Academic Affairs, Trinity Teaching and Learning

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FAQ - Essential information for proposers

New course proposals are developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders who assist the proposer in evaluating the viability of the programme, including its academic content, staffing requirements, projected student numbers, and financial sustainability. Academic Affairs works with the proposer throughout the entire process, from initial concept to final approval. 

The proposal must first be approved by the School Executive and the Faculty. It is then considered by:

  • Dean of Graduate Studies
  • Graduate Studies Committee
  • External Reviewer
  • University Council 
     

 

The proposer—normally the prospective course director or course coordinator—is responsible for completing the new course proposal. This is done in collaboration with colleagues who will contribute to the delivery of the proposed course. 

The proposer holds full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of all information included in the submission and must ensure that the complete documentation is submitted to the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) and University Council. The proposer presents the course documentation for approval at the GSC. 

The Trinity Award Structure provides an overview of the award types offered by Trinity College Dublin and the University of Dublin. Degrees are awarded by the University of Dublin whereas postgraduate certificates and postgraduate diplomas are awarded by Trinity College Dublin. 

Trinity recognises, and provide bespoke PGT course codes for, only two main delivery modes for PGT programmes namely in-person and online. The in-person course can incorporate online modules in a blended delivery and/or be delivered in a hybrid format, but it is still categorised and coded as an in-person course. See the Curriculum Glossary for full definitions.

Online Course:   is delivered fully through digital platforms, with all materials, learning activities, assessments, and communication taking place online. Delivery may be synchronous, asynchronous, or a combination of both. Online courses do not require any on‑campus attendance. When a course is delivered entirely online, the term “Online” must be included in the official course title.

In-person (Face-to-Face) Course:  is delivered primarily through scheduled, classroom‑based sessions that require students to attend on campus. All core teaching, learning activities, and interactions take place within a physical learning environment. While digital tools or online resources may be used to support learning, they do not replace the requirement for students to be physically present. This mode of delivery assumes access to appropriate campus facilities, learning spaces, and timetabled in‑person engagement as the central component of the student learning experience. 

  • Blended learning refers to the intentional and complementary integration of online  learning activities or modules with in‑person teaching. In this model, elements  delivered online—such as lectures, readings, assessments, or interactive tasks—are  purposefully designed to align with and enhance classroom-based learning. The  balance between online and face‑to‑face components is planned in advance to create a  cohesive learning experience, support student engagement, and ensure that all  activities contribute meaningfully to the achievement of the intended learning  outcomes. Blended learning often requires careful coordination of teaching methods,  technologies, and scheduling to maintain coherence across both modes of delivery. 
  • Hybrid learning refers to a dual‑track mode of course delivery in which a single student  cohort participates simultaneously through two modalities: some students attend in  person, while others join online in real time. This model requires that learning activities,  materials, and technologies be designed to provide an equitable and coherent learning  experience for all students, regardless of their mode of participation. It also places  specific demands on teaching spaces, digital infrastructure, and pedagogical planning  to ensure that both in‑person and remote learners can interact, engage, and achieve the  intended learning outcomes. 

Changes to modules on an existing PGT course are approved at the School level so long as the overarching Programme Learning Outcomes do not change. However, a submission is required for approval by Graduate Studies Committee and the University Council when the main format of delivery changes requiring a new course code to be set up by the Academic Registry when: 

  • An in‑person course (including blended or hybrid modes) changes to fully online delivery
  • An online course changes to in‑person delivery (including blended or hybrid modes) 

A framework-based course structure is a sequence of three one-year part-time interconnected courses (bearing the same title), each worth of 30 ECTS credits, allowing students’ progression, either consecutively or with interruption at completion stage of each constituent course, from Postgraduate Certificate in year 1 to Postgraduate Diploma (Top-up) in year 2 and to Masters (Top-up) in year 3. 

A framework-based course structure can be developed in one of three ways:

  • as a brand new sequence of 3 consecutive inter-linked courses, or  
  • top-ups can be added to the already existing stand-alone PG courses such as Pg.Cert or Pg.Dip., or  
  • existing standalone courses can be re-constituted on the framework model.

Should a Top-up framework structure be introduced onto an already existing standalone course, the title of that course is retained and becomes the title of each constituent Top-up course of the framework. 

New PGT courses must be set up to ensure progression for its graduates either immediately or in the future. The direction of progression is as follows:  

Graduates from a postgraduate certificate may progress to postgraduate diploma; graduates from a postgraduate diploma may progress to a Masters course, and graduates from a Masters course may progress to a doctoral programme (if one exists in a relevant discipline) or onto the PhD register.  

