A new 4-year degree launching Sept 2022

Are you a
thinker, doer,
maker?

A new 4-year degree launching Sept 2022

If so, this is the course for you. We’re looking for people driven to transform and shape the cultural and creative world. Learners who want to think big, explore new ideas, and expand their creative possibilities. We’re offering a new four-year BA degree here at University College Dublin, to help you on your way.

When you graduate — as cultural entrepreneurs, producers, and creative practitioners and leaders — you’ll be ready to work in the rich and diverse world of creative industries, but also to step out and imagine new avenues of practice and work that don’t yet exist.

RIOT by THISISPOPBABY, image by Fiona Morgan

What’s it
all about?

This new 4-year BA programme at UCD blends the breadth and richness of creative arts and humanities subjects, with innovation, organisational, digital and management modules and training, preparing you for work in a diverse range of creative fields.

You'll be working with a cohort of fellow students, world-class scholars, and creative mentors in a tight-knit, intensive unit — utilising bespoke digital and creative infrastructure to explore new futures of creative work.

Not just essays and exams: you’ll be producing project-based work (podcasts, videos, digital storytelling) and a final portfolio demonstrating your skills and vision.

We’re new, but mighty:
six Schools + three Colleges at UCD

We’re part of (and supported by) the Creative Futures Academy, a €10 million HEA-funded initiative, reimagining the future of creative education at UCD, NCAD, and IADT.

Find out more at creativefuturesacademy.ie

Where do you
want to go?

Creative Enterprise Festivals Galleries and Museums Theatre and Performance Television and Film Broadcasting and Radio Music Literature and Publishing Media and ICT

In a nutshell:

Deep knowledge and critical understanding of the creative and cultural industries: how the visual arts, theatre, music, festivals, television, film, literature, digital platforms and media are produced and managed in global contexts.

Robust skills in financial management and project production; cultural policy and self-reflective practice; intellectual property and copyright law; emerging digital technologies and their impact on creativity.

What will my
day be like?

CCI’s base is the Newman Creative Hub, a purpose-built space to support creativity and performance-based teaching with recording, editing and production facilities.

Classes are mainly on UCD’s campus, but also onsite at the Museum of Literature (MoLI) / Newman House on St Stephen’s Green, and in studios and cultural spaces across the city.

You’ll learn via lectures and seminars + creative immersion / entrepreneurial modules + skills-based modules (in digital tech etc.)

We offer regular guided visits to performances, exhibitions, and festivals = building your professional network and knowledge of practice.

Two black box theatres Two cinemas Digital editing suite
Artist-in-residence studios Performance & rehearsal spaces Radio station UCD museums & collections

Who will I
work with?

A cohort of fellow aspiring creatives — the CCI Crew — your fellow students with whom you’ll be studying and collaborating over the next four years.

Industry mentors — drawn from UCD’s Creative Fellows, Artists-in-Residence, and the Creative Futures Academy network — who will guide and advise you as you develop your ambitions.

UCD’s globally renowned academics specialising in the arts, social sciences, law, information and communications technology, and business.

UCD’s vibrant student-led cultural activities, including performing arts ensembles and student societies in drama, debating, music, visual arts, etc.

UCD Creative Fellows

Paul Brady

Musician

Oriole Cullen

Curator of Modern Textiles and Fashion, V&A

Barbara Dawson

Director, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane

Moya Doherty

Producer / Chair, RTÉ

Gráinne Humphreys

Director, Dublin International Film Festival

Neil Jordan

Filmmaker / Writer

Colm Tóibín

Writer

and many more

UCD Creative Futures Academy
Artists-in-Residence

Dónal Lunny

Traditional musician and composer

Jenny Jennings

Co-Director, THISISPOPBABY

Mark O’Halloran

Actor and screenwriter - Adam & Paul; Conversations with Friends

Some of
our people

Dr Jaime Jones (School of Music) is an ethnomusicologist who researches music and digital cultures in Ireland and India. She teaches the modules Listening to Music and Producing Music Film and Drama.

Dr Eugenia Siapera (School of Info & Communications Studies) focuses on digital and social media, social justice, platform governance and hate speech, racism and misogyny. She teaches the modules Gender, Race and Media and Media & Society.

Dr Annette Clancy (School of Art History and Cultural Policy) specialises in organizational behaviour & emotions, and cultural management. She teaches the modules Introduction to the Business of Culture, and Managing Culture: Minding Your Own Business.

Dr Nicolas Pillai (School of English, Drama, and Film) is a specialist in jazz, broadcasting (BBC), and television history. He teaches Writing for Screen, contributes to Meet the Makers / Meet the Industry, and is one of the academic leads for UCD’s Creative Futures Academy.

