BSc Honours Degree in Networks and System Administration at Dublin College Blackrock.
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Implementing Cyber Security
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Managing networks.
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Supporting IT infrastructure.
Why Start Your Degree in Dublin College Blackrock?
- No CAO points required
- No tuition fees in years 1 and 2
- Smaller classes with great teacher support
- Access TU Dublin facilities from year 1
- Graduate with a TU Dublin honours degree
“This exciting new partnership programme, between TU Dublin and Dublin College, commencing in September 2026, will provide students with a supported pathway from Further Education into Higher Education. Developed in consultation with industry, the BSc in Networks and System Administration combines hands-on learning with strong foundations in networking, systems administration, cloud technologies, cybersecurity, and automation, preparing graduates for careers in a rapidly evolving ICT sector.”
Dr Emma Robinson, Head of School, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, TU Dublin
What is a Tertiary Degree?
A Tertiary Degree is a degree that begins in a Further Education college and continues in Higher Education to earn an undergraduate degree.
Visit the National Tertiary Office website, www.nto.ie, for further information.
Year 2 will continue at Dublin College Blackrock, with students attending the TU Dublin, Grangegorman campus one day per week
Years 3 and 4 are in TU Dublin Grangegorman
Entry Requirements
Leaving Certificate with five subjects at grade O6/H7.
Leaving Certificate with four subjects at grade O6 plus LCVP with distinction.
Leaving Certificate Applied with distinction.
Hold QQI Level 4 award with a minimum of a grade of distinction.
Applicants may also present A-Levels or other EU qualifications for Equivalency.
Qualifications from countries other than Ireland or the UK should be accompanied with a comparability statement from the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC).
Screening
All applicants must attend a screening interview, where they should successfully demonstrate relevant skills, experience, and motivation to ensure suitability for the programme.
Mature Applicants
Applications from mature students aged 23 or over on January 1 of the year of application are welcome and may be called to interview to outline their holistic life and career experience, interest in and aptitude for the field of study, and recognition of prior learning.
English Language Requirements
All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English must demonstrate CEFR proficiency at B2 for access. An Irish Leaving Certificate qualification achieved through English meets this requirement. Applicants who have full Level 5 or 6 QQI award obtained in Ireland will not be required to provide evidence of English language proficiency.
Assessment and Certification
Career Opportunities
All organisations depend on secure and reliable IT infrastructure. Graduates of the BSc in Networks and System Administration are well prepared for a wide range of roles that are in high demand in IT, financial services and healthcare including:
- Cyber Security technician
- Network Support Specialist
- NOC (Network Operations Centre) Engineer
- Systems Administrator
- IT Support / Desktop Support Engineer
- Infrastructure Technician
- Server / Datacentre Support Engineer
- Cloud Operations Associate
- Cloud Support Technician
- Virtualisation Support Engineer
- DevOps / Platform Support (entry‑level)
- Field Service Engineer
- Managed Services Technician
Course Structure
Is this course for you?
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Are you interested in fast‑growing areas like networks, cyber security, and cloud computing?
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Do you want to build real‑world IT and networking skills that employers value?
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Are you looking for a supported pathway from college into a university honours degree — without CAO points?
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Do you prefer practical, hands‑on learning?
Industry Skills you will learn:
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Cyber Security
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Cisco Networking
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Linux and Windows Server administration
- Cloud Technologies
- Virtualisation
- Python Automation
Course Features:
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No tuition fees for years one and two
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CAO points not required
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Students are enrolled in Dublin College Blackrock and TU Dublin at beginning of Year 1
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Students can avail of TU Dublin facilities (library, sports, etc) and services from the beginning of Year 1
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Students can participate in TU Dublin clubs and societies from the beginning of Year 1
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Seamless progression pathway from Dublin College Blackrock to TUD
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Strong emphasis on real‑world scenarios, problem‑solving, and industry best practice
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Integrated work experience and project-based learning
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Small classes supporting personalised learning, mentoring and academic support
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In year two, students spend one day a week at TU Dublin Grangegorman campus to complete two modules and support transition into university
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Year 1 - Dublin College Blackrock |
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Networking Essentials |
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Year 2 - Dublin College Blackrock |
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Network Security
Network Infrastructure
Systems Software Team Leadership Information Technology Administration Physical and Logical Networking Virtualisation Support Personal Professional Development Problem Solving with C* Python Programming for Networks* * Modules are studied at TUD |
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Year 3 - TUD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering |
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Ethical Hacking
Web Development 1
Programming for Networked Systems Networking Integration and Practice Data Analysis and Databases Technical Writing Core Network Infrastructure & Design Internet of Things 102 Container-Based Virtualisation Fundamentals of Wireless Technology Network Scripting for Network Administration Prompt Engineering for Large Language Models |
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Year 4 - TUD School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering |
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Cyber Security Operations
Secure Network Programming
Software Defined Networking
Internet of Things 301 Mobile Applications Project Management 1 Cloud and Edge Computing Server-side Web Development Project |
