Taken at one of the practical apiary days focusing on the process of queen rearing.
Diploma in Apiculture
.The main aim of this course is to provide quality third level education on bees and beekeeping. This course may be of interest primarily to beekeepers or those considering becoming a beekeeper. It will also be of interest to anyone who has an interest in entomology, pollinators and the decline of bees and pollinators more generally.
In this course students will learn about Entomology (the world of insects) including the diversity of insects, their structure and general biology and their importance to humans. Of course, a lot of focus will be placed on the honeybee. We will also study the complex behaviour of social insects (bees, wasps and ants) and how this is relevant to beekeeping. Honeybee health is of huge importance globally right now and one module will cover this in detail. Another module will bring students through some of the basics behind genetics and apply this understanding to honey bees so that students will understand and be able to interpret some of the recent studies that have been published on the genetics of the Irish honey bee and why this is important for beekeeping (and conservation). In addition to these topics, practical modules will take students from the basics of learning how to be a beekeeper through to some advanced elements of this area including bee breeding, and the production of honey and other bee products.
During thie diploma students get to test their own colonies for disease as well as learn from the University colonies. Students also have an opportunity to get bees genotyped and learn how to characterise their bees via wing morphometrics. The class are exposed to excellent educators. In addition to University staff with experience in apiculture, genetics, entomology, pollen, and microbiology, we are very happy to have Prof John Breen, Dr Eoin MacGiollacoda and Dr Mary Coffey as part of our team as well as a number of highly qualified beekeepers and scientists. One of the best elements according to our students is the peer-peer learning and the comraderie that develops between the students themselves. We are building a community of informed and connected beekeepers.
WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?
This course will offer a formal qualification in Apiculture from a third level Institution recognised at QQI level 7 and will be useful if students wish to pursue beekeeping or other bee-related initiatives as a business venture.
We offer six modules on our diploma!
This module is the study of insects including their relationships to humans and the environment. it
will include focus on Insect Systematics and Diversity, Insect anatomy and physiology, their general biology and importance in agriculture including beekeeping, industry, forensics.
This module introduces students to the world of life inside a social insect colony. Focused primarily on the honeybee, but including elements of other social insects, this module covers material relating to bee communication, including; pheromones, waggle dance, grooming and other hygienic behaviours, defence and reproductive behaviours amongst others
This module will introduce the student to the basic principles of beekeeping including; what types of
honeybees are involved and where to get bees, types of hives, boxes and equipment needed to keep bees, how to inspect a colony, treatment options for pests and diseases, how to catch, mark and clip queens and manage swarming, basic queen rearing and harvesting honey. and preparing the colonies for winter.
This module will provide detailed information for students on Mendelian genetics, chromosomes,
meiosis and mitosis. We will introduce students to the particular genetics associated with the
hymenoptera including genetic aspects of asexual/sexual phases in the life cycle, inheritance in the honeybee, the genetic basis of sex determination including parthenogenesis. The module will also
apply evolutionary genetics knowledge to give an outline account of the the evolution of the honeybee as a social insect and its subsequent evolution into multiple strains globally.
This module will introduce students to the factors impacting honeybee health. This includes bee related
factors that regulate honeybee health such as social immunity, influence of microbiome and plant-bee interactions. It will then introduce students to the factors that negatively affect bee health including diseases, pathogens and poisons, habitat decline, and other human influences.
This module will develop the students knowledge of honey production and its preparation for show and sale. it will also deepen the students knowledge on apiary management including inspections, state of the art equipment and honey products and managing hygiene and disease.
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Course Fees:
Fees EU: €1,185 p.a. 2022/23
Fees Tuition: €1,150 p.a. 2022/23
Fees Student Levy: €35 p.a. 2022/23
Fees Non EU: €1,685 p.a. 2022/23
FIND OUT MORE:
Course Administrator
Tel: 091 492144
Fax: 091 525051
E-mail: artspt@universityofgalway.ie