CORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
When is its open day?
November 20th at Bishopstown campus and CIT Crawford College of Art & Design, 10am-4pm.
Life on campus
Spread over four campuses, CIT has been voted institute of technology of the year. The Bishopstown campus is the IT's main hub of student life: it's where the student centre is based, along with shops, restaurants, sports facilities and a bank. There are plenty of social opportunities to be enjoyed in the city that has twice been listed in the top 10 to visit by Lonely Planet. There's a lot happening on the campuses, too, with more than 80 clubs and societies. Tech and internet societies are strong in CIT, but there are other options, from athletics and GAA to dance and drama and the urban art society.
Strengths
CIT's Crawford College of Art and Design and its school of music ensure it stands out in cultural fields. CIT also offers a range of humanities, business and science courses, and there's a strong jobs focus for students on these programmes. The facilities at CIT include its award-winning library and IT building and world-class laboratories. It also has innovation and research centres for medical engineering, manufacturing and a business incubation centre.
What's new
As of September CIT's undergraduate degree in chemical and biopharmaceutical engineering is accredited at master's level for five years.
Accommodation
There is no on-campus student accommodation, but you'll find that there are several private purpose-built student accommodation centres near the college.
Don't miss
The careers exhibition and a series of information sessions, workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions of student work and laboratory visits in numerous departments on the various campuses.
More information
cit.ie/openday
DUBLIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
When is its open day?
December 4th and 5th, 9am-3pm, at the Aungier Street campus.
Life on campus
DIT is currently spread over six campuses around Dublin city, but from next September more than 50 per cent of its courses will move to Grangegorman, on the northside of the city. A cluster of listed 19th-century buildings have been refurbished, giving the campus an old-meets-new feel, with a host of sports and education facilities. As the other campuses are either in or close to the city centre, there are plenty of options for a busy social life, especially considering that there are more than 100 clubs and societies to join.
Strengths
DIT ranked in the Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 league table again this year. It offers a huge variety of programmes, from music to marketing, and from engineering to forensic science. It is particularly well known for its culinary arts, architecture, construction and optometry, and is gaining an increasing reputation for gaming. All of its programmes are career-focused, and there's an emphasis on putting theory into practice.
What's new
A new course in business analytics and games design started this year, and a new culinary-science degree will start next September. The Greenway Hub at Grangegorman will open in January and will accommodate researchers in the environmental sustainability and health institute with state-of-the-art laboratories and seminar rooms.
Accommodation
DIT has no campus accommodation but works with private providers to source housing. As with other Dublin colleges, it has been more difficult to find accommodation in recent years.
Don't miss
Each school will have a stand where you can meet current students and learn about their experience of life and learning at DIT. Scientists will demonstrate experiments, engineers their formula cars, while student societies such as the DJ Society and the Juggling Society will keep the energy charged.
More information
dit.ie/openday.
WATERFORD INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
When is its open day?
December 8th, 10am-2pm.
Life on campus
On the doorstep of beautiful beaches and mountains, WIT is a 20-minute bus ride from a city that offers nightlife, theatre, art, music and shopping. There are festivals throughout the year, including Imagine Arts Festival, New Music Festival and Winterval. On campus, sport plays a big role, with WIT's GAA teams particularly strong in intervarsity competitions. With buses each hour from the campus to Tramore, water sports such as sailing, swimming and kite surfing are also easily accessed. There are more than 30 societies on campus, including academic, cultural and political societies. The SU runs events throughout the year, including race nights, fight nights, comedians, quizzes, gigs, inflatable games and a Raise and Give week.
Strengths
WIT's small classes are a distinct benefit to its students, who can get more individual attention and build a good rapport with lecturers. The institute is also very strong on research and is quickly establishing an international reputation in a number of areas of research, such as telecommunications software, pharmaceutical and molecular biotechnology and eco-innovation.
What's new
Extra computers, new labs and teaching spaces opened up this year, and a new course, on the "internet of things", will train students to connect people, places and things with the next wave of connected devices.
