The first steps to education courses aim to provide learners with the skills and confidence in the important areas of literacy and numeracy. The courses are designed to support you and make you feel empowered to learn and to progress at your own pace. This programme is targeted at early school leavers and people new to English and Irish languages.

First Year Studies at NCAD gives you the solid foundation that you require for entry into the variety of creative paths of study offered by the college. First Year Studies is a common entry course that leads our students to studying any one of the fourteen different studio specialisms available in NCAD

The School of Fine Art, Paint, Print, Sculpture , Media, Textile Art & Artefact and Ceramics & Glass ( Applied Hard Materials) ; and in the School of Design, Graphics, Illustration, Moving Image Design, Fashion Design, Textile Surface Design, Jewellery & Objects, Product Design and Interaction Design.

All these specialisms can also be studied as a Joint Honours Degree with Education or as a Studio specialism with Visual Culture.

During the Food & Agribusiness Management degree, you’ll learn how the principles of economics and business management apply to farming, food production and marketing. You’ll gain an understanding of how the Irish and international food systems deliver food products and services that people want, and how farmers and food manufacturers can produce profitably, while also taking care of the natural environment.

The four-year degree provides a unique opportunity to understand both business and science, focusing on the agri-food sector – Ireland’s largest indigenous industry. You will learn skills that can be used across a wide range of jobs both within and outside the agri-food sector.

This is not a CAO entry course - course fees may be required - apply directly to the college.

This is a 'study first' and work Apprenticeship opportunity at Loughry Campus. The Food and Drink Academy offers you one academic year of student life, before three subsequent years of a combination of work and study. On the job training and the payment of a salary will be on-going throughout the duration of the four year Food and Drink Academy.

Food and nutrition are an integral part healthy living and food has a profound influence on health, helping to decrease the risk of many serious diseases. The food industry aims to satisfy the needs of the consumer by providing safe, tasty, inexpensive, convenient, nutritious and healthy foods that are available all year round.

The BSc (Hons) Food and Nutrition programme embraces a range of subjects including sciences, business and consumer marketing and consumer behaviour. Our graduates have expertise in nutrition science and can use this expertise to shape the future of nutrition in the food industry, government or research environments.

All aspects of the programme are intrinsically linked to the food industry, which is rapidly expanding and changing its future focus to meet consumer demands and expectations. This programme is designed to provide learners with a holistic comprehension of the food industry. With subjects covering food and food science underpinned by sustainability, new and future technology, analytics, management, and leadership, graduates will become leaders in food business. Learners will also develop a professional network through work-based learning, thus gaining valuable experience by applying their theoretical knowledge in practice.

Understanding the role of the consumer and the importance of meeting consumer demands within today's marketplace is the central focus within this exciting and challenging programme of study.

The content is designed to develop your knowledge on the pivotal role the consumer plays in the design, development, management, marketing and retailing of products and services. It addresses the processes and key issues involved in helping consumers make informed choices about the products and services they buy and use.

Our Food Business with Chinese Studies programme prepares graduates with the skills urgently required by the Irish food industry to succeed in the changing market landscape. With Brexit and the uncertainty surrounding the UK market, it is critical for the industry to expand exports to emerging markets, particularly China. This requires improved foreign language capability, which we provide through a combination of fundamental food science and food business management modules, and language, cultural, and target market-oriented courses. In third year, students study at Renmin University of China, taking Chinese language courses and other relevant modules, while experiencing the diverse culture and vibrant economic growth of China.

The Honours Degree in Food Innovation Management, with pathways in Nutrition and Technology is validated by Ulster University. Students select the pathway they wish to study at the end of the first year of the course. The course aims to create well-motivated new entrants to the competitive global food industry. Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to apply food science, technology and nutrition to manage product and process innovations and to manufacture safe and nutritious food products that meet consumer demand.

BSc (Hons) Food Marketing & Entrepreneurship offers a unique combination of business and science, providing graduates with the skills to work in an exciting, fast-paced industry. During Years 1-3 you will study various modules across a range of disciplines including Food Business, Marketing, Food Policy, Management, Economics, Microbiology, Accounting, Law, and Nutrition.