IADT has a new Bachelor in Immersive Media Production
IADT staff were delighted to be present for the launch of 23 new tertiary degree programmes for the academic year 2023/2024, announced by the National Tertiary Office and Minister Simon Harris TD.
Established by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Skills in a joint initiative between the Higher Education Authority and SOLAS, the National Tertiary Office (NTO) was tasked with the development of new progressive pathways through further education to higher education which is central to the government’s ambition of a unified tertiary education system.
IADT led a cluster across CDETB and KWETB, that saw staff from Bray FE and Ballyfermot FE work closely with subject experts in Technology, Film and Media Production at IADT and external industry experts to realise this new tertiary course in Immersive Media Production. A “novel tertiary course” is one that commences in an Education and Training Board (ETB) and continues in a Higher Education Institution (HEI), culminating in the award of a degree. In this proof-of-concept phase, 23 tertiary degree courses will commence in September across 11 locations nationwide and offer choices across in-demand fields of provision including; Business, ICT, Arts & Media, Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction and Health & Welfare.
The HEI and ETB partners collaborated closely on the development and shared delivery of tertiary programmes to provide students with a seamless transition from FET into higher education and a clearly defined learner pathway right through to professional practice. From day one of their tertiary degree course, the learner is recognised as a registered student of both the ETB where they are commencing their course and the partnered university which provides the student with access to dual supports and services, including libraries, sports, and other campus facilities as well as academic, health and wellbeing supports.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Harris said: “This is the single biggest transformation to education access in decades. Today, we launch 23 degree courses outside the points system. We know the points system has not worked for many of our young people. Today, we can tell the next generation of students they can access degrees in nursing, business, engineering, and media without ever engaging with the CAO system. This is the start. We have much more to do, but today, we change the system and ensure the learner is at the heart of all we do. I want to thank the National Tertiary Office, the Higher Education Authority and Solas for their leadership in driving this forward.”
Commenting on the launch, the President of IADT, David Smith said: “IADT were delighted to be selected as one of only six HEIs nationally to lead the pilot to develop novel tertiary programmes and pathways for future learners across FE and HE. Today’s announcement is the culmination of 6 months of intensive research and development with our City of Dublin and Kildare Wicklow ETB partners. I am particularly grateful to the IADT project team and their colleagues in Bray Institute of Further Education and Ballyfermot College of Further Education, who were instrumental in developing this exciting new Degree programme. The BA(Hons) in Immersive Media Production fully reflects the strengths and complementarity across each partner, and we look forward to welcoming students in September.”
Linda Carroll said, this programme development coordinator for IADT and a member of the FilmEU PMB board stated “It was a pleasure to be part of this innovative national project that provides easier access for students to enter higher education. This new pathway looks beyond grades and prioritises student needs”.
Students interested in pursuing a degree through the new tertiary route should visit the National Tertiary Office website (www.nto.ie), where students may apply for any of the 23 programmes on offer this September. For the eligibility criteria and course-specific entry requirements, please refer to the course information section on the NTO or IADT website. General enquiries may be addressed to the NTO, and course-specific queries should be directed to the relevant Tertiary Coordinator as listed on the website.
Full details of the BA (Hons) Immersive Media programme can be found HERE. For further queries, contact: Tertiary@iadt.ie
