Early Childhood Education and Care
The aim of the degree is to provide you with a firm foundation in Early Childhood Education and Care, to practice in a range of professional settings. It will give you a comprehensive foundation in the principles and pillars of professional practice, a solid theoretical framework and exposure to practical experience through professional placements during your four years of study.
The course incorporates key topics including Holistic Child Learning/Development; Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing; Essential Legislation and Regulatory Practices; Music, Movement, Art and Drama; Creativity and Play; Core Pedagogies and curricula in ECEC; Working in Multi-Professional Environments; Parent/Family Participation; as well as aspects of leadership, management and governance in the sector. Students are encouraged to think critically, reflect, inquire and investigate a range of theoretical and practical pedagogical approaches to learning, development and care in early childhood.
NCI has a long tradition of working with educators, and this exciting programme will equip you to achieve your ambitions in ECEC.
Computing
NCI’s innovative BSc (Honours) in Computing will provide you with programming and advanced problem-solving skills, to create software applications that solve real-world problems. This exciting course will expose you to areas like games programming, software development, cybersecurity, blockchain, artificial intelligence/machine learning/data analytics, internet of things, digital business transformation. In addition, you will learn how to apply software engineering principles to develop software applications that may be deployed in the web and on mobile devices. You will also develop your problem-solving, teamwork, creativity and communication skills.
Our comprehensive full-time degree will give you all the essentials of computing to provide you with the opportunity of specialising in your chosen area in your final year. You will choose modules from one of seven important areas of computer science. These specialist modules will allow you to pursue the area which most interests you and will give you a significant advantage in the jobs market. The course is delivered in state-of-the-art computer laboratories by lecturers who are working in these fields. It is practical in nature throughout and includes a full semester of work experience.
Science in Computing
The Higher Diploma in Science in Computing is a Level 8 course. The course will teach you the computing fundamentals, complemented with detailed knowledge, problem-solving and specialised technical skills required for designing, developing and deploying software.
The course offers a specialisation in Software Development in the second semester.
Students who successfully complete this course will be eligible to progress to a Master’s programme (Level 9) in a specialised area of computing such as MSc in Data Analytics, MSc in Cybersecurity, MSc in Cloud Computing and MSc in Fintech.
Mathematics and Computer Science with Education (MED)
As an undergraduate, you will study a four-year Science
degree, while also completing 60 credits in Education.
After four years you are awarded a BSc Mathematics and
Computer Science (with Education) degree – a level 8 honours
degree. You now have two pathways open to you:
1. You can choose to exit your studies with your level 8 qualification
and take a different path in your education or career.
2. You can continue with your studies to become a fully qualified
teacher. This means you complete one further year of study
at postgraduate level – required in order to meet the Teaching
Council requirements to be registered as a Newly Qualified
Teacher (NQT) in two subjects. Having graduated with your
Level 8 BSc Mathematics and Computer Science (with
Education) degree, you are guaranteed your place in this
postgraduate year. At the end of year five of your studies, you
will be a fully qualified second-level computer science and
mathematics teacher up to Leaving Certificate level
Mathematics with Education (MED)
As an undergraduate, you will study a four-year Science degree,
while also completing 60 credits in Education.
After four years you are awarded a BSc Mathematics (with
Education) degree – a level 8 honours degree. You now have two
pathways open to you.
1. You can choose to exit your studies with your level 8
qualification and take a different path in your education
or career.
2. You can continue with your studies to become a fully qualified
teacher. This means you complete one further year of study
at postgraduate level – required in order to meet the Teaching
Council requirements to be registered as a Newly Qualified
Teacher (NQT) in two subjects. Having graduated with your
Level 8 BSc Mathematics (with Education) degree, you are
guaranteed your place in this postgraduate year. At the end of
year five of your studies, you will be a fully qualified secondlevel mathematics and applied mathematics teacher. Through
this pathway you are fully qualified after five years rather
than taking the six year route (details of the six-year route are
outlined in the next bullet point above).
For those students who may not achieve the points necessary
to secure a place on MH212, an alternative, six-year route to
second-level teaching is available. You can take the BSc Bachelor
of Science degree (MH201) for four years and then apply for the
Level 9 Professional Master of Education degree. The PME is a
two-year, full-time programme designed to qualify graduates to
teach at second level. Entry to the PME is competitive and is not
guaranteed to graduates of the BSc Bachelor of Science degree.
Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Chemistry
In this programme you will receive an excellent education
in a range of different aspects of Chemistry, with a focus on
Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Chemistry and Biology.
Chemistry is taken with: Mathematics, Biology and one other
Science subject in first year, with Biology and Mathematics
or Electives in second year and with Pharmaceutical and
Biomedical Chemistry and Biology in third year.
In fourth year you will have the opportunity to undertake a
six-month work placement/internship (subject to availability),
as well as take courses in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical and
Biomedical Chemistry and Biology.
