theirishtimes--2020-03-10--Postgrad Options: Spotlight on courses around the country

Retail might be under pressure , but it is Ireland ’ s biggest private sector employer - and the companies and workers that know how to adapt to a relentless pace of change are those that will survive .
UCD ’ s Smurfit School has worked closely with industry leaders to create a Masters in Marketing and Retail Innovation .
This 12-month , full-time programme is aimed at graduates seeking to accelerate their career with a mix of marketing expertise and global customer-driven retail innovation .
Retail is everywhere , and this programme delivers course content that can be Applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest companies in the world will feature on this course , including Amazon , Tesco , Primark , Burberry , Alibaba and Unilever .
The MSc is about integrating the new and old , the physical and digital , the consumer and the supplier .
This qualification is of use throughout the world .
The MSc in Marketing and Retail Innovation will provide qualifications to any student interested in developing a career in marketing , commercial management , and retail operations .
Embedded career services will expose and introduce students to a wide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related industries where retail plays a critical part of the business - including telecoms , utilities , and financial services .
Classes contain 18 students and 61 per cent of the class is composed of international students .
A 2.1 degree or an undergraduate degree with at least three years work experience is required for entry .
How are we responding to climate breakdown - and how can that response be strengthened ?
This one-year full-time or two-year part time course examines the roles played by politics , law , regulation , media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the most pressing international crisis .
This programme will provide students with the skills and insights they need to help societies move towards a decarbonised economy and a resilient future .
Core modules include EU and national climate change law , climate change policy and governance , climate change and the media , the scientific basis of climate change and how society can transition to a more sustainable future .
Students will also learn about research methods and write a dissertation .
Academics from DCU ’ s School of Law & Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely regarded as one of the most important climate change researchers in Ireland ) have joined forces with the School of Communications for this course , and students can expect interactive , participatory and innovative teaching styles .
This course will appeal to science , engineering , communications , social and political science graduates , current civil or public servants , workers in the private sector who need a more thorough regulatory and legal grasp of the major issues , educators who want to teach about climate change , and trade union or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In living memory , Irish and global politics has never been so intriguing .
At home , Sinn Féin ’ s recent electoral success has broken the two-party system that dominated Irish politics for the last century ; overseas , the far-right and autocracy are on the rise in many countries previously seen as relatively stable .
This four-year , full-time structured PhD at UL ’ s faculty of arts , humanities and social sciences , aims to provide students with the training needed to become professional political scientists .
Students on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the methods of political science research as well as specialised training in at least one disciplinary subfield .
In year one , students will undertake core modules in research methods , comparative politics and contemporary political theory , as well as specialised modules tailored to each students ’ disciplinary interests and needs .
Students can exit this programme after the taught component with a graduate diploma in politics or , after completing a dissertation , a masters in politics .
Or they can stay on and complete a substantial and original piece of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Applicants should have a minimum 2.1 degree that incorporates a substantial social science component .
There ’ s a lot more to this course than China alone .
Students on Trinity College ’ s Chinese studies one-year full-time or two-year part-time postgrad will find themselves on a multidisciplinary course that draws from cultural studies , linguistics , politics , social policy , translation studies and history .
Across six modules , students will learn about modern China and how it has changed over the past century including its political and economic landscape , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and language .
A research module will be completed in the third term and students will write a dissertation project .
Mandarin language classes for beginners and advanced learners are an option .
Students can also choose to take an in-country or in-culture experience through the Experience China module , which involves a four-week internship in a Chinese or China-related organisation or a Chinese speaking country .
The course is suitable for students from a wide range of undergraduate disciplines : a background in arts , humanities and social sciences is helpful but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need a prior language of China or Chinese language proficiency .
Full-time EU fees for this course are €9,097 .
Earlier this year , a plague of locusts devoured the valuable crops of people in East Africa , threatening a major food crisis .
Across the world , water tables are being depleted and climate breakdown sees floods and droughts threaten crops and presage famine .
This one-year , full-time postgrad course is geared towards equipping professionals and recent graduates with the skills needed for policy development and implementation , project and programme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aimed at improving both food security and dietary quality .
Modules on the course include sustainable food systems ; rural development , gender and livelihoods ; global food policy issues ; and public health nutrition .
This course is suitable for students from a broad range of backgrounds including nutrition , food security , international development , economics , humanitarian assistance and programme management .
Career paths include roles in Irish and international development agencies , policy and research institutes , and public , private and non-profit/ NGO sectors .
Possible employers include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the European Commission .
Students will also develop the critical skills to work in areas such as project and programme management , policy development and implementation and impact assessment .
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 honours degree or at least five years relevant professional experience .
EU fees for this course are €7,500 .
NUI Galway is collaborating with Galway 2020 ( European Capital of Culture ) on a number of projects , and the campus will be hosting many Galway 2020 events , including conferences , seminars , and exhibitions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at postgraduate level including Performing Arts , Film Studies , and Writing .
One recently-launched course that ’ s proving very popular is the one-year , full-time MA Creative Arts ( Producing and Curation ) .
The programme aims to equip graduates with the skills - particularly research , communication and innovative thinking - to run creative arts events and careers .
Arts collections and digital objects on a website , as well a programme of performances in a festival form two key strands of the programme .
Teachers come from curation or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience and networking opportunities through internships , placement with partner organisations such as Galway International Arts Festival , and public-facing projects .
Graduates will be able to follow employment opportunities in museums , galleries , libraries , arts centres , arts festivals , cultural centres and producing for theatre companies , arts organisations , arts festivals , and state sponsored arts bodies .
Applicants should have a minimum 2.1 honours degree in a related subject or relevant prior learning , and they must submit a professional or artistic CV , a personal statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fees for EU students are priced at €6,600 .
This is an intensive one year conversion course designed for students with prior learning in psychology , allowing graduates to gain a pre-professional qualification equivalent to a bachelor ’ s degree in Psychology .
Course content emphasises the development of key skills in critical psychological thinking and research methodology .
Course modules include issues and debates in psychology , classic studies in psychology , laboratories in experimental psychology , qualitative research approaches in psychology , advanced research methods and critical skills for careers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research project on a specialist topic , working with their supervisor to develop a research question , collect and analyse psychological data , and produce a thesis .
Students will also develop strongly important and transferable skills in presentation , writing and teamwork .
Eligible applicants will have completed 60 credits of Psychology in their undergraduate degree .
Graduates will have a range of career options in psychology ( e.g .
clinical psychology , educational psychology ) and in the broad section of careers where psychology is routinely deployed ( eg .
information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
EU fees for the one-year full-time course are €6,200 .
Healthcare organisations are among the most complex in today ’ s society .
Healthcare leaders need to manage increased risk , uncertainty and ambiguity , as well as to effectively manage and implement change .
All of this requires effective leadership style and qualities .
This part-time , two-year MSc in Healthcare Leadership is designed to develop leadership competencies , management skills and the ability to be innovative in an uncertain healthcare environment that has limited resources , increased demands and significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , students will undertake six modules with three days in-class attendance for each while , in year two , students will attend three in-class days of research methods and methodology and also undertake a research project .
Modules include developing and demonstrating personal leadership qualities , leading and managing services and strategic planning and implementation .
Seminars will also be held throughout the year .
All applicants should have a primary degree and be working in healthcare , although RCSI will recognise prior learning .
Course fees for EU applicants are €8,000 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This one-year taught programme aims to widen and deepen students ’ knowledge and appreciation of English literature and contemporary critical theory and to familiarise them with traditional and modern technological sources for research in English literature .
Modules on this course include modernism texts and contexts , postcolonial literature and theory , poetics and politics of Irish identity and world literature .
Students will also learn research methodologies and carry out a summer dissertation .
Instruction is through seminars , round-table discussions , presentations and individual question and answer sessions .
Class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ careers include primary and post-primary teaching ; technical writing , journalism , copywriting and copyediting ; wen editing ; academic administration ; advertising and marketing ; arts administration ; library administration ; human resources ; researcher or research administrator ; heritage studies ; public relations ; market research ; policy analysis and more .
This course also opens up entry to PhD programmes .
Applicants should have a minimum 2.1 degree , relevant work experience or other suitable qualifications .
Leadership and management for the community and public sector This flexible two to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a postgraduate cert , diploma or master in arts , aims to equip graduates with the skills needed to work in the community , voluntary , non-profit , statutory and public sectors .
This course is aimed at people who work or wish to work in leadership or management positions in these sectors , people on the management committees or boards in the sector and those who represent local authority , statutory or community and voluntary sector in a governance role on a public sector or community board of management .
Students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which are held one weekend a month .
