University of Dublin

At Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin we provide a liberal environment where independence of thought is highly valued and all are encouraged to achieve their potential. We promote a diverse, interdisciplinary, inclusive environment which nurtures ground-breaking research, innovation, and creativity through engaging with issues of global significance. 

Located in a beautiful campus in the heart of Dublin’s city centre, Trinity is Ireland’s highest ranked university and one of the world’s top 100.  It is home to 17,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students across all the major disciplines in the arts and humanities, and in business, law, engineering, science, and health sciences.

Trinity’s tradition of independent intellectual inquiry has produced some of the world’s finest, most original minds including the writers Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett (Nobel laureate), the scientists William Rowan Hamilton and Ernest Walton (Nobel laureate), the political thinker Edmund Burke, and the former President of Ireland and UNHCR Mary Robinson. This tradition finds expression today in a campus culture of scholarship, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and dedication to societal reform.

• Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

  Arts Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) is at the centre of the university.   Much of our work is in two key buildings, the Arts Building and the Long Room Hub, located in the core of the College adjacent to Trinity’s world-famous Front Square and Old Library.

  Through its teaching and its research a modern university has many different roles.  To take just a few: it trains professionals, it generates useful knowledge, it prepares students for employment.  AHSS does all of these things.  Above all however, a university contributes to the maintenance and development of a truly civilised society.  For this, Arts Humanities and Social Sciences are crucial.

  The Faculty’s twelve Schools range from the School of Business to the School of Religions, Theology and Ecumenics.  Some of these schools in turn contain several disciplines and centres.  These academic disciplines are the basis of our work as teachers and researchers: many have been ranked in the top hundred or even the top fifty in the world.

  At an undergraduate level more than 4,500 students take courses offered by the Faculty, including the common entry BESSand TSM programmes.  Schools in the Faculty offer a range of postgraduate taught courses and have a strong commitment to the supervision of postgraduate researchstudents. The Faculty has also had long and valuable educational links with Associated Colleges of Education.

  Much of our research is the work of individual scholars, but teams of researchers are supported by our interdisciplinary research institutes such as the TCIN and the Long Room Hub.

  I hope that you will find this website a useful starting point to find out more about the activities of Schools in the Faculty.

  Darryl Jones
  Dean, Faculty of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

• Engineering, Mathematics and Science

  It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science website.

  The implementation of an earlier decision of the College to reorganise the academic structure of TCD, saw the formation of the Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics & Science in January 2008, facilitating new synergies in the delivery of education, while building on past achievements and established strengths.

  In keeping with the Mission of the College, the Faculty is committed to excellence in both research and teaching, to the enhancement of the learning experience of each of its students and to an inclusive College community with equality of access for all.

  With eight Schools, the Faculty offers world class teaching across a variety of exciting disciplines, including:

  Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Genetics, Geography, Geology, Immunology, Mathematics, Microbiology, Neuroscience, Physics, Physiology, Science, Statistics and Zoology.

  Research in the Faculty is of the highest standard, demonstrating top quality, innovative research through both academic and industrial collaboration. With national and international leaders, the Faculty is actively engaged in tackling some of the major challenges of today and tomorrow.

  As Dean of the Faculty, I look forward to highlighting our achievements and future successes.

  I hope that you will review these web pages and contact us with any questions.

  Professor Vinny Cahill

  Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science.

• Health Sciences

  Professor Mary McCarron, Dean

  The Faculty of Health Sciences is one of three faculties in Trinity College. Established in 2008, we were the first Faculty of Health Sciences in these islands and this concept is now being followed by other Irish Universities. We are health sciences precisely because health and health care are interdisciplinary and collaborative concerns. This interdisciplinary approach offers the potential to educate and train the full range of health care personnel in an integrated Faculty, facilitating our graduates’ transition to an interdisciplinary workforce, which is critical for optimal patient care.

  Every era of health and health care has had its challenges and the schools within our Faculty have been at the forefront of Ireland's responses to those challenges. The current era is dominated by budgets and cutbacks, so our schools strive to develop creative responses to health challenges, often by finding new ways to work smarter and deliver the best quality of care despite fewer resources. Solutions lie in looking beyond our individual disciplines, and in building interdisciplinary relationships that will make the difference.

  As a faculty we are about the highest quality of care being offered to each individual; about the pursuit of research to find new solutions to complex health concerns; about translating the results of research to improve bedside care, manage risk factors, prevent disease, ease convalescence and maintain quality of life; and about always seeing the individual as more than disease and symptoms. We stand up to meet health challenges and to contribute to the excellence and traditions of Trinity College Dublin and of the Schools of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Trinity College Dublin was created by royal charter in 1592, at which point Dublin Corporation provided a suitable site, the former Priory of All Hallows. Its foundation came at a time when many universities were being established across western Europe in the belief that they would give prestige to the state in which they were located and that their graduates, clergy for the most part, would perform a vital service as civil administrators. By the 1590s England had two long-established universities, each with an expanding group of colleges, and Scotland four. The idea of a university college for Ireland emerged at a time when the English state was strengthening its control over the kingdom and when Dublin was beginning to function as a capital city. The group of citizens, lay and clerical, who were main promoters of the scheme believed that the establishment of a university was an essential step in bringing Ireland into the mainstream of European learning and in strengthening the Protestant Reformation within the country.

