Cloud Computing and Software Development (PDip)

Course Overview

The MSc in Coastal and Marine Environments is directed at graduates from Geography, Natural Sciences and other related disciplines in the social and natural sciences, and at professionals in the field who are interested in furthering their knowledge of the field.

Coastal and marine environments are critical to local and national economies, support diverse habitats and communities, and provide a suite of ecosystem services. This field-intensive postgraduate programme examines emerging discourses surrounding the long-term health, use, and management of coastal and marine systems.
Through lectures, workshops, ship time, field work, and independent research, MSc students are challenged to:

• Develop competencies in principal biogeochemical processes and ocean circulation patterns, including the role of climate, which shape our coasts and marine environments;

• Gain experience in methodologies and data collection techniques through field-based research to describe coastal and marine systems as well as document their change over time;

• Critically analyse how coastal and marine systems function and are used by communities and economic sectors;

• Evaluate plans and policies that address the complex relationships between coastal and marine environments and communities;

• Assess how well policies and legislation work to ensure long-term ecosystem sustainability and mitigate negative impacts on coastal communities and economic sectors. 

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Course Outline

Programme Structure

Coastal and Marine Environments: Physical Processes, Policy and Practice is a full-time postgraduate MSc programme delivered over 3 semesters (12 months). It is directed at graduates from Geography, Natural Sciences and other related disciplines in the social and natural sciences, and at professionals in the field who are interested in furthering their knowledge of coastal and marine environments. A part-time option is available for mid-career EU residents with professional backgrounds and training. 

Modules (all 10 ECTS unless otherwise stated) 

Research Methods and Mapping (Dr Aaron Potito). This module outlines the principles of designing and implementing a research project: collecting representative data in the field; coding data and database construction; quantitative data analysis; and mapping and spatial data analysis within a Geographic Information System. The aim of the module is to instill in students the ability to collect primary and secondary data, analyse those data, draw conclusions, and present findings in a meaningful and professional manner. 

Coastal Processes and Landforms (Dr. Eugene Farrell). The purpose of this module is to provide a general introduction to the discipline of coastal geomorphology, a review of coastal environments and related problems, and a more detailed consideration of beach-dune systems. Specifically, this module will focus on identifying and understanding the complex relationships between the suite of physical processes actively shaping the coast. Emphasis is put on critical analyses of the process-landform models (e.g. sediment transfers; system equilibria) operating on different time scales (seconds to millenia). Other themes will examine how multi-disciplinary field based sciences are designed and used to inform future coastal management strategies. 

Reconstructing Marine Environments (Dr Audrey Morley). This module introduces the concept of using a multidisciplinary ecosystem approach to study the marine environment, incorporating key disciplines such as geomorphology, physical and chemical oceanography, and marine geosciences. Teaching focuses on the practical, cross-disciplinary skills involved in sample and data acquisition and processing, deployment and operation of equipment and instrumentation and analyses of these data. 

Biodiversity and Coastal Change (Dr Terry Morley). Coastal habitats are one of the most sensitive environments to climate change. This course aims to foster an interdisciplinary assessment and analysis of coastal biodiversity science and conservation within a context of global change. Students will learn techniques used to identify, monitor, and analyse biodiversity at multiple scales and ecosystems, and how to assess coastal habitat sensitivity to environmental change. Students will be exposed to current ecological methods, major threats to coastal environments, and the legislastive framework used to implement conservation and restoration in coastal ecosystems. The course will provide hands' on training in the R statistical programming language via DataCamp online data science education.  

Dynamics of Climate Change (Dr Gordon Bromley). This module explores the processes of low-latitude ocean-atmosphere heat transfer and the mechanisms by which local perturbations are transmitted globally. Students will be introduced to current concepts in tropical climate dynamics, physical records of past tropical change, and the ramifications of tropical instability for global climate. Emphasis will be placed on the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, which represents the dominant source of global climate variability on Earth today. Case studies will demonstrate the marine, terrestrial, and human aspects of the role of the tropical oceans in global climate. 

Marine Spatial Planning and Policy (Dr Liam M. Carr). This module critically explores how society has viewed and used coastal and marine environments throughout history, examines evolving views on how these systems have been valued, evaluates various policies and practices employed in its management, and identifies current and future issues that threaten coastal and marine system functionality and resilience. Students will be introduced to a range of tools used in managing coastal and marine environments, and will investigate policy and practice suitability at both single- and multi-sector levels. Special attention will be given to the suite of EU policies concerning coastal and marine systems, including the Habitats Directive, Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Water Framework Directive, Common Fisheries Policy, and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive. Governance policies will be critiqued and students will gain experience in understanding the role and impact of public outreach and media coverage. 

Dissertation (Independent Research Project; Advisor selected for project). This is a key module in the programme. It allows students to develop, organise and execute a research project based on independent research which will bring to the fore their critical analysis skills, their practical and applied skills and their ability to link classroom and real world challenges. The conducting of an independent research project is one of the foremost skills developed during a students academic career.

