Professional Certificate Course

Professional Certificate in Digital Methods and Data Literacy

(NFQ Level 8) 2021

This Professional Certificate offers a unique opportunity students to enhance their digital competence and build their capacity to interpret data. The aim of this course is to enhance the skills and career prospects of recent graduates in non-STEM subjects by equipping them with strong digital skills, the capacity to critically evaluate digital media resources and to work with data relevant to their academic discipline and beyond. Students will benefit from a range of practical workshops and talks by experts in humanities and computer science. No prior IT training is required. Participants will develop a digital portfolio and a project which can be used to showcase the skills developed. 

Core topics include

  • Working with Data
  • Digital Storytelling
  • Digital Mapping
  • Podcast Production
  • Social Network Analysis
  • Digital Exhibitions

Applications for this course are now closed.

This initiative is generously supported and funded by the National Forum for Strategic Enhancement in Teaching and Learning and the Higher Education Authority and full bursaries to cover fees are available. 

We would ask applicants, please do not pay fees when submitting an application. Once successful candidates have been notified and admitted to the course, the fees bursary will automatically be applied and will cover the course fees.

Key Course Objectives

  • Enhanced digital competence, including introductions to digital storytelling (eg. blogging, podcasting).
  • Ability to understand and produce basic data visualisations, basic machine learning and digital tools.
  • Ability to practically apply knowledge gained during the course to complete digital assignments and use digital tools to research and create an individual digital project. 
  • Basic project planning, time-management and realistic goal-setting to achieve project outcomes. Students will create an individual digital project, manage its development, evaluate resource materials and identify and use appropriate tools to deliver it.
  • Recognize and use appropriate copyright citation and licensing for newly created digital projects/works.
  • Learn digital communication strategies appropriate to a given work environment and the ability to communicate research effectively.
  • Strengthen skills in online research, study and writing.
  • Strengthen your capacity to work independently and collaborate with peers and mentors and gain experience and skills as part of creating your digital project.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the criteria for applying to this course? We would like to invite recent graduates to apply who have finished their degrees but are not currently enrolled in a full time capacity in another programme.
  2. I am a full time student registered in a current programme, can I apply for this course? If you are a full time student (currently registered in a full time degree/M.A. programme), the time commitment required to complete the modules on this course is not compatible with full time study. However, we will be launching a new postgraduate certificate in Digital Methods and Data Literacy in the next academic year for which you can apply.
  3. How can I apply for a bursary to cover the course fees? Please submit your application by following the link indicated above. Once applications have been assessed, successful candidates will be notified and admitted to the course. Once they have been admitted, the bursary will be automatically applied to cover the course fees.

Student Projects Showcase

The following student projects showcase the full range of techniques and methods demonstrated during the 2021 Digital Methods and Data Literacy Professional Certificate course, and are a testament to their originality and diverse interests as well as their ability to implement new skills.

  • A Stone’s Throw from Kevin Street – Chris Nugent
    Chris Nugent’s project, A Stone’s Throw From Kevin Street, provides a variety of local history resources on the subject of Dublin’s historic Kevin Street area, featuring articles, photography, video, maps, and a variety of educational resources.
  • About a Book – Jade O’ Connell Carroll
    Podcaster Jade Connell Carroll recorded an episode for the podcast AboutABook, incorporating original research and an interview, on the subject of fairy mythology and literature.
  • Lockdown Librarian – Margaret Curley
    Margaret Curley’s project, Lockdown Librarian, focuses on the WWII bombing of Dublin’s North Strand, and includes an interactive map of the affected locations, as well as a 3D scan of an incendiary device which was dropped during the bombing, and which is now in the collection of the Charleville Mall Library.” https://lockdownlibrarian.wordpress.com/
  • The Wanderer’s Afterlife – Julie Altemueller
    Julie Altemuller’s project is an annotated digital edition of the old English poem “The Wanderer ” which explores its different incarnations and its impact on modern literature. https://thewanderersafterlife.wordpress.com/