We take a look at a selection of the many postgraduate courses available in Ireland’s universities, institutes of technology and colleges. Where indicated, we have listed the most popular courses by number of applications in the higher education institutions. We have also included some salary expectations for some of the potential jobs for graduates of these courses.
UCD
Courses on offer include:
Masters in international management
Masters in common law
ME mechanical engineering
Masters of public health - international health
Spotlight on: MA Modern Irish history
Prof Diarmuid Ferriter, one Ireland's best-known and respected historians, is one of the lecturers on this new course from the largest school of history in Ireland. Students will work closely with him and other renowned historians, including Dr Lindsey Earner Byrne.
Students will have an opportunity to focus on their own particular areas of interest, and be guided by historians with a strong track record in the teaching, research and writing of a range of absorbing and provocative themes. Modules include case studies in 20th century Irish history; welfare, health and gender; public history; the legacies of Irish revolution; and European history to place Irish history in a comparative context. Students will also complete a dissertation on a specialist topic of their choice, working with their supervisor to produce a thesis based on original research. And there’s an opportunity to organise a conference, sharing research findings and developing presentation skills.
Applicants are required to have a minimum of a 2.1 or international equivalent in BA history or a related discipline.
History graduates are employed in fields including law, business, journalism, public relations, broadcasting, education and creative writing.
EU fees for the full-time course are €7,055 for the year or €4,235 for a part-time two-year course.
Trinity College
Popular courses on offer, by number of applications, include:
MSc management
MSc finance
MSc international management
MSc computer science (data science)
MSc digital marketing strategy
Spotlight on MSc management
Interested in working in business, but lacking that primary undergraduate degree? The MSc in management – ranked first in western Europe for general management by Eduniversal in 2018 – might just be the course for you.
Over one full-time yea, students on this programme will be equipped with the management skills needed to work in the world of global business, with all the key areas of management covered including people management, finance, operations and strategic planning.
As the course is not designed for business graduates the intake has been consistently diverse and includes students with primary degrees in arts, science and medicine.
Modules on the course include financial management, ethical business, entrepreneurship, the psychology of management and leading change in a complex world. Students will also learn about research methods, and carry out a dissertation project based on primary research; previous projects have covered a diverse range of areas including cinema and marketing management, engineering and strategy and fashion and supply chain.
Expert guest speakers, case studies and interactive discussion will help students to critically analyse business issues and to develop their own style of leadership.
Graduates have gone on to work in areas including consulting, financial services and media/entertainment in companies including Accenture, Deloitte and EY.
Applicants must have a minimum level eight 2.1 degree as well as two academic referees.
Fees are €13,600 for EU students.
Maynooth University
Courses on offer include:
MA data science and analytics
MSc business management
Postgraduate Diploma in adult guidance counselling
MA anthropology
Spotlight on: MA in critical and creative media
The MA in critical and creative media offers flexibility to students who are new to media studies and wish to gain a broad understanding of media (these students will generally need a BA undergraduate degree) or those who have studied media or a related discipline and wish to specialise.
The course allows students to choose from a selection of subjects with a wide range of themes relating to production and practice, media history and media theory. Students who are keen to explore the interdisciplinary nature of media can also choose to take courses in related disciplines such as sociology, law, geography, anthropology and Irish. They will develop transferable research, writing and analytical skills.
Depending on the route students take through the degree, the course prepares them for a career in digital media, audiovisual production, marketing and advertising, research, content production, the arts sector or further postgraduate studies. Graduates have gone on to work in content writing, journalism and digital marketing. One graduate, Dafe Pressu, produced a soundtrack and documentary on Irish hip-hop music,and is now working in marketing.
Students must have a 2.1 honours degree in media studies or a related subject in humanities, art, social science, communication or ICT.
