June 2008 NUI Galway Issues Reminder for Part-Time Degree Programmes

NUI Galway's Adult and Continuing Education Office has issued a final reminder to members of the public interested in undertaking part-time degree programmes in the autumn. Application deadlines for some degree programmes are at the end of June. Conscious of the many demands placed on adult learners from a work and family perspective, all new courses are developed on a modular basis. This provides students with manageable, bite-sized chunks of learning, enabling them to combine their work and family commitments with the demands of a programme of study. Most courses are taught using blended learning which combines classroom and online study. Some newer courses are also flexible in terms of payment, such as the modular BSc in Science and Technology Studies, delivered via blended learning by the Atlantic University Alliance (AUA) member universities, NUI Galway and University of Limerick. Payment for the course is per module on a semester by semester basis, making it an affordable option to anyone considering further education. Niamh Nolan, Programme Co-ordinator of the modular BSc in Science and Technology Studies at NUI Galway, says the course could prove very beneficial to people already employed but who had hit a glass ceiling in terms of their career progression. "With the economic forecast growing gloomier, employment security is important and upskilling is paramount. The flexibility offered by these new programmes allows professionals to combine work with part-time education". NUI Galway also offers a Bachelor of Arts programme including subjects such as English, History, French and Information Technology. The programme is available over four years with students attending class up to three evenings per week. Students who have previously undertaken a certificate or diploma programme at NUI Galway or another third-level institution may also be eligible for exemptions on the programme. Students are encouraged to contact the programme co-ordinator for further details. Other new part-time degree courses this year include a BA in Social Care, which builds on the existing Diploma in Social Care. The University's BA in Community and Family Studies continues to prove popular as does the BSc in Rural Development. Students should note that later closing dates apply to these programmes. Nuala McGuinn, of NUI Galway's Adult and Continuing Education Office, comments, "September may seem like a long time away, but the application deadlines are upon us. We try to be as accommodating as possible with our applicants, but there is such a wide variety of courses and varying deadlines, so we want to encourage people to make up their minds as soon as they can". The full list of part-time degree programmes, some of which are also offered at diploma level, include: Blended learning programmes:

• Bachelor of Science in Science and Technology Studies
• Bachelor of Arts Social Care
• Bachelor of Arts in Community and Family Studies
• Bachelor of Science in Rural Development
• Bachelor of Arts in Training and Education

Classroom-based programmes

• Bachelor of Arts (classroom-based)

For those not necessarily interested in pursuing a course to degree level, there is a wide range of courses available at certificate and diploma level at NUI Galway. These include English Literature, History, French, German, Italian, Social Gerontology, Gemmology, Women's Studies, Irish Music Studies, Gaeilge and Geology and many others. For more information on all programmes visit http://www.nuigalway.ie/adulteducation/ or email adulteducation@nuigalway.ie -ends-