Saturday, January 3, 2009

Master's Degree Programs

The following Postgraduate courses are available for students in Ireland:

1. MBA in International Business Management: The MBA degree in Business Management focuses on analysis of the student's experience in a management environment. The student must have atleast two year's of work experience at the managerial level before the MBA (International Business Management) degree can be awarded.

The subject areas of MBA in International Business Management include:
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Business StudiesGraduate Level
  • International Business
2. Master of Science in Computing: The Master's degree in science and computing will prepare the student for the challenging and dynamic industry. This course has been designed in such a way that it gives insight into the world of academic and industrial computing research. Students get an opportunity to gain some deep understanding of how the things work.

Students enrolling for this course get to learn various subjects as:
  • Concurrency
  • Computer graphics
  • Advanced Databases
  • Telecommunications Networks and Services
  • The Theory for Programming Languages
  • Network Security
  • Distributed Systems
In addition to studying all this, the student must complete an individual project, developing an application in an emerging area of technology to strict academic standards.

The subject areas of Master of Science in Computing include:
  • Computer Science/ Information Technology
  • Graphic Design
  • Technology
3. Master of Science in Applied  Digital Media: This program presents students with seven set of compulsory subjects that prepare the students to make choices regarding three specialized elective modules. Once the student completes the modules successfully, he/she is awarded a Graduate Diploma. On successful completion of the dissertation module, students are awarded an MSc in Applied Digital Media.

The subject areas of Master of Science in Applied Digital Media include:
  • Art/Fine Arts
  • Arts
  • Comm. (Radio, TV and Film)
  • Communications
  • Computer Science/ Information Technology
  • Creative Writing
  • Culture
  • Design
  • Film-making
  • Graphic Design
  • Illustration/ Animation
  • Interdisciplinary
  • Journalism/ Broadcasting
  • Photography
  • Technology
  • Visual Arts
4. Master of Science in Economics: The main highlight of this course is to provide well qualified graduates in Economics and related disciplines with the training required to pursue their PhD programs. Economics is the subject area of the Masters of Economics degree

Student Visa Details

The students arriving in Ireland from any other country other than the EU countries should contact the Irish diplomatic mission in their home country. The students who do not have an Irish diplomatic mission in their home country should apply directly through a visa application form. Make sure that the application is filled and submitted well in advance to the departure.

The procedure for getting a student visa for Ireland requires that the following information be provided. It is mandatory for every student to provide the following details:
  • Valid passport number
  • Date of issue and expiry date of passport
  • Date, place and mode of arrival in Ireland
  • Letter from the University/ College indicating that they have actually offered a place in a recognized university
  • Letter indicating the source of funding to cover fees and maintenance
  • Recent passport photographs
  • Visa application fee in full

Internship Programs

The following are the Internship Programs available for students in Ireland:

1. Dublin Internship Program: The Dublin Internship course has been specially developed in the Boston University and is taught by faculty from some of the top professional institutes. Students enrolling for the Dublin internship are required to take two core courses - Irish culture and Modern Ireland and the European Union.

Each student is placed according to their ability, professional goals and work experience with multinational businesses and organizations. Students can work full-time, four days a week and can also enroll themselves in an elective course on modern Irish arts, literature or the media.

Every student enrolled for this internship program gets a chance to work in one of Europe's most spirited cities: Dublin, Ireland. They also get to know about Ireland's dynamic history and culture apart from the art, economy and literature of the country.

The intern types available are:
  • Administration (Health Services)
  • Architecture
  • Art/ Fine Arts
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Comm. (Radio, TV and Film)
  • Law
  • Marketing, Advertisement and PR
  • Political Science/ Politics
The languages in which this course is available:
  • English
The subject areas for this internship are:
  • Art/ Fine Arts
  • Culture
  • Interdisciplinary
  • Internship Programs
  • Liberal Arts
  • Literature
  • Social Sciences
2. Internship Program with American College, Dublin: This internship program is custom designed for giving the students an opportunity to diversify their study according to their professional goals, work experiences and educational background.

Interns pursuing their internship program at American College, Dublin work in fields like banking, hospitality, finance, health services, etc. Some of the famous organizations where interns of American College have worked are:
  • Four Seasons Hotels
  • Logica CMG
  • Radisson
  • JP Morgan
  • Headway Ireland
  • Hilton Hotels
The intern types available at the American College, Dublin are:
  • Accounting
  • Admin (Health Services)
  • Anthropology
  • Art History
  • Art/ Fine Arts
  • Biology (General)
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Economics
  • Health Sciences
  • History
  • Humanities
  • International Relations
  • Liberal Arts
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science/Politics
  • Social Sciences
  • Social Work
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • Theology
The internship program is available in the following language:
  • English
3. Internship in Business Sales: This internship program is ideal for a candidate who is currently studying in the field of marketing or business, with three years of completed undergraduate studies under his/ her belt.

