College course advice

who what when

To cut to the chase im wondering is there any point in leaving college with just a bachelor of science in computing (level 6)? Im going to take the programming stream in second year.

Is it wishful thinking that I could get a job with that qualification or do i really need to have an ordinary degree (level 7) or even honours degree?

Webmonkey

I didn't know you could get a B.Sc at level 6? Surely this is a certificate qualification?

I would definitely go to at least level 8. Nearly everyone going for job interviews has at least a level 8 now with a lot having a M.Sc (level 9). And even for this, it's difficult if you don't have any experience.

I'd suggest you keep going and climbing the ladder.

Unless of course you are really good and can prove to the employer.
Have you done a lot of work outside of college, any personal projects that could prove you are good enough to beat Level 8/9 candidates for a job?

onemorechance

I would agree with WebMonkey here, having at least a level 8 BSc Honours will open a lot more doors for you.

I noticed in my previous company when they advertised for graduate roles that the number of graduates applying with an MSc was very high. It seems to be the norm for European graduates, especially the Eastern European ones.

For your first job you will need a very interesting final / major project to make up for any lack of work experience.

If you don't want to continue in college, maybe look at the intern schemes.

While getting in to a company without a high level degree can be difficult, once in, opportunities to update your skills are usually numerous.

Tom Dunne

You cannot get a BSc. degree at level 6. See the national qualification framework here - http://www.nfq.ie/nfq/en/FanDiagram/nqai_nfq_08.html

As the guys have said above, aim for a minimum of Level 8. There is so much competition for places these days that a Level 8 degree should be considered the bare minimum.

srsly78

onemorechance wrote: »

I would agree with WebMonkey here, having at least a level 8 BSc Honours will open a lot more doors for you.

I noticed in my previous company when they advertised for graduate roles that the number of graduates applying with an MSc was very high. It seems to be the norm for European graduates, especially the Eastern European ones.

For your first job you will need a very interesting final / major project to make up for any lack of work experience.

If you don't want to continue in college, maybe look at the intern schemes.

While getting in to a company without a high level degree can be difficult, once in, opportunities to update your skills are usually numerous.

That's because what they call a masters in many places abroad is equivalent to our level 8 honours degree. Lots of in the UK do it for example, masters for 4 year course.

prettygurrly

yes but they're still done to a masters level. it's not about how many years you do but the standard to which you are examined. in the UK they offer fast track masters to students who have shown exceptional ability. I was in my masters class in Queens with a number of undergraduates (I did my honours degree in NUI Galway). they were examined at our level and earned their masters. so with that said your level 6 will under no circumstances be considered a degree. you have to be examined to a FETAC standard 7 for ordinary or standard 8 for honours as said by previous posters.

have you applied for any jobs to sound out how employers feel? after all they are the ones who will decide whether to give you a job. just a case in point, people with masters are finding it difficult to find a job so i can't imagine it being easy to get one with less education.

srsly78

A 4 year course will count as level 8 here, read up on the Bologna process. Conversely to your example, courses often mix postgrads with 4th years. This is because the postgrads might not have studied that material before because they did a different undergrad.

web designer meath

It depends if you can get a job with a certificate. I think a lot of companies are looking at people who can actually get thing done rather than just have an impressive set of certificates. It's useful to get the certificate if it's practical knowledge for you. If it's just study for the sake of the certificate, I wouldn't recommend it and put your talents to some good use.

onemorechance

srsly78 wrote: »

That's because what they call a masters in many places abroad is equivalent to our level 8 honours degree. Lots of in the UK do it for example, masters for 4 year course.

I have to disagree, not sure about the UK, but we had a student from Eastern Europe in our final (4th) year.

He had his degree from 3rd year and our 4th year was the first year of a 2 year MSc for him. 3 year degree and 2 year MSc, while for us it was 4 year degree and 1 year MSc.

He had been schooled much better than us in his first 3 years also! :pac:

prettygurrly

my point is still about the FETAC level you are examined at as opposed to the number of years that you do! universities order their years and they way in which they organise their courses in different ways. However, if a course claims a FETAC level X then the students have been examined to that level. If the OP has only done FETAC level 6 then that is not a level 7 or level 8 FETAC!!!!

prettygurrly

srsly78 wrote: »

A 4 year course will count as level 8 here, read up on the Bologna process. Conversely to your example, courses often mix postgrads with 4th years. This is because the postgrads might not have studied that material before because they did a different undergrad.

The Bologna process doesn't really excuse the fact that OP hasn't been examined to a honours bachelor standard or even ordinary bachelor standard....if anything our ECTS are worth less than other countries who have to do more hours of study to earn one!

Galtee

prettygurrly wrote: »

my point is still about the FETAC level you are examined at as opposed to the number of years that you do! universities order their years and they way in which they organise their courses in different ways. However, if a course claims a FETAC level X then the students have been examined to that level. If the OP has only done FETAC level 6 then that is not a level 7 or level 8 FETAC!!!!

