NCI to launch two bachelor’s courses in AI and cybersecurity

The courses are expected to launch in September 2027, subject to approval.

National College of Ireland (NCI) is introducing two new degree programmes to meet the growing demand for skills in AI and cybersecurity.

The proposed Bachelor of Science honours programmes in Cybersecurity & AI, and AI & Psychology are currently being developed by NCI and are expected to welcome their first intake of students in September 2027, subject to programme approval.

The degree programmes are being designed as a response to meet the increasing demand for graduates skilled in AI, digital security and data-driven technologies, as major tech companies continue to settle and grow in the country.

A 2025 report found that since 2023, AI usage and jobs in the field have doubled and there is increasing demand for professionals with skills in AI. Ireland also ranked third in the EU for percentage of people with “basic or above” levels of digital skills – just behind the Netherlands and Finland.

The new programmes are expected to offer an interdisciplinary approach to learning, combining technical expertise with an understanding of human behaviour, ethics and emerging technologies, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science announced in a press release.

“Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we live, work and learn, creating exciting opportunities across every sector of our economy,” said Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless, TD.

“These innovative programmes demonstrate how Ireland’s higher education sector is responding to the rapid pace of technological change and helping to develop the talent needed for the future.

“By combining AI with cybersecurity and psychology, National College of Ireland is creating new pathways for students into careers that are increasingly important for Ireland’s competitiveness, innovation capacity and digital resilience.”

Prof Gina Quin, president of NCI, commented: “National College of Ireland operates at the leading edge of technology and critical thinking.

“These two programmes place AI in context, delivering knowledge and skills to engage with AI’s implications for cybersecurity and for humanity, anticipating and influencing the impact AI will have on industry, on work and on our personal lives.

“National College of Ireland has a long-standing commitment to widening participation in higher education and serves as an important educational and community resource, particularly in Dublin’s north-east inner city. As a private, not-for-profit higher education institution, NCI provides a range of full-time and part-time programmes from foundation level through to postgraduate study.”

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