Author: CALPD

The Centre for Adult Learning & Professional Development - Part-time, professional & evening courses at the University of Galway

A Guide to Part-Time study at University of Galway

Are you considering taking a part-time course but don’t know where to start? This blog post will walk you through the various opportunities for part-time study available at the University of Galway.

If you’re contemplating studying part-time at the University of Galway in 2024, now is the ideal time to start looking and do your research. The following information will help to you narrow down your search.

First Question: Have you attended college previously?

NO: If you haven’t been to University before, and feel that you need to do a foundation course to get you started on your learning journey, you can apply for a part-time Access course. Access courses provide a supportive educational environment which prepares students academically and personally for a full-time undergraduate degree, part-time degree or diploma course at third level. Additionally, if you’re over 23 years of age, you can apply for a full-time undergraduate degree as a Mature Student.  For our part-time courses, the entry age is 21 years.

YES: If you have been to university before, it is advisable to check the NFQ Level of your last qualification. This will provide you with an understanding of your qualification and can highlight your pathway for progression. For example, if you currently have a Level 7 bachelor’s Degree, it would be best to look at Level 8 courses or higher. Once you have determined the level you wish to study at, University of Galway has a range of part-time study options to suit the flexible learner.

The image above outlines the various part-time courses currently available at University of Galway:

For international students or those preferring fully online courses, an online course listing is available. Unsure if online learning suits you? Visit our Discover Online Learning webpage for further information.

Next Steps

  1. Visit our ‘help choosing your course’ webpage to guide you in selecting the perfect course.
  2. Thoroughly review the course webpage, noting important dates, mode of study, course fees, and entry requirements.
  3. Contact the course co-ordinator/administrator of your chosen course (under the Find out more tab) on the course webpage
  4. Don’t forget that you can apply through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) if you don’t meet the entry requirements but feel that you have adequate experience.

Remember:

“There is no such thing as a stupid question.”

Everyone’s learning journey is unique, and discussing your options can be invaluable. The experienced staff at the Centre for Adult Learning & Professional Development are ready to assist you via phone calls, video calls, or in-person meetings.

Phone: 091 494066
Email: adultlearning@universityofgalway.ie
Website: universityofgalway.ie/adult-learning

Embarking on part-time study can be an enriching experience, opening doors to new opportunities and personal growth.

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Transformative Changes: How a Springboard+ course made an ‘Impressive Impact’ on my life!

Lisa Callaghan, Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Arts Management (2022-2023)

When I came across the Springboard+ advert online in May 2022 I was out of work due to health issues with no idea how I was going to get back to “normal life”. I suddenly suffered my first episode of psychosis in the second half of 2021 and as a result, had returned home to Ireland from living and working in Italy so that my parents could take care of me while I recovered.

I scanned the course options and the Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Arts Management instantly stood out to me. Although I had very little previous knowledge of arts management, I obtained a Bachelors of Architectural Science from UCD in 2013, had experience working in media agencies, and had always had a personal interest in the arts.

After discussing it with my family I decided to apply and by mid-July I was delighted to be offered a provisional place on the course. I decided to attend the first semester in person even though remote learning was also an option to meet new people and visit Galway. I found the course content very interesting, and the projects and seminars were thought-provoking. We were given an insight into the world of the arts from different perspectives and through research and interviews learned directly from people who had years of experience in their field.

Attending the course also gave me a new sense of purpose and motivation and alongside the course, I was inspired to become involved in the arts locally in Leitrim. By getting involved with my local Printmaking Group I started to meet many other artists and discover more opportunities in the arts in Ireland and the artwork itself was very beneficial for my own mental health.

In November 2022 our Professor Patrick Lonergan invited the course participants to the AIMday Exploring Creative Innovations event at the University of Galway. As part of this one of the workshops I attended was with Helene Hugel, the CEO and founder of Helium Arts where I learned about their arts workshops with children with lifelong health conditions that are based in hospitals and in the community.

The second semester of Creative Arts Management was online which suited perfectly as it was more flexible and by that time I had also regained enough confidence to return to part-time work with the HSE as a Clerical Officer in the Children’s Disability Service. The focus of our second-semester project was mainly on developing funding and grant proposals and various aspects of planning and managing an arts event. I decided to focus my project on the arts and mental health based on my own personal experience of recovery from an illness. Later in the semester we also had a work experience element, and I was lucky to secure a placement assisting with the Bealtaine Festival in Sligo which gave me some great hands-on experience. By then I had decided that I was interested in working in the area of the arts and health in the future.

After the AIMday event, I had always kept up to date on the work of Helium Arts and one day saw a post online recruiting for a part-time position of Grants & Development Coordinator. After a competitive application and interview process, I was overjoyed to be offered the position just before my graduation. My graduation day was a brilliant celebration of how far I had come over the previous two years and how much had changed.