The general sales duties of interns of Business Sales include:
  • Dealing with customer enquiries
  • Taking bookings
  • Following up on sales leads
  • Attending exhibitions, open days, trade and career fairs all over Ireland
  • Literature distribution nationwide for courses and events
  • Liaising with the marketing, sales and TEFL teams
  • Assisting with promotions, mailings, telephone calls and newspapers
  • Market research
  • Direct Mailings
  • Coordinating promotion
  • General office administration across all departments
The intern types available for this program are:
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Communications
  • Marketing, Advertisement and PR
  • Sales
  • Tourism
The languages in which the internship program is available is:
  • English
4. Marketing and Sales Internship: The marketing and sales internship programs contains the following: 
Marketing, PR and Design using direct mail, web marketing, etc 
The intern has to be in the office for 2 days while the rest 3 days would involve traveling around Ireland selling the product 

The intern types available for this program are:
  • Marketing, Advertisement and PR
  • Sales
The languages in which the internship program is available are:
  • English
5. Marketing Internship (Position of Marketing Manager): This internship program is designed for those students who are interested in a career in the field of marketing. The internship period is generally for 3 months but can be extended as well. 

The student's role in the internship is following:
  • To devise a 3 year strategic marketing plan (along with the director and marketing consultant)
  • Designing advertisements on Photoshop
  • Writing various press releases for the organization
  • Reception and general administration duties
  • Phone sales
  • Event Management
The intern types available are:
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Computer Science
  • Creative Writing 
  • Graphic Design
  • Information Systems
  • Journalism
  • Marketing, Advertisement and PR
  • Sales
  • Technology

Study Expenses & Educational Aid

For queries related to study expenses and financial aid for education in Ireland, the students are advised to contact the University/Institution in which they plan to pursue the course. Students can obtain the information regarding scholarships, grants or any kind of financial aid from the respective institute. Also, be sure to visit the International Education Financial Aid (IEFA) website that provides a database of financial aid information for students who want to study in a foreign country. The IEFA website contains a comprehensive list of grants, scholarships, loan programmes and other information that is very helpful for students who are interested in studying abroad.

Under the Higher Education Grants Scheme and the Vocational Education Committees Scholarship Scheme, maintenance grants are provided for undergraduate courses of atleast 2 years' duration in a publicly funded third level institution. A student can even apply for tax-relief for the tuition paid for full time/part time undergraduate or postgraduate courses

Education System

The responsibility of education in Ireland is vested in the Minister of Education, who is also a member of the Irish Government. The academic year is Ireland is from September to June and has holidays at Christmas and Easter. The Universities and Colleges the academic year runs from October to June and is typically divided into three terms.

Types of higher education institutions:
The Education System of Ireland consists of the following types of educational institutions:
  • University
  • College
  • Institute
  • Institute of Technology
  • School
School leaving and higher education credentials:
  • Leaving Certificate (Ardteistmeireacht)
  • Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme
  • National Certificate
  • National Diploma
  • Diploma
  • Bachelor's Degree
  • Bachelor's Degree (Honours)
  • Graduate Diploma
  • Master's Degree
  • Master's Degree (Honours)
  • Doctor's Degree

College Admission Procedure

The admission procedure for Colleges and Universities in Ireland generally varies from year to year, depending on the number of seats available and the number of applicants. This result in a good, healthy competition for the most sought after programs.

International students who wish to study in Ireland have two options:

1. The first way is to take the Irish school leaving certificate examination after attending upper secondary school. This path is generally chosen by the majority of the students who take the examination and English language tuitions as well.

2. Other way is to undertake recognized examinations in their home country. It is however essential that before applying for any institution/ university in Ireland, a student must check that their educational qualification is sufficient and meets the entry requirements to prevent hassles in the future. However, to get admission in Ireland, the student's results must be very good. For example, for medicine 3 good 'A' level passes (grades A/B) or equal, in relevant subjects are required.

English is the language of instruction in all the institutions in Ireland and hence a student is expected to demonstrate a proficiency in the subject to be accepted to a third level program. The required minimum score in TOEFL is 550 to have any kind of chance of getting admission in an institution in Ireland.