The organisational design of the new institution was influenced by Oxford, Cambridge and continental precursors, but from the beginning it was an autonomous corporation governed by ‘provost and fellows’, committed to teaching and to scholarship, the first and (as it turned out) only college of the degree-awarding University of Dublin. The College site, lying some distance east of the small walled city, was far larger than the small community of fellows and students required, and the first brick buildings of the 1590s occupied only a small part of what is now Front Square. But from the beginning the College’s library was a priority, and the energy with which early Trinity scholars (notably Luke Challoner and James Ussher) assembled the initial collections of books marked Trinity out from other sixteenth-century foundations. Many of its early graduates, well grounded in philosophy and theology, proceeded to clerical ordination in the state church, the Anglican Church of Ireland.

Trinity is Ireland’s top ranked university, and the only Irish university in the world top 100 universities (QS World University Rankings 2013/14).

Trinity offers an exceptional educational experience centred on a research-inspired curriculum. Courses include many module options, opportunities to study
at leading universities worldwide, and the chance to become involved in our research activities.

Student Entertainment

University life is about so much more than just education and nowhere is this more evident than at Trinity College Dublin. The College sits in the heart of Dublin city where there is endless extra-curricular and recreational opportunities. At Trinity you can immerse yourself in a broad range of sports clubs and societies as well as a renowned student media environment. Through these activities you will get a real sense of the ‘Trinity Experience’, something that extends far beyond lectures, tutorials and exams. You will also have the benefit of the best students’ union in the country, providing Trinity students with a wide range of entertainment and services. While all elected representatives work tirelessly to make sure that your Trinity experience is enjoyable and productive, the students’ union officer which will have the greatest impact on you is the Entertainments officer. The Ents officer ensures that your entertainment needs are being fully catered for throughout your time in Trinity.

Freshers’ Week

Incoming Trinity students can expect to be greeted by the infamous Trinity Fresher’s week, filled with daytime and night- time entertainment giving you a real taste of what Trinity and the capital city has to offer. Previous Fresher’s weeks have seen such acts as Fake Blood, Calvin Harris and Two Door Cinema Club perform for the Fresher’s Ball. The Ents officer provides entertainment throughout the year including weekly nights out in Dublin’s best nightclubs, comedy nights, Ireland’s biggest mystery tour, as well as plenty of other events for you to enjoy.

Trinity Ball

The year is capped off with the most anticipated event on the Trinity events calendar, namely, the Trinity Ball. This is a night not to be missed, with the College transformed into a festival site for one night only and performances from internationally renowned artists such as Ellie Goulding, Bastille, Rizzle Kicks, Jessie J and Tinie Tempah performing in recent years.

The Pav

The Pavillion Bar, affectionately known as the Pav is one of the most important institutions that grace the grounds of Trinity. Sitting on the edge of the sports pitches, the Trinity student bar is the social hub of the College and offers a home to live music, big screens for the big games, and even just a meeting place before the night continues on to one of the many music venues and nightclubs located on the College’s doorstep. Whether you’re into a night of dance floor fillers, rock and roll, a bit of trad music, or a trip to one of the local cinemas or theatres, no other College offers such a diverse and easily accessible entertainment scene.

Of course Trinity’s entertainment goes much further than nightlife. The University is renowned for attracting some of the most interesting and famous guest speakers from around the world. Recent speakers have included celebrity, political, sporting and academic giants such as Bono, Al Pacino, Dana White (President of the UFC), John McCain, Helen Mirren, Nancy Pelosi, Rafa Benitez and Alex Ferguson to name but a few. Trinity clubs and societies ensure that your entertainment is not limited to the University’s campus with numerous trips around Ireland and across the continent, including the annual ski trip to one of the best resorts in Europe.

Orientation for new entrants

During your first week in College (Freshers’ Week), Trinity College offers a comprehensive orientation programme to new entrants.
The programme includes general orientation meetings, specific meetings for your course, library tours, sports tours, advice sessions about issues such as managing your finances, and a range of nights out – organised by clubs, societies and the Students’ Union.
Trinity College has a vast array of clubs and societies for you to join during Freshers’ Week. They are a fantastic way to make new friends and to get a feel for the sense of community here at Trinity College. Also be sure to look up the Students’ Union to find out what is happening throughout the year.

Personal tutor

All incoming undergraduates are assigned a personal tutor on entry. Your College Tutor will provide confidential information, help and advice during your time in Trinity on topics such as:

• Changing course
• Exam results
• Taking a year out
• Family problems
• Financial difficulties
• Illness, bereavement
• Appeals
• Disability

Peer mentoring programme

From the moment you arrive in College right the way through to your end of year exams Student2Student (S2S) is here to make sure your first year is fun, engaging and a great foundation for the rest of your time in Trinity. You’ll meet your Student 2 Student (S2S) mentors during Freshers’ Week (your first week in College) and they will make sure that you know other people in your course before your classes even start. They will keep in regular touch with you throughout your first year and invite you to events on and off campus. They will also give you useful information about your course and what to look out for.

