1. A Guide to Postgraduate Conversion Courses February 7th 2019
New Directions?
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A Guide to Postgraduate Conversion Courses
February 7th 2019

2. What are conversion courses?
A conversion course is a postgraduate course that enables graduates to acquire knowledge and skills in a new area – they typically last one year and are vocational in nature.
The highest concentration of conversion courses are found in Business, Law, Arts and Humanities, IT, Medicine, Clinical Therapies – often available to ALL disciplines.
Conversion courses in Science and Engineering disciplines generally require a related degree.

3. Why convert? A conversion course can provide you with:
Increased job prospects
Skills/expertise in a new area
A valuable combination of at least two distinct skillsets
A stepping stone to your ideal course/career!

4. Increased Job Prospects?
Some postgraduate conversion courses have been developed in response to current or predicted skill shortages. E.g. IT
The impact of the course on your prospects will depend on:
Your level of interest in the course content – you must be interested!
Your suitability/aptitude for the course – is it a good fit?**
Your proven track record in the field, e.g. PR/advertising
Your motivation!
** Check the entry requirements carefully – this is very important!

5. Fastest Growing Industries
Care of the Elderly
Business & Personal Coaching
Personal Wellbeing
Medical Devices & Technology
Accounting (some more than others)
Digital Media – e.g. - gaming, mobile media, animation
Alternative Power Generation
Financial Regulation and Control
Corporate Compliance
Information Technology
Healthcare
Energy Efficiency / Environmental
E-Learning
Microelectronics
Manufacturing Productivity
Composite Materials
Social Networking
Business Services – esp. Multilingual
Telecommunications
Food
Life Sciences
Biotechnology

6. Some Desirable Skill Combinations
Logistics and languages
Marketing/sales and languages
Sales and product knowledge
Finance and quantitative modelling
Finance and law
Statistics and software modelling
Software architect and business
Web design; animation; programming

7. Characteristics of Conversion Courses
Focused and intense
Tightly-packed schedule
Teaching and assessment methods highly varied (group assignments, presentations, reports)
May involve relevant work placement
May be accredited by a relevant professional association

8. Key Questions to Ask Yourself
Do you want to:
Deepen your knowledge of your undergraduate discipline?
OR…
Do you want to dive into a new area?
AND/OR…
Do you want to acquire professional training?

9. When considering any course, you need to find out:
How will this qualification complement primary degree?
What is the reputation of the course amongst employers?
What is the employment record of graduates? How many are working and where are they working?
(For diplomas only): Is it possible to progress to a Master’s?
Is the course accredited by a relevant professional association?
Does the course provide exemptions from relevant professional exams?

10. Seven Categories of Postgraduate Study
Arts &
Social
Sciences
Media
Business
Education
Engineering
Health/
Therapies IT
Law

11. Disclaimer!
The lists of qualifications mentioned within the presentation are not intended to be complete and definitive.
They are intended to give you a sense of the broad range of possibilities available to you.

12. Pathways to Arts, Humanities and the Social Sciences
Conversion
Business
Engineering
Health/
Therapies
Law
Science

13. Arts, Humanities and Social Science Options
Archaeology, Geography, History, Modern Irish
Applied Arts:
Journalism/Media
Digital Humanities
Public Relations
Psychology
Social Work
Planning
Arts Administration
Publishing
Librarianship/Archives
Translation/Interpreting
International Relations

14. Arts, Humanities and Social Science: Qualifications
Dip Psychology, UCC
Dip Social Policy UCC
MPLAN (Planning and Sustainable Development) UCC
MA Translation DCU, NUIG
MA Translation Studies UCC
MA Cultural Policy and Arts Management UCD
MA in Arts and Cultural Management UCC new
MA Literature and Publishing NUIG
MA Technical Communication and E-Learning UL
MA Screenwriting NUIG
MA Library and Information Studies UCD
MA Digital Humanities UCC, NUI Maynooth

15. Arts, Humanities and Social Science: Qualifications… more..
MA Criminology
MA Asian Studies
MA Asian Business
MA in Journalism and Digital Media Content CIT
MA Journalism DCU ,UL
MA Public Relations DIT,
MA Public Relations and New Media CIT
MBS International Public Policy and Diplomacy
MA in Political Communication DCU
MA in Public Affairs and Political Communication DIT
MA in International Security and Conflict Studies
MA/Postgraduate Diploma (Public Advocacy and Activism)
MA in Peace and Development Studies UL
MA in Social Justice and Public Policy

16. Pathways into Business
Conversion
Arts and
Social
Sciences IT
Science/
Engineering
Heath/
Therapies
Law

17. Business: Options Accountancy Finance Marketing
Supply Chain Management
Logistics
International Business
Human Resources Management
Economics (Financial/Business)
Entrepreneurship
Business Information Systems
Business Analytics
Risk Management