A student must also collect as much information as he/she possibly can before applying for the same. Once the student is fully satisfied and understands the requirements and the necessities of the course and the admission process for the same, should he/she apply for the same. Make sure, you have all the important paperwork, visa, funding, etc properly arranged to avoid any kind of problems in the future. It is highly advisable to begin the application process atleast one year in advance to the date of arrival in Ireland.

PhD Programs

The following are the Doctorate Degree courses available for students in Ireland:

1. Ph.D in Creative Writing: The Ph.D program in creative writing is mainly aimed at those who are serious about taking up writing as their career. It allows the writers of different genres to customize the course according to their requirements. Before a student applies for this course, he/she must have completed a recognized degree either in Arts or any other Humanities subject like MA in Creative Writing.

The main modules of Ph.D in Creative Writing contain the following:
  • Mimesis of Texts I
  • Mimesis of Texts II
  • Outline and Description
  • Narration and Story Development
  • Writing for a World Audience
2. Ph.D in Philosophy in Ancient Philosophy: How ancient thinkers addressed the question of how human beings should lead a 'good life' is the main aim at which this course aims at. It also introduces the candidates to the important concepts like 'good', 'pleasure', 'happiness', 'desire', 'virtue', etc. 

Some important texts written by some great thinkers are introduced to the candidates as well apart from developing some necessary and analytical skills required for the same. Before a candidate applies for this course, he/she must have a Master's Degree preferably in Philosophy or any other humanities subject. 

The main modules of Ph.D in Ancient Philosophy include:

Survey of the Primary Sources
  • Good, Pleasure and Happiness
  • Knowledge and Desire in Virtue
  • The Good of Others
  • Virtue and Happiness
Key Philosophers
  • Plato
  • Aristotle
  • The Philosophy of Epicurus
  • The Philosophy of the Stoic Epictetus
Doctoral Thesis

3. Ph.D in Cultural Art History: The candidates who apply for a Ph.D in Cultural Art History learn about the humanistic background and contemporary thought. They work independently and pursue artistic, cultural, historical and intellectual links which ultimately helps them to gain more knowledge in different spheres.

This program is specifically designed for those learners who want to develop their careers in cultural art history, law, program development, museum and gallery work, art dealership, art therapy, fine arts, travel and tourism, research, art criticism, creative writing, etc.

The student should hold a undergraduate degree, preferably in Art History or another Humanities subject and a MA degree as well before they decide to pursue Ph.D in Cultural Art History. 

The modules of the program are as follows:
  • Library Methodology
  • Conducting Research in Art History
  • Critical Writing in Art History
  • Theory and Interpretation
  • The Business of Art History OR Museum Practices
4. Ph.D in Business Administration: The main focus area of the Doctorate program in Business Administration is on leadership. It is specifically designed for executives who want merge their knowledge, experience and learning.

Prior to applying for a Ph.D in Business Administration, it is neccessary that the student must have atleast a 
Master Degree, preferably in business studies and five years' managerial work experience.

The main modules of Doctorate in Business Administration are as follows:
A. Primer Module
  • Research Methodology
B. Core Modules
  • Managing Organizations
  • Marketing Management
  • Financial Management
  • People Management
  • Operations Management
  • Strategic Management
C. Specialization
  • Doctoral Project 1
  • Doctoral Project 2
D. Dissertation

5. Ph.D in Philosophy in Exercise Science: This program is designed for those students who want to pursue a career in the field of exercise science as scholars or practitioners which require professional expertise in the areas related to work, exercise and sports.

The various professional field in which a student can work after completing the Ph.D in Exercise Sciences can vary according to their field of choice. They can get good opportunities to work in a number of professional organizations, corporate fitness, cardiovascular rehabilitation and coaching consultancies. Students, before applying for the course must consider their professional goals thoroughly.

A student applying for this course must have a Master's Degree
 in Exercise Science, Life Science, Kinesiology or Physical Education

The modules of Ph.D in Philosophy in Exercise Sciences include:

Part I: Understandings of Disciplinary Practice and Research
  • Kinesiology - The science of Sports and Exercise
  • Research Design and Statistical Applications in Exercise Science
Part II: Theory of Health, Fitness and Performance Assessment
  • Field Methods in Exercise Science
  • Laboratory Methods in Exercise Science
Part III: Advanced Inquiry and Authorship
  • Directed Readings in Exercise Science
  • Writing Discipline Specific Scientific Documents
Part IV: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice
  • Research Project Proposal
  • Professional Internship
Part V: Culminating Experience
  • Dissertation
Part VI: Culminating Experience
  • Dissertation
6. Ph.D in History of Ideas: The Ph.D in History of Ideas is a classic field of study. The theme in the modules includes some important milestones in the history of ideas. Before applying for this course, a student must have a Master's degree in Humanities.

