DL116 - Certificate Radio + Podcast Production

Master radio and podcast production to industry standards in the professional environment that is the National Film School at IADT.

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What is Radio + Podcast Production?

The aim of this part-time course is to immerse you in a real-world newsroom, radio studio and location production environment so that you develop your production skills and gain a significant command of technical abilities required of all forms of broadcast radio and podcasting.

This course presents you with an opportunity to develop your practical skills in the broadcasting industry, to keep pace with the ever-changing technology and its use in broadcasting.

You will learn from industry professionals in our state-of-the-art facilities.

What will I do?

We will examine the broadcast landscape in Ireland, and explore ways to create ground-breaking radio and podcasts that resonate. We will listen to, and create multiple examples of audio content in a variety of styles for both live and online contexts. You will also be able to analyse radio journalism as a discipline, and evaluate contemporary audiences and how to reach them.

The following are some of the areas you will explore

The Role of Radio and Podcast in Society: A Shared Experience in an increasingly atomised world.
Styles and Forms – past, present and future (Golden age, Pirate, Commercial, Community, Public Service, Podcast).
Idea Generation: How to generate original ideas and treatments that resonate.
Building a Running Order.
Sourcing and securing contributors.
Planning and structuring programmes.
Using sound effectively in radio and podcast features.
Creating memorable, creative ads and promos.
Live radio production roles and values.
Ethical Journalism, diversity, access and representation.
Outside broadcasts and overseas productions.
Costing, budgeting and project management.
Finding a home for your audio work: Successful pitching to broadcasters and Funding bodies.
Technical aspects of radio production, including recording, editing, mastering, mic technique, studio operations.

How will I be assessed?

The course is divided into two sections: Short Feature Production and Live Radio Production.

Assignment 1

Students will pitch, produce and deliver a short radio insert of 3-5 minutes duration on the subject of their choice. This is an individual assignment.

This assignment tests the learners’ ability to conceive of, plan, structure, produce and deliver broadcast quality short-feature content for radio. The learners will demonstrate skills such as storyboarding, narrative structuring, sourcing of contributors, interview skills, editing, use of sound and SFX and best practice in terms of ethics.

Assignment 2

Each student must produce a 10-minute Podcast to a professional standard. The podcast will contain the relevant content as outlined in the project brief. Appropriate use of technical equipment and production practices will be assessed as part of this project. Final delivery will include the relevant production deliverables as outlined in the brief.

Future Careers

The course will enable you to incorporate your skills into your production practices and in your future professional roles.

Professional pathways exist in the audio-visual, web and screen industries. Graduates go on to radio, online content providers, the broadcast media, advertisement agencies, production facilities, company in house production facilities, state and civil society bodies and indeed any group involved in the creation and distribution of audio content.

Dates + Times

Tuesdays | 6pm – 9pm | Online:

15th, 22nd, 29th September 2026
6th, 13th, 20th, 27th October
3rd, 10th, 17th November

Saturdays | 10am – 4pm | On Campus:

19th, 26th September
3rd, 17th, 31st October
7th, 14th November

What are the Entry Requirements?

This course is suitable for students who have an undergraduate qualification of 2nd Class Honours or higher at Honours Degree level. Experience of the media industries is an additional advantage.

Applicants without a Level 8 qualification may be considered provided they can demonstrate Honours Degree equivalence which can be verified through the RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) process.

As part of your application you will be required to submit:

A CV
A personal statement (tell us about your experience/background in any media, what you hope to learn and achieve on the course).

If you have a portfolio of audio/radio/podcast work, please include links to it on the personal statement.

IADT may ask for the contact details of a referee in some instances.

Equipment / Materials Requirements

You will need to have your own headphones, and a USB memory stick.

Details on what headphones to purchase will be shared with the students at the start of the course.

Meet our Lecturers

Francesca Lalor, award-winning radio producer, broadcast industry trainer and media lecturer, has a background of 20 years’ experience in radio production, both live and feature, for local, national and international broadcasters. Francesca has overseen the commissioning, funding, production and broadcast of upwards of 250 feature-length documentaries, radio dramas and podcasts on Irish radio in the past decade.

Shea Fitzgerald started his career as an assistant in a commercial production studio in Dublin in 1982, developing his recording, editing, sound design and production skills by creating radio and TV (audio component) commercials. He also has well documented form in the areas of music production and music composition for TV and film in a career that spans more than 35 years. He holds an MA in Broadcast Production.

Testimonials

I really enjoyed the Radio and Podcasting course and found the lecturers, Francesca and Shea, to be really invested and generous with information and materials – well beyond the call of duty. I came to do this course largely out of interest, but now, I am looking at radio and podcasting as a career shift which is already taking me in exciting new directions.

Valerie Bistany – 2026 Graduate

I completed the Certificate in Radio + Podcast Production in 2026 and had an absolute blast doing it. I may have enjoyed it …. but it was terrifying too…. Having never ever seen professional digital audio software, five weeks into the ten-week course I and my classmates were recording, mixing, editing, and doing the sound design for 5-minute radio pieces. I did mine on how people start conversations with loved ones about death, and I am very grateful to the 4 anonymous contributors who generously shared their deeply personal experiences with me.

My final assignment was a 12-minute podcast, recorded on my recent trip to Uganda. This was a brilliant experience thanks largely to the knowledge, skill and patience of the two lecturers running the course Francesca Lalor and Shea Fitzgerald. I would particularly call out their willingness to go way beyond what might have been expected of them, Shea spent an hour of his time one day trouble shooting with me when I thought I had lost all my work, and Francesca has been so helpful and generous in sharing her enormous experience and contacts with me.

The whole experience was enriched by the wonderful group of women (yes, all women) who were on the course with me, of all ages and all backgrounds and interests.

Jean Callanan – 2026 graduate

Requirements

Course Code DL116 - Level 9
Application IADT
Duration 10 weeks

15th September - 17th November 2026

Full details under Dates & Times
Places 15
Portfolio No
Fees €220

This course offers a micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy (LFS). Applicants can check the eligibility criteria here: LFS Eligibility Criteria

All fees for certificate programmes must be fully paid prior to commencement of course; students cannot attend classes or access course materials until then.

The course fee is non-refundable once the course has commenced.

Fees for applicants who do not meet the fee subsidy criteria are €1,100.
Application Deadline 10th August 2026

Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the course is full a waiting list will apply.

Apply now via: www.springboardcourses.ie
Level 9 10 ECTS

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