Full-time EU fees are €6,200 for the one-year programme or €4,170 for a flexible two-year part-time course
University College Cork
Popular courses on offer, by number of applications, include:
MSc management and marketing
MSc physiotherapy
MSc biotechnology
Master of social Work
Spotlight on: MSc diagnostic radiography
This two-year, full-time course offered by UCC’s college of medicine and health is an accelerated pre-registration programme for students with a primary degree in subjects other than diagnostic radiography. The course – which was the first programme of its kind in Ireland – aims to provide students with knowledge and experience of both academic and clinical environments including clinical and research skills and the abilities necessary for working and developing as clinicians, researchers and agents of change in healthcare.
Modules on the course include professional practice in radiography, biological sciences for health professionals, image interpretation, advanced radiation science and diagnostic pathways and patient needs. Students will also undertake three clinical placement blocks in semesters two and three of first year, four clinical placement blocks for a total of 20 weeks in second year and an elective three-week placement for those who wish to encounter other hospital experiences. There’s also a short research proposal and a research dissertation to complete.
Grading is by continuous assessment.
Classes will take place from 9am-5pm every day during term time.
Possible careers, once graduates are registered with CORU, include advanced or consultant practitioner, management or teaching.
Some students may be eligible for a part-scholarship sponsored by the HSE South/South West Hospital Group. Fees are €11,000 for each of the two years (total: €22,000).
NUI Galway
Popular courses on offer, by number of applications, include:
New course: MA sports journalism and communication
MSc computer science (data analytics)
MSc regenerative medicine
MSc marketing practice
Spotlight on: MSc computer science – artificial intelligence
AI is predicted to make many jobs obsolete with the coming decades, but – according to research carried out last year by audit firm PWC – it will create many more than it displaces. The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2025 machines will perform more current work tasks than humans today, while AI and robotics could contribute over €13.2 trillion to the global economy by 2030.
This new full-time, one-year programme will equip graduates to work in this major growth area, which has the potential to transform every aspect of our lives and worlds.
Foundational modules include machine learning and deep learning, ethics in AI and natural language processing, while advanced modules include data visualisation, web and network science and tools and techniques for large-scale data analytics.
This is a particularly competitive course: applicants should have a first class honours from a level eight computer science programme, or a level eight science programme that provides extensive training in computing (such as object-oriented programming, modern software engineering and database development). However, applicants with a strong 2.1 degree may be admitted on the recommendation of the programme director.
EU fees for this course are €7,215.
New courses at Dublin City University and the University of Limerick
This year DCU has introduced three very timely new courses with a focus on mental health, wellbeing and inclusion.
The new MSc in psychology and wellbeing provides psychology graduates with a strong grounding in theory, policy and practice of wellbeing. The focus of the course is on the psychological, societal, environmental and physical factors on the wellbeing of individuals, families and whole communities. This programme is intended as a springboard for students going on to further clinical, research or professional psychology careers in education, community settings, mental health, family support and clinical psychology. The course is offered on a one-year full-time or two-year part-time basis. Fees are €7,650 (full time) or €15,300 part-time.
The second of DCU’s courses is a Masters of education in autism (MEdA). Last year DCU became the world’s first autism-friendly university. This has involved creating spaces that are more comfortable for students with autism, providing training to help staff understand the challenges that people with autism may face and celebrating students on the autism spectrum. This new course is a part-time blended, two-year programme open to qualified teachers working with pupils on the autism spectrum and is focused on developing teachers with a greater understanding of the educational needs facing learners with autism. There is a significant amount of online learning. Students on this course complete a thesis. Applicants must hold a minimum H2.2 level eight education qualification. EU fees are €4,500 per year.
The MEd in specific learning difficulties (dyslexia) is a two-year part-time course with a mix of online learning and some weekend lectures. The course aims to develop expertise among educators working with learners who have specific learning difficulties, and is based on a professional portfolio rather than a thesis. Participants on this course learn to write diagnostic reports, especially in the context of the teaching environment, and will become specialists in diagnostically assessing for dyslexia, planning the most appropriate interventions and teaching students with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. Applicants working in a range of educational settings, including primary, post-primary and higher education, are welcome. Fees are €3,900 in year one and €4,300 in year two.