I’m currently completing induction training with Helium Arts and already learning so much, finding the work fascinating and the team is all lovely. I’m really grateful for the Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Arts Management and the impressive impact it has had on me personally and I’m looking forward to what the future brings. If you’re considering taking this course as a way to begin or further a career in the arts I’d really recommend it.

Springboard+ courses for 2024/25 will be announced in June 2024.

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Adult Learning Graduation – a day for all!

The graduation day holds profound significance for every student, but for our part-time learners, it carries an extra layer of accomplishment. Balancing family responsibilities and work alongside studies, these students demonstrate exceptional dedication.

The Director of the Centre, Nuala McGuinn, emphasises the day as a moment for reflection and gratitude. During the graduation address, Paul Dodd, Vice President for Engagement at University of Galway, spoke about pivotal moments and changing directions. Chuck Feeney’s life was cited as an inspiring example of making a difference through transformative choices. Graduations often act as catalysts for change.

A family affair!

While we recognise that graduation is a family affair, this sentiment was particularly strong for the Fitzgerald family this year. Both John and Kevin graduated with the Diploma in Critical Business Skills, and their brother Edward is currently in the first year of the Diploma in Management.

Upskilling Journeys

The celebration extends to our university colleagues who embrace part-time courses for upskilling. Martina Ní Fhatharta and Orla Naughton, staff members, graduated with an MSc in Leadership Development. Axel Prada Conde graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree alongside Adult Learning staff member Brídin Nic Dhonncha.

Enterprise Connections

Eamonn Molloy, Network Manager at Galway Executive Skillnet, has been a valuable enterprise partner in providing training needs support and fee subsidies to regional employers wishing to upskill their employees through accredited courses and micro-credentials. This time, we applaud him for completing the MSc in Leadership Development.

A great buzz

Of course there is always a vibrant atmosphere at the graduation, but it was particularly ‘buzzing’ this year for our Beekeepers who graduated with the first University awarded Diploma in Apiculture in Ireland. This achievement aligns with University of Galway’s standing as the No.1 institution in Ireland for Sustainability, according to the Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings.

Best Wishes for Future Success

As our graduates embark on new chapters in their careers, we extend our heartfelt wishes for continued success and fulfilment.

Part-time courses at University of Galway.

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Lifelong Learning – piecing together my career!

Barry Costello, part-time Professional Diploma in Further Education graduate

Having initially studied a PLC course in Theatre Performance followed by a B.A. in Applied Psychology, I spent most of my early professional career working abroad as an ESL teacher. Upon returning to Ireland, I completed several FET courses in Film, Television and Broadcast Production which facilitated my move into the screen sector where I worked for a number of years.

As I considered my options for a career move which would draw together the diverse strands of my work and educational experience, I applied for the Professional Diploma in Further Education PDE(FE) at the University of Galway and am very grateful that I did. The PDE(FE) course is a well-designed course which is delivered by friendly, helpful, and highly knowledgeable instructors.

The layout of modules demonstrates the kind of curricular alignment which the course itself espouses alongside a host of other incredibly useful and practical tools for how to be an effective facilitator of learning. The blended delivery of the course also made it easier to manage other aspects of my life outside of the course, all the while knowing that if/when the coursework felt overwhelming, a helpful and supportive talk with one of the instructors was only a zoom away.

Perhaps the highest compliment I can pay to the course is that it helped me to make sense of the seemingly disparate elements of my portfolio career. As the course progressed, I realised that my degree in psychology informed my appreciation of humanistic learning theory, then my time teaching abroad informed my professional teaching practice and that my experience in the screen sector as well as my passion for cinema & theatre informed my burgeoning career in creative facilitation.

In this way, the PDE(FE) was an invaluable educational and life experience which helped me to understand more fully how all the choices I had made personally, educationally as well as professionally were of a piece and to this end it gave me a sense of meaning, purpose and direction at a time when I needed it the most.

I have subsequently been contracted to be the course coordinator and instructor for a ‘first of its kind’ FET course in Content Development being run by Kerry College which is an opportunity I could not have dreamed of at the outset of the PDE(FE). What I have learned through completing the course has given me the qualification and crucially the confidence to step into this role and embrace whatever challenges lie ahead, armed with a host of pedagogical tools which I look forward to incorporating into my daily practice as a teacher.

In short, alongside that first full-time course in Theatre Performance, which sparked my interest in lifelong learning and the value I attribute to the FET sector, this diploma has probably been the most valuable educational experience of my life to date. For that alone, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

View our full listing of part-time courses here.

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Embracing a new Academic Year: Innovations & Opportunities in Lifelong Learning

The team at the Centre for Adult Learning & Professional Development are excited to embark on a fresh academic year, adapting to the blend of in-office and hybrid work settings. In June, we were delighted to have hosted our first on-campus information evening in three years as we got to meet prospective students in person.

We are looking forward to welcoming all our new part-time students this month with our first online orientation taking place online this Saturday, 2nd September. This year, we will be introducing our new Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in the University – Canvas.