Modules include governance and legislative compliance , organisational and operational management , advancing the organisation and an introduction to leadership and management for the community , non-profit and public sector with successful completion of three of these leading to a postgraduate certificate .
Students can also attend modules without completing the assessment or accumulating credits , for which they will be issued with a certificate of attendance .
Students who complete a second module in advanced research methods will meet the requirements for a postgraduate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an MA dissertation in year three will graduate with a master of arts .
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 level eight degree or at least two years experience in the community , voluntary or public sector .
If cryptography , ethics and security intrigue you , NCI offers both a one-one full-time or two-year part time MSc in Cybersecurity .
Cybersecurity is the fastest growing area for IT employment and , with a skills shortage in the sector , graduates are in high demand .
Students on this practical and technical course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and research skills of the most important technical concepts of cybersecurity .
Information security , secure programming , network security , penetration testing , malware analysis , IT law and ethics , and data and log retrieval and analysis form core parts of the course content .
Graduates of this course can specialise in either forensics or cloud security and may go on to work as , among other roles , information security analyst , secure application developer , cybersecurity tester , risk advisory on information security and forensics and cloud security analyst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ award ( although prior learning is recognised ) and programming ability .
In past years , the Government of Ireland and the European Social Fund , as part of the ESF programme for Employability , Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020 , have funded the PG Dip through the Springboard+ initiative , which covers 100 % of fees for those currently not working and 90 % of fees for those in employment .
Students can register their interest on www.ncirl.ie/Study/Springboard and will be contacted if/when the initiative is confirmed for the September intake .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure you satisfy entry criteria .
The MSc in Medical Device Design is a one-year , full-time and studio based programme which teaches students about the approaches , tools and methods to design medical devices , experiences , systems and services with a focus on the needs of users .
The studio learning fosters peer-to-peer learning , and students engage in lectures , seminars and workshops as well as projects with industry and clinical collaborators .
This interdisciplinary course sees graduates from creative and technical disciplines - including design , healthcare , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covers topics including basic medical science , bioinstrumentation , product design and human factors .
The needs of people in healthcare are at the heart of the programme , and students will learn how to conduct human-centered research , create and visualise concepts and develop and evaluate prototypes .
Students will also complete an industry project .
Industry partners include medical device companies such as Cook Medical , Hollister , Medtronic , Teleflex and Stryker along with leading research hospitals and institutes such as St. James ’ s Hospital ( TCD ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Royal College of Surgeons ( RCSI ) .
The majority of graduates go on to work in industry or design practice .
Recent graduates can be found working across medical device companies and design practices such as Design Partners , Movement , Cook Medical , Dyson , Hollister , Pfizer and Trulife .
Applicants should have a 2.2 degree or higher , or equivalent academic or professional qualifications , although the college will also consider prior learning and experience .
Diet and nutrition affect sport and exercise performance , and understanding this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this one-year , full-time course where all modules are delivered by distance-learning course , will learn about nutrition and exercise metabolism , nutritional assessment , recommendations and requirements , sport-specific nutrition issues , nutrition for health and disease prevention , evidence-based practice in healthcare sciences , practical sports nutrition and research methods .
Students will also undertake a nutrition research project .
Students are assessed by exams and coursework including video cooking demonstrations , essays , reports , seminar papers , portfolio and more .
Career prospects include sports nutrition , performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associations .
Previous graduates have worked with the Irish Rugby Football Union , Ulster Rugby , Rowing Ireland , Apple and others .
Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree or equivalent in a related discipline such as biochemistry , dietetics , food and nutrition , human nutrition , physiology , sport and exercise science and sports science .
Fees for masters degrees are set at £5,900 ( approx €7,076 at time of writing ) while postgraduate diploma fees cost £3,934 ( approx €4,718 ) .
Tech-savvy graduates are in high demand , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the School of Law at Queen ’ s University Belfast aims to address a gap between the law and technology .
This programme will help graduates understand the key questions in regulation and governance technologies , using both classroom and project-based experience .
Graduates will understand how technology interacts with law and also how law and technology work in legal practice .
Compulsory modules on this course include law and the challenges of technology ; regulating innovation ; computational methods and skills ; and approaches to legal research .
Optional modules include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and human rights ; data , privacy and the law ; and medical law and ethics .
Students will also undertake a dissertation .
Applicants must have a 2.1 minimum qualification or a 2.2 degree with at least two years of relevant experience .
Fees are £6140 ( approx €7,386 at time of writing ) .
Can development be sustainable ?
More radical voices say that capitalism is not compatible with a sustainable future for the planet , and there ’ s no doubt that we ’ re in a time of flux @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , full-time , 15-month MSc in Sustainable Development aims to provide graduates with a broad knowledge and understanding of sustainable development including the issues , techniques , management and applications to the living and work environments .
Classes run from Wednesday to Friday in semesters one and two , with students out on work placement on Mondays and Tuesdays .
The course is develived on the Bolton Street campus .
Modules on this course include climate change and policy analysis , economy and sustainable development , transport and urban development , environmental law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graduates from this course will find career opportunities in Irish and international public and private sector ; most find employment in areas related to their primary degree but will have an in-depth understanding of the process and application of sustainable development to environmental , economic or social sectors .
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 degree or higher , or equivalent , although prior career experience may also be considered .
EU fees for this course are €5,850 .
PgDip/ MSc in Palliative and End of Life Care Death is inevitable , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the experience better for people at the end of their lives and their families .
Doctors , nurses , pharmacists , physiotherapists , social workers , occupational therapists , speech therapists , health care assistants , receptionists , therapists , psychologists , social workers , managers and support staff could all benefit from this flexible learning course .
Modules in the first year of this course include principles of palliative and end-of-life care ; psychosocial , ethical and spiritual care ; and bereavement and loss .
Students can exit with a postgraduate diploma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out a research dissertation for a masters award .
Graduates will learn how to improve person-centered care within the context of palliative and end of life care , and develop professional and ethical practice in the context of palliative and end of life care .
Lectures will consist of discussion groups , presentations and debates , and much of the content - aimed at busy professionals who can ’ t commit to weekly college attendance - is delivered online .
Students will attend college on four residential weekends across semesters one and two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Students also engage in a clinical practice placement and undertake a research dissertation .
Graduates will advance their career and promotion prospects in areas including management , practice development and specialist clinical areas such as palliative care .
Registered nurses may be eligible to apply for clinical nurse specialist in palliative care .
EU fees for the postgraduate diploma are €4,360 while the additional fee for the MSc award is €2,240 .
Newspapers mightn ’ t like it but , when it comes to marketing and advertising , digital is where it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or two-year part-time programme , delivered at CIT ’ s Bishopstown campus , is aimed at people working in traditional and digital marketing who want to get a senior position .
Modules on the course include social media and digital advertising , website optimisation and analytics , professional development for marketing ; and the digital consumer .
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 honours degree in a related area such as business , media or visual communications .
Data science barely existed ten years ago ; today , it ’ s one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This one-year , full-time course - which can also be delivered on a part-time basis - aims to equip graduates with the skills necessary to work in the emerging field of big data and data analytics .
The programme is built around three pillars : data , tools and techniques , and analysis .
Students will develop skills in database technologies and data manipulation techniques including SQL and the R programming language .
Classes are mostly delivered online with occasional on-campus workshops .
Students will also be required to undertake a practical data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course is suitable for graduates from a wide array of disciplines including engineering , science and business .
Career options include data analyst , data scientist , performance and analytics analyst , data operations analyst , financial market analyst , business intelligence analyst , customer insight analyst and more .
EU fees for this course are €5,500 .
The recent coronavirus outbreak laid bare the intricate connections in the global supply chain , reminding us all how central supply chain management is to the modern world economy .
This one-year full-time or 2.5-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken at the South Circular Road ( Dublin 8 ) or Limerick campus .
Modules on the course include managerial finance , international strategy and sustainable procurement , while optional electives include inventory and operations management .
Students also undertake a reseatch dissertation .
Students have the option to register for a February or September intake date .
Job opportunities lie in supply chain and logistics , planning manager , sourcing Students should hold an honours degree in business or purchasing/ procurement and supply chain management .
Projects are all about translating strategies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and good project management skills determine whether a project is successful or not .
Project Managers are becoming increasingly involved in strategic conversations as they link strategy , stakeholders , usage of assets , facilities and capabilities .
Modules on this one-year full-time or two-year part-time MBA programme include managerial financial analysis , global issues for management , applied strategic management and research methods .
Career sectors currently range from new product development , marketing , finance , engineering and science -supporting the widely applicable nature of the degree .
Applicants should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least three years of prior work experience or other relevant professional experience .