The University of Limerick has also introduced a number of new courses.
The MSc in design for health and wellbeing, offered by the faculty of science and engineering, is a one-year, full-time programme bringing together students from across different disciplines to develop and apply people-centred, innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to designing consumer health and wellbeing products, medical devices and product service systems for health. Stakeholders from hospitals, mental health services, public health and health care have been involved in designing the programme. EU fees are €6,225 for the year.
The MSc in applied sports coaching, offered by the faculty of education and health science, is a two-year, part-time programme giving experienced coaches the chance to develop their skills and work with leaders and researchers in sport coaching. The programme is offered by the department of physical education and sports sciences, and the fee is €4,000 per year.
Also at UL, the new MSc in business analytics is a one-year, full-time on offer at the Kemmy Business School which will train graduates to work in the growing area of solving business problems using statistical methods, large data sets, predictive models and optimisation techniques.
The MA in composition and creative music practice, a one-year full-time programme where students will create acoustic and/or electronic music through a range of composition, improvisation and performance practices. The course draws from UL’s expertise in music teaching and research, and students from all music traditions and sound art practices are welcome. For fee information on these two courses contact UL’s postgraduate office.
Technological University Dublin
Popular courses on offer, by number of applications, include:
MSc in supply chain management
MSc in computing (applied data science and analytics)
MSc in computing with development operations
MSc in applied culinary nutrition
MSc in electronic and communications engineering
Spotlight on: MSc in applied culinary nutrition
This is a two-year part-time masters with classes taking place on Mondays and Wednesdays in TU Dublin's Tallaght campus (formerly IT Tallaght before its merger with the Dublin Institute of Technology and IT Blanchardstown).
The course is for hospitality and culinary management professionals who are interested in innovative food to meet the consumer demands and expectations in the growth area of health and wellness.
Modules on the course include flavour science, human nutrition, culinary nutrition, food regulatory affairs and strategic marketing for the contemporary chef. Students will also complete professional practice and an applied research project.
Graduates can expect to develop the skills needed to work in diverse roles including culinary innovation and food product development, food consultancy, food marketing, food production and service, food science research and nutritional analysis.
Applicants must have a level eight honours degree, although applicants who hold a level-seven (ordinary degree) but have gained sufficient industry experience will also be considered. Students who do not wish to complete the applied research project can exit with a postgraduate diploma in applied culinary nutrition.
The course costs €2,750 per year (€5,500 in total) including a non-refundable €100 application fee.
Cork IT
Popular courses on offer, by number of applications, include:
MSc in artificial intelligence
MA in E-learning design and development
Certificate in information design and development
Spotlight on: MSc in information security
Cyber security has become increasingly important as more and more life moves online, and the skills gap in this area continues to grow. CIT’s MSc in information security has a strong emphasis on how knowledge can be applied, while being underpinned by in-depth theoretical knowledge.
Modules on the course include web application and network penetration testing, cloud security, incident response and digital forensics, data analytics and malware investigations. Students will also carry out an information security research project.
The course is offered on a full-time on-campus day programme basis as well as part-time online night programme. EU students will pay €6,500 for the full-time course, and €9,000 for the part-time course.
Applicants should have a minimum level eight honours degree in computing or a related discipline, although applicants with significant industrial experience may also be considered.
Galway-Mayo IT
Popular courses on offer, by number of applications, include:
MSc in quality and safety for health and social care
MA in creative practice
Certificate in nursing in procedural sedation
Spotlight on: MSc in conservation behaviour
This one-year, full-time taught MSc degree focuses on how we can apply the insights gained from animal behaviour to wildlife conservation. Conservation behaviour is a relatively new area of study, and will be of interest to people interested in careers in ecological consultancies, research institutes, government agencies, NGOs and charities.
Students will study species in marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats, acquiring a range of skills including acoustic and visual monitoring of marine mammals, camera trap surveying for terrestrial mammals, geographic information systems and data analysis. Modules include studies in conservation behaviour, animal behaviour, recording and analysis, and acoustic monitoring as a marine conservation tool.