To our new students, welcome aboard and don’t forget to visit our student launchpad – an invaluable resource containing all the information you will need to start your journey as an Adult Learner.

For those still considering your educational path, know that we offer Micro-credentials* throughout the academic year. You can also join us at various events throughout the year to engage in conversations that could shape your future.

We are also delighted to be part of two national projects – Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Micro-credentials, you can find out more about these ongoing initiatives below. These ventures reflect our commitment to driving lifelong learning, fuelling our anticipation for an even brighter future.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) involves higher education institutions recognising your existing knowledge, understanding, and skills before you commence a course.

*Micro-credentials are short, flexible courses designed to fit around your life. They are quality-assured and accredited by leading Irish universities. Our micro-credentials are designed in collaboration with enterprise to meet specific skills needs.

So whether you are starting your lifelong learning journey with us this year or are still thinking about it, don’t hesitate to contact the team with any queries you may have.

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I learned a huge amount and it has really benefitted me in my career.

I studied the Diploma in Software Engineering at the University of Galway. I mainly chose to study this course because I wanted to improve my coding skills. Having come from a background in mathematics, I had done some coding as part of my undergraduate degree and enjoyed it, however I always wanted to become more proficient in this area. Completing this diploma was the perfect opportunity for me to do this. 

As the course was delivered fully online, I was able to work full-time whilst studying. This was one of the biggest benefits of the course as the online flexible delivery allowed me to fit in study, assignments and exams around my busy lifestyle. Whilst the course was challenging and difficult at times to juggle with work and other commitments, I am so glad I chose to do it as I learned a huge amount and it has really benefitted me in my career. The facilitators were extremely helpful, and the content covered was very interesting and spanned a wide variety of areas. I particularly enjoyed the C programming and Java programming modules; however all modules were very relevant and applicable in the professional world. 

Following the course, I was able to switch to a role that was more coding-oriented within my organization which had been my goal for several years. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to explore a career in software engineering or who wants to improve their technical skills and knowledge. 

To find out more about the Diploma in Software Engineering please visit: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/courses/adult-and-continuing-education-courses/softwareengineering.html/

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After completing the MScSED I had more job options to choose from

My name is Viktor Sobor, originally from Hungary but I have been living in Switzerland for the past 10 years. I have been working in software companies in the past 7 years and gradually moved closer and closer to the software engineering side until I reached my current role of product manager. I was looking for a course to mainly improve my technical understanding, improve my employability and make communications with developer teams easier. Also, as an already working adult I could not imagine going back to being a full time student, so an online part-time course was what I was looking for from the beginning. After some searching I found the course offered by Galway University and as I was considering relocating to Ireland it seemed like a perfect choice. Lastly, the option to stop after the first year and still get a degree made this a really risk-free option, which really cemented my decision.  

The course I completed, Msc in Software Engineering and Database Technologies, covered all the basics such as how computers actually work, history of computer science and machine-friendly programming languages, in the first year. This enabled me to understand all the core concepts behind modern solutions and gave me a very solid foundation to build on. In the second year we focused more on current technologies and programming languages, which helped make the knowledge really applicable in the current market.  

I really liked the module where we had to work with C no matter how painful it was. 🙂 It is not a common language to learn nowadays, so it had the cool factor a little bit. More importantly however, it really showed me how a computer might process instructions and what processes need to happen. These are things that modern languages don’t require and we are in the luxurious position of not having to worry about them. Else, all theoretical courses were applicable to my daily job to a varying degree.  

I can already tell that having this degree helped me in a few aspects. First, based on feedback from coworkers, I understand technical concepts a lot better than the average Product Manager, which is a very positive thing. Second, coincidentally shortly before starting the course and a few months after finishing both I was looking for jobs and this second time I had a lot more options to choose from. I am certain that having an IT related masters is one of the main reasons for this. 

To find out more about the MSc in Software Engineering and Database Technologies please visit our website here: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/courses/adult-and-continuing-education-courses/software-engineering-and-database-technologies.htm

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President’s award for Professional Service Excellence in Innovation and Transformation

A big congratulations to our colleague Bonnie Thompson Long, PhD, on winning the president’s award for Professional Service Excellence in the Innovation and Transformation category.

Bonnie was nominated for this award for her response to the global pandemic, which included supporting academics, students, and administrative staff throughout the University in developing a fully online teaching model.

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Conferring 2022

    A huge congratulations to our part-time learners who graduated last Saturday.

    It was great to see everyone celebrating their achievement with their family & friends!

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    Silver Linings Report Launch Presentation

    Here are a few short excerpts from the live launch of the research report, Silver Linings: Developing a Model of Fully Online Teaching and Learning, during a Global Pandemic.

    Presentation by Dr Sheila Garrity and Dr Bonnie Thompson-Long

    Overview and Context

    Blackboard Module Template

    The Research Project

    Conceptual Underpinnings

    Research Findings

    The Model and Closing

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