This new masters degree in 3D animation is the first of its kind in Ireland .
Developed in association with Sheridan College Ontario , it is an advanced practical programme that teaches the skills needed for the world of 3D Animation .
Learning in a digital studio environment from lecturers and practitioners who are active in industry , students will get technical and production skills plus a thorough critical understanding of the modern animation landscape .
Students will get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and critical skills necessary for 3D animation production .
This is a shared MA programme with Sheridan College Ontario and welcomes Irish and international students to the full programme .
Graduates will find employment opportunities in the growth areas of VFX , gaming , augmented reality ( AR ) and virtual reality * Other institutions offering postgraduate courses include IT Blanchardstown , IT Tallaght , Dundalk IT , Carlow IT , IT Sligo , IT Tralee , IT Waterford , Letterkenny IT and Limerick IT .

University College Dublin (UCD)
MSc Marketing and Retail Innovation
Retail might be under pressure, but it is Ireland’s biggest private sector employer - and the companies and workers that know how to adapt to a relentless pace of change are those that will survive.
UCD’s Smurfit School has worked closely with industry leaders to create a Masters in Marketing and Retail Innovation. This 12-month, full-time programme is aimed at graduates seeking to accelerate their career with a mix of marketing expertise and global customer-driven retail innovation.
READ MORE
Retail is everywhere, and this programme delivers course content that can be
Applied across multiple sectors. Some of the largest companies in the world will feature on this course, including Amazon, Tesco, Primark, Burberry, Alibaba and Unilever. The MSc is about integrating the new and old, the physical and digital, the consumer and the supplier. This qualification is of use throughout the world.
The MSc in Marketing and Retail Innovation will provide qualifications to any
student interested in developing a career in marketing, commercial management, and retail operations.
Embedded career services will expose and introduce students to a wide range of retailers as well as other related industries where retail plays a critical part of the business - including telecoms, utilities, and financial services.
Classes contain 18 students and 61 per cent of the class is composed of international students. A 2.1 degree or an undergraduate degree with at least three years work experience is required for entry.
Full-time EU fees are €14,460.
Dublin City University (DCU)
MSc in Climate Change: Policy, Media and Society
How are we responding to climate breakdown - and how can that response be strengthened? This one-year full-time or two-year part time course examines the roles played by politics, law, regulation, media and education in how societies can respond to the most pressing international crisis.
This programme will provide students with the skills and insights they need to help societies move towards a decarbonised economy and a resilient future.
Core modules include EU and national climate change law, climate change policy and governance, climate change and the media, the scientific basis of climate change and how society can transition to a more sustainable future. Students will also learn about research methods and write a dissertation.
Academics from DCU’s School of Law & Government (including Dr Diarmuid Torney who is widely regarded as one of the most important climate change researchers in Ireland) have joined forces with the School of Communications for this course, and students can expect interactive, participatory and innovative teaching styles.
This course will appeal to science, engineering, communications, social and political science graduates, current civil or public servants, workers in the private sector who need a more thorough regulatory and legal grasp of the major issues, educators who want to teach about climate change, and trade union or charity staff working on climate breakdown advocacy.
EU fees are €6,750.
Univeristy of Limerick (UL)
Structured PhD in politics
In living memory, Irish and global politics has never been so intriguing. At home, Sinn Féin’s recent electoral success has broken the two-party system that dominated Irish politics for the last century; overseas, the far-right and autocracy are on the rise in many countries previously seen as relatively stable.
This four-year, full-time structured PhD at UL’s faculty of arts, humanities and social sciences, aims to provide students with the training needed to become professional political scientists.
Students on this course will received advanced training in the methods of political science research as well as specialised training in at least one disciplinary subfield.
In year one, students will undertake core modules in research methods, comparative politics and contemporary political theory, as well as specialised modules tailored to each students’ disciplinary interests and needs.
Students can exit this programme after the taught component with a graduate diploma in politics or, after completing a dissertation, a masters in politics. Or they can stay on and complete a substantial and original piece of research to gain the PhD award.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.1 degree that incorporates a substantial social science component.
Fees are €4,740 per year.
Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
PgDip/MPhil Chinese studies
There’s a lot more to this course than China alone. Students on Trinity College’s Chinese studies one-year full-time or two-year part-time postgrad will find themselves on a multidisciplinary course that draws from cultural studies, linguistics, politics, social policy, translation studies and history.
Across six modules, students will learn about modern China and how it has changed over the past century including its political and economic landscape, modern history, popular culture, society and language. A research module will be completed in the third term and students will write a dissertation project.
Mandarin language classes for beginners and advanced learners are an option. Students can also choose to take an in-country or in-culture experience through the Experience China module, which involves a four-week internship in a Chinese or China-related organisation or a Chinese speaking country.
The course is suitable for students from a wide range of undergraduate disciplines: a background in arts, humanities and social sciences is helpful but not required, and students do not need a prior language of China or Chinese language proficiency.
Applicants require a minimum 2.1 degree.
Full-time EU fees for this course are €9,097.
University College Cork (UCC)
MSc in food security policy and management
Earlier this year, a plague of locusts devoured the valuable crops of people in East Africa, threatening a major food crisis. Across the world, water tables are being depleted and climate breakdown sees floods and droughts threaten crops and presage famine.
This one-year, full-time postgrad course is geared towards equipping professionals and recent graduates with the skills needed for policy development and implementation, project and programme management and an impact assessment of programmes aimed at improving both food security and dietary quality.
Modules on the course include sustainable food systems; rural development, gender and livelihoods; global food policy issues; and public health nutrition.
This course is suitable for students from a broad range of backgrounds including nutrition, food security, international development, economics, humanitarian assistance and programme management.
Career paths include roles in Irish and international development agencies, policy and research institutes, and public, private and non-profit/ NGO sectors. Possible employers include national government institutions, the United Nations and the European Commission.
Students will also develop the critical skills to work in areas such as project and programme management, policy development and implementation and impact assessment.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 honours degree or at least five years relevant professional experience.
EU fees for this course are €7,500.
NUI Galway
MA Creative Arts
NUI Galway is collaborating with Galway 2020 (European Capital of Culture) on a number of projects, and the campus will be hosting many Galway 2020 events, including conferences, seminars, and exhibitions.
NUI Galway offers many creative courses at postgraduate level including Performing Arts, Film Studies, and Writing.
One recently-launched course that’s proving very popular is the one-year, full-time MA Creative Arts (Producing and Curation).
The programme aims to equip graduates with the skills - particularly research, communication and innovative thinking - to run creative arts events and careers. Arts collections and digital objects on a website, as well a programme of performances in a festival form two key strands of the programme. Teachers come from curation or artistic backgrounds.
The course provides professional experience and networking opportunities
through internships, placement with partner organisations such as Galway International Arts Festival, and public-facing projects.
Graduates will be able to follow employment opportunities in museums, galleries, libraries, arts centres, arts festivals, cultural centres and producing for theatre companies, arts organisations, arts festivals, and state sponsored arts bodies. Applicants should have a minimum 2.1 honours degree in a related subject or relevant prior learning, and they must submit a professional or artistic CV, a personal statement outlining their suitability and two references.
Fees for EU students are priced at €6,600.
Maynooth University
MSc Psychology
This is an intensive one year conversion course designed for students with prior learning in psychology, allowing graduates to gain a pre-professional qualification equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Course content emphasises the development of key skills in critical psychological thinking and research methodology. Course modules include issues and debates in psychology, classic studies in psychology, laboratories in experimental psychology, qualitative research approaches in psychology, advanced research methods and critical skills for careers in psychology.
Students will also complete a research project on a specialist topic, working with their supervisor to develop a research question, collect and analyse psychological data, and produce a thesis. Students will also develop strongly important and transferable skills in presentation, writing and teamwork.
Eligible applicants will have completed 60 credits of Psychology in their undergraduate degree. Graduates will have a range of career options in psychology (e.g. clinical psychology, educational psychology) and in the broad section of careers where psychology is routinely deployed (eg. information technology, human resources and recruitment).
EU fees for the one-year full-time course are €6,200.
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
MSc in Healthcare Leadership
Healthcare organisations are among the most complex in today’s society. Healthcare leaders need to manage increased risk, uncertainty and ambiguity, as well as to effectively manage and implement change. All of this requires effective leadership style and qualities.
This part-time, two-year MSc in Healthcare Leadership is designed to develop leadership competencies, management skills and the ability to be innovative in an uncertain healthcare environment that has limited resources, increased demands and significant budget restrictions.
In the first year, students will undertake six modules with three days in-class attendance for each while, in year two, students will attend three in-class days of research methods and methodology and also undertake a research project.