Students will also develop practical field skills during a residential field course in an area that allows them to study a range of animals in a variety of habitats (eg the Aran islands, the Burren, the Dingle peninsula) and to undertake a research thesis.
EU fees for this course are €6,000.
Waterford IT
Courses on offer include:
MSc in applied spirituality
Master of business in lean enterprise excellence
MSc in construction project management
Spotlight on: research courses
A selection of postgraduate research groups across business, engineering, health sciences, science and computing, humanities, and lifelong learning and education are looking for students to carry out postgraduate research degrees including masters by research and PhD degree programmes. Programmes are designed to allow students network with postgraduates in other disciplines, with optional weekly seminars on a range of topics as well as sessions aimed at developing practical skills organised by the WIT graduate studies office. Students are supervised by at least two academics with experience in the research topic.
In addition, PhD students will be able to develop transferable skills through modules such as academic writing for research postgraduates and research integrity and ethics.
Students can apply for funded or self-funded research programmes. Anyone interested in self-funded programmes should contact WIT academic staff to discuss potential topics, while those applying for funded positions as advertised on the WIT website and elsewhere can apply directly to the research group on Google search "WIT postgraduate prospectus" for more information.
Limerick IT:
Courses on offer include:
MSc in quantity surveying
MSc in strength and conditioning
MA and PhD by research in art and design
Spotlight on: games for youth engagement
Youth workers will be interested in this level nine special purpose award which aims to equip them with the skills to engage young people in youth work through games. Students on the course will learn about the role of games in youth culture, and will gain the skills needed to design them.
Students on this part-time course must be actively involved in youth work, either as a paid employee or a volunteer. Teaching will be by online lectures, reading material, weekly seminar at the LIT Thurles campus and a monthly three-hour webinar.
Modules on this course include critical youth work theory, games and youth engagement, digital games in contemporary youth culture and designing games for youth work practice. Assessment will be by a project agreed with the host youth organisation, an essay or project, and online questions.
Fees are €1,500.
IT Sligo:
Courses on offer include:
MSc in bioprocessing science
PG Dip/ Master of engineering in connected and autonmous vehicles
PG Diploma/Masters in social care and social justice
Spotlight on: MA in interior architecture
This is a two-year, full-time programme concentrating on advanced interior architectural design. The course combines elements of architecture, art, fashion, furniture and product design, graphics and performing arts. Students will be encouraged to discover their own style and expression by engaging in active research.
There are four elective streams on this programme including interiors without boundaries, innovative building conservation, contemporary furniture design and energy and the built environment.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 degree in interior architecture, architecture, interior design or a related subject.
For fee details, contact IT Sligo on 0719155222 or email admissions@itsligo.ie
IT Tralee:
Popular courses on offer, by number of applications include:
MSc in nursing (International)
MSc in Nursing (Irish)
Higher diploma in computing
Spotlight on: MA in advanced professional practice (intake every second year)
Using a mix of online and blended learning options, this is a two-year, part-time programme geared towards graduates from a range of backgrounds including health, education, welfare and social care. The course aims to equip graduates with a thorough understanding of how research, policy and practice are important in shaping work activities.
Modules on the course include leadership, social policy, affecting social justice in practice and international comparative social policy. Students will also undertake a research project.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 honours level eight degree. Fees are €6,375 in total across the two years.
NCAD
Courses on offer include:
MFA fine art
MA interaction design
Spotlight on: new design MA programmes
NCAD is offering four new design MA programmes for 2019, all of which are suitable for applicants from a broad range of disciplines including design, art, humanities, social science, computer science, engineering and business. Scholarships are available across all disciplines.
The MA in service design is a one-year taught masters applying design practice, methods and thinking to the service sector, including retail, tech, banking, transport, health and education, with students examining the issues facing business and governments, and creating new services to transform customer and citizen experiences.
