Art and Design Courses in Dublin, Ireland

National College of Art and Design, Dublin:
The National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland occupies a unique position in art and design education in Ireland. It offers the largest range of art and design degrees in the State at undergraduate and postgraduate level. In the past many of the most important Irish artists, designers and art teachers have studied or taught in the College. It has long been the central and most important art and design educational institution in Ireland. The College's campus is situated in Thomas Street, in the historic Liberties area of Dublin and has over seven hundred and fifty full-time students and a further eight hundred students who are taking non-award evening classes.

First Year Core Studies:
First Year Core Studies provides a visual investigation programme which is essentially student-centred and driven by an ethos of inclusive creative visual thinking. Core Studies is the first year of all degree courses at NCAD. On successful completion of First Year Core Studies, students select places on the second year of their chosen area.

There are four faculties;

- Faculty of Design offering courses in Ceramics, Glass & Metals, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Industrial Design, Visual Communication
Design is problem solving. The results of the design process are both tangible and intangible, simultaneously something of use and a form of cultural expression. At its best, design stimulates and intrigues, provokes thought and fosters the exchange of ideas. It improves the quality of everyday living, enriches our surroundings and gives our sense of identity visual expression.The courses in the Faculty of Design are intended to develop design awareness and problem solving skills through conceptual and practical techniques as applied to specific project briefs. As well as personal development, the main aim of the degrees in Ceramics, Glass & Metals, Fashion Design, Textile Design, Industrial Design and Visual Communication is to prepare you for employment in the professional design fields or for admittance to postgraduate studies.

- Faculty of Education offering BA Degree in Art and Design Education, Higher Diploma in Art and Design Education, Centre for Continuing Education in Art and Design (CEAD)
The courses in the Faculty of Education foster interest in the arts, motivating and challenging students to achieve their creative potential, providing them with the skills they need to do so, contributing to the continued health and vibrancy of our visual culture. The Faculty prepares students for teaching in the visual arts at second level through the BA in Art and Design Education and its postgraduate Higher Diploma in Art and Education. It also provides an innovative range of part-time courses including certificate award bearing courses through the Centre for Continuing Education in Art and Design.

- Faculty of Fine Art offering courses in Media, Painting, Fine Print, Sculpture
Seeing the world anew, placing the accepted and unquestioned into a different light, exploring the boundaries between the private and public sphere, between the individual and society - doing it visually. All departments in the Faculty of Fine Art - Media, Painting, Fine Print and Sculpture - help students to develop a highly individual way of seeing and interpreting, and of expressing themselves visually. Emphasis is placed on visual awareness and artistic analysis, on acquiring skills in the use of both traditional and new materials and media.

- Faculty of Visual Culture offering Joint Degrees with Visual Culture
After successfully completing First Year (Core), selected students can specialise in a Joint Course with either a Fine Art or a Design discipline. Apart from the regular classes in Visual Culture taken by all students, Joint Course students additionally attend lectures and seminars for a half day a week. Students of all three years of study take a special series of lectures and seminars covering the history of Irish art, design and material culture from the late 17th century to the present day. There are three modules per year with each module focusing on a different period. Every year there is a module focusing on Irish art or design up to 1900, a second module focusing on Irish art or design of the 20th century and a third module focusing on an aspect of contemporory art or design in Ireland. European comparisons are made where relevant.

Postgraduate Degree Programs:
- (Higher Diploma, Master of Arts, Doctor of Philosophy) are offered in each Faculty.

Taught Postgraduate Programmes:
Taught postgraduate provision at NCAD includes Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters programmes. NCAD’s postgraduate diplomas are highly regarded professional qualifications for graduates in art and design. All masters programmes in NCAD are modular and research driven, with opportunities provided for students to interact with other masters and doctoral researchers in the College.

PhD Programmes:
In PhD programmes at NCAD, researchers demonstrate advanced research ability in the discovery and development of new knowledge and skills, delivering findings at the frontiers of knowledge and application. The key issue in a PhD is that the student will make a significant contribution to the field of enquiry. It is an ambitious programme of study whether pursued through practical work or written thesis. PhD study normally requires a minimum of three years full-time study (but may require longer, given the high level of achievement required).