Modules include developing and demonstrating personal leadership qualities, leading and managing services and strategic planning and implementation.
Seminars will also be held throughout the year.
All applicants should have a primary degree and be working in healthcare, although RCSI will recognise prior learning.
Course fees for EU applicants are €8,000 in year one and €4,500 in year two.
Mary Immaculate College (MIC)
MA in Modern English Literature
This one-year taught programme aims to widen and deepen students’ knowledge and appreciation of English literature and contemporary critical theory and to familiarise them with traditional and modern technological sources for research in English literature.
Modules on this course include modernism texts and contexts, postcolonial literature and theory, poetics and politics of Irish identity and world literature. Students will also learn research methodologies and carry out a summer dissertation.
Instruction is through seminars, round-table discussions, presentations and individual question and answer sessions. Class size is limited to ten.
Possible careers include primary and post-primary teaching; technical writing, journalism, copywriting and copyediting; wen editing; academic administration; advertising and marketing; arts administration; library administration; human resources; researcher or research administrator; heritage studies; public relations; market research; policy analysis and more. This course also opens up entry to PhD programmes.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.1 degree, relevant work experience or other suitable qualifications.
Full-time EU fees are €4,675.
St Angela’s College
Leadership and management for the community and public sector
This flexible two to three-year part-time level nine course, leading to a postgraduate cert, diploma or master in arts, aims to equip graduates with the skills needed to work in the community, voluntary, non-profit, statutory and public sectors.
This course is aimed at people who work or wish to work in leadership or management positions in these sectors, people on the management committees or boards in the sector and those who represent local authority, statutory or community and voluntary sector in a governance role on a public sector or community board of management.
Students can take flexible, module-by-module learning options which are held one weekend a month.
Modules include governance and legislative compliance, organisational and operational management, advancing the organisation and an introduction to leadership and management for the community, non-profit and public sector with successful completion of three of these leading to a postgraduate certificate. Students can also attend modules without completing the assessment or accumulating credits, for which they will be issued with a certificate of attendance.
Students who complete a second module in advanced research methods will meet the requirements for a postgraduate diploma, while students who carry out an MA dissertation in year three will graduate with a master of arts.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 level eight degree or at least two years experience in the community, voluntary or public sector.
EU fees are €3,000 per year.
National College of Ireland
MSc in cybersecurity
If cryptography, ethics and security intrigue you, NCI offers both a one-one full-time or two-year part time MSc in Cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is the fastest growing area for IT employment and, with a skills shortage in the sector, graduates are in high demand.
Students on this practical and technical course will develop the technical knowledge, competence and research skills of the most important technical concepts of cybersecurity. Information security, secure programming, network security, penetration testing, malware analysis, IT law and ethics, and data and log retrieval and analysis form core parts of the course content.
Graduates of this course can specialise in either forensics or cloud security and may go on to work as, among other roles, information security analyst, secure application developer, cybersecurity tester, risk advisory on information security and forensics and cloud security analyst.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 award (although prior learning is recognised) and programming ability.
In past years, the Government of Ireland and the European Social Fund, as part of the ESF programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020, have funded the PG Dip through the Springboard+ initiative, which covers 100% of fees for those currently not working and 90% of fees for those in employment.
Students can register their interest on www.ncirl.ie/Study/Springboard and will be contacted if/when the initiative is confirmed for the September intake. This should not delay applicants commencing your application to ensure you satisfy entry criteria.
Full-time EU fees are €6,500.
National College of Art and Design (NCAD)
MSc medical device design
The MSc in Medical Device Design is a one-year, full-time and studio based programme which teaches students about the approaches, tools and methods to design medical devices, experiences, systems and services with a focus on the needs of users.
The studio learning fosters peer-to-peer learning, and students engage in lectures, seminars and workshops as well as projects with industry and clinical collaborators.
This interdisciplinary course sees graduates from creative and technical disciplines - including design, healthcare, engineering and business - working side-by-side to covers topics including basic medical science, bioinstrumentation, product design and human factors.
The needs of people in healthcare are at the heart of the programme, and students will learn how to conduct human-centered research, create and visualise concepts and develop and evaluate prototypes. Students will also complete an industry project.
Industry partners include medical device companies such as Cook Medical, Hollister, Medtronic, Teleflex and Stryker along with leading research hospitals and institutes such as St. James’s Hospital (TCD), The Mater Hospital (UCD) and the Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI).
The majority of graduates go on to work in industry or design practice. Recent graduates can be found working across medical device companies and design practices such as Design Partners, Movement, Cook Medical, Dyson, Hollister, Pfizer and Trulife.
Applicants should have a 2.2 degree or higher, or equivalent academic or professional qualifications, although the college will also consider prior learning and experience.
EU fees are €7,950
Ulster University
Sport and exercise nutrition PgDip/ MSc
Diet and nutrition affect sport and exercise performance, and understanding this can affect outcomes for athletes.
Students on this one-year, full-time course where all modules are delivered by distance-learning course, will learn about nutrition and exercise metabolism, nutritional assessment, recommendations and requirements, sport-specific nutrition issues, nutrition for health and disease prevention, evidence-based practice in healthcare sciences, practical sports nutrition and research methods. Students will also undertake a nutrition research project.
Students are assessed by exams and coursework including video cooking demonstrations, essays, reports, seminar papers, portfolio and more.
Career prospects include sports nutrition, performance nutrition or working with sporting or government associations. Previous graduates have worked with the Irish Rugby Football Union, Ulster Rugby, Rowing Ireland, Apple and others.
Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree or equivalent in a related discipline such as biochemistry, dietetics, food and nutrition, human nutrition, physiology, sport and exercise science and sports science.
Fees for masters degrees are set at £5,900 (approx €7,076 at time of writing) while postgraduate diploma fees cost £3,934 (approx €4,718).
Queen’s University Belfast (QUB)
LLM Law and technology
Tech-savvy graduates are in high demand, and this one-year full-time or two-year part-time course from the School of Law at Queen’s University Belfast aims to address a gap between the law and technology.
This programme will help graduates understand the key questions in regulation and governance technologies, using both classroom and project-based experience.
Graduates will understand how technology interacts with law and also how law and technology work in legal practice.
Compulsory modules on this course include law and the challenges of technology; regulating innovation; computational methods and skills; and approaches to legal research. Optional modules include copyright in the digital environment; business and human rights; data, privacy and the law; and medical law and ethics. Students will also undertake a dissertation.
Applicants must have a 2.1 minimum qualification or a 2.2 degree with at least two years of relevant experience.
Fees are £6140 (approx €7,386 at time of writing).
TU Dublin (TUD)
Sustainable Development
Can development be sustainable? More radical voices say that capitalism is not compatible with a sustainable future for the planet, and there’s no doubt that we’re in a time of flux.
TU Dublin’s level nine, full-time, 15-month MSc in Sustainable Development aims to provide graduates with a broad knowledge and understanding of sustainable development including the issues, techniques, management and applications to the living and work environments.
Classes run from Wednesday to Friday in semesters one and two, with students out on work placement on Mondays and Tuesdays. The course is develived on the Bolton Street campus.
Modules on this course include climate change and policy analysis, economy and sustainable development, transport and urban development, environmental law and institutions, and research techniques.
Graduates from this course will find career opportunities in Irish and international public and private sector; most find employment in areas related to their primary degree but will have an in-depth understanding of the process and application of sustainable development to environmental, economic or social sectors.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 degree or higher, or equivalent, although prior career experience may also be considered.
EU fees for this course are €5,850.
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT)
PgDip/ MSc in Palliative and End of Life Care
Death is inevitable, but those working in palliative care can make the experience better for people at the end of their lives and their families.
Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, social workers, occupational therapists, speech therapists, health care assistants, receptionists, therapists, psychologists, social workers, managers and support staff could all benefit from this flexible learning course.
Modules in the first year of this course include principles of palliative and end-of-life care; psychosocial, ethical and spiritual care; and bereavement and loss. Students can exit with a postgraduate diploma or, in year two, carry out a research dissertation for a masters award.
Graduates will learn how to improve person-centered care within the context of palliative and end of life care, and develop professional and ethical practice in the context of palliative and end of life care.
Lectures will consist of discussion groups, presentations and debates, and much of the content - aimed at busy professionals who can’t commit to weekly college attendance - is delivered online. Students will attend college on four residential weekends across semesters one and two, and B&B is provided.
Students also engage in a clinical practice placement and undertake a research dissertation.
Graduates will advance their career and promotion prospects in areas including management, practice development and specialist clinical areas such as palliative care. Registered nurses may be eligible to apply for clinical nurse specialist in palliative care.
