
09/06/2025
NCAD
20 ECTS
HCI Subsidy Funding 80% Available
AD472PD
€2,200 or €440*
The programme works directly with an urban embedded novel ecology of the NCAD FIELD site. This taskscape acts as an outdoor classroom, a site for nature connection, commoning and a testing site for multi-species futures. Connecting to the site and its seasonal activity, nature/culture connections are explored and enacted allowing learners to expand their research, creative making and critical thinking skills in meaningful and liveable ways.
A grounding in the social, political, economic and historical issues that frame ecologies of the surroundings site are explored. Through the Diploma Programme practitioners will expand, develop and question their practices using the NCAD FIELD as a testing site and shared learning space. The programme supports a range of creative approaches and interdisciplinary art and design practitioners that wish to connect and work in the space of critical ecologies and expanded environments.
Learners aiming to evolve as artists, curators, activists, designers and cultural producers will be supported, giving them the tools, networks and knowledge to confidently work in this interdisciplinary field.
Established and emergent artists, curators, activists, designers, makers, cultural producers, ecologists, scientists, architects, landscape architects, social workers, policy makers, biodiversity and sustainability officers, educators, horticulturalists, active citizenship, citizen scientists, lifelong learning
Learners embarking on this journey have two entry routes:
The three successive modules following from Professional Certificate (1st Creative Principles) will focus on:
Proposed dates (TBC)
Collaborations: Oct 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd
Practices: Feb 26th, Mar 5th, 12th, 19th
Capstone: May 28th, June 4th, 11th, 18th
As part of a suite of programmes that make up the Creative Futures offer at NCAD, the Professional Diploma in Art and Ecology seeks to provide a scholarly framework for students who wish to study specific, connected aspects of creative disciplines and themes within a leading art and design college setting.
Many aspects of the suite of programmes will be delivered in collaboration with partners from the Creative Sector and in addition, a number of programme sessions will have a public dimension, allowing us to invite other interested parties from the fields of contemporary creative practice and scholarship to join our conversations and creative activities.
Successive modules allow students to develop their practice, their professional, technical and organisational skills and their knowledge and application of critical contexts.
Modes of learning will include field work, lectures, seminars and workshops along with cross-disciplinary conversations and collaborations. A key focus is on the productive intersection points where creative practices meet scientific, legal and social policy debates, to manifest outcomes that catalyse progress.
Learners will learn through material delivered in advance of each session prescribing group work and also individual initiative.
This diploma lays the foundation for further study at Masters and Phd level.
The programme is designed to meet the needs of the creative sector within and beyond Ireland. As such, the constituent awards explicitly address key requirements identified in extensive discussions and research undertaken with industry partners and representative bodies such as the Arts Council of Ireland, Design and Crafts Council of Ireland and Institute of Designers in Ireland, and findings from government and sectoral reports.
It is required that all applicants have a Completed Professional Certificate (Creative Principles) module. Professional Certificate (Creative Principles) is the foundation module of the Professional Diploma programme.
Educational Standard: All applicants are expected to present an approved Bachelor degree at minimum level of 2nd class honours (2.2)
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – Applicants who do not meet the minimum academic entry requirements for admission may be considered on the basis of a recognition of previous learning whether based on prior relevant experience or other relevant credited or non credited or learning (RPL). In such cases each applicant will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on a review of the applicant’s CV and other supporting documentation.
Please contact ncad@creativefutures.ie for further information.
Qualifying Examination – In certain cases the academic team may choose to set a qualifying assignment in order to assess an applicant’s suitability for admission.
You may apply for the programme if you are currently completing your Undergraduate Degree. NCAD will review the rest of your application If necessary, we can make you a Conditional Offer. When your degree is completed and you send us final transcripts we will upgrade this to a Full Offer.
Applicants who have not been educated through English must show proof of achieving IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 in the writing section on the Academic Version) or an equivalent score in another accepted test.
Art and Ecology alumni exhibit in ‘Earthbound Tales’
Karen Bowett, Dervla Clarke + Jamie Lemoine (POND Studios), Estibaliz Errazquin and Melissa O’Brien.
Part of the 2025 Brigit: Dublin City Celebrating Women and mark the launch of our Sustainability Policy, Pallas Projects/Studios are pleased to present Earthbound Tales, curated by Cristina Nicotra.
What does it mean to be native or non-native? What is nature, or natural?
Earthbound Tales explores these questions.
The exhibition is inspired by the intricate relationships between the wider ecology of humans and non-humans that we are enmeshed with despite our urban life. It is an invitation for the community to discover and observe the inextricable assemblage of the novel, native, and almost-native-at-this-point ecologies in our landscape. It is an opportunity to feel the alternative time and space of these inhabitants with curiosity.
There is a fee of €2200 for this programme.
50% payment is required upfront at registration however once it is determined that the student qualifies for HCI, NCAD will then issue a refund for the amount covered by the funding.
Students eligible for the Human Capital Initiative HCI Pillar 3 Micro-Credentials Subsidy are paying only €440 (see more below).
Apply via NCAD (application open after Easter)
Programme Contact
Gareth Kennedy, kennedyg@staff.ncad.ie
CFA coordinator Joanna Crawley crawleyj@staff.ncad.ie
Admissions Contact
postgraduate@ncad.ie
01 636 4200
Applicants to this course are eligible for Human Capital Initiative HCI Pillar 3 Micro-Credentials Subsidy funding. The subsidy for this course is 80% of the total course costs for eligible learners. Terms & Conditions apply.
HCI funding acceptance form is part of the NCAD registration survey for this programme.
Learners fill it out online in the MyNCAD portal AFTER they accept the offer.