THERE were 5,000 more places available in RTCs and the DIT than in the universities last year. Students who ignore these colleges on the CAO/CAS form are more than halving their chances of getting a place, so it makes sense to take a serious interest in the RTC/DIT colleges.
The DIT colleges and the 11 RTCs have excellent degree courses which feature on the CAO's degree list. In some cases, such as applied science or architecture in the DIT or computer applications in Waterford RTC, they are considered superior to some of the traditional university degrees.
They also have about 16,000 places on certificate/diploma courses which offer excellent job opportunities and also provide an alternative route to a degrees through transfer to degree courses or through the new follow on degree programmes.
It would be short sighted of a CAO/CAS applicant to ignore the certificate/diploma courses list on the application form. The calibre of student emerging from many cert/diploma courses is high and many are highly regarded by employers. In the case of RTC Cork, for example, students who entered a two year business studies certificate course and subsequently transferred to UCC have ended up getting first class honours degrees.
There are numerous examples of students who have started with an RTC certificate, progressed to a degree.and went on to do a Master's. British universities, in particular, have spoken in very complimentary terms toe this column about the high calibre of student they get on transfer from RTCs to their degree courses.
In Athlone RTC, the diploma in toxicology is so highly regarded by one British university that it has taken the students straight into a Master's course (though Athlone is now offering a follow on degree in toxicology itself).
Three students recently graduated with a Master's in water engineering from Queen's University, Belfast. They had started their studies with a certificate course at RTC Sligo.
Degrees by instalments: Imagine if at Trinity you could do two years of a business degree and, if you dropped out at the end of the two years, instead of having nothing to show for it you got a national certificate which would be recognised as a job qualification; imagine then if you went on into third year, sat another exam and got a national diploma in business studies and if you could then go off and works for a year or two and come back and do a fourth year to finish off your degree.
That is effectively what you can do in the RTCs. You apply for a two year certificate course on the CAO/CAS form; assuming you do OK in your certificate exams, you can then transfer to a diploma course for a third year. If you do well there, you can then either transfer to an existing degree course in a university, DIT college or an RTC; or you can advance to a one or two year special follow on degree programme in any RTC.
Follow on degrees: These are a relatively new addition to the RTC repertoire. All RTCs now have, in a number of disciplines, either a one year or two year (the two years applies only in engineering) follow on course which those who complete the diploma with good results can then take to qualify with a full degree.
This is an enormously useful facility for the student and offers a good alternative route to a degree. A "bridging studies" course in the summer between diploma and degree is often involved.
Transfer degrees: All RTCs have transfer arrangements with a number of universities here or in Britain, whereby people who achieve a certain standard in the diploma can transfer to the university to finish off with a degree there.
They may also transfer to a DIT or other RTC degree. Transfers depend, in all cases, on the quality of one's diploma results. In many cases even without a formal transfer arrangement with the RTC, someone with a certificate or diploma can simply apply for a place on a relevant degree course in Britain and get accepted.
RTC degrees: Several RTCs also have their own four year ab initio degree courses offering direct entry to school leavers. Some of these have been in existence for many years and they all feature on the CAO's degree list.
Waterford RTC, for example, has a good applied computing degree, Cork RTC has a high reputation for its engineering degrees and Galway RTC for its hotel management degree. As finding out about the follow on and transfer arrangements in RTCSI can be difficult, Countdown has put together the following list to facilitate applicants:
Dundalk RTC: Bachelor of Business Studies; possible to advance from any of the college's four business studies cert courses through a diploma to the one year follow on degree;
B.Sc in commercial computing: one year follow on after the diploma;
B.Sc in building surveying; two year follow on after diploma in building surveying which follows on from a certificate in construction studies.
Depending on course, transfer to degree courses in colleges such as Queen's University, UCC, UU, University of Paisley, Dundee University and DCU, UL and UCD is also a possibility.