There is no level 8 Fetac. Hetac award Higher educational awards not Fetac. No degree is awarded under the Fetac framework.

srsly78

prettygurrly wrote: »

The Bologna process doesn't really excuse the fact that OP hasn't been examined to a honours bachelor standard or even ordinary bachelor standard....if anything our ECTS are worth less than other countries who have to do more hours of study to earn one!

I wasn't talking about the OP. I was talking about foreign workers with 4 year masters that think they are more qualified than Irish people with 4 year Ba Hons. Once here both are treated as lvl8. Conversely, when abroad, my 4 year Irish BA Hons was treated as a masters (in belgium, to qualify for research funding).

prettygurrly

ha, always thought that when i was told i was doing level 8, level 9 and now level 10 that they were just dropping the "FETAC" part but it was on the same graduated increase of education, hours and ability. so yes the FETAC is only up to level 6 but the point still stands that the OP will not have been examined to a level higher than level 6 if he drops out no matter how you look at it.

prettygurrly

srsly78 wrote: »

I wasn't talking about the OP. I was talking about foreign workers with 4 year masters that think they are more qualified than Irish people with 4 year Ba Hons. Once here both are treated as lvl8. Conversely, when abroad, my 4 year Irish BA Hons was treated as a masters (in belgium, to qualify for research funding).

ah, fair enough...thought you were referring to the OP.

Galtee

prettygurrly wrote: »

ha, always thought that when i was told i was doing level 8, level 9 and now level 10 that they were just dropping the "FETAC" part but it was on the same graduated increase of education, hours and ability. so yes the FETAC is only up to level 6 but the point still stands that the OP will not have been examined to a level higher than level 6 if he drops out no matter how you look at it.

I was merely pointing out that there's no level 8 FETAC, just to ensure that the information being posted is correct and clear to everyone, that's all.

The Crab

I'd avoid UCD like the plague, I'm doing a computer course there and am very unsatisfied about the level of support on some modules. Other modules are great but some are just so badly taught that they take away all the time for the others, its almost like they couldn't care less.

who what when

Hi OP again. Thanks for all of the replies.
Yes sorry got my terminology wrong.
To be exact the course im doing is a level 8 B.Sc Hons which has options to leave after 2 years (level 6 certificate) or after 3 years (level 7 B.Sc).

The thing is im a mature student who has been through college before and really I just want the minimum qualification to get me in the door of a company.

Another question, which area of IT has the most demand at the moment?
Programming, Networking, Management?
By far and away the area i have most interest in is programming but obviously that could change if theres no demand for graduate programmers.

Colonel Panic

The minimum qualification is either loads of practical experience or a pretty good degree and some personal projects in my opinion.

There's plenty of development work out there, but if you want to work for a decent company for good money it's pretty competitive unless you want to give contracting a shot.

CFC4lyfe

Would studying 3 years for a Level 7 and then one year at Level 8 be any different on a CV to 4 years straight for a Level 8?

Joneser

I just finished my degree back in May and there were tons of jobs going, however that was for a level 8 degree (with many of the companies asking for a minimum of a 2.1). If you had a 2.2 it was possible for some people to get over that with a good final year project and some internship and/or freelance development experience.

Why is it that you want to leave early? Because unless you have a lot of extra experience and projects to bring to the table, it will be much more difficult to land a job with a decent company.

In relation to what areas of IT are currently in demand, it's pretty much all areas, most companies are having a hard time filling positions because they can't find people qualified (which is where having a good degree could come in to play). So basically do whatever you are most interested in, and if possible, I would strongly advise going for your level 8.

Trojan

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

Would studying 3 years for a Level 7 and then one year at Level 8 be any different on a CV to 4 years straight for a Level 8?

It could mean the candidate is more interesting, having taken a slightly different route and gained experience from different systems along the way. It may not be an advantage but I wouldn't consider it a disadvantage.

conor.hogan.2

The Crab wrote: »

I'd avoid UCD like the plague, I'm doing a computer course there and am very unsatisfied about the level of support on some modules. Other modules are great but some are just so badly taught that they take away all the time for the others, its almost like they couldn't care less.

Call into the computer programming support centre.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

who what when wrote: »

Is it wishful thinking that I could get a job with that qualification or do i really need to have an ordinary degree (level 7) or even honours degree?

you need at least a level 8 honours degree. Lots of of places wont even interview you without it. Where I work, with a level 7 degree, you can get a job only as a tester, and have to work your way up in the company to be a developer.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

Would studying 3 years for a Level 7 and then one year at Level 8 be any different on a CV to 4 years straight for a Level 8?

not really. as long as you have the L8 thats all they will care about


OP you are better off to get a L8