The MA communication design is a 15-month research masters where students will develop the skills needed to succeed within contemporary graphic design, illustration and moving image. Research and critical studies are combined with advanced studio practice.
The MA design for body and environment, also a 15-month research masters, covers a broad range of design disciplines including fashion and textiles, jewellery and accessories. Students will examine the past, challenge the present and develop ideas that address industry, social, cultural and political agendas.
Finally, the MA product design is a 15-month research masters where students will address real world challenges of balancing creativity and technical capability to meet the needs of people in homes, workplaces or the public domain.
For fee information, see ncad.ie/study-at-ncad/fees
National College of Ireland
Courses on offer include:
MSc in cybersecurity
MSc in international business
Spotlight on: MA in human resource management
A small but well-respected college at the intersection of Dublin's IFSC and Silicon Docklands, NCI specialises in business, computing and human relations.
This one-year full-time or two-year part-time course is aimed at anyone who wants to advance their career at senior management, particularly in HR. Graduates will be eligible for chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Modules include employment law, talent development and mediation and conflict management. Students will also learn about research methods and carry out a dissertation.
Applicants should hold a minimum 2.2 level eight degree, although some graduates with extensive professional experience or other relevant qualifications will be considered.
Fees are €7,900.
Griffith College
Courses on offer include:
MSc in international pharmaceutical business management
MSc in applied digital media
Certificate in mediation
Spotlight on: LLM masters in law
Griffith College offers three separate law masters courses, including LLM in international law, LLM in international commercial law and LLM in international human rights law.
The LLM in international law is offered across one year full-time or two years part-time. Core modules on the course include public international law, international commercial law and international human rights law, while electives include corporate governance, international tax law and international criminal law.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 degree in law or a related discipline where law comprises at least 50 per cent of the course. EU fees are €7,200.
Dublin Business School
Courses on offer include:
MSc data analytics
MSc digital marketing
MA addiction studies
Spotlight on: MSc fintech
This course aims to produce graduates who understand how tech is changing the world of finance, with digitisation, block chain and the cloud among the innovations affecting the industry. The course was developed with industry collaboration to meet specific skills shortages in the finance sector (including banking, insurance, tech and start-ups) and students can expect to learn about financial analytics, advanced databases, disruptive technologies, web tech and security. Students will also learn about research methodologies, and carry out a project.
Applicants should have a minimum 2.2 level eight degree in a related discipline, or at least two years’ industry experience.
EU fees are €8,900.
RCSI
Courses on offer include:
PhD in research
MSc in healthcare management
Spotlight on: MSc nursing (advanced leadership)
The MSc nursing (advanced leadership) aims to develop the student’s ability to reflect on their leadership role and examine theories and policies underpinning health and healthcare at individual and organisational level.
During this two-year part-time programme students will have the opportunity to build their confidence in taking a leading role as an effective member of a healthcare team and enable them to actively participate in the interdisciplinary team approach to care delivery.
The course also provides an opportunity to develop and engage in research projects and activities across disciplinary boundaries in the area of leadership. Students will develop an in-depth knowledge of information retrieval, data management skills, referencing skills, systematic reviewing, research implementation and action research skills.
Fees are €6,430 per year.
St Nicholas Montessori College
The early childhood care sector has grown significantly in recent years and is becoming a graduate-led workforce. Graduates with recognised degrees attract higher capitation fees for early-years settings which offer the free childcare scheme, and, as a result, are highly sought by employers.
One of these degrees is the higher diploma in arts in early years Montessori education, delivered by St Nicholas Montessori College in Dublin and Cork. While this is a level-eight qualification it is only open to learners who have previously earned a degree.
The degree provides a foundation in Montessori philosophy and practice while also providing graduates with the core competencies, skills and knowledge needed to work with children in the national Síolta and Aistear frameworks. Students will also complete business and legal modules to enable them establish their own early-years businesses. The course is delivered across 18 months on a full or part-time basis, with tuition in the evenings and weekend. Placement is an essential part of the course.
For more information, see smsi.ie or call 012300080.
