduate courses in Ireland and the UK.  Dr. Susan Giblin, head of the sports department, explains “our sports graduates are in demand for selection onto post grad courses because of the broad range of subjects in the degree programme and our focus on up to date thinking and learning in all aspects of sport”.  She suggests that “our classes are small and we take a personal interest in each student … in year three, we work with them to define their career goals and help them develop a plan to achieve them”.

In addition to teaching, graduates from this programme will be eligible for a wide variety of employment opportunities within sports governing bodies, social inclusion and public health initiatives.

Who else has studied this degree?

Follow the links below to read the many stories of our successful graduates.

Success Story

Colm Dunne came through Portobello Institute's PE and Coaching degree to earn a place on UL's Teaching Masters in PE.

Colm Dunne – Success as a PE Teacher Through Portobello Institute
Read Full Testimonial
Success Story

"We spent our lessons in discussions and debates that were interesting and exciting, rather than taking notes and sitting in silence."

Matthew Bursey – PE and Coaching Career from Leinster to Exeter
Read Full Testimonial
Read more stories

Related Courses

Blended Learning

MSc Physical Education

Delivered through blended learning, this MSc Physical Education provides you with an in-depth and relevant focus on the  concepts and the key skills underpinning physical education theory and pedagogy.

 

View Course
Blended Learning

MSc Physical Education, PGCEi & QTS Route

Delivered over 2 years, this combined programme of an MSc Physical Education, PGCEi and QTS (AO) offers you the opportunity to develop your critical understanding of physical education, through theoretical, practical and work-based learning experiences and a pathway towards PE teaching.

 

View Course

Speak to an expert

Choosing a course that will lead you to your career of choice is a significant decision. Understanding the delivery modes, supports available, career opportunities and further study options are all key considerations when making your choice. Our course adviser team are experts in the courses Portobello offers, the employment prospects and possible progression routes to Masters programmes – they will guide you through the detail and support you with any queries you may have.

It is important you make the right choice for you and choose the Institute and course that will best suit your needs.

Your Consultant

Sports Advisor

About

As the Sports Admissions Advisor, I work with students from our sports departments. I get to play a vital part in the advancement of peoples lives and career ambitions from supporting students at the start of their journey through education, taking that forward with them as a lifelong passion and desire. Knowledge is key and I carry this message to all who have an interest in joining any of our sports courses.

What do you enjoy about working in Portobello?  

Being in admissions for the sports department you are lucky because not only do you play a vital part in the student’s life by way of providing clear advice on courses you also get to know the students and understand their visions from the very first interaction.

What inspires you about working in education?  

Education has always been a passion of mine as I do firmly believe that with the knowledge and skills for our desired careers, we can really go on to accomplish anything in life. I don’t believe that barriers shouldn’t exist when it comes to education, and I like to ensure nobody else feels they should either.

Have you a story that you recall that touched you/made you laugh/made you cry? 

Many of us can recall that one person be it an old schoolteacher or a college tutor who took that extra bit of interest in us, I believe these occurrences are pivotal. I’ve been fortunate enough in life to see the impact education and a second chance can do for people this attracted me into the career I have today.

Why do you want to help students to decide on their course choice?  

I love being a source of support and guidance for students as they navigate through the learning world. Portobello Institute is a special place to do this. I feel very fortunate to work alongside such a dedicated and warm-hearted team and love the dynamic and accommodating environment provided to meet everyone’s needs at every step of their journey.

Book a consultation

How do I apply?

Entry to this course is by direct application to the college

With a Leaving Certificate

Leaving Certificate requirements – Minimum of grade C or O6 in ordinary level Biology* or Physical Education, English and Maths with a pass in 3 other subjects.

Sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2023

Students may apply and be granted a “Conditional Offer” prior to completing the Leaving Certificate.

Step 1 – Submit application

Step 2 – Review of application and confirmation of eligibility criteria and entry requirements

Step 3 – Conditional Offer issued on the basis of successful achievement of LC requirements

Step 4 – Confirm acceptance of a place and pay deposit as detailed

Places cannot be held open for applicants awaiting leaving certificate results, however, should a student accept a place and then choose not to progress with this course having received a CAO offer, a refund of 75% of fees paid will be made. Refunds must be requested in writing within 48 hours after the first-round offers have been made. This will only be accepted by emailing [email protected]. Evidence of CAO offer acceptance must be provided along in order to apply for a refund.

