Our Past

1890      Municipal School of Music founded by the Royal Irish Academy of Music at 58 South William Street, Dublin.  

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1904      management transferred to City of Dublin Technical Education Committee

1908      moved to premises in Chatham Row  

1930      Vocational Education Act

1936      granting of diploma-awarding powers

1940      Certificate Examinations and Teachers' Diplomas introduced

1946      opening of the Library 

1954      drama classes introduced

1962      renamed ‘Dublin College of Music’

1978      becomes part of Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT)

1986      Bachelor of Music Education introduced, with Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music

1987      Graduate Diploma in Music introduced (now the BMus programme)

1987      Foundation Certificate in Music introduced

1992      DIT Act

1995      Diploma in Speech and Drama Studies introduced

1996      renamed ‘DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama’

2003      Master of Music (Performance) introduced

2005      BA in Drama introduced

2006      composition introduced at postgraduate level (MPhil)

2006      Irish traditional music introduced at postgraduate level (MMus)

2008      jazz introduced at postgraduate level (MMus)

2011      pop and rock introduced at undergraduate level, in association with BIMM Dublin

2013      conducting introduced at postgraduate level (MMus)

Our Future

In 2017, the Conservatory will move to brand new, purpose-built accommodation at DIT’s Grangegorman campus in north central Dublin – our teaching, practice and performance facilities will be among the finest in Europe.  

In Grangegorman we will be co-located with disciplines such as fine art, visual art, design, languages, journalism, film and broadcasting, photography, digital media, public relations, communications, social care and event management. 

In preparation for the move to our visionary new campus, we are engaging in a comprehensive redesign of our curricula, to ensure our students benefit from the exciting opportunities for trans-disciplinary study.  Our redesigned degree programmes will place renewed emphasis on excellence, reflection, confidence, leadership, social responsibility and entrepreneurialism – they will be unique and distinctive in Ireland and will place us at the forefront of arts education nationally and internationally.  

Find out more about Grangegorman.