Program Overview

Overview of the Program

The Computer Science - Augmented and Virtual Reality (M.Sc./P.Grad.Dip) program at Trinity College Dublin is designed to equip students with the theoretical and practical knowledge to participate in the design and development of technology underpinning the interactive entertainment industries. This includes the fast-moving video game market, the metaverse, and the wider industries of new media and communication.

Course Details

• NFQ Level: 9
• Duration: 1 year full-time
• Number of Places: 30
• Next Intake: September 2025
• Course Coordinator: Dr. Michael Manzke
• Course Director: Professor Doug Leith (Course Director) / Dr. John Dingliana (Co-Director for Admissions)
• Closing Date: 31st July 2025

Admission Requirements

Applicants must provide:

• An upper second-class (2.1) Honours degree grade or higher from a reputable university, in Computing or a related discipline.
• Evidence of competency in English for applicants whose first language is not English or who have not been educated through the English language.
• Proven programming competence. All candidates will have to complete a programming test in C, C++, or Java before being offered a place on the course. Some modules may also require programming in Python and other languages.
• A strong work ethic and the resolve to engage with a demanding but rewarding program.

English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements.

Course Structure

The full M.Sc. program, comprising 90 ECTS credits, takes one full calendar year to complete and leads to the qualification of M.Sc. in Computer Science – Augmented and Virtual Reality, a Level 9 award according to the Irish National Framework for Qualifications (NFQ).

• Between September and April, students attend two 12-week teaching semesters, each followed by an assessment period, where they take a range of taught modules.
• Then, from April to August, students work full-time on their individual research dissertations.
• Students may exit with an award of Postgraduate Diploma (P.Grad.Dip.) in Computer Science – Augmented and Virtual Reality (NFQ Level 9) upon successful completion of 60 ECTS of taught modules, not including the Research Dissertation.

Course Content

The following core modules are taken by all M.Sc. students on the course:

• Computer Vision
• Machine Learning
• Augmented Reality
• Computer Graphics
• Realtime Animation
• Realtime Rendering
• Advanced Software Engineering
• Mathematics of Light & Sound
• Research and Innovation Additionally, students take a number of individually chosen elective modules from a pool of options. Finally, all students must also complete a substantial Research Dissertation, which comprises a third of the entire course.

Career Opportunities

Graduates are expected to be in high demand for research and development positions within leading multinational companies and startups alike. Previous graduates from the M.Sc. programs have gone on to work for games or visual effects companies, whilst many others work in broader areas involving computer vision, computer graphics, or interactive digital applications. Companies where alumni have taken up employment include NVIDIA, Unity Technologies, Huawei, Volograms, The Foundry, and Tencent Games. In some cases, graduates have gone on to further postgraduate research, taking up funded Ph.D. positions at Trinity or other universities in Ireland and abroad.

Course Fees

For a full list of postgraduate fees, please refer to the relevant section of the university's website.

Related Courses

• Computer Science - Data Science (M.Sc./P.Grad.Dip)
• Computer Science - Future Networked Systems (M.Sc./P.Grad.Dip)
• Computer Science - Intelligent Systems (M.Sc./P.Grad.Dip)
• Interactive Digital Media (M.Sc.)
• Statistics and Sustainability (M.Sc. / P.Grad.Dip.)