There is a transfer pathway from 1st year MH201 Science to
2nd year MH210 Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Chemistry
(subject to availability of places) for students who have
taken Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and another subject.
Students must attain at least 60%. Places are limited and are
based on 1st year results. If you are interested in the areas of chemistry that are important
for the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries, then this is the
degree for you.
You will have the opportunity to go on site visits to see the
workings of pharmaceutical companies. A six-month work
placement/internship, subject to availability, will give you an
insight into the working environment of a professional chemist
and help you to improve your career prospects.
This innovative programme develops skills in problem-solving,
communication, scientific writing and presentation – all highly
valued in the workforce. These transferable skills will help provide
employment opportunities in chemistry and non-chemistry
based careers.
Physics with Astrophysics
If you are passionate about understanding astrophysical
phenomena, this degree has been designed for you.
It is based on the Single Major degree in Experimental
Physics but with an increased emphasis on studying the
physical principles needed to understand astronomical
objects such as planets, stars and galaxies, as well as the
dynamics of the Universe as a whole.
You will study the latest telescopes, satellites, detector
technology and data analysis techniques used to make
the exquisitely sensitive observations needed in
modern astrophysics.
In addition you will receive an excellent grounding in all the
core areas of Experimental Physics, opening up all the career
opportunities available to physicists.
Students attaining 60% in Experimental Physics and 60% in
either Mathematics or Mathematical Physics in 2nd MH201
Science may apply to transfer into MH204 in 3rd year. Places
are limited and are based on results. Maynooth University has a long tradition of excellence in
Experimental Physics. The inventor of the induction coil, Nicholas
Callan, was Professor of Experimental Physics here from 1826
to 1864.
Facilities include state-of-the-art laboratories, an observatory
with a computerised Meade telescope, an atmospheric physics
facility, and radio and cosmic ray telescopes.
Field trips and scientific visits are organised to other facilities
such as L’Observatoire d’Haute Provence (France), the European
Space Agency (the Netherlands), Jodrell Bank (UK), St. Luke’s
Hospital and Armagh Observatory
Product Design & Innovation
A highly practical course, with an emphasis on project-based
learning, workshops, laboratory sessions and group work.
Opportunity to take a six-month, full-time work experience
placement, in a relevant employment setting.
Students acquire a broad understanding of product design
and innovation from both an engineering and a marketing
point of view – leading you to create solutions that balance
business viability, human desirability and technical feasibility. As a student of Product Design and Innovation, you will learn to
harness your creative, artistic, and problem-solving skills. You will
also gain a relevant understanding of technology and materials,
and a sensitive awareness of human needs and behaviour
through user-centred design. You will learn to combine these
abilities to create products that satisfy, even delight, users. You
will acquire an understanding of Product Design and Innovation
from both an engineering and a marketing point of view.
You will learn from accomplished designers and design
entrepreneurs – people who have experience designing in sports
equipment, medical devices, user interfaces and consumer
electronics and homeware – as well as having impeccable
academic credentials.
Robotics and Intelligent Devices
Robotics and Intelligent Devices focuses on the design,
implementation, and use of intelligent physical things in the
environment. These include robots, autonomous vehicles,
smart sensors, and internet-of-things devices. In the modern
world, many of these things are the basis for brand new
services or service improvements in areas such as health
and wellbeing, assistive living, safety, smart manufacturing,
retail and hospitality, among others.
In addition to strong software skills, students completing
the degree in Robotics and Intelligent Devices will develop
strong competencies in systems and knowledge of how
systems fit together, through areas such as electronic
hardware design, signal processing and system control.
Blending Electronic Engineering and Computer Science,
we focus on adding intelligence to every day systems and
developing robots that can interact with humans and our
environment. Through project work, students will explore
robotics and intelligent devices and may focus their project
work throughout the programme in a specific area of their
interest or blend thematic areas.
There is a transfer pathway from 1st year MH306 Robotics &
Intelligent Devices to 2nd year MH304 Engineering. Students
must attain 50% in Mathematics and pass the year. There is
no limit on places
Science with Education (SED)
As an undergraduate, you will study a four-year Science degree,
while also completing 60 credits in Education.
After four years you are awarded a BSc Science (with Education)
degree – a level 8 honours degree. You now have two pathways
open to you:
1. You can choose to exit your studies with your level 8
qualification and take a different path in your education or
career.
2. You can continue with your studies to become a fully
qualified teacher. This means you complete one further year
of study at postgraduate level – required in order to meet the
Teaching Council requirements to be registered as a Newly
Qualified Teacher (NQT) in two subjects. Having graduated
with your Level 8 BSc Science (with Education) degree, you
are guaranteed your place in this postgraduate year. At the
end of year five of your studies, you will be a fully qualified
second-level science and mathematics teacher, up to Leaving
Certificate level.
