{"id":236786,"date":"2026-06-25T01:03:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T05:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/25\/cybersecurity-to-blacksmithing-irelands-most-unusual-and-intriguing-third-level-courses-the-irish-times\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T01:10:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T05:10:11","slug":"cybersecurity-to-blacksmithing-irelands-most-unusual-and-intriguing-third-level-courses-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/25\/cybersecurity-to-blacksmithing-irelands-most-unusual-and-intriguing-third-level-courses-the-irish-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Cybersecurity to blacksmithing: Ireland\u2019s most unusual and intriguing third-level courses \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cybersecurity to blacksmithing: Ireland\u2019s most unusual and intriguing third-level courses \u2013 The Irish Times<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/ireland\/education\/2026\/06\/25\/cybersecurity-to-blacksmithing-irelands-most-unusual-and-intriguing-third-level-courses\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-06-25 01:03:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: www.irishtimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: <\/a><\/p>\n

Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points. With so much focus invested in retaining vast swathes of exam-relevant information, Leaving Cert students often complete their studies and realise that they haven\u2019t fully considered what comes next. There are those who know their path well in advance, long sure of a dream course or route to employment and ready to embrace the future with open arms. Many do not happen upon that level of certainty until further down the line, simply because they need time to develop and figure it all out. For those who are not yet fully decided, it may be worth casting an eye over some of the less conventional options for study after secondary school. Perhaps they won\u2019t provide a direct answer, but may serve as a reminder of the scope of possibilities. Courses listed below vary between Further Education Training (FET) and higher education programmes, encompassing colleges, universities, and education and training boards (ETBs). Where past CAO points are listed as a requirement, remember that alternative routes do exist, and consider reaching out to the relevant institution for guidance. Blacksmithing at Limerick and Clare ETB\u2019s Cappamore campus Requirements: Junior Certificate standard or equivalent at a minimum. Duration: One year.Does the thought of an office nine-to-five dispirit you, when deep down you know that the cold clang of ferrous physical metallurgy is your true calling? If so, a range of blacksmithing skills can be honed at Limerick and Clare ETB\u2019s Cappamore campus, some non-certified and some earning a City & Guilds level 2 qualification. Blacksmithing is an ancient profession, and while the community of industry professionals in Ireland is small, it is alive and filled with devoted craftspeople. Graduates can progress to an apprenticeship in blacksmithing or an advanced apprenticeship in farriery Cappamore is Ireland\u2019s only accredited blacksmith training college, offering a nine-month blacksmith and iron craft course that teaches students to forge hearths and metal, and how to use specialist blacksmithing tools. Evening course modules and a one-day taster course are also available. The nine-month course allows graduates to progress to an apprenticeship in blacksmithing or an advanced apprenticeship in farriery if that feels like the right next step. Furniture Design and Manufacture at ATU Connemara Requirements: 409 CAO points in 2025.Duration: Four years.It seems vaguely appropriate for an interest in woodworking and design to lead you to Letterfrack, a picturesque village about an hour\u2019s drive from Galway city, rich with Connemara\u2019s rugged natural beauty. There, more than 200 students attend the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Connemara campus, which offers five degree programmes. One is furniture design and manufacture, appealing to creative problem solvers who like to use their hands.Focusing initially on hand and power tools, the course teaches skills in woodworking machinery, laser equipment, computer numerical control technology and digital manufacturing. Students have access to all of the required advanced machinery at the university\u2019s state-of-the-art workshop. According to the course overview, there is a 100 per cent employment rate for graduates of furniture design and manufacturing who wish to enter the field in Ireland. ATU Connemara has links to big companies around the world, and students avail of a year-long work placement in their third year, either in Ireland or overseas. Some of the jobs this course can lead to are in product design, kitchen design, project management, 3D modelling, space planning, procurement, computer-aided design and prototyping. Plenty of graduates go on to establish their own businesses after gaining industry experience.Games Technologies at Queen\u2019s University BelfastRequirements: Six H3s or above in the Leaving Cert.Duration: Three years.Is there a more contemporary and wide-ranging creative pursuit than virtual worldbuilding? From technical modules around programming skills and advanced data structures to more artistic classes on 3D modelling and animation, this course is designed to prepare students with a wide scope for employment, directing graduates towards careers in game development and, beyond that, related fields