Should progression take place within the overall framework-based structure of Pg.Cert./Pg.Dip. (Top-up)/Masters (Top-up) under one course title graduates from a “lower” course automatically progress to a “higher” one without the need to re-apply for admission.  

Graduates from a Masters course who would like to progress to a doctoral programme (if one exists in a relevant discipline) or onto the PhD register must apply in line with College relevant admissions regulations for research degrees.

Graduates from a Masters course do not apply for a standalone “lower” postgraduate course under the same course title unless that course is in another discipline or for additional specific purpose award. 

Graduates wishing to progress from stand-alone Pg.Cert. and Pg.Dip. courses apply to a “higher” postgraduate taught course in line with College admissions regulations for a relevant course. They can avail of the provisions of the Recognition of Prior Learning policy (paragraphs 7.10 and 7.11) 

The term “strand” has a very specific administrative meaning in Trinity. A course strand is a bespoke academic pathway set up for a direct admission entry within an overall “umbrella” PGT “parent” course which normally is a postgraduate certificate, a postgraduate diploma (sometimes) or (rarely) Masters. A strand has specific strand-linked learning outcomes (SLOs) matched with the overall “parent” programme learning outcomes (PLOs) and must be considered by the Graduate Studies Committee for Council approval. Thereafter, the Academic Registry sets the new strand up for a direct admission entry with a bespoke strand course code. 

A strand can have a bespoke title, related but different to that of the “parent” course in which case the award title at the postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma level reflects that strand title while the Masters level award is normally always generic. There can be more than one strand within a “parent” course. 

The term “strand” can be replaced by a thematic “pathway” which does not require a bespoke administrative course code and does not have to be considered by the GSC and approved by Council. There is no direct admissions entry into a pathway. Subject "pathways" can be set up by course directors at the School level and can change on an annual basis. 

  • In a PGT programme, 1 ECTS covers 25 hours of student effort. Examples of student effort include contact hours, independent study, assignments and assessments, work placements and professional attachments. 
  • A Postgraduate Certificate has 30 ECTS equalling 750 student effort hours. 
  • A Postgraduate Diploma has 60 ECTS equalling 1500 student effort hours. 
  • A Masters has 90 ECTS (comprising 60 ECTS taught and 30 ECTS research) totalling   2,250 student effort hours. 
  • PG taught modules come in 5 ECTS or 10 ECTS credit volumes while the research module has 30 ECTS.
  • 5 ECTS modules are delivered over 1 term/semester and 10 ECTS modules can be delivered over 2 terms/semesters but fully within the same academic year.
  • To check on the difference between term and semester see a separate Q&A below under Timetabling. 
  • The research Module of 30 ECTS must be fully delivered within one academic year leading to a submission of its deliverable by the end of August.  
  • On part-time courses students must normally pass all taught modules within a lower academic year before they can rise to the next higher academic year. 

The proposer is required to consult with other Schools/Disciplines where there is shared subject expertise and to ensure that synergies with existing PGT courses can be explored. 

Academic staff on professorial, teaching or research contracts, Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows and PhD students may teach on PG modules in limited capacity in line with the guidelines from Graduate Studies and Council. 

  • Course directors and course coordinators are required to have academic lecturing contracts in the School/s.  
  • Only one eligible staff member can hold the role of module coordinator, course director and course coordinator.  
  • No one person, be it the course director or a course coordinator, may hold the role of module coordinator across the majority of course modules.
  • The proposer needs to ensure the buy in from staff in the School/s in the delivery of the modules and their coordination. This safeguards the delivery of the course in the event of the course director's/coordinator’s absence like illness. 

  • Adjunct Assistant Professors normally do not act as Module Coordinators. 
    Adjunct staff do not have contractual obligations to the university and therefore cannot be required to deliver or to coordinate teaching if other demands intrude on their availability.  
  • 30% of the total ECTS volume of a programme can only rely on teaching (lecture hours) delivered by adjunct staff.

