Qualifications

As well as deciding which subject you want to study at college or university, it is also important to choose the level of qualification that you want to aim for. Different qualifications suit different students for a wide variety of reasons. The UK third level system is similar to the Irish national qualifications framework as they both have three separate levels of qualifications. In the UK these are called ‘degrees’, ‘foundation degrees’ and ‘access and foundation courses’ and while they are not directly equivalent to the three Irish qualifications of ‘honours degree’, ‘ordinary degree’ and ‘higher certificate’, there are certain parallels. However, an ordinary degree from an Irish university or college generally takes longer to complete and is a bit more prestigious than a UK “foundation degree”. The most popular undergraduate qualifications in the UK are Bachelor's degrees (also called undergraduate or first degrees), which are now required for entry into a wide range of careers in Ireland, the UK and other countries. These degrees are available in a wide range of subjects and career areas. At Oxford, Cambridge and some Scottish universities, the first degree in arts is a Master of Arts (MA).
Foundation degrees, which were introduced in England in 2001, offer a wide mixture of academic and career based study. They are more work related than Bachelor’s degrees and tend to be offered in subjects that are more vocational. They give students a chance to learn both practical and academic skills, which are useful for securing employment. After graduation the student can decide whether to look for a job or whether to continue and complete a full degree. Access or foundation courses are even more careers based and usually involve specific training for a particular job or occupation. Most undergraduate degrees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland take three years to complete, while most undergraduate degrees in Scotland take four years. Some technology, science and language degrees also run for four years. Foundation degrees generally span two years, while access or foundation courses usually take one or two years to complete. These course lengths are for full time study, with part-time courses obviously taking longer. As in the Irish system, it is very possible to work your way up from an access or foundation course all the way through to a degree, or even postgraduate study or research. It is also possible for Irish students to transfer to a UK university during their third level education career. For instance, a student might take a higher certificate course at an Irish IT or Further Education College and then move to the UK to gain a degree. Some Irish colleges have direct links with a British university, which allows a very smooth transition up the ladder to the top. Students looking to move on to postgraduate study in the UK will need either an honours degree from an Irish university or a Bachelor’s degree from the UK. Students who have a degree from a UK university should be competing equally with students who have an Irish degree for entry to postgraduate courses in Ireland.