Letterkenny RTC: No follow on degrees but a number of proposals in the pipeline. A Bachelor of Business Studies is at an advanced stage of planning. There is a transfer arrangement with UL into its electronics degree. Some other informal transfer arrangements in place.
Sligo RTC: One year follow on: business studies degree (accounting and marketing); Bachelor of Science in environmental chemistry. Two year follow on: Bachelor of Civil Engineering and B.Sc in quality assurance. It is possible to transfer into third year of the Bachelor of Science in environmental science and technology.
The college has NCEA approval for a BA in social studies and is awaiting Department of Education sanction.
Students of the water engineering diploma can transfer to the penultimate year of the civil engineering degree in Queen's. There are also degree transfer arrangements with Dundee University for engineering students and Coventry University for science and engineering.
Tralee RTC: One year follow on Bachelor of Business Studies. Holders of the advanced certificate in business studies can transfer to year three of the BBS degree in UL. Holders of science computing and engineering national certs and diplomas at appropriate levels can transfer to degree programmes at other RTCs and universities. Tralee RTC hopes to offer degree programmes in these areas within the next few years.
Athlone RTC: One year follow on degrees in chemistry, toxicology, business studies, accounting and finance and tourism and hospitality management. Two year follow on degree in software engineering.
Waterford RTC: One year follow on degrees in recreation and leisure (BA); Bachelor of Technology in computer aided manufacturing; BA business and financial studies (open to anyone who has completed the penultimate or final exams in management/certified/chartered accountancy); B.Sc in chemistry with quality management; BA in legal and business studies; BA in applied social studies; BA in applied languages; B.Sc in biology and quality management.
Graduates of the architectural technology diploma can transfer to the final year degree in Canterbury University.
Agricultural students of the national cert in agricultural science can transfer to second year UCD agriculture.
Limerick RTC: One year follow on degrees in graphics, fashion, ceramics, fine art (painting, print making and sculpture), and B.Sc in information systems. Holders of the national diploma in construction studies may bed able to transfer in to the B.Sc in chartered surveying.
Graduates of the national diploma in electronics can transfer to the final year of a B.Eng in the University of Greenwich.
Carlow RTC: One year follow on degrees: B.Sc in software engineering; bachelor of business studies (service marketing); B.Sc in industrial biology. Two year follow on degrees: Bachelor of Technology in production technology. Transfer arrangements with Essex university, B.Sc in chemistry or physics and Reading University for biology degree. Also informal arrangements with UCG, UCD, UCC and DCU.
Tallaght RTC: One year follow on degrees: Bachelor of business studies in management; BBS in accounting; BBS in marketing and languages; B.Sc computing (information technology).
The college has submitted the following add on courses to the NCEA for approval: biology, chemistry, mechanical and electronic engineering. It is the intention of the college to have follow on degrees for every course offered.
At present, there are informal transfer arrangements with other colleges' for those courses which do not have follow on options available.
Galway RTC: One year follow on Bachelor of Business Studies degree; B.Sc in software development for computing students. Two year add on B.Sc in furniture technology. Students can transfer from appropriate certificate and diploma programmes into the BA in hotel and catering management and the Bachelor of Technology in manufacturing technology.
It also has a wide range of transfer possibilities to Irish and British universities.
Cork RTC: one year follow on degrees: Business Studies (for marketing, business studies and accountancy diploma students); B.Sc in applied physics and instrumentation; B.Sc in analytical chemistry (quality assurance). Follow on degrees in structural engineering and social studies await Department of Education sanction.
B.Sc in biomedical sciences - jointly with UCC. This is a two year post certificate course. Fine art (BA): one year follow on for holders of a diploma in fine art. Holders of the degree or diploma in fine art may apply for entry to the NCEA teachers' diploma in art and design.
Ceramic design (BA): One year follow on to diploma; the degree and diploma also allow entry to teachers' diploma. There are also transfer arrangements from certificate and diploma into the college's mechanical, electronic and computing degrees as well as other degrees; also to UCC food, science and commerce degrees and in civil engineering and constructions economics to universities in Britain.