CFA@UCD has officially launched this new and important BA for Creative & Cultural Industries, that will bring essential, dynamic and practical skills for Ireland’s creative sector.

The BA Creative & Cultural Industries is a four-year BA in the Humanities programme, with its first intake in September 2022. This BA was created and is led by the School of Art History and Cultural Policy. It is supported by the Creative Futures Academy, a €10 million HEA-funded initiative for reimagining the future of creative education at UCD, NCAD, and IADT.

The BA Creative & Cultural Industries blends creative arts and humanities subjects with access to practical modules in areas such as innovation, production, digital technology, and management. The programme features contributions from a range of industry leaders, practitioners and mentors. Students can study abroad and/or undertake an internship in their third year. In addition to essay-writing, students will produce project-based work including podcasts, videos and digital storytelling. They will showcase their skills and vision in a final portfolio.

Moya Doherty said:

The importance of the new BA in Creative and Cultural Industries cannot be overstated. We are at a pivotal moment in our understanding of the place of creativity and the creative industries relative to the well-being of our economy, society and community. The anti-disciplinary nature of these industries provide an opportunity to create a curriculum where science offers experiment and examination, technology brings future possibility and, crucially, the arts bring meaning. This sector has the potential to transform the way in which we create and consume culture and I am excited to see the visionaries who might emerge from this degree in coming years.

UCD Associate Professor Emily Mark-FitzGerald, Head of Art History and Cultural Policy, said:

“We’re really excited to be offering a new undergraduate degree that’s unique in Ireland, combining the arts, humanities, information & communications technology, business, and law. It will bring together ambitious students with some of the brightest minds in Irish academia and leaders in the cultural sector. Now more than ever, we need fresh thinking to imagine new forms of cultural production and entrepreneurship. UCD and Dublin will be our students’ base for four years of experimentation and rigorous study: we’re here to help them think, dream, and plan for exciting careers in the visual arts, theatre, literature, music, festivals, film/TV, broadcasting, literature, digital platforms and media”.

Associate Professor PJ Mathews, School of English, Drama & Film and UCD Creative Futures Director, added:

“This new BA programme will allow students to develop their talents across the range of creative disciplines that UCD Arts and Humanities  has to offer. It will also guide them in how to activate their creativity with a focus on the kinds of skills that they will need to develop successful and impactful careers in the Creative Industries. Students will benefit from the facilities and industry partnerships being developed by the Creative Futures Academy.”

Louise Allen, Director, Creative Futures Academy, said

“The Creative Futures Academy is reshaping the way that aspiring artists and professional practitioners access higher education. UCD’s BA in Creative and Cultural Industries brings a new focus to bear on the practical tools needed to shape our cultural and creative sector for the 21st century. It will equip the next generation of artists with the skills and experiences they need to thrive, leading to significant growth across the creative and cultural sector”.

For more information visit https://creativeindustries.ucd.ie/