Ceramics, Glass and Craft Design

This making-led degree puts you at the wheel, kiln and glassblowing bench from your first year, developing technical mastery in ceramic processes — handbuilding, throwing, glazing and firing — alongside glass techniques such as blowing, casting and fusing. You explore design principles, art history, material science and the cultural contexts of craft, gaining a rounded understanding of how objects communicate meaning. Studio time dominates your week: you might spend mornings throwing porcelain vessels, afternoons experimenting with glaze chemistry, and evenings developing sketchbooks and project proposals. Many programmes include workshop placements with established craft studios, residencies at Irish craft centres, or Erasmus exchanges with specialist European craft schools. By graduation you will have built a professional portfolio and a working knowledge of running a craft practice.

Entry is typically through the CAO on the basis of Leaving Certificate results; most programmes require at least six subjects including English and Maths at Ordinary level or above. A portfolio of creative or studio work is almost always required and carries significant weight in the selection process alongside your points. Points for NCAD programmes tend to be moderate to high given demand, while ATU routes may be somewhat more accessible. Art, Design & Communication Graphics, and other creative Leaving Cert subjects strengthen your application, though they are rarely mandatory. If you do not meet entry requirements directly, a QQI Level 5 or 6 FET/PLC award in Art & Design from a College of Further Education provides a recognised progression pathway. Mature applicants aged 23 or over may apply through the mature-student CAO route, and HEAR and DARE access schemes are available for eligible students.

Demand for skilled craft practitioners in Ireland is modest but steady, with growing public interest in handmade, sustainable and locally produced objects supporting a viable market for studio work. Self-employment and portfolio careers are the norm rather than the exception, and graduates who develop strong business and marketing skills alongside their making practice fare best. Salaries in the early career stage are variable; self-employed studio potters and glass artists may earn between €18,000 and €35,000 gross annually, rising with reputation, commissions and teaching income. Craft graduates who move into art education, design consultancy or heritage roles can achieve more stable earnings in the range of €30,000 to €50,000 per year.