What Courses Can You Study at DCU and How Do You Find Them?

Updated

DCU offers both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and the university's website provides a course search tool that lets you filter by level. On the DCU homepage, the course finder has a dropdown for "Undergraduate or Postgraduate" (with an "Any" option) plus a "Find my course" search, alongside a link to a dedicated CAO Hub for undergraduate applications in Ireland. Use the search tool if you already know the level you want; use the CAO Hub if you are applying as an undergraduate through Ireland's Central Applications Office.

Course levels and how to search

DCU's site presents two main course levels:

  • Undergraduate courses — the entry route for school-leavers and others starting a first degree. The homepage links to a CAO Hub for this category, which is the relevant starting point for applicants applying through the CAO system.
  • Postgraduate courses — for study after a first degree. The site has a separate "Postgraduate at DCU" section.

The search interface works by selecting a level (Undergraduate, Postgraduate, or Any) and then using "Find my course" to search the catalogue. The homepage also links directly to "Search our Undergraduate Courses and Postgraduate Courses."

Step-by-step: finding a course

  1. Go to dcu.ie.
  2. In the course finder, choose Undergraduate, Postgraduate, or leave it on Any.
  3. Enter your subject or keyword and select Find my course.
  4. Review the results and open individual course pages for details.
  5. If you are an undergraduate applicant, go to the CAO Hub linked from the homepage for application information.

Expected result: a filtered list of courses at the level you selected, from which you can open specific programme pages.

Common sticking point: the level filter and the CAO Hub serve different purposes — the filter helps you browse; the CAO Hub is about how to apply as an undergraduate. Don't expect the general search to explain the application process.

Disciplines you can expect to find

The site's own examples of alumni and programmes point to a range of fields, including:

Field Example from DCU's site
Nursing Nursing (Intellectual Disability)
Teaching Professional Master of Education (Primary Teaching)
Electronic and computer technology MSc in Electronic & Computer Technology

These are illustrative of the breadth on offer rather than a complete list; the course search is the reliable way to confirm whether a specific programme exists and at which level.

Practical points before you search

  • Work placement is common at undergraduate level. DCU states that 90% of its undergraduate courses include INTRA — paid, relevant work experience or work placement. If placement matters to you, check the individual course page rather than assuming every programme includes it.
  • The student body is international. DCU reports 123 different nationalities represented, which is useful context if you are considering moving to Ireland to study.
  • Graduate outcomes are published. DCU cites the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024 in reporting that 93% of recent graduates are in employment or further education nine months after graduation.

Choosing between undergraduate and postgraduate search

  • Choose the undergraduate route if you are applying for a first degree and will go through the CAO; start at the CAO Hub.
  • Choose the postgraduate route if you already hold a degree and are looking for a master's or other advanced programme; use the postgraduate section and the level filter.
  • Use "Any" when you are unsure which level a subject is offered at, then narrow down from the results.

The site does not publish course fees or entry requirements in the material available here, so confirm those on the individual course pages or with DCU directly before relying on them.