What's the difference between third level and further education?
Q My son's teacher has told me that even if he does not get a place in a third-level college, he will definitely get a place in a college of further education. What is the difference between them?
A Universities, institutes of technology, colleges of education, and other designated colleges form the third-level college sector. These are usually referred to now as higher education institutions (HEIs).
Colleges of further education (FE) operate usually under the aegis of the local vocational education committee (VEC).
Courses in the FE sector are usually of one year's duration, although some of them take two years or more.
The courses are a mixture of theory and practice, and are offered in a huge range of subjects. Further Education /Post Leaving Certificate (FE/PLC) courses are an end in themselves, leading directly to employment in many cases, although they are also a platform for further study at third level. Most FE/PLC courses lead to awards (Level 5 or Level 6) from FETAC, the Further Education and Training Awards Council. It is usually easier to get into most FETAC courses than into a third-level course.
Q Can you progress from an FE course into a university or an institute of technology?
A Yes, you can. CAO application figures in 2008 showed an increase in the number of FETAC applicants, and many of them were successful in gaining a place.
There are a number of FETAC progression schemes.
The first progression scheme, the higher education links scheme (HELS), was introduced many years ago, and under it a quota of places was held each year in specified courses in the institute of technology sector for holders of "linked" FETAC awards, that is linked in content to the course they are entering. The second progression route came about when most universities started to reserve small quotas of places on many honours degree programmes for FETAC level 5 or 6 applicants.
The numbers may be as small as three, four, or five places per course, so competition can be keen.
Nursing honours degree programmes were among the first degree programmes in CAO to open up a quota of places for applicants presenting with a relevant FETAC award.
As with other honours degrees, the quota of places for FETAC applicants on the different nursing courses in HEIs is small and applicants are usually required to get at least five distinctions from their eight FETAC course modules -- and even this may not guarantee them a place.
When quotas apply, FETAC applicants compete with other FETAC applicants for the places in question.
Requirement
Every HEI prospectus show the FETAC modules required for the degree in question. Not all honours degree programmes accept a FETAC qualification as an entry requirement.
The newest progression route, which represents a significant development, is a pilot FETAC entry route operated by institutes of technology and some other HEIs.
Under this scheme, applicants presenting any FETAC qualification compete with Leaving Cert candidates for most courses in the institution in question. They are not confined to specific FETAC quotas, nor does their FETAC course have to be linked in content to the HEI course they are applying to.
Applicants for courses under this scheme are listed in order of their points merit, whether on Leaving Certificate points or FETAC award points. A separate points scale is used for converting the scores of FETAC award holders, usually to a maximum of 400 points.
This scheme does not apply to nursing programmes. FETAC qualifications are opening more doors into higher education. But it pays to check with the colleges or with FETAC (www.fetac.ie) when planning your path.
Information sessions today:
Trinity College Dublin holds an information session to explain its applications process for mature applicants from 6-7pm. Open evening in the Independent Colleges, Dawson St, Dublin 2 from 5.30pm-7.30pm this evening.
