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Students seeking to develop new skills or considering part-time study options are invited to attend one of the many information sessions taking place at NUI Galway during Adult Learning Week. The week-long event will run from11-15 May from 6.30pm -8.30pm each day in the Arts Millennium Building.

Nuala McGuinn, Director of the Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development at NUI Galway, said: “The University offers a wide range of part-time, flexible courses suitable for those who require professional development opportunities to up-skill or enhance their career prospects. Adult Learning Week is an opportunity to discover the range of flexible, part-time courses that NUI Galway has to offer. Our sessions are informal so feel free to call in at any time and join our talks or meet a member of staff.”

A different array of courses will be showcased each evening focusing on the themes of General Arts and Languages; Training and Teaching Skills; Community, Youth and Family; and Technology, Science and Business.

Information sessions will be varied and will include talks from lecturers, presentations from past students giving an insight into their personal experiences, talks on the value of lifelong learning and an opportunity to meet with course lecturers.

Four new blended-learning, part-time programmes will be announced during Adult Learning Week to include a blended learning BA in Humanities and Social Sciences, an intermediate level Diploma in Italian, a Diploma in Automation and Control and a Diploma in English Literature and Drama. A fully online Diploma in Archaeology will also be launched with course lectures and examinations taking place in a fully online environment.

“Our students come from a variety of educational backgrounds, life experiences and ages, and are motivated to embark on a programme of study for personal development, career enhancement or other professional development reasons”, explains Nuala McGuinn.

With over 40 part-time programmes to choose from, students will not be short of choice to meet the live-learn-work challenge. Courses are offered through classroom-based mode, online learning or through a blend of both, offering flexibility and support to prospective students. All are designed with flexibility enabling them to continue to work or actively seek employment.

Interest in programmes in the Science and Technology area including specialisms in Medical Device Science, Lean & Quality Systems has grown over the past number of years as a direct result of industry requiring increased skills in these areas. Study options are available at Diploma, Degree and individual module level.

Dr Anne Walsh, Programme Academic Coordinator, said: “Courses which have been offered in recent years are growing in demand, particularly in the area of Adult Learning and Education Studies. Enrolments for the Professional Diploma in Education (Further Education) which provides FE teachers with the professional knowledge and skills to carry out their teaching roles has been growing steadily since commencing in September 2013. The Certificate in Advanced Trainer Skills (Coaching and Mentoring) is also available and builds on trainer competencies by developing their coaching and mentoring skills and abilities – an example of another recent addition to the suite of programmes which is popular among adult learners.”

A Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate in Practice Based Play Therapy is available in conjunction with the Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy (APAC). APAC are the national leaders in developing and providing training for students interested in becoming a certified play therapist. With it’s tutorial components delivered during July each year, this course is ideal for teachers and educators who wish to add therapeutic play skills to their existing teaching or psychology skills for working with children.

Students can also chose to take individual modules from the suite of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit options and may be useful for learners who do not have the time to commit to a full programme of study or for those who require a module for the purposes of retraining or up-skilling.  Standalone modules are available in Innovation Management, Technology Management, Education and Training, Early Childhood Studies, Community Education and Software Engineering.

To view the full list of the events taking place throughout Adult Learning Week and to register visit www.nuigalway.ie/livelearnwork. For more information contact the Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development at adultlearning@nuigalway.ie or 091 495241, or visit the Centre’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nuigalway.adulted.

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