18. Business: Conversion Courses
Higher Diploma Business Studies, NUIG
MSc in Management UCD
MSc in Innovation in European Business
MSc in Corporate Finance * maths /Eng/ quantitative background requirement*
MSc in Asset Management *
MSc Finance Banking and Risk Management *
MSc Aviation Finance UCD *
MSc Actuarial Science, UCC *
Higher Diploma in Economics (Competition, Governance and Society UCC
MSc in Management and Marketing, UCC
Masters in Marketing, Advertising, DIT, UL
MSc Marketing, Consumption and Society, UL
Masters Business Management, UL
MSc Management, UCD

19. Pathways into Law Law Conversion Arts and Social Sciences Business
Engineering
Health/
Therapies IT
Science

20. Law: Options and Qualifications
Bridging/conversion qualifications:
Graduate Entry LLB, UCC
Graduate Entry LLB, UL
Postgraduate Diploma in Law, DIT
Master of Common Law (Conversion), UCD
FE1 Preparatory, Griffith College
Diploma in Legal Studies, Kings Inn (Part-time)

21. Pathways to IT IT Conversion Health Law Science Arts Business
Engineering

22. IT: Options Computer Science Software Development Networking
Telecommunications
Security and Forensic Computing
Information Systems
E-Commerce
Software Localisation
Technology Management
IT and Finance
Interactive Media
E-Learning
Digital Humanities

23. IT: Qualifications include…
HDip in Applied Computing Technology, UCC
HDip Software Development
Hdip in Computer Science , NUI Maynooth
Grad Diploma in Information Technology DCU
MSc Multilingual Computing & Localisation, UL ( distance learning) *
MA Technical Communication and E-Learning, UL
MSc Bioinformatics, UCC ( Science degree required )
MSc Interactive Media, UCC
MSc Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing, UCC *
MSc Data Science & Analytics UCC * ( maths/tech/ Quantitative background required )
Masters Translation Technology, DCU *
Masters Music Technology, NUI Maynooth*
MBS Management Information and Managerial Accounting Systems
MBS Design Development of Digital Business
MBS Information Systems for Business Performance
MSc in Digital Innovation UCD
MSc Business Information and Analytics Systems UCC * maths /Eng/ quantatitive background requirement*

24. Pathways to Education Education Conversion Arts * Business* Science*
Engineer
-ing *
Health/
Therapies
Law

25. Education: Options and Qualifications
Primary: Ireland and UK
Secondary: Ireland and UK
There are incentives for graduates of some disciplines to train as teachers in the UK and the possibility of grants and/or bursaries:
teaching/funding/postgraduate- funding.aspx

26. Pathways to Engineering
Conversion
Arts and
Social
Science
Business
Science/
Health/
Therapies
Law

27. Engineering: Options Energy Engineering Process/Chemical Engineering
Electronic Engineering
Biomedical Engineering (Medical Devices)
Bio-engineering
These courses are open to graduates with good degrees in maths, physics and related subjects.
Some engineering graduates choose courses in another field of engineering to improve their job prospects.

28. Engineering: Qualifications
MEng Mechanical Engineering, UCC
Masters Biomedical Engineering, UL, UCD
Masters Biopharmaceutical Engineering, UCD, UCC
Masters Bioprocess Engineering, DCU
Masters Energy Systems Engineering, UCD
Masters Bioengineering, TCD, UCD, UL
Masters Biosystems & Food Engineering, UCD

29. Pathways into Health/Therapies
Conversion
Arts and
Social
Science *
Business
Engineering
Law

30. Health and Therapies: Options
Medicine
Speech and Language Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Dietetics
Audiology
Radiography
Physiotherapy
Nursing (UK)

31. Useful Links
Qualifax – Course Finder: GradIreland Careers Portal: Prospects UK – UK Postgraduate Study Directory:

32. Think outside the box! You are not confined to studying in Ireland!
Hundreds of very affordable Master’s programmes are taught through English in Europe, including Germany, Holland, France and Scandinavia.

33. Postgraduate Study in Europe
Germany:
Holland:
France:
Sweden: /
UK:

34. Key Points
DO NOT:
Forget that a postgraduate course is a significant, long-term investment.
Make choices based on hype or attractive titles/brochures! Dig deeper.
Take a course that doesn’t interest you or match your strengths.
DO:
Develop a sense of where you’d like to be in 3-5 years time.
Test this theory – is it really what you want?
Find out if there are courses to help you get there.
Talk to academics, past graduates, employers, careers advisers and anybody else who may be helpful.
Take a year to work, save or gain experience if you need to.
Do your own homework.
Trust your instinct.

35. How can we help? Impartial, confidential consultations
Psychometric self-assessments
Student-centred advice
“First Destinations” reports for UCC programmes
Application feedback
We’re here for you!