EU fees for the postgraduate diploma are €4,360 while the additional fee for the MSc award is €2,240.
Cork Institute of Technology (CIT)
MSc in digital marketing strategy
Newspapers mightn’t like it but, when it comes to marketing and advertising, digital is where it’s at.
This one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme, delivered at CIT’s Bishopstown campus, is aimed at people working in traditional and digital marketing who want to get a senior position.
Modules on the course include social media and digital advertising, website optimisation and analytics, professional development for marketing; and the digital consumer.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 honours degree in a related area such as business, media or visual communications.
EU fees are €7,500.
Athlone IT
MSc in applied software engineering
Data science barely existed ten years ago; today, it’s one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors.
This one-year, full-time course - which can also be delivered on a part-time basis - aims to equip graduates with the skills necessary to work in the emerging field of big data and data analytics. The programme is built around three pillars: data, tools and techniques, and analysis. Students will develop skills in database technologies and data manipulation techniques including SQL and the R programming language.
Classes are mostly delivered online with occasional on-campus workshops.
Students will also be required to undertake a practical data analytics project and associated thesis.
The course is suitable for graduates from a wide array of disciplines including engineering, science and business.
Career options include data analyst, data scientist, performance and analytics analyst, data operations analyst, financial market analyst, business intelligence analyst, customer insight analyst and more.
EU fees for this course are €5,500.
Griffith College
MSc in procurement and supply chain management
The recent coronavirus outbreak laid bare the intricate connections in the global supply chain, reminding us all how central supply chain management is to the modern world economy.
This one-year full-time or 2.5-year part-time level nine postgraduate course can be taken at the South Circular Road (Dublin 8) or Limerick campus. Modules on the course include managerial finance, international strategy and sustainable procurement, while optional electives include inventory and operations management. Students also undertake a reseatch dissertation.
Students have the option to register for a February or September intake date. Job opportunities lie in supply chain and logistics, planning manager, sourcing
manager, international supply chain director and more.
Students should hold an honours degree in business or purchasing/ procurement and supply chain management.
Fees for EU citizens are €9,500.
Dublin Business School (DBS)
MBA project management
Projects are all about translating strategies, plans and objectives into reality, and good project management skills determine whether a project is successful or not.
Project Managers are becoming increasingly involved in strategic conversations as they link strategy, stakeholders, usage of assets, facilities and capabilities.
Modules on this one-year full-time or two-year part-time MBA programme include managerial financial analysis, global issues for management, applied strategic management and research methods.
Career sectors currently range from new product development, marketing, finance, engineering and science -supporting the widely applicable nature of the degree.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 honours degree or at least three years of prior work experience or other relevant professional experience.
EU fees are €6,250 per year.
Dún Laoghaire Institute Of Art Design and Technology (IADT)
MA 3D animation
This new masters degree in 3D animation is the first of its kind in Ireland. Developed in association with Sheridan College Ontario, it is an advanced practical programme that teaches the skills needed for the world of 3D Animation.
Learning in a digital studio environment from lecturers and practitioners who are active in industry, students will get technical and production skills plus a thorough critical understanding of the modern animation landscape. Students will get the opportunity to develop a range of practical and critical skills necessary for 3D animation production.
This is a shared MA programme with Sheridan College Ontario and welcomes Irish and international students to the full programme.
Graduates will find employment opportunities in the growth areas of VFX, gaming, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality
EU fees are €6000.
* Other institutions offering postgraduate courses include IT Blanchardstown, IT Tallaght, Dundalk IT, Carlow IT, IT Sligo, IT Tralee, IT Waterford, Letterkenny IT and Limerick IT.


theirishtimes--2020-03-10--The Secret Teacher: Do we really need a longer school year? Give me a break

“ I ’ m sure the teachers won ’ t like this , ” Andrea said .
She was speaking as part of a radio discussion on the need for shorter school holidays and she was right .
Scheduling this during the midterm break is downright insensitive – surely such topics should be limited to when teachers are in school and don ’ t actually have time to listen .
It made for very worrying content .
On two separate occasions Shane , the presenter , pointed out that despite the number of days off , we spend longer hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This fact fell on deaf ears both times , as it usually does .
Andrea justified her impassioned arguments for an additional two to three weeks of tuition time by the need for digital literacy and consent programmes and so on .
When challenged on the need for children to have a break from school , she argued that the extra tuition time needn ’ t be academic as so many of our children can ’ t run or catch a ball .
She clearly didn ’ t care much what we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them in school .
Laura , a parenting expert , then spoke and also advocated the longer school year on the basis that the long holidays pose enormous difficulties for working parents .
Most employers apparently only give 21 days annual leave , so to be fair there is a shortfall to make up .
What holidays from parenting did those complaining expect , I wonder ?
That ’ s surely where the real problem lies – it ’ s important to fully consider the terms and conditions before taking on any job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midterm break I looked through 90 pieces of work for a recently completed CBA ( classroom based assessment ) and assigned provisional grades .
I typed up the most common errors which featured in my Leaving Cert mock exams as this is always valuable feedback for the students .
I wrote a long overdue email outlining my thoughts on what our priorities for school improvement should be – I ’ m assuming our principal will be grateful to have it even if it ’ s late , as many colleagues have said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to formulate their thoughts .
Most , understandably , won ’ t take the time during the holiday , and yet I know that they place enormous value on our collective efforts to continually improve what we do for the students in our care .
While I embraced the freedom of getting out of school at the start of the midterm , I also recognised it as an opportunity to catch up on these important aspects of my work as a teacher .
You could call it our homework , I suppose , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When I signed up for a teaching career I knew there would be lots of additional hours of work on top of the classroom contact time .
Shane argued a great case for letting children just be children and have their long holidays ; but the only mention from the parenting expert of children ’ s needs coming first was that increased tuition time wouldn ’ t reduce our already-worrying rates of anxiety among young people .
Eliminating homework might be a way of balancing things out .
According to the parenting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain , apparently just another inconvenience .
It ’ s hard to “ sandwich ” it in around extracurricular , dinner and the parents ’ long working day .
The solution , of course , is increased tuition time “ so they can do more of their learning in school ” .
So while as a teacher I ’ m trying to encourage my students to be independent learners , are parents so hands-on with the homework that it is making their own lives difficult ?
What are their children doing ?
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would shift to what is best for children .
( A mixed message on doing their homework certainly isn ’ t ) .
That ’ s surely paramount in decisions regarding their schooling .
My heart sank , therefore , when France ’ s model of different zones having school holidays at different times emerged as the next point .
Laura thinks such a model could help our economy here in Ireland too , and it would support tourism throughout the year !
If , as the parenting expert , she really represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one has to feel for a nation of schoolchildren who clearly aren ’ t welcomed home with open arms at the end of a school day .
I very much doubt hers is a representative view .
It just doesn ’ t ring true , especially when so many parents take their children out of school early to avail of a better price for the family holiday .
That reality means that the teachers and students still continuing to work in school feel that the term drags unnecessarily – what on earth would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nonetheless , according to Laura we should extend it by two to three weeks because it ’ s been a very long time since the structure of the school calendar was dictated by the need for children to help parents on the farm .
Has it occurred to her that from an educational perspective perhaps the calendar actually works ?
The Department of Education could put the school year debate to bed with a well-worded statement on its merits .
Perhaps it simply isn ’ t broken .
And if it does need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right forum at the right time with the appropriate experts – and without arguments about boosting tourism and helping on the farm .
Andrea was right about teachers not liking it .
We would prefer to put the students ’ needs first .

“I’m sure the teachers won’t like this,” Andrea said. She was speaking as part of a radio discussion on the need for shorter school holidays and she was right. Scheduling this during the midterm break is downright insensitive – surely such topics should be limited to when teachers are in school and don’t actually have time to listen.
It made for very worrying content. On two separate occasions Shane, the presenter, pointed out that despite the number of days off, we spend longer hours in school than the EU average.
This fact fell on deaf ears both times, as it usually does. Andrea justified her impassioned arguments for an additional two to three weeks of tuition time by the need for digital literacy and consent programmes and so on.
When challenged on the need for children to have a break from school, she argued that the extra tuition time needn’t be academic as so many of our children can’t run or catch a ball. She clearly didn’t care much what we did with them as long as we kept them in school.
READ MORE
Laura, a parenting expert, then spoke and also advocated the longer school year on the basis that the long holidays pose enormous difficulties for working parents. Most employers apparently only give 21 days annual leave, so to be fair there is a shortfall to make up. What holidays from parenting did those complaining expect, I wonder? That’s surely where the real problem lies – it’s important to fully consider the terms and conditions before taking on any job, including parenting.
