Course Summary
NIBRT and ATU Sligo have aligned to provide short, accredited certificate courses focussed on upskilling students on the key competencies required for biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
College Link
Career Sectors
This course prepares you for working in the Career Sectors below. Follow the links to get a fuller understanding of the sectors you are preparing for.
Entry Requirements
To qualify for entry onto this programme a standard applicant must hold a prior Level 6 qualification in a cognate area (typically Science or Engineering) or equivalent qualification. Applicants who may not have the aforementioned qualifications but who may have relevant industrial experience (typically 5 years duration in a GMP environment) may apply for consideration through the ATU Sligo RPL (Recognised Prior Learning) process.
Application Details
This course has closed for applications for September 2026.
Flexible learning courses are popular, and they fill on a first come, first served basis. There are two major intake periods throughout the academic year, September and January.
For January start courses, applications typically open in October, and for September start courses, applications typically open in February. Closing dates for applications are listed on the individual course webpage.
Start Date: September 2026.
Fees
Total Fees: €6,000
The Student
Career Interests
This course is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests. If these interests do not describe you, this course may prepare you for work you may not find satisfying.
Investigative
The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.
Career Progression
Graduates from the Certificate in Biopharmaceutical Processing are ideally positioned to contribute to the Biopharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Medical Diagnostics, Medical Device and Pharmaceutical sectors.
According to the NIBRT annual report 2021, “The global sales of biologics exceeded $300 billion in 2021 with 13 of the top 20 medicines being biologics. From an Irish perspective, the biopharma manufacturing sector enjoyed very strong growth. IDA Irelands annual results for 2021 showed the highest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) employment level ever (275,384 employees) with the highest employment creation figures ever in a single year despite the continued impact of Covid-19. Underpinning these results was a strong series of announcements in the biopharma manufacturing sector. Access to a diverse talent pool with a broad range of multi-disciplinary skills will be a key determinant of future success. In 2021, the Financial Times working with Cytiva published the inaugural Global Biopharma Resilience Index . Based on data from a survey of 1,165 biopharma executives from 20 countries, access to talent was identified as the primary weakness in the resilience of the global biopharma industry.”
We have consulted extensively with biopharmaceutical employers located both regionally and nationally to determine the types of skills and training needs required for this sector and all have indicated that there are skills shortages emerging in certain areas and occupations. A highly skilled pool of graduates will be needed to fill these roles and this course addresses this area.
Progression
This self-contained minor award enables learners to exit with a Certificate or progress to complete a full level 7 degree in Biopharmaceutical Science.
Duration
Recommended Study Hours per week
Our online courses have about 3 hours of live lectures per week (but this can vary per programme). Live lectures normally take place between 6pm and 10pm, Monday to Thursday but this may vary depending on the availability of specific lecturers. The recommended study time for a 5 credit module is 5 to 6 hours each week. This includes lectures, independent learning and revision.
On-Campus Attendance Requirement
Students are required to attend NIBRT for two days practical training per semester for the Cell Culture and the Protein Purification modules.