Applicants who have previously completed the Leaving Certificate;

Minimum of grade C or O6 in ordinary level Biology* or Physical Education, English and Maths with a pass in 3 other subjects.

*Applicants who do not hold LC Biology or Physical Education, are required to undertake the QQI level 5 Anatomy & Physiology and use this award in place of LC Biology. This course is available through Portobello Institute, further information available here.

Without a Leaving Certificate

Students are accepted on to this programme without a leaving certificate however applicants must meet one of the following criteria;

  • QQI level 5 major award containing a biology subject
  • ITEC level 2 award containing anatomy & physiology
  • An undergraduate degree in another subject
  • QQI Level 5 Anatomy & Physiology – available through Portobello Institute
  • Mature entry at 21 years. Mature students are reviewed on a case by case basis and entry is via interview. Those without a grounding in science and a previous academic qualification in science or biology, must complete QQI Level 5 Anatomy & Physiology or equivalent. This course is available through Portobello Institute, further information available here.
  • Equivalent qualifications with biology/anatomy & physiology module
Application Process

Step 1

Complete the online application form.

Step 2

Applicant’s application will be reviewed by the Portobello enrolment team.

Step 3

Applicant will be contacted by the Portobello enrolment team to confirm place on the course or look for more information.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria, may be required to attend an interview with an offer of a place on the programme issued following assessment of suitability. Applicants confirm acceptance of offer by returning acceptance form.

Please note places on this course are only confirmed once tuition fees have been received.

Fees & Payment Options

Fees

Course Price

Year 1 base fee

€5,395

Exam Body Reg. Fee

€335.00

Overall Course Price

Total amount due

€5,730.00

Easy Payment Plan

Payment Option 1

33% deposit payment (€2,011.35), followed by 8 scheduled payments on the first of each month, commencing the 1st of the month after the start date of the course. Includes one off instalment fee of €365.

  • €510.46 due in month 1
  • €510.46 due in month 2
  • €510.46 due in month 3
  • €510.46 due in month 4
  • €510.46 due in month 5
  • €510.46 due in month 6
  • €510.46 due in month 7
  • €510.46 due in month 8

Fees

Course Price

Year 1 base fee

€5,885

Exam Body Reg. Fee

€335.00

Overall Course Price

Total amount due

€6,220.00

Easy Payment Plan

Payment Option 1

40% deposit payment (€2,606.00), followed by 6 scheduled payments on the first of each month, commencing the 1st of the month after the start date of the course. Includes one off instalment fee of €295.

  • €651.50 due in month 1
  • €651.50 due in month 2
  • €651.50 due in month 3
  • €651.50 due in month 4
  • €651.50 due in month 5
  • €651.50 due in month 6

Payment Option 2

40% deposit payment (€2,488.00) due on application of your course. Final balance (€3,732.00) due before the course start date.

Ready to apply? View Downloads Speak to an expert Easy Payment Plans Available

Available Courses

Course Delivery Mode Start Date Duration Fees Per Year
Course
 BA (Hons) Physical Education 		Delivery Mode
Blended Learning
 Start Date
 10th February 2024 		Duration
 3 years 		Fees Per Year
 €5,730.00
Course
 BA (Hons) Physical Education 		Delivery Mode
Full Time
 Start Date
 30th September 2024 		Duration
 3 years 		Fees Per Year
 €6,220.00
Course
 BA (Hons) Physical Education 		Delivery Mode
Blended Learning
 Start Date
 5th October 2024 		Duration
 3 years 		Fees Per Year
 €5,730.00

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  1. Enter your email
  2. You'll be redirected to our Application platform
  3. Start your application
  4. Choose your preferred payment option
  5. Submit your application
  6. One of our course advisors will review and be in touch

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Apply

Hooray! One small step for you, one giant leap for your future! Enter your email and you will be redirected to our application platform, where you can complete your application in your own time. Here's what to expect:

  1. Enter your email
  2. You'll be redirected to our Application platform
  3. Start your application
  4. Choose your preferred payment option
  5. Submit your application
  6. One of our course advisors will review and be in touch

portobelloinstitute.com needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at anytime. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out our Privacy Policy.