Independent College Dublin

minty16

Has anybody done an evening Diploma here? I have been to University (a couple of times!) and never lasted a wet week, was wondering if there was any progression routes from this type of course, or if the Diploma itself which is awarded through The Institute of Commercial Management is worth anything on its own. I am particularly interested in Journalism/Sports Journalism but it would be good to get some feedback before I looked into financing something like this!
Any help would be appreciated, Thanks.

onewhogroks

Hey

I did the masters in journalism at Independent Colleges. I came from a hospitality background and found it a good course to get me out of the mind set of being a chef and into that of a journalist. It did drag on near the end, but it covered everything I needed to know while I have no complaints about the quality of the lecturers either. Janice, the course director, was really helpful too.

I am not sure about the diploma, but the college has great placements opportunities and contacts (being owned by Independent News and Media helps).

For my placement, I was put on the sports desk for the Irish Independent where I mainly shadowed other journalists. I learnt a lot and even got a couple of school boy rugby and soccer match reports published. Unfortunately, I had no intention of being a sports journalist, but it still looks good on the auld CV.

Getting a job in journalism is not necessarily down to any qualification, but being able to show you have some experience and initiative to get a job (I organised my own internship at the local paper while at college). Overall, the Journalism department at Independent Colleges helped me prepare to be a journalist and then gave me contacts for people who I am now employed with.

Anyway hope that helps

narfsnonsense

I did an evening diploma in Project Management a couple of years back. My head was wrecked as Id turn up to where the class was supposed to be on and the building would be locked with the whole class, and even the teacher standing outside. Also one of the buildings we were in (Baggot Street) was bloody freezing. They may have got their act together since then though.

Course wise, it was too easy. Kind of felt like I had bought a diploma at the end of it to be honest. Glad I did well, but would have preferred to have had to work a bit harder for it.