Curriculum Information

Course Overview

Taking the strengths from our previous ICT Skills Springboard+ conversion programme, the Higher Diploma in Software Design and Development , the School of Computer Science in University of Galway has developed a brand new replacement programme, the L9 Postgraduate Diploma in Cloud Computing and Software Development. This new programme has been carefully designed in conjunction with our 12 industry partners and in consultation with regional skills fora. The programme a fully online part-time course, designed to meet the challenges of reskilling and upskilling students in a modern economy where many applicants are working full-time and require flexible delivery options.

It is designed in tandem with industry to meet the growing skills shortage for software developers with a knowledge of Cloud infrastructures. It is a conversion course which means that it is open to applicants from non-computing backgrounds. They facilitate individuals wishing to change career, reskill or potentially upskill to improve their employment prospects. The minimum requirement is that students have a L8 undergraduate degree, L7 entrants can also apply but will need to demonstrate at least two years industry experience within the computing sector to be considered. In addition, both courses offer an 8 month internship in industry in semester two of year two, which effectively means that participants will be working full-time in industry after 18 months. The courses are fully online and part-time, meaning that applicants can maintain their existing full-time or part-time employment whilst taking the course. Student fees for the course are 90% funded by the Higher Education Authority meaning that successful applicants will only have to cover 10% of the fee which amounts to €772 in total.

This sector is experiencing rapid expansion at the moment, and there is a growing skills shortage for ICT graduate roles that these students are ideally suited to fill. The highly intensive programme is designed for those with little or no knowledge of software development, but we are particularly keen to receive applications from those who have had some exposure to coding and feel that this is something they potentially have a flare for. People with technical or strong numerical backgrounds often perform best in these types of programmes and we strongly encourage applicants who have strong logical reasoning or maths skills. This could be a strong maths result from their leaving cert or from certain modules in their undergraduate degree. This isnt essential, but often indicates a strong problem solving and logical skillset.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Course Outline

Course Description

The Postgraduate Diploma in Cloud Computing and Software Development provides the skills required in the digital age and has been designed to meet the challenges of reskilling and upskilling in a modern economy. Industry demand for graduates with cloud computing and software development skills is at an all-time high.  This course provides flexible delivery options to meet this need. It has been designed in consultation with start-up enterprises, SMEs and large multinationals to give you the expertise and knowledge required to progress your career. 

Course Content

This is a two-year part-time Springboard+ online programme with awards of 60 ECTS in total.

This course provides:

• A solid foundation in key computing knowledge, including extensive experience with programming languages such as, Java, Java Enterprise, JavaScript (NodeJS) all at the level expected by industry.
• A specialisation in cloud computing, enabling you to build critical knowledge of cloud application development, as well as cloud infrastructures and platforms such as Googles Firebase and Amazon Web Service.
• A structure for industry collaboration, which allows industry to influence the development and training of participants, through an upgraded 8-month internship programme.

Year 1:

Semester 1: 15 ECTS

• Cloud Web Application Development
• Algorithms and Data Structures 
• OO Programming 1 

Semester 2: 15 ECTS

• Enterprise Java Programming 
• Fundamentals of Cloud Computing 

Year 2:

Semester 3: 15 ECTS

• Cloud DevOps
• Database Systems 
• Architecture, Operating Systems & Networks

Semester 4: 15 ECTS

• Internship or group project: A large 8 month internship will be provided for those interested in gaining valuable work experience. Those who opt not to do the work placement can instead partake in a capstone group project supervised by an academic and potentially with an industry specified project.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Course Fees

Fees: EU

Fees: Tuition

Fees: Student levy

Fees: Non EU

Find out More

Postgraduate Applications

For most postgraduate courses (other than the Postgraduate Masters in Education), click here to make your application. Any courses not listed here have an alternate application instructions on their course page.

PME/MGO (Postgraduate Masters in Education)

Postgraduate Masters in Education applicants (PME/MGO) should apply through PAC.


How Do I Apply?

You can apply online for most postgraduate courses here. 

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements vary for each programme. Check individual programme webpages for specific requirements.

Application Instructions

You will need an active email account to use the website and you'll be guided through the system, step by step, until you complete the online form.

Folllow the application tips for how to apply advice.

Browse the FAQ's section for further guidance. 

Application Fee

The cost of applying is €35 and is a non-refundable application fee.

How Do I Submit My Supporting Documentation?

You must upload to your application electronically. You will be given instructions on this aspect once you submit your application.

You can see online in advance what supporting documents you're likely to be asked for. 

Instructions for Research Applications

Finding a Research Supervisor

Before making an online application, we advise that you first consult with potential academic supervisors at University of Galway. You must contact the research institute or centre that you're interested in studying at or working for. They will let you know who the available supervisors are, what their research interests are, and anything else you need to know. Our online portal 1 should also be of use.

The following links will direct you to the research areas within the university:

• Colleges & Schools
• Research Institutes, Centres, and Units

Timetable

Assessment Dates for Applications

Each postgraduate taught programme has an initial date indicating when applications should be submitted. For details on these dates, please check here.

Unsuccessful Applications

If your application has been unsuccessful, you can find out why by contacting the relevant Programme Director or College Office directly for more information.