such as simulation, architecture visualisation and digital twins. Games technologies is housed within Queen\u2019s School of Arts, English and Languages, where MediaLab, an interdisciplinary research facility, is based. The building is equipped with a motion capture studio, an LED volume, human computer interaction labs and a dedicated rendering facility for high-performance, real-time graphics. Its positioning emphasises the way in which the university views this course \u2013 a creative vocation for students with an interest in arts and culture. Naturally, games technologies extends beyond that base into areas such as science, psychology and civil and mechanical engineering. It goes without saying that a keen interest in games would do no harm. Kerry College FET’s Advanced Outdoor Activity Instructor course is a 48-week full-time course Advanced Outdoor Activity Instructor at Kerry College FET Requirements: QQI level 5 award in a related area, NGB certifications and\/or relevant professional experience.Duration: One year.True to its name, an advanced outdoor activity instructor course is aimed at someone who wants to avoid being cooped up in an office or classroom. It is ideally suited to a candidate who has already gained some qualifications in the outdoors and wants to develop their skills before entering employment or progressing to another rung on the education ladder. Some of the industries in need of outdoor instructors are tourism, education and youth services and supports. A graduate can earn up to five instructorship awards in canoeing, sea kayaking, rock climbing, orienteering and trail cycling, and has the opportunity to train to become a mountain leader. You will leave Kerry College with a QQI level 6 Sports, Recreation and Exercise major award.One of the course\u2019s offerings is free access to necessary personal protective equipment, including hiking boots, wetsuits, rain gear and helmets, which becomes your own property upon graduation. In addition, there are no fees for this FET course, which consists of full-time education for 48 weeks. Music and the Live Events Industry at TUS Requirements: No previous CAO points as this is a new option for 2026. Musical ability is required (instrument\/vocals), but formal music grades are not necessary. Duration: Four years.A brand new course at the TUS (Technological University of the Shannon) Athlone campus, this bachelor of arts (BA) degree equips students with all the skills needed for a career in live music. Included in its curriculum are modules around stagecraft, sound engineering, production and music business. Designed in collaboration with experienced professionals in live music and events, it builds a broad skill set that can be applied holistically or honed in one specific area of live performance. Students do not learn to play an instrument on the course, but can improve that side of things through masterclasses, guest lectures, music theory and performance opportunities. Work experience is also possible in years two and three, and a capstone project accounts for a large chunk of final year. Among the jobs course heads envisage for graduates are professional performer, live sound engineer, stage manager, music coordinator and event or instrument technician. ATU Killybegs prepares its students thoroughly for the workplace with placements mandatory during each of its BA in Culinary Arts course’s three years Culinary Arts at ATU Killybegs Requirements: 187 CAO points in 2025.Duration: Three years.Aspiring chefs may want to consider travelling north to Killybegs in Co Donegal for a three-year level 7 BA in Culinary Arts. This course offers a deep-dive into cuisine far beyond general training. Modules cover areas such as street food, seafood, baking, pastries and plant-based and sustainable food, as well as preparing students for things such as culinary management, accounting, IT and social media. Graduates can earn a QQI level 8 qualification by opting to take an extra year at ATU to study professional kitchen management. Those who go straight into employment should be well prepared, as work placement is mandatory in each of the three years at ATU Killybegs. As well as hotels and restaurants, the course description lists cruise ships as a potential area of employment for graduates, although queues for those roles may be thinning among budding kitchen staff with hantavirus hesitancy. Cybercrime and IT Security at SETU\u2019s Carlow campus Requirements: 309 CAO points in 2025. Duration: Four years. At the South East Technological University (SETU) Carlow campus, students can develop skills and knowledge related to software development, networking and cybersecurity. We often hear about the importance of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector to Ireland\u2019s economy. There are valid concerns over the number of entry-level roles being afforded to new graduates in the field, but cybercrime and IT security are only growing in significance as tech becomes ever more embedded in our infrastructure.To understand the threats posed to digital systems and information, this course prepares students with knowledge of cybersecurity processes, practices, implementation and assessment of both IT infrastructure and software. Essentially, you learn how to take these things apart and see how they work, first figuring out how to design and build computer networks and software applications before being able to assess the security risk and posture of digital environments. Intellectual Disability Nursing at DCURequirements: 308 CAO points in 2025.Duration: Four years.Nursing is an incredibly broad field that many enter on