Screen Ireland
Unlocking Potential: A new degree for Ireland's Screen Industry
The challenge of success in a booming industry
The Irish screen sector has seen rapid expansion and significant international success, evidenced by numerous awards for Irish talent. Five years ago, Ireland might have had three productions shooting simultaneously with 150 crew members each; today, that number has surged to over 25 productions with the same crew size, demonstrating remarkable growth. Ireland has a strong international reputation for its high-standard crews and industry professionals.
However, this rapid growth has created a unique problem: the industry's expansion has outpaced the development of accredited academic qualifications for its professionals. Consequently, many highly experienced senior professionals lack formal third-level qualifications. Dr. Mary Ann Bolger, Head of Media Arts at the School of Media at TU Dublin, explains that these individuals, often having entered the industry directly from school or with a higher national diploma, are professionally adept but lack formal degrees. While many entered the industry at a time when no such qualifications were available, the landscape has changed in recent years and career advancement opportunities increasingly require them. The absence of formal qualifications has hindered career progression for many, as recent changes in the industry increasingly require such credentials for advancement.
A Tailored Solution: Recognition of Prior Learning
To address this, Screen Ireland partnered with the TU Dublin Enterprise Academy to find a solution that would offer experienced industry professionals a Level 8 bachelor’s degree, while taking into consideration the unique circumstances of the learners involved and accommodating their demanding schedules. TU Dublin found a ready-made answer in Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is a higher education assessment process that allows enterprises and individuals within them to upskill, boosting everything from competitiveness and productivity to innovation. RPL enables individuals who may not meet traditional entry criteria to access educational courses, gain exemptions from certain modules, or enter programmes at an advanced level. It allows employees to come back to education in a way that recognises what they already know, either through work, life experience, or previous training – and gives them academic credit for it.
Developing the BA (Hons) in Screen Industry Practice
Hugh McAtamney, Senior Engagement Manager for Creative and Cultural Sectors with the Enterprise Academy, notes that TU Dublin's relationship with the screen industry is long-standing, having previously developed programmes like ‘Passport to Production’ and the ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Producing’.
“TU Dublin has developed several programmes in collaboration with the Screen Industry including the ‘Passport to Production’ training and placement programme and the ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Producing’. We are always looking for opportunities to support skills and talent development in the screen sector.”
Hugh McAtamney, Senior Engagement Manager at the Enterprise Academy, TU Dublin
This collaboration led to a three-year process culminating in the creation of the TU Dublin BA (Hons) in Screen Industry Practice. Developed by the Enterprise Academy and TU Dublin's School of Media in partnership with Screen Ireland and supported by the Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, this new degree programme targets established screen industry professionals with more than seven years’ experience and proven competence.
Emer MacAvin, Head of Skills & Professional Development at Screen Ireland commended the Enterprise Academy and the School of Media for their strong industry relationships and expertise in developing the programme. She acknowledged the challenges of such a large-scale undertaking but affirmed its worth, citing the extensive development, co-design, and co-creation involved.
“The Enterprise Academy and the School of Media have strong relationships with the Screen Industry. TU Dublin has the expertise to develop the programme and had regular engagement with the stakeholders. Developing at that scale and considering the impact for the industry, it was always going to be challenging. It took a lot of collaboration, co-design and co-creation but it has been worth it.”
Emer MacAvin, Head of Skills & Professional Development at Screen Ireland
Responding to Industry Needs Through Research and Consultation
Industry surveys were crucial to the development process. Initial discussions considered a Level 9 programme, but feedback from potential learners clearly indicated a desire for a degree for parity with their trainees and peers. Research revealed that 30% of industry professionals lack formal qualifications, a significant number, some with 30 to 40 years of experience.
The degree programme's RPL foundation allows learners to effectively bypass the first three years and complete the final year on a part-time basis over 18 months. The RPL assessment involved mapping Screen Ireland's Competency Framework, developed in partnership with the Screen Guilds of Ireland, against TU Dublin's quality assurance framework to determine the learners' National Qualifications Framework level.