Common errors
During my February midterm break I looked through 90 pieces of work for a recently completed CBA (classroom based assessment) and assigned provisional grades. I typed up the most common errors which featured in my Leaving Cert mock exams as this is always valuable feedback for the students. I wrote a long overdue email outlining my thoughts on what our priorities for school improvement should be – I’m assuming our principal will be grateful to have it even if it’s late, as many colleagues have said they simply can’t find the time to formulate their thoughts.
Most, understandably, won’t take the time during the holiday, and yet I know that they place enormous value on our collective efforts to continually improve what we do for the students in our care. While I embraced the freedom of getting out of school at the start of the midterm, I also recognised it as an opportunity to catch up on these important aspects of my work as a teacher. You could call it our homework, I suppose, and I have no issue with it. When I signed up for a teaching career I knew there would be lots of additional hours of work on top of the classroom contact time.
Shane argued a great case for letting children just be children and have their long holidays; but the only mention from the parenting expert of children’s needs coming first was that increased tuition time wouldn’t reduce our already-worrying rates of anxiety among young people. Eliminating homework might be a way of balancing things out.
According to the parenting expert homework is a bit of a pain, apparently just another inconvenience. It’s hard to “sandwich” it in around extracurricular, dinner and the parents’ long working day. The solution, of course, is increased tuition time “so they can do more of their learning in school”. So while as a teacher I’m trying to encourage my students to be independent learners, are parents so hands-on with the homework that it is making their own lives difficult? What are their children doing?
At this point I wondered when the focus would shift to what is best for children. (A mixed message on doing their homework certainly isn't). That's surely paramount in decisions regarding their schooling. My heart sank, therefore, when France's model of different zones having school holidays at different times emerged as the next point. Laura thinks such a model could help our economy here in Ireland too, and it would support tourism throughout the year!
If, as the parenting expert, she really represents anything like a majority of parents, one has to feel for a nation of schoolchildren who clearly aren’t welcomed home with open arms at the end of a school day. I very much doubt hers is a representative view. It just doesn’t ring true, especially when so many parents take their children out of school early to avail of a better price for the family holiday. That reality means that the teachers and students still continuing to work in school feel that the term drags unnecessarily – what on earth would an extended summer term be like?
Help on farm
Nonetheless, according to Laura we should extend it by two to three weeks because it’s been a very long time since the structure of the school calendar was dictated by the need for children to help parents on the farm. Has it occurred to her that from an educational perspective perhaps the calendar actually works?
The Department of Education could put the school year debate to bed with a well-worded statement on its merits. Perhaps it simply isn’t broken. And if it does need fixing, let the debate be in the right forum at the right time with the appropriate experts – and without arguments about boosting tourism and helping on the farm.
Andrea was right about teachers not liking it. We would prefer to put the students’ needs first.


theirishtimes--2020-03-10--How I benefited from my MBA

How I benefited from my MBA

How did the MBA affect your career ?
I actually started a company with another Trinity MBA student out of the programme .
We met there and just clicked .
We were placed in the same team and the project we started for our entrepreneurship module , we carried that on since and that ’ s now our company .
We raise money for charities and nonprofits .
I was expecting the course to be very business-orientated , which it definitely was , but the focus they put on personal relationships and how to interact with people who are potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I always wanted to start a business but I couldn ’ t do it on my own .
I recognised that in myself and I was hoping that it would build on that desire and give me the confidence to do it .
And hopefully I would meet somebody who would be a great business partner .
It did all that for me , which is great .
Everything that I ’ m doing now came from the MBA .
The idea , my business partner I met through the MBA , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the MBA .
The support of Trinity to help us get the company off the ground , and any mentorship that we needed , has been invaluable .
What was the best thing the MBA had to offer ?
“ It ’ s all down to what kind of goals you were looking to .
Because I was dealing with a lot of corporate clients , one thing I felt as a doctor that I was lacking , despite understanding the business , is that I didn ’ t have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps me to integrate my life and my business together .
Every single topic was helpful .
I ’ m a doctor so imagine someone who doesn ’ t know anything about business going into an area where accounting , finance and marketing is all part of it .
The gist of it and a lot of the reasons behind why we do it were all unknown to me .
With the course itself , it has taken me to extremely new levels .
You ’ re talking about HR functions , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how technology plays into it , how strategy , operation , they all intertwine with each other .
The best thing about the course is that it all makes sense .
They are all related either one way or the other and it connects the dots just perfectly .
Because I had no degree in business , I didn ’ t understand , but now it ’ s like a walk in the park , everything is just all laid out there on the table .
What interested you in studying it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I wanted to do the MBA .
I went to Trinity in Dublin and I did engineering there , and I pretty much straight away moved to Cork and I ’ ve been working in the pharmaceutical industry down there .
I would constantly be going up and down to Dublin to see former colleagues and I kind of realised that I had an almost stronger network in Dublin than I had in Cork .
So I thought to help me get that would be to do some sort of education thing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my sector .
One of the reasons for doing the MBA was to expand the social network .
Second , I wanted to go back to college .
I was probably about 35 when I started thinking about it .
A mid-life crisis is probably too strong of a word , but you ’ re seeing all these younger guys coming onto the scene and I ’ m in IT as well , so you ’ ve got guys coming out with more relevant degrees to the technology that ’ s out there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was just professionally bringing myself along .
I was very much a project engineer and I didn ’ t particularly want to go into project management so I was thinking the best way to do it is to get into an operational role .
Did anything surprise you about the MBA ?
“ I was quite open-minded about what the MBA would lead me to .
As it turned out , I changed my goal and industry and I actually changed halfway through the course .
I think where the course surprised me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to acknowledge the opportunities that came along .
Many people look at an MBA in a very binary way ; like if I sink these fees , what pay rise will I get , or what will I get out of it .
And that ’ s a very natural approach .
The course helps you look at things differently , you size things up in new ways , you make different choices , you approach risk differently , you ’ re more confident in your own abilities .
The world just seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to quantify , but I think a lot of people tend to go a different route than they initially thought .
I think there ’ s a secret sauce that helps people get in touch with their own abilities a bit more .
People say they emerge more confident .
You ’ re matching yourself against your peers , you ’ re public speaking most weeks , you ’ re making decisions that are impactful privately .
There is a very strong personal developmental aspect where I think the theory complements the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a MBA with your personal life “ To say it wasn ’ t difficult would be a lie .
There were challenges definitely in balancing work life , college life and home life .
You need to go into it with the right mindset and you have the right people on board in your life , which in my case was my wife and child .
I made sure they were aware of why I was doing it and the sacrifice that would come with it .
If the people around you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it definitely alleviates some of that pressure .
But it is challenging and I do think the effort and impact on your life needs to be outweighed by the purpose for doing it and the expectations .
Mine was part-time so there were times when , in terms of workload , there were peaks and troughs throughout the MBA itself .
Specifically why I chose TU was because of the relevance and applicability of the MBA to your actual work .
A lot of the projects you would do throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in your organisation .
That really benefited me because I was able to balance that against the areas I was prioritising in my job and essentially kill two birds with one stone .
What was the biggest takeaway you had from your course “ It taught me the power of the network .
Back then , I was very academically focused and my only formal education would have been with very much like minded people , with similar backgrounds , similar career goals and so on .
With the MBA , there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wide range of specialties , industries and sectors .
They had a wide-ranging age , experience and background .
That brought about very fresh thinking for me personally .
The experiences from all over the world , in multiple business sectors , and the networking opportunity that that brought about for me was very powerful .
Even still today , four years later , we still have our WhatsApp group , we are still very much in touch , which is hugely beneficial to me running my own company .
I probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my own discipline .
The whole class room experience is really enhanced by virtue of the fact that you are interacting with people from such a diverse background .
The wealth of real world experience supplementing the academic education that that brings is really powerful .
I have a like-minded co-founder with a very complementary skill set .
Having said that , I would very regularly contact somebody from the class and bounce something off them .
How did the MBA affect you personally ?
“ I almost feel like I came at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For me , it was actually I had taken time out of my career to raise kids .
So for me , the best part of the MBA , was all about re-engaging with the workforce and building that confidence .
I think what it did was it gave me the courage to negotiate well going back .
I went back at a good level and I went back with a good salary .
That was hugely beneficial for me .
If I had to pick one word about the MBA it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about confidence .
Even if you ’ ve taken a hiatus , it gave me the confidence to say ‘ actually no , that 15 years of this career that I had is still hugely valuable ’ .
I ’ ve also updated my skill set but I would actually wonder if I did go back without doing that MBA , then what that outcome would have been .