the basis of a general passion for helping others, but for some people, a specific branch of care can feel closer to your heart. If you feel a calling to work with people with intellectual disabilities, a specialised nursing course is available at the likes of University College Cork, University of Limerick, Trinity College Dublin, ATU Letterkenny and Dublin City University (DCU).Modules allow students to build up a general understanding of nursing alongside specialist care. You will learn how intellectual disability can impact intellectual functioning in learning, problem solving and judgment, as well as adaptive functioning in daily activities, communication and independent living. Intellectual disability nurses can go on to work in acute care, respite care, residential facilities, schools, home nursing and more. Graduates of the course can immediately register as nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), or go on to study further before entering the field.Students at Ireland\u2019s only dedicated hotel college have an opportunity to go abroad with international hotel companies International Hotel Management at Shannon College of Hotel ManagementRequirements: 474* CAO points (BBS) and 703* CAO points (BSc) in 2025.(*Both of these figures include points for a course entrance interview, which is worth a maximum of 300 points.)Duration: Four years.Shannon College celebrates 75 years of hospitality education in 2026, and remains Ireland\u2019s only dedicated hotel college. A school of University of Galway, prospective undergrads can apply for either a Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) here or a Bachelor of Commerce (BSc) in international hotel management, and will have no trouble finding a job at the end of it all, with the college maintaining a 100 per cent graduate employment rate. Work placement opportunities are central to the programme, and students have a chance to go abroad with international hotel companies if they so choose. These are paid roles that amount to 21 months\u2019 worth of experience in hospitality by the time you finish your degree. On top of travel opportunities and industry connections, you will acquire a broad range of skills from modules related to kitchen and restaurant service, accommodation, IT, accounting, marketing and more. Contemporary Dance at University of LimerickRequirements: 453 CAO points in 2025; an audition and interview are also required, and students must undergo a Garda vetting process.Duration: Four years.UL\u2019s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance has been on the go since 1994, blending academia and performance across a range of disciplines. Contemporary dance students commit to more than 25 hours of physical training each week, honing skills in their titular area as well as associated practices such as hip hop, flamenco, aerial dance and traditional Irish dance. Certain modules are designed with employability in mind, such as voice and acting, dance pedagogy, dance for camera and choreographic thinking. The space in the academy is shared with students of traditional Irish music, traditional Irish dance, voice and world music, fostering an artistic community that surrounds the contents of the course. There are work experience and study-abroad opportunities over the four years, by the end of which graduates can move on to further study or enter employment. Career paths envisaged by course organisers include performer, choreographer, dance teacher, dance therapist and movement researcher. Real Estate at Ulster University Requirements: 112 UCAS tariff points to include a minimum of five subjects (four of which must be at higher level). Duration: Four years.If you have a budding interest in real-estate development, or if you are wholly gripped by a Glengarry-Glen-Ross-fuelled desire to always be closing, this course at Ulster University\u2019s Belfast campus could be worth considering. A focus on valuation, appraisal, finance and property development prepares graduates for all sorts of roles related to real estate. Most will end up working as agents, buying, selling and letting property, or as property managers, valuation surveyors, property development surveyors or investment advisers.Ulster University has links to a host of big employers in real estate, including CBRE, Knight Frank, Osborne King and McAleer & Rushe Group. Away from the private sector, this degree can lead to jobs with councils and local authorities if that route appeals to you more. Irish Folklore at UCD Requirements: 420 CAO points in 2025. Duration: Three years. In a piece for The Irish Times in 2022, the late Manch\u00e1n Magan postulated that in a time of change and turmoil, mythology and folklore \u201cmight be just the resource we need to help guide us back to where we ought to be\u201d. Magan was at the heart of a resurgent interest in Irish ethnology, and those who feel a kinship with him may find themselves drawn to Irish folklore at University College Dublin, which can be taken as a major in the Joint Honours BA programme alongside another subject, or as a minor in the BSc with archaeology.The subject explores oral literature, social tradition, material culture, popular belief and practice, as well as traditional music and song. While peering backwards, it is a living, breathing topic, with past students describing folklore\u2019s impact on their perception of the modern world around them. Career opportunities for graduates can come in heritage bodies and institutions, teaching, media and journalism, community organisations and local development initiatives.
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