Accommodation
Accommodation is on a first-come first-served basis at Waterford Institute of Technology, and there is no shortage of off-campus accommodation.
Don't miss
Information sessions throughout the day from the institute's departments. You'll have the chance to meet staff and students to have all your questions answered and get in-depth information about programmes.
More information
wit.ie/decemberopenday.
GALWAY-MAYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
When is its open day?
There will be seven open days at four GMIT locations between November 13th and March 2nd. See gmit.ie/general/open-day.
Life on campus
GMIT's 8,000 students are spread across five campuses: two in Galway city; one each in Letterfrack and Mountbellew, in Co Galway; and one in Castlebar, in Co Mayo. Galway city and Castlebar offer more bustle and social opportunities than the breathtaking wilds of Letterfrack, in Connemara, but there is always life and a bit of craic to be had. There are 80 clubs and societies, with an eclectic mix of politics, swing dance, robotics, GAA and the living-history society.
Strengths
GMIT offers a range of courses across disciplines but has been synonymous with furniture design since 1987. It's also where future woodworking, design and technical graphics teachers come to train. There's a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship, and GMIT has funded its own graduate entrepreneurship programme, providing mentoring and training to recent graduates in early-stage start-ups.
What's new
Seven courses started this year, including computing in software development, business with entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, finance and economics, and contemporary art. Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology has also removed its portfolio assessment for art and design applicants this year.
Accommodation
There's no on-campus accommodation, but there are a number of purpose-built student villages near the GMIT Galway and Mayo campuses.
Don't miss
Along with tours and talks there's also a Smart Careers Zone, where students can meet a range of professionals, including engineers, artists, designers, accountants, hotel managers, marketers and scientists.
More information
gmit.ie/openday
OTHER INSTITUTES OF TECHNOLOGY
There are a number of other institutes of technology offering courses across a broad range of disciplines. Their open days offer the chance to get more information on courses and speak to lecturers and current students.
ATHLONE IT
When is its open day?
November 13th, 10am-2pm, November 14th, 10am-1pm, April 9th. Offers courses across 13 areas, including hospitality and tourism, nursing, computing, business, and graphic and design. Its sports management and sports science are particularly strong, and AIT has just been awarded more than € 150,000 to buy state-of-the-art equipment for the recovery and rehabilitation facility in the AIT International Arena Gym; ait.ie.
LIMERICK IT
The open day is over, but information on courses is at lit.ie. Spread across five campuses in Limerick and Tipperary, LIT offers art and design, fashion, engineering, technology and applied science and business, and humanities. It has close links to a broad range of industries, with 80 per cent of its graduates going directly into paid employment.
IT SLIGO
When?
April 23rd, 11am-2pm IT Sligo offers a variety of courses across its schools in business and social science, engineering and design and science. Students benefit from small classes and ongoing investment in student facilities and research laboratories. The IT has been a busy spot over the past year, hosting a visit from Prince Charles, a Yeats festival and Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann; itsligo.ie.
IT TALLAGHT
When?
November 12th, 10am-6pm. IT Tallaght has just opened a new premises to cater for its growing number of students. Internships and work placements are a key focus for the college, which offers computing, engineering, accountancy, marketing, science, hospitality and social-care courses; it-tallaght.ie.
IT TRALEE
When? November 14th, 9.30am-1.30pm
IT Tralee's students make up about 15 per cent of the Kerry town's population, making it a hive of student activity and creativity. There's a range of courses across its schools of business, computing and humanities, science, technology, engineering and mathematics and health and social science; ittralee.ie.
IT BLANCHARDSTOWN
When? November 24th, 10am-1pm
Opened in 1999, ITB offers programmes in horticulture, engineering, computing and business. It also offers apprenticeship training in plumbing and electrical trades; itb.ie.
LETTERKENNY IT
When? November 20th, 9.30am-3.30 pm
Letterkenny IT offers courses across 10 departments, including law, gastronomy and culinary arts, civil engineering and construction; lyit.ie.
You can get more information about, and dates for, college open days at qualifax.ie and careersportal.ie