One or two of the interviews , I do remember that some people would make reference to my six year break .
Maybe someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t take a career break , but they only had 8 years experience to my 15 .
You just learn to change the conversation and reframe it .
”

Lizzy Hayashida, Trinity College, 2018, Change Donations
How did the MBA affect your career?
I actually started a company with another Trinity MBA student out of the programme. We met there and just clicked. We were placed in the same team and the project we started for our entrepreneurship module, we carried that on since and that’s now our company. We raise money for charities and nonprofits. I was expecting the course to be very business-orientated, which it definitely was, but the focus they put on personal relationships and how to interact with people who are potentially different from you was an experience. I always wanted to start a business but I couldn’t do it on my own. I recognised that in myself and I was hoping that it would build on that desire and give me the confidence to do it. And hopefully I would meet somebody who would be a great business partner. It did all that for me, which is great. Everything that I’m doing now came from the MBA. The idea, my business partner I met through the MBA, the relationship between ourselves and the business happened because of the MBA. The support of Trinity to help us get the company off the ground, and any mentorship that we needed, has been invaluable.
Dr Ui May Tan, DCU, 2019, VHI Ireland
READ MORE
What was the best thing the MBA had to offer?
“It’s all down to what kind of goals you were looking to. Because I was dealing with a lot of corporate clients, one thing I felt as a doctor that I was lacking, despite understanding the business, is that I didn’t have a business degree to support that. It helps me to integrate my life and my business together. Every single topic was helpful. I’m a doctor so imagine someone who doesn’t know anything about business going into an area where accounting, finance and marketing is all part of it. The gist of it and a lot of the reasons behind why we do it were all unknown to me. With the course itself, it has taken me to extremely new levels. You’re talking about HR functions, you’re also talking about the logistics of how technology plays into it, how strategy, operation, they all intertwine with each other. The best thing about the course is that it all makes sense. They are all related either one way or the other and it connects the dots just perfectly. Because I had no degree in business, I didn’t understand, but now it’s like a walk in the park, everything is just all laid out there on the table.
Conor Grogan 2018 UCC Emerson
What interested you in studying it?
“There were three reasons why I wanted to do the MBA. I went to Trinity in Dublin and I did engineering there, and I pretty much straight away moved to Cork and I’ve been working in the pharmaceutical industry down there. I would constantly be going up and down to Dublin to see former colleagues and I kind of realised that I had an almost stronger network in Dublin than I had in Cork. So I thought to help me get that would be to do some sort of education thing, and meet some educated people outside of my sector. One of the reasons for doing the MBA was to expand the social network. Second, I wanted to go back to college. I was probably about 35 when I started thinking about it. A mid-life crisis is probably too strong of a word, but you’re seeing all these younger guys coming onto the scene and I’m in IT as well, so you’ve got guys coming out with more relevant degrees to the technology that’s out there at the moment. The last one was just professionally bringing myself along. I was very much a project engineer and I didn’t particularly want to go into project management so I was thinking the best way to do it is to get into an operational role.
Klaus Gottsche 2019 NUI Galway, Mathworks
Did anything surprise you about the MBA?
“I was quite open-minded about what the MBA would lead me to. As it turned out, I changed my goal and industry and I actually changed halfway through the course. I think where the course surprised me was it allowed me to appraise and to acknowledge the opportunities that came along. Many people look at an MBA in a very binary way; like if I sink these fees, what pay rise will I get, or what will I get out of it. And that’s a very natural approach. The course helps you look at things differently, you size things up in new ways, you make different choices, you approach risk differently, you’re more confident in your own abilities. The world just seems a bit bigger. And they are hard to quantify, but I think a lot of people tend to go a different route than they initially thought. I think there’s a secret sauce that helps people get in touch with their own abilities a bit more. People say they emerge more confident. You’re matching yourself against your peers, you’re public speaking most weeks, you’re making decisions that are impactful privately. There is a very strong personal developmental aspect where I think the theory complements the practice.”
Darren Connolly, 2019 TUDublin LinkedIn
Was it difficult to balance a MBA with your personal life
“To say it wasn’t difficult would be a lie. There were challenges definitely in balancing work life, college life and home life. You need to go into it with the right mindset and you have the right people on board in your life, which in my case was my wife and child. I made sure they were aware of why I was doing it and the sacrifice that would come with it. If the people around you are prepared to support you in that journey I think it definitely alleviates some of that pressure. But it is challenging and I do think the effort and impact on your life needs to be outweighed by the purpose for doing it and the expectations. Mine was part-time so there were times when, in terms of workload, there were peaks and troughs throughout the MBA itself. Specifically why I chose TU was because of the relevance and applicability of the MBA to your actual work. A lot of the projects you would do throughout the course would be focused on particular problems in your organisation. That really benefited me because I was able to balance that against the areas I was prioritising in my job and essentially kill two birds with one stone.
Sharon Cunningham, 2015 UCD, Shorla Pharma
What was the biggest takeaway you had from your course
“It taught me the power of the network. Back then, I was very academically focused and my only formal education would have been with very much like minded people, with similar backgrounds, similar career goals and so on. With the MBA, there were classmates with diverse backgrounds, coming from a wide range of specialties, industries and sectors. They had a wide-ranging age, experience and background. That brought about very fresh thinking for me personally. The experiences from all over the world, in multiple business sectors, and the networking opportunity that that brought about for me was very powerful. Even still today, four years later, we still have our WhatsApp group, we are still very much in touch, which is hugely beneficial to me running my own company. I probably didn’t think far enough outside my own discipline. The whole class room experience is really enhanced by virtue of the fact that you are interacting with people from such a diverse background. The wealth of real world experience supplementing the academic education that that brings is really powerful. I have a like-minded co-founder with a very complementary skill set. Having said that, I would very regularly contact somebody from the class and bounce something off them.
Siobhan Ryan 2014 University of Limerick UiPath
How did the MBA affect you personally?
“I almost feel like I came at the MBA from a slightly different journey. For me, it was actually I had taken time out of my career to raise kids. So for me, the best part of the MBA, was all about re-engaging with the workforce and building that confidence. I think what it did was it gave me the courage to negotiate well going back. I went back at a good level and I went back with a good salary. That was hugely beneficial for me. If I had to pick one word about the MBA it would be confidence, it was really about confidence. Even if you’ve taken a hiatus, it gave me the confidence to say ‘actually no, that 15 years of this career that I had is still hugely valuable’. I’ve also updated my skill set but I would actually wonder if I did go back without doing that MBA, then what that outcome would have been. One or two of the interviews, I do remember that some people would make reference to my six year break. Maybe someone else who is going for that job didn’t take a career break, but they only had 8 years experience to my 15. You just learn to change the conversation and reframe it.”


theirishtimes--2020-03-10--How to select the right postgraduate course for you

How to differentiate between what ’ s on offer and , more particularly , how to ensure your course has credibility in the labour market , is a major challenge .
But before you decide what you want to study , you should ask yourself about what type of programme you wish to follow : research or taught .
Taught postgraduate courses can be a continuation of your undergraduate studies or in an entirely new area .
The length of a course usually determines its qualification .
A higher certificate is generally a 30-credit programme over six modules .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the master ’ s degree requires 90 credits .
Taught masters often include a research component , possibly during the summer and , in some cases , in an industry setting .
Research masters , including MLitt ’ s , generally take 15 months to four years , depending on whether it ’ s full-time or part-time .
If you choose a research-based course , explore the courses in your research area and the quality of the support and supervision offered .
You can contact potential employers in your research area for views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finding out the labour market ’ s opinion of the quality of support and supervision at this stage will pay dividends when engaging with potential employers near completion of your programme .
Some master ’ s programmes will facilitate an immediate transfer on to a PhD .
A doctorate takes a minimum of three years .
The topic is determined by your area of interest and those of your supervisor .
Some PhDs are designed for the lone scholar under the direction of a single expert supervisor .
There are also structured PhDs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transferable skills .
Talk to the programme director to get help deciding which structure suits you and your work-style best .
Validity and recognition are central to choosing a programme .
Quality and Qualifications Ireland ( QQI ) , a Department of Education and Skills agency responsible for the National Framework of Qualifications ( NFQ ) , validates all qualifications from literacy programmes at level 1 to doctoral awards at level 10 within the Stare .
The validation of any qualification is central to its value ; in Ireland this is usually seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The universities , the Technological University of Dublin and the Institutes of Technology make their own awards under legislation , or under “ delegated awarding power ” from QQI .
These awards are on the NFQ for both undergraduate and postgraduate level and are listed by the higher education institutions on their websites .