The Course Director's role is normally as follows: 

  • Ensuring the overall academic integrity of the course. 
  • Overseeing the administration of the course (including admissions and assessment), in consultation with the Course Coordinator. 
  • Liaising with Module Coordinators about modules that will be available each year. 
  • Liaising with the relevant academic staff as regards to module choices, contributions made by teaching staff (FTSEs distribution), external examiners, course advertising, financial management. 
  • Overseeing an induction for incoming students before the beginning of the course. 
  • Being a contact for student questions or concerns relating to the optional modules or to the course as a whole. 
  • Overseeing and chairing meetings of the Course Committee, admissions sub-committee, and the Courts of Examiners. 
  • Coordinating modules assigned to Course Director.

The Course Coordinator's role usually involves: 

  • Assisting the Course Director in the running of the course. 
  • Carrying out academic administration in support of module delivery, liaising with contributing teaching staff. 
  • Coordinating with students to elect a student representative to sit on the Course Committee. 
  • Coordinating student feedback on all modules. 
  • Organising and chairing (in lieu of course director as required) meetings of the admissions sub-committee, Course Committee and the Courts of Examiners. 
  • Sitting on the admissions sub-committee and Course Committee. 
  • Being a point of contact for student question or concerns relating to the core modules or to the course as a whole. 
  • Liaising with students and their concerns relating to module delivery or to the course as a whole. 
  • Coordinating modules assigned to Course Coordinator. 
  • Some of these functions can also be the responsibility of an administrator.
  • Respective responsibilities pertaining of each of the two roles should be clearly defined and assigned in the course proposal.  

The Course Administrator's role usually includes: 

  • Arranging venues and class timetables. 
  • Organising setup of equipment and rooms to ensure smooth delivery of lectures. 
  • Organising Course Committee meetings and court of examiners meetings. 
  • Assisting with recruitment of new applicants. 
  • Management of course assessment and collation of marks. 
  • Acting as progression manager in SITS. 
  • Ordering and payments associated with the course consumables. 
  • Following up and liaising with internal and external lecturers. 
  • Providing first level of contact with students. 
  • Preparing student documentation and transcripts. 

Members of the academic lecturing staff and School Managers can act and be listed as Admissions Assessors. 

This function is usually carried out by a school administrative staff member who supports the course.

A CV needs to be provided for any external non-academic staff, for example, from industry, if the staff member is delivering essential module content rather than being invited as a guest lecturer. It is important to consider GDPR when sharing personal information included in the course proposal with the secured prior consent of the CV owner. Currently, the Dean of Graduate Studies is developing template questionnaire to avoid the need for CVs.  

  • Contact  Associate Director of Recruitment (Trinity Global) 
  • Engage with your School or Faculty marketing staff (if in place) 
  • Information on the proposed promotion strategy must be included in the proposal for a new programme.  

  • Engage Trinity Global early while drafting your proposal 
  • Marketing activity before Council approval is not permitted 
  • Plan timelines carefully for non-EU recruitment (see next FAQ) 

Programmes approved after 1 October for entry the following year will be promoted but can expect challenges in meeting student recruitment ambitions. The business case for the proposed programme should adjust projected student numbers accordingly. 

There is a difference between using “Semester” and “Term” for timetabling modules.  Generally speaking, the Academic Year consists of: 

  • Semester 1 = Michaelmas Term (both end before the break up for Xmas) 
  • Semester 2 (ends early June) = Hilary Term of 12 teaching weeks + Trinity Term of 6 weeks 
  • Summer session of 12 weeks from June to end of August. 

When using the term “Semester” please state that the taught module is scheduled over the teaching weeks only, otherwise Council derogation is required. 

  • During Semester 1/Michaelmas Term and/or Semester 2/Hilary Term 
  • The Masters research/dissertation module is timetabled to cover also the summer session as the deadline for submission of the research deliverable is by the end of August.  
  • The proposer should consult the Timetabling Policy and the Academic Year Structure (AYS) for further detailed guidance.  

  • A fee for the first year of a new course should only be changed in exceptional circumstances.
  •  Head of School and Faculty Dean sign off is required, and the Finance Partner needs to update the financial statement accordingly.  
  • If the course has been approved at GSC but not yet opened for recruitment, a memo from the Dean of Faculty to request a fee change should be submitted to GSC for minuting purposes and Council approval, which will then be actioned by the Academic Registry. 

  • Academic Affairs and the Dean of Graduate Studies must be contacted in relation to a proposed change in the commencement date subsequent to the Council approval.
  •  The request is submitted during the academic year to GSC for noting and approval. 
  • Alternatively, it may be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies directly for approval by Council under vacation procedures.  
  • The Academic Registry picks up the new commencement date from the GSC minutes via Council approval or directly from Council under vacation procedures through the Secretary’s Office.