The following are the core modules of Ph.D in History of Ideas:

Part One: Nine Core Modules
  • Science Faith Issues
  • A Symbolic Interpretation of Genesis
  • Darwinism
  • Social Darwinism
  • Women's Rights
  • Political Concepts
  • Historical (Cyclical) Patterns
  • Myths and Fables
  • The History of Ideas in a Literary Context
Part Two: Research Project
  • Dissertation
7. Ph.D in Metaphysics: Metaphysics tries to understand how the world is really constituted. It investigates the assumptions of reality. It helps the students to gain a comprehensive ground in the areas of Metaphysics by imparting in them, a good sense of the nature and extent of subject matter of Metaphysics.

Completion of this course will help the students broaden their understanding of humanistic backgrounds and will be expected to work aggressively and independently to contribute to the field of Metaphysics. This is suitable for those students who want to develop a career in teaching, course development, design, research, civil service, etc.

A student is required to have a Master's Degree in Philosophy or any other realted field of Humanities before he/she can be admitted to the course.

The main modules of Ph.D in Metaphysics include:
  • Existence
  • Truth
  • Identity
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Free Will and Determination
  • God
  • Knowing Reality
  • Secondary Qualities
  • Time
  • Events

Bachelor Programs

The following are the Graduate Programs available for a student in Ireland:

1. Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Visual Media: This course imparts knowledge about the art of writing, design, presentation, production, layout and publishing for newspaper, radio, video, photography and the Internet. It also aims at producing some skilled individuals who are confident and knowledgeable and can meet the existing industry standards.

This degree is recognized by the main professional journalists' organization, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). 

This course is divided into three years. In 'Year-1' the students are introduced to the practical media skills as well as to the theory of media. They also get a chance to learn about the history of media, about how the society has changed itself to adapt to the change in the media industry. 

In 'Year-2', the students are offered two choices from which they can choose from:
a) Journalism
b) Visual Media specialization

In 'Year-3', students mainly apply their knowledge of the first and second year, practically. They are also required to produce practical media work on a regular basis during this year.

The subject area of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Visual media are:
  • Communication (Radio, TV and Film)
  • Communications
  • Humanities
  • Interdisciplinary
  • Journalism/ Broadcasting
  • Photography
  • Politics Science/ Politics
  • Visual Arts
2. Bachelor of Arts in Design in Interior Architecture: The degree in Interior Design will help students develop their skills relating to interior architecture specially related to space planning and architecture. The students will also be able to sketch, draught, produce some advanced computer aided visualizations which can include walk-through, apply advanced technologies and manage some design projects. This course has been designed after consultations with some of the leading interior designers and architects in Ireland.

This degree course contains six modules, namely:
  • Degree Projects
  • Advanced CAD
  • Design Theory
  • Design Technology
  • Project Management
  • Cultural Studies
The subject area of Bachelor in Interior Designing includes:
  • Architecture
  • Design
  • Illustration/ Animation
  • Interior Design
  • Visual Arts
3. Bachelor of Science in Computing Science: This course has been designed to teach the students and make them ready for the upcoming opportunities that exist within the business and industry environments. It has been designed after carefully discussing with some of the leading academia and Irish computing industry experts.

Once a student reaches the third year of study, he/she is required to work within the computing industry for a period of 6 months. This is done so that the student gets some hands-on experience in the computing industry and it also helps to increase the attractiveness amongst the potential employers. Students are also given software development projects that they need to complete during the course, so that he/she gains practical experience in the computing industry

Once a student completes this degree course successfully, there are plenty of opportunities for them to work as assistant software project leaders, computer technology consultants, MIS (Management Information Systems) personnel, software engineers, systems analyst, application programmers, etc.

The subject area of Bachelor of Science in Computing Science includes:
  • Computer Science/IT
  • Information Systems
  • Internship Programs
  • Technology
4. Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies: The Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies readies the students to appreciate the vital business roles played by finance, accounting, marketing, human resource, management and information technology. This course teaches students the skills and technology that are in demand in today's fast-changing world. The course content reflects the multiple requirement of today's business world.

The subject areas of Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies include:
  • Accounting
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Communications
  • Computer Science/ Information Technology
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Human Resource Management
  • Information Systems
  • Interdisciplinary
  • International Business
  • Legal Studies
  • Marketing, Advertisement and PR
5. Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Finance: The Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance prepares a student for a career in accounts and finance. The content is taught by some of the highly qualified and experienced accountants. Also, the students get to study the European Union Law on accountancy.