Careers Advisory Service

Trinity graduates are highly sought after and employer events on campus cover the full spectrum of opportunities from commercial to not-for-profit. The Careers Advisory Service (CAS) offers a range of services and resources to assist students in preparing for, making, and implementing informed decisions about their future careers:

Group and one to one guidance to help with careerplanning including support after graduation. In the case of the class of 2011, 89% of graduates were working, studying or both six months after graduation.
Assistance with the search for internships, employment or further study options. The VACWORK programme offers students the opportunity to secure work experience during the summer before their final year.

College Health Service

The College Health Service provides GP services for students.

• Student consultations are free of charge with modest fees for additional services.
• There are specialised clinics in physiotherapy, psychiatry, travel health, sexual health and minor surgery.
• It also focuses on the psychological and occupational aspects of student health and health education.

Health care provision in Ireland

All EU students from outside the Republic of Ireland pursuing a full degree programme should contact the Health Service Executive for advice regarding healthcare provision – see www.hse.ie

• All EU students should bring with them a European Health Insurance Card issued in their country of origin.
• Non-EU students are not entitled to free national health services in Ireland, and are advised to take out insurance cover for hospitalisation or to extend private health insurance before leaving their home country.
• Students without private health insurance who will be resident in the country for a minimum period of one academic year may apply to the Health Service Executive to be assessed for entitlements. These entitlements are means tested by the HSE.

Student Counselling Service

The Student Counselling Service is staffed by qualified professional psychologists and psychotherapists. It provides a range of free services to TCD students including:

• Short-term individual counselling for personal and psychological issues, including a daily emergency slot and lunchtime drop-in consultations.
• Groups, e.g. for anxiety, depression, bereavement, mindfulness, and support for international students.
• Wellbeing workshops e.g. self-esteem, body image issues, and relaxation.
• The Online Mental Health Portal, a TCD web community for obtaining self help information and getting anonymous counselling support: https://mymindmatters.ie
• An after-hours Niteline telephone service run by students for students. Free-phone: 1 800 793 793, 7 nights per week during term-time, 9 pm-2.30 am.

Chaplaincy

The ecumenical Chaplaincy team work closely together and represent three of the main Christian traditions in Ireland: Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland (Anglican/ Episcopal) and Methodist.

• It is a place of hospitality for all members of the College community; students of all faiths, or none, are welcome.
• A variety of worship gatherings & events are organised during the year – traditional, and non-traditional Christian services (denominational and ecumenical) take place daily on campus during term time.
• During term time, tea and coffee are available all day in the Chaplaincy Common Room (House 27) and students are invited to call in for a free lunch on Tuesdays – come early, it’s always full!

Day nursery

Trinity College’s day nursery takes care of children from 3 months to 4.5 years of age. There are five different rooms for children of different age groups. 

Mature students officer

Trinity College recognises the unique contribution and commitment that mature students make to College academic and social life. A full-time mature student officer provides guidance and support to both prospective applicants and current mature students.
Supports include:

• One-to-one guidance and support for prospective mature applicants.
• Further Education College visits and shadowing opportunities.
• An information seminar on preparing for College for all successful mature applicants each July.
• A tailored week long orientation programme for mature student prior to the start of term in September.
• Student support drop-in clinics for registered mature students.

Access services

TAP (the Trinity Access Programmes) provide a range of supports and services through their Post-Entry Progression Programme. These supports are available to students who enter undergraduate programmes in TCD through the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR), Foundation Courses for Young Adults and Mature Students, and the CDVEC University Access Courses (in partnership with Pearse College, Plunkett College and Liberties College).

These supports include:

• A tailored week long pre-university orientation programme (the week before Freshers’ Week).
• Academic supports including extra tuition, a laptop lending service, a writing resource centre and maths help room, and the TAP studio – a designated study space equipped with IT resources.
• Social and personal supports – each Junior Freshman (first-year) student is linked to a member of the TAP staff, their TAP advisor. Advisors meet with students regularly and offer advice, guidance and support and assist students with any personal or academic issues. TAP also runs a number of social activities throughout
  the year for students.
• Financial support (when available and applicable) including a TAP scholarship, supported childcare scheme and the TAP emergency fund.

Disability Service

Trinity College Dublin is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in education and to ensuring that students with a disability have as complete and equitable access to all facets of College life as can reasonably be provided. Students with a disability are encouraged to register with the Disability Service to seek supports where the disability could affect their ability to participate fully in all aspects of the course.

Study at Trinityto realise your full potential

As Ireland's university on the world stage, Trinity is recognised for academic excellence and a transformative student experience. The historic campus is located in the heart of Dublin city centre at the meeting place of the retail and cultural districts. With a tradition of scholarship spanning more than four centuries, Trinity is home to talented and inquiring minds, a liberal education, and research conducted at the frontiers of disciplines.

• Constantina Maxwell Faculty Studentship
• Global Business (Bachelor in Business Studies) Scholarship