Nuts
and bolts

Programme structure

Cores

These modules are required for all students in the programme. They focus on cultural & creative industries, information and communication technology, business, and law. They include academic as well as practice/skills-based modules. Some modules are shared with other programmes, whilst others are bespoke for CCI students.

Options & Electives

Over the 4 years of the programme, you will select from a list of 100+ modules in the humanities, information and communications, and business -- shaping your degree to suit your ambitions and interests. Academic advisors will guide you in your choices.

Specialism

From Year 2, you will build a specialism (similar to a minor) using option modules, honing expertise in one of six available concentrations:

  1. Visual cultures
  2. English & creative writing
  3. Irish & folklore (incl. Irish-language broadcasting)
  4. Music history, performance & production
  5. Media & communications
Year by year

Years 1 & 2

Students build 60 credits across taught core, option, and elective modules.

Year 3

Students build 60 credits from a combination of:

  • internship (1 trimester)
  • study abroad (1 or 2 trimesters)
  • taught coursework (1 or 2 trimesters)

Year 4

Students build 60 credits across taught core, option, and elective modules.

Students also undertake a final capstone creative research project, involving team and project-based learning, and co-evaluated by industry experts. Sample projects include:

  • design and delivery of a specified cultural event (mini-festival, performance showcase, exhibition, etc.)
  • developing a consultancy-style project in collaboration with a cultural organisation or industry partner
Your first year

Cores and options 55 credits  Electives 5 credits

Cores 30 credits

CCI10010 The Landscape of Cultural Work 5 credits

CCI10020 Managing Culture 1: Intro to the Business of Culture 5 credits

CCI10030 Meet the Makers / Meet the Industry 5 credits

IS10040 Information, Society and Culture 5 credits

IS10010 Information and Social Media 5 credits

MFD10010 Music, Film and Drama: Making, Doing, Interpreting 5 credits

Options 25 credits

Students will choose from option modules, selected from arts and humanities; information & communication studies; and business options

Electives 5 credits

5 elective credits, drawn from across UCD’s offerings.

Options & electives

You'll have 25+ option modules to choose from in Year 1; a few examples are below.

Electives can be taken from across all of the University's programmes, in the humanities, social sciences, business and law.

IS10050 Digital Judgement

ACC10060 Accounting for non-Business Students

BMGT10150 Project Management

AH10120 Dublin: its Museums and Collections

AH10150 Art and the Modern World

ENG10230 Reading World Literature

ENG10030 Literary Genre

IRFL10010 Introduction to Folklore

IRFL10040 Ethnography of the Everyday

MUS10150 Writing About Music

MUS10120 Music, Culture and Society

MUS20570/80 UCD Philharmonic Choir (avail. at levels 1-3)

MUS20530/40 UCD Symphony Orchestra (avail. at levels 1-3)

Applying

The BA in Creative and Cultural Industries is part of DN530, UCD's 4-year multi-subject BA programme in the College of Arts and Humanities.

More information about application and entry routes for EU and non-EU studients is available here:

https://www.myucd.ie/courses/arts-humanities/creative-cultural-industries and in UCD’s 2022 Arts & Humanities Prospectus.

Frequently
asked questions

What kinds of jobs does this course prepare me for?

After graduation, you may find yourself creating new digital content for established media companies. Or perhaps you’ll launch a new festival, or music production house. You might find your passion is bringing new creative products to market. Or maybe you’re keen to pursue screenwriting or independent curation, and want to self-manage your own career. None of us know what the future of creative work will look like: our aim is to equip you with skills, knowledge, and adaptability to navigate creative and tech challenges as they unfold.

Do I need advanced artform experience, or an application portfolio?

Nope. We’re looking for folks who are creatively curious, keen to experiment across artforms, and willing to learn and explore. If you’re coming to us with specific interests in music, creative writing, digital tech, etc. – great! We’ll make you better. If not – you’ll use these four years to find and hone your passions. No matter your level of experience, you’ll develop resilience, ingenuity, and practical skills.

How much are the fees?

Fees for this course are the same as all other Arts & Humanities DN530 BA programmes, thanks to the support of the Creative Futures Academy. Further information about fees, and student grants and supports, is here: https://www.ucd.ie/students/fees

How many points will I need for this course?

As a rough guide - the CAO points range for DN530 in 2021 was 359.

A few of
our partners

Arts Council logo Abhann Productions logo Institute Designers Ireland logo Design & Creafts Council Ireland logo Screen Producers Ireland logo RTE logo Fís Eireann Screen Ireland logo Words Ireland logo Government of Ireland logo Future Jobs Ireland logo Human Capital Initiative logo