Courses
Micro-credentials
Welcome to our Micro-credential hub!
Apply now for a funded part-time course starting this Autumn at ATU.
A Micro-credential is a short course that allows learners to study flexibly and to choose modules to suit their own professional development or skills needs. They are also referred to as Special Purpose Awards, Minor Awards, and Supplementary Awards.
These short-duration courses, requiring a relatively low time commitment, typically range from 5 to 30 credits. They offer an ideal pathway for returning to education, gaining new skills, or enhancing existing ones, all in a flexible and accessible format.
ATU are delighted to receive 80% fee subsidy funding for 19 Micro-credential courses under HEA initiative.
Develop the skills you need to stand out…
HEA Funded Courses
ATU is pleased to announce that 19 of its micro-credential programmes have been approved for 80% funding under the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Micro-credential Course Learner Fee Subsidy Initiative 2026.
Eligible learners can receive up to 80% funding towards ATU micro-credential programmes in high demand areas including AI, cyber security, data analytics, fintech, digital health, biopharma, sustainability and innovation.
*The fees listed below are the amounts eligible learners can expect to pay. For eligibility criteria please visit: HEA – Springboard+
Certificate in Access and Use (Part M, B, K, DAC, Universal Design)
Part-time | Blended | 1 Semester | Level 9 | Galway City | €133
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Bioanalytical Techniques
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 9 | Sligo | €440
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Business Intelligence
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 7 | Donegal | €100
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Data Analytics and Visualisation
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 7 | Donegal | €200
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Entrepreneurial Innovation Practice
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 7 | Donegal | €220
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Information Security Management
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 9 | Donegal | €280
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Innovation and Creativity at Work
Part-time | On-Campus | 1 Semester | Level 6 | Donegal | €200
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Part-time | Online | 1 Year | Level 9 | Donegal | €220
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in IT Systems for Delivery of Healthcare
Part-time | On-Campus | 1 Semester | Level 9 | Donegal |€140
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Project Management
Part-time | Online | 1 Year | Level 9 | Sligo | €600
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Project Management
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 7 | Donegal | €360
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Python Scripting
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 7 | Donegal | €140
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Repurposing of Surplus Food
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 6 | Sligo | €100
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in SQL Programming
Part-time | Online | 1 Year | Level 7 | Donegal | €200
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Certificate in Surplus Food Legislation and Safety
Part-time | Online | 1 Semester | Level 6 | Sligo | €100
This course is funded under the HEA initiative.
Coming Soon!
Certificate in Computer and Networks Forensics
Certificate in Social Robotics for Care and Health: From Foundations to Futures
Certificate in Machine Learning
Certificate in Text & Sequence Analytics
September 2026 Start – Full Course Listing
“When I started a new role with a healthcare company, I realised there were opportunities there to enrol in micro-credential courses to gain new skills and to add to things I was learning in the workplace.
“I chose a micro-credential course because it was an opportunity to study while I was working, and to supplement it with the on-the-job learning that I was doing. From the point of view of everyday life, it was also much more manageable – working, having a young family, and still having the opportunity to learn.”
Dominic McGinley, Certificate in Health Data Analytics
Fees & Funding Opportunities
Many of our online and flexible courses have funding supports available to applicants for their tuition fees. These funding supports are available from a variety of sources, including Skillnets, DASBE, Springboard+ and much more.
For a full list of the courses that have funding supports, please visit: www.atu.ie/fees-funding
“It was an amazing experience to do this micro-credential outside of my work and then, at the end of it, to be able to implement so much of what I have learned through this course.
“I would highly recommend people to do it, even just to become more aware that you can be a factor or mitigator of change in your own life. So, I definitely would say do it.”
Lisa Regan, The Sustainable Development Goals, Partnership, People, Planet and Prosperity
Upskilling for the Future of Work
At ATU, we develop courses aligned to industry and societal demand. Our graduates are equipped with the skills and confidence to progress in their chosen career, with excellent opportunities nationally and internationally.
For example, with the top 10 global biopharmaceutical companies located in Ireland, industry demand for continuous professional development is evident
ATU is recognised as a leader in delivering accredited qualifications in areas of bioprocessing, biomedical science, and biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical sciences, but also in other areas such as industry, medical device technology, project management, environmental sustainability, healthcare, sport, and education.
💡 How to Apply: Visit the course webpage below and follow the instructions to secure your place. Please note, you can only register for one course at ATU per academic year (September–May), including micro-credentials.
ATU aligns with the European Commission’s recommended definition of a micro-credential:
“A micro-credential is the record of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a small volume of learning. These learning outcomes have been assessed against transparent and clearly defined standards. Courses leading to micro-credentials are designed to provide the learner with specific knowledge, skills and competences that respond to societal, personal, cultural or labour market needs. Micro-credentials are owned by the learner, can be shared and are portable. They may be standalone or combined into larger credentials. They are underpinned by quality assurance following agreed standards in the relevant sector or area of activity.”
Learn about all Micro-credential, Minor Awards, Special Purpose Awards available at ATU
Education, Design & Humanities