In the first year, students take subjects that are common to BA (Hons) in Business Studies. The program reflects the requirements of today's financial world. This degree helps students to find a suitable job in the field of accountancy. However, students who do not wish to seek a career in accountancy can find number of other opportunities in the field of banking, stock-broking, currency trading, management, insurance or any career in the financial sector.

Once a student completes this course, he/she will have the required skills to pursue a challenging and satisfied career in the field of finance and accounting.

The subject area of Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Finance include:
  • Accounting
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Finance
  • Information Systems
  • Interdisciplinary
6. Bachelor of Arts in International Hospitality Management: This course is tailor made for those students who would like to prepare themselves for the management roles in the service industry. The core areas of this course include the following:
  • International Hospitality management
  • Hospitality Operations
  • International Marketing
  • Account and Finance
  • Human Resource Management
  • Information Technology
The first year subjects of this course are same as the subjects that are taught to the BA (Hons) in Business Studies students. This is a 3 year degree course which is about 70% theoretical and 30% practical. Students are taught through practical industrial experience as well as lectures, tutorials and projects. Before a student enters the final year of the course, it is required that he/she must have 500 hours of work experience under their belt.

Hospitality Management is a continuously growing domain. The World Tourism Organization has estimated that an additional 105 million new jobs will be created in the sector world-wide by 2010. If the student wishes to advance their career further in the same field, they can opt to join the 
Masters program (example: MBA).

The subject areas of Bachelor of Arts in International Hospitality Management include:
  • Accounting
  • Administration (Hospitality, Sports)
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Finance
  • Hospitality
  • Information Sciences
  • Interdisciplinary
  • International Business
  • Legal Studies
  • Marketing, Advertising and PR
  • Travel/ Tourism
7. Bachelor of Arts in Business and Law: This degree course explores the many relationships that exist between Business and Law. It combines the two dynamic subjects - business and law. This course provides the student with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of business discipline and law. Each module developed meticulously provides some comprehensive grounding in the Irish business and legal environment.

Once a student completes the degree, he/she can easily pursue a career in business by working with the various departments in the organization whether be it in law, or services sector. One can also apply for their general business and administrative skills to the management of some other practice.

The subject area of Bachelor of Arts in Business and Law include:
  • Accounting
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Finance
  • Information Systems
  • Interdisciplinary
  • International Business
  • Law
  • Legal Studies
8. Bachelor of Arts in Photography: A student can pursue the BA in photography as a 3 year full time or in a part-time version. This is a first of its kind course that is launched in Ireland. The main importance in this course is given to commercial photography, professional approach allied to analytical skills and creative judgement.

Various interesting topics are taught to students in this course like:
  • Photographic Techniques
  • Practical Photography
  • Ways of Seeing
  • Media Production
  • Large Format Photography
  • Action Photography
  • People Photography
The main subject area of BA in Photography includes:
  • Journalism/Broadcasting
  • Photography
9. BA (Hons) in Fashion Design: This degree course (3 or 4 year) offers university level training to students through the development of technical design skills and artistic cultural sensivity. It deals with all aspect of textiles as well as covers all areas of modern fashion design from idea generation and development of the design to garment construction and production techniques through CAD and CAM modules.

Students are also told about fashion and trend forecasting as well as semiotics and cultural studies. It has been developed in colligation with the NABA institute in Milan. Those students who successfully complete the first 2 years may complete an optional sandwich year in Milan before completing their final year in Dublin. However, students who want to take a sandwich year must take the Italian Language electives (if not already fluent in Italian).

The subject areas of BA (Hons) in Fashion Design include:
  • Fashion Design
  • Italian
10. Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies with Business: The degree in legal studies with business helps those students who wish to pursue professional courses in law in the future. This is a very interesting course where-by two-thirds of the study time is allocated to law modules, with the remaining one-third devoted to the various business modules.

This degree will be of immense help to those graduates who are seeking positions in business on the basis of their legal knowledge. Those students who wish to pursue their career in legal practices can also enroll for this course. The framework of this course has been designed in such a way that it ensures that the law subjects are taught in a commercial framework while the business part of it deals with the regulatory framework. In this way, a student develops an analytical mind which would help them immensely in a business/legal environment.

The subject areas of Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies with Business include:
  • Accounting
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Finance
  • Interdisciplinary
  • International Business
  • Irish Studies
  • Law
  • Legal Studies
  • Public Administration, Public Policy and Government
  • Urban and Regional Planning