Emer MacAvin, Head of Skills & Professional Development at Screen Ireland highlights that the Screen Guilds of Ireland, representing a vast membership of crew roles, along with Screen Ireland's expertise, significantly strengthened the competency framework, forming the programme's foundation.
“The Screen Guilds of Ireland represent all the crew roles and have a huge membership base including the technicians who work in the industry, all the below the line crew, all the people involved in a production. They understand the talent needs. Our expertise in skills development, gained through years of work in national training bodies and now at TU Dublin, has significantly strengthened the competency framework, which forms the foundation of the new degree programme.”
Emer MacAvin, Head of Skills & Professional Development at Screen Ireland
That solid foundation was crucial. Dr. Bolger emphasised the ‘translation’ aspect of the process: converting work-based learning into academic language and explaining academic expectations to industry professionals, while also explaining industry standards to university colleagues.
“We knew that the competency framework was robust enough for us to be able to build recognition of prior learning platform.” says Bolger. “If people had reached a particular level on the competency framework, we were confident that they would be able to demonstrate that they were at least at Level 7.” Level 7, or Ordinary Bachelor Degree, is normally awarded after completion of an accredited programme of three years’ duration (180 ECTS credits) in a recognised higher education institution.
“Through RPL, we are translating work-based learning into the language of academia and translating for the potential learners how academia explains itself and how it describes learning. Working with our colleagues in quality assurance in TU Dublin we help explain how the industry judges learning and what its expectations are”, Bolger continues.
Focusing on advanced accreditation
The BA (Hons) in Screen Industry Practice programme was designed to elevate individuals with demonstrated Level 7 competence to Level 8 within a year. Since applicants already possess strong technical and industry skills, the curriculum focuses on developing "Level 8-ness" transferable skills expected of all BA graduates. These include critical thinking, analytical skills, familiarity with academic conventions, essay writing, presentation skills, and critical reading. Bolger notes that while industry professionals apply these skills daily (e.g., breaking down a script as critical reading), they may not recognise them as such in an academic context.
The co-creation process for the course design took about three years. Bolger describes it as a productive process built on prior experience with advanced producer programmes and modules. The Screen Guilds of Ireland were instrumental, serving as “sounding boards" and providing positive feedback that helped demystify the academic approach. The university focuses on providing its strengths, such as reflective practice, rather than teaching technical skills like lighting or camerawork.
Validation and Future Impact
The programme underwent a successful validation process in July 2024, receiving a commendation. TU Dublin ensured the rigor of the RPL process and application, inviting an external expert in RPL to a validation panel. The panel also provided valuable insights into potential roadblocks in areas like timetabling and student registration.
Significantly, the validation panel indicated that this model could be applied to other disciplines. Bolger confirms that only two modules are exclusively for the screen industries, meaning they could easily be replaced with modules for music or drama, making it a transferable model across creative industries.
The application process requires a portfolio of case studies and evidence of work and industry experience, going beyond a simple CV. Recognising that applicants might need assistance with academic applications, a short certificate-level module was designed to help them prepare their portfolios. The Screen Industry Portfolio Preparation module (Level 6 – 5 ECTs) provides structured guidance and gives applicants an idea of what a university course entails. Twenty people completed this module, all of whom subsequently applied for the BA programme, which began in March 2025.
“We understood that the learners have no experience of academia and may need assistance with their applications. That’s why we designed a short certificate level module to help them prepare their portfolio. The module helps learners prepare their portfolio providing very structured guidance and advice and an understanding of what a university course will be like so that they can decide if it really is for them.”
Dr. Mary Ann Bolger, Head of Media Arts at the School of Media at TU Dublin
Graham Bird, owner of Reel Creations, a model-making firm with decades of experience in film and TV, is part of the first cohort. He anticipates immense value from the diverse perspectives within the group, which includes producers, writers, directors, other model makers doing different tasks, and editors - a side of the industry he rarely interacts with.
TU Dublin also benefits from these experienced professionals gaining degrees. The programme addresses the opportunity for experienced guest lecturers in film and broadcasting programmes. TU Dublin also aims to leverage RPL to support talent development in other creative sectors.