QQI also makes awards in higher education mainly for programmes offered by private or independent higher education colleges .
The database on qqi.ie lists higher education offerings from private institutions leading to awards at level 6 and upwards .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ postgrad opportunities in Ireland , including those not validated by QQI ( for example , courses in Northern Ireland that fall outside the remit of QQI ) .
Qualifax currently lists 2,858 postgraduate programmes at level 9 Masters and level 10 PhD , up from 2,831 in 2019 in 85 institutions in Ireland , including Northern Ireland institutions which provides 342 programmes .
They range from accounting in UCD , to zoology in NUI Galway .
Qualifax also lists some programmes at private colleges , where awards are on or aligned to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are another 100-plus courses offered by private colleges , with degrees awarded by external awarding bodies such as the universities in the UK .
Aside from programmes on Qualifax , highly reputable postgraduate degrees are offered online by top ranking universities worldwide .
Unfortunately , there are also many worthless postgrad offerings online from colleges with little or no academic credibility .
So , for those considering programmes not validated by QQI , caveat emptor or buyer beware .
It can be difficult to verify the recognition of a qualification in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Information Centres and National Academic Recognition Information Services ( Enic-Naric offices ) in the relevant country is invaluable if you are considering studying abroad .
See enic-naric.net The Qualifax website is the source for all postgraduate courses in Ireland validated by QQI .
You can search for programmes under a range of criteria , location , cost and key search words relevant to your area of interest .
For courses in NI and the UK , ucas.com has a comprehensive postgrad section .
There ’ s a growing number of postgrad programmes through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Online , highly reputable postgrads are offered by bodies such as the Open University and prestigious universities internationally .
“ We see students selecting one of three types of course - depending on their own goals and motivation , ” says Eilis O ’ Brien , director of communication at UCD .
“ They fall into one of the following categories : progression students , who wish to become more expert in their bachelor subject ; conversion students , who have a degree in one area but want to add skills and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who want the qualification that goes with a particular graduate course.
” This third group generally have a career path mapped out , so the choice may be more about where and when .
The first two groups start to think of postgraduate options around now in the final year of studies .
The high-quality Stem graduates emerging from universities and ITs have opportunities , but the competition has also increased , so many go on to graduate level to enhance their skill set .
The programme internship manager for science at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students thinking about taking a master ’ s or PhD : “ Many students want their graduate degrees to open career doors and having an internship is very beneficial on your CV and can lead directly to a job offer from the placement company.
” Many colleges offer internships as part of taught master ’ s , particularly in the Stem subjects .
“ Seven of our science master ’ s degrees offer 12 to 15-week internships in semester three , students are matched with suitable organisations and undertake a specific industry research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessed.
” This type of experience can be invaluable .
Science graduates with a background in life sciences or chemistry , and thinking about setting up on their own , may consider a hybrid conversion degree such as an MSc in biotechnology and business , including completing a business plan with a biotechnology company .
As a hub of biotechnology , Ireland is a good place for science graduates and an increasing number of international students are enrolling here .
Biotechnology master ’ s and doctorate programmes with appropriate internships are also offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the TUD .
With 37 per cent of undergrads going on to postgrad , careers offices in colleges are crucial in advising undergraduates of their choices by running events to promote master ’ s and PhD options to their final-year students and preparing applications for graduate studies .

Taught postgraduate courses can be a continuation of your undergraduate studies or in an entirely new area.
How to differentiate between what’s on offer and, more particularly, how to ensure your course has credibility in the labour market, is a major challenge.
But before you decide what you want to study, you should ask yourself about what type of programme you wish to follow: research or taught.
Taught programmes
Taught postgraduate courses can be a continuation of your undergraduate studies or in an entirely new area. The length of a course usually determines its qualification. A higher certificate is generally a 30-credit programme over six modules. A graduate diploma is generally 60 credits and the master’s degree requires 90 credits. Taught masters often include a research component, possibly during the summer and, in some cases, in an industry setting.
READ MORE
Research programmes
Research masters, including MLitt’s, generally take 15 months to four years, depending on whether it’s full-time or part-time. If you choose a research-based course, explore the courses in your research area and the quality of the support and supervision offered. You can contact potential employers in your research area for views on the programme’s strengths.
Finding out the labour market’s opinion of the quality of support and supervision at this stage will pay dividends when engaging with potential employers near completion of your programme.
Some master’s programmes will facilitate an immediate transfer on to a PhD. A doctorate takes a minimum of three years. The topic is determined by your area of interest and those of your supervisor. Some PhDs are designed for the lone scholar under the direction of a single expert supervisor.
There are also structured PhDs where groups of students come together for transferable skills. Talk to the programme director to get help deciding which structure suits you and your work-style best.
Research masters, including MLitt’s, generally take 15 months to four years
Validation and credibility
Validity and recognition are central to choosing a programme. Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), a Department of Education and Skills agency responsible for the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), validates all qualifications from literacy programmes at level 1 to doctoral awards at level 10 within the Stare.
The validation of any qualification is central to its value; in Ireland this is usually seen in its relationship to the NFQ. The universities, the Technological University of Dublin and the Institutes of Technology make their own awards under legislation, or under “delegated awarding power” from QQI. These awards are on the NFQ for both undergraduate and postgraduate level and are listed by the higher education institutions on their websites.
QQI also makes awards in higher education mainly for programmes offered by private or independent higher education colleges. The database on qqi.ie lists higher education offerings from private institutions leading to awards at level 6 and upwards.
The qualifax.ie website has information on all postgrad opportunities in Ireland, including those not validated by QQI (for example, courses in Northern Ireland that fall outside the remit of QQI).
Qualifax currently lists 2,858 postgraduate programmes at level 9 Masters and level 10 PhD, up from 2,831 in 2019 in 85 institutions in Ireland, including Northern Ireland institutions which provides 342 programmes.
They range from accounting in UCD, to zoology in NUI Galway. Qualifax also lists some programmes at private colleges, where awards are on or aligned to the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). There are another 100-plus courses offered by private colleges, with degrees awarded by external awarding bodies such as the universities in the UK.
Aside from programmes on Qualifax, highly reputable postgraduate degrees are offered online by top ranking universities worldwide. Unfortunately, there are also many worthless postgrad offerings online from colleges with little or no academic credibility.
So, for those considering programmes not validated by QQI, caveat emptor or buyer beware.
It can be difficult to verify the recognition of a qualification in another country. The European Network of Information Centres and National Academic Recognition Information Services (Enic-Naric offices) in the relevant country is invaluable if you are considering studying abroad. See enic-naric.net
Researching your options
The Qualifax website is the source for all postgraduate courses in Ireland validated by QQI. You can search for programmes under a range of criteria, location, cost and key search words relevant to your area of interest.
For courses in NI and the UK, ucas.com has a comprehensive postgrad section. There's a growing number of postgrad programmes through English in European universities - see eunicas.ie.
Online, highly reputable postgrads are offered by bodies such as the Open University and prestigious universities internationally.
“We see students selecting one of three types of course - depending on their own goals and motivation,” says Eilis O’Brien, director of communication at UCD.
“They fall into one of the following categories: progression students, who wish to become more expert in their bachelor subject; conversion students, who have a degree in one area but want to add skills and knowledge from another; and professional students, who want the qualification that goes with a particular graduate course.”
This third group generally have a career path mapped out, so the choice may be more about where and when. The first two groups start to think of postgraduate options around now in the final year of studies.
Job-ready courses
The high-quality Stem graduates emerging from universities and ITs have opportunities, but the competition has also increased, so many go on to graduate level to enhance their skill set.
The programme internship manager for science at UCD, offers practical advice to final-year students thinking about taking a master’s or PhD: “Many students want their graduate degrees to open career doors and having an internship is very beneficial on your CV and can lead directly to a job offer from the placement company.” Many colleges offer internships as part of taught master’s, particularly in the Stem subjects.
“Seven of our science master’s degrees offer 12 to 15-week internships in semester three, students are matched with suitable organisations and undertake a specific industry research project, which is carefully supervised and assessed.”
This type of experience can be invaluable. Science graduates with a background in life sciences or chemistry, and thinking about setting up on their own, may consider a hybrid conversion degree such as an MSc in biotechnology and business, including completing a business plan with a biotechnology company.
As a hub of biotechnology, Ireland is a good place for science graduates and an increasing number of international students are enrolling here. Biotechnology master’s and doctorate programmes with appropriate internships are also offered by DCU, UCC, NUI Galway and the TUD.
With 37 per cent of undergrads going on to postgrad, careers offices in colleges are crucial in advising undergraduates of their choices by running events to promote master’s and PhD options to their final-year students and preparing applications for graduate studies.