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Cultural Heritage Studies Course
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Cultural and Heritage Studies
The award-winning Cultural and Heritage Studies programme at the National Print Museum is a City of Dublin ETB funded Local Training Initiative. Learners undertake a 50-week course as well as becoming tour guides at the Museum, and will gain a QQI Level 5 Common Award in Cultural and Heritage Studies.
Tour Guiding
Course learners will be trained to provide tours of the Museum, interpreting the collection for visitors of all ages. Read more about the Museum’s tour offerings here. Working as guides in the Museum, assisting at events and helping to preserve the collection, learners gain practical and theoretical experience in tourism, heritage, culture and museums in Ireland which they can use to develop and further their careers.
Modules
Modules include Local History, Archaeology, Heritage, Folklore, Appreciation of Irish Culture, Customer Service, Work Experience and Communications. Letterpress printing workshops are also included in the course, allowing learners to gain hands-on experience in the craft of printing, and learners pay weekly visits to cultural and heritage sites in Dublin and beyond. These modules provide the learner with a broad framework of knowledge in history, culture, heritage and printing which they apply practically throughout the course.
Work Experience
Three weeks of external work placement is included in the programme, where learners gain practical experience working in museums, heritage sites or tourist organisations throughout Dublin. Past placement locations have included Malahide Castle, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin City Library and Archives, National Museum of Ireland, Kilmainham Gaol, Casino at Marino and Marsh’s Library. These work placements and the skills gained from them can be invaluable in securing future job opportunities.
QQI Level 5 Common Award
The QQI Level 5 Common Award can be converted to CAO points. Many past learners have returned to third level education from the programme and attended Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, NUI Maynooth, and others. Learners have also gone on to tour guiding jobs including in 14 Henrietta Street, GPO Witness History, EPIC Ireland, OPW sites, National Gallery of Ireland, and IMMA, as well as to organisations such as Age Action Ireland, the Irish Georgian Society, the Botanic Gardens, and Trinity College Dublin to work in a variety fields such as library and archiving, customer service and tourism. Read the course blog.
How to Apply
The course starts at the end of September each year. For more information, please email the Course Coordinator at elizabethmccullagh@nationalprintmuseum.ie or ring the Museum on 01 6603770. You can also apply at your Local Employment Service office using the course code 463961 or at the link below.
