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Institute of Technology or University Degree?

  • 17-02-2008 02:11AM
    #1
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,073 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I made a point that University Degrees are often chosen by employers over IT Degrees. One person disagrees, and says it doesn't make any difference to employers that a degree is a degree at the end of the day. I agree with that he said, but I personally thought that was not the reality of it all.

    So, has anyone here graduated with a IT Degree and found that when you applied for a job a person with a Uni Degree was picked ahead of you?

    IT Or Uni Degree: Which is better? 89 votes

    University Degree
    0%
    IT (Institute of Technology) Degree
    58%
    D-GenerateDEmeant0rDAEDULUSE@gle.snickerpussJIZZLORDJC 2K3mp3guythemolemdebetsDiarmsquid~Rebel~jamiehEyespySam Vimeschubba1984ThirdfoxPaul_D[Deleted User]Agamemnon 52 votes
    Doesn't matter
    41%
    StephenShamoChongthe whole year innbobbyjoeRedrocketKoldSundyjimmycrackcormanimaalpatrickoleejezzaPlugHail 2 Da ChimpTestTransmissiongerTheGreatkeithkk16Tragamin2k2Naikonleex 37 votes


«1

Comments

  • #2
    bleg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,847 ✭✭✭bleg


    a degree is a level 8 qualification no matter what type of institution awards it to you


  • #3
    Madison breslin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭Madison breslin


    Sully wrote: »
    I made a point that University Degrees are often chosen by employers over IT Degrees. One person disagrees, and says it doesn't make any difference to employers that a degree is a degree at the end of the day. I agree with that he said, but I personally thought that was not the reality of it all.

    So, has anyone here graduated with a IT Degree and found that when you applied for a job a person with a Uni Degree was picked ahead of you?


    I have an IT Degree in legal studies with taxation and had no problem getting a job - my degree course was 4 years which meant we covered more areas than most degrees of a 3year duration. i do know that Uni degree people also applied for this job. but i do c what ur saying re a uni degree - it sounds better but is the content of the degrees any different? this is probably what they look at b4 deciding whats best? although mayb not as there is alot of people who will always believe a uni degree is way better. if only we all knew what employers were looking 4!


  • #4
    Red Hand
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,983 ✭✭✭Red Hand


    Depends on the discipline you choose. For instance, the IT I went to had a great emphasis on lab practicals in the science based course I did. Plus, classes are smaller and the lecturer usually knows your name (which is good-they often got on people's cases if they didn't show up for class).

    Maybe its different for other disciplines, but most of the people in my section at work which is science based are from ITs.


  • #5
    helimachoptor
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 21,898 Mod ✭✭✭✭helimachoptor


    IT (Institute of Technology) Degree
    In my company, most of the guys have their qualifications from IT's, Maybe about 15% have degree's from Uni's, me being one of them.

    I dont think it bothered the company what qualfication you had aslong as you can do the work.

    We all started out on the same pay but I've done things and gained good experience which would put me ahead in the pay stakes i would imagine (i should hope!) Come September I will be applying to do a new BSc in an IT, I would have done it in a Uni but now they are awkward for me to get to.

    TBH i think there is a stigma attached to getting your degree from an IT rather than a Uni, but in my case someone from an IT got a job before me as they're degree was seen as more practical based than mine so its not every employer.


  • #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,735 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    bleg wrote: »
    a degree is a level 8 qualification no matter what type of institution awards it to you

    Unless it's a level 7 degree :p

    For the OP, it depends what you want to do really.


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  • #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 11,928 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Sully wrote: »
    I agree with that he said.

    Moonbaby conjures up images of a hairy beer belly for you?


  • #8
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,073 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Moonbaby wrote: »
    Moonbaby conjures up images of a hairy beer belly for you?

    Hush baby, hush :p


  • #9
    buckfast4me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 314 ✭✭buckfast4me


    Doesn't matter
    dont think it really matters to be honest. The managar where I did my work placement with IT)seemed to prefer graduates from an I.T. because the grads had more "hands on" kinda work. But if its something like business studies, then maybe a manager would prefer the degree from a university.


  • #10
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 11,928 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I think your poll would be more effective if it had a it doesn't matter option.


  • #11
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,073 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Myth wrote: »
    For the OP, it depends what you want to do really.

    Okay, so it does happen but not all the time - where then, does a Uni degree be picked over an IT Degree? I know the degree is the degree but I thought employers might feel the Uni one would be of "better quality" with regards to material and lecturers?


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  • #12
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 11,928 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    buckfast4me wrote: »
    But if its something like business studies, then maybe a manager would prefer the degree from a university.

    I have alot of friends in Business, it doesn't seem to matter a bit. Except for accountancy where it is more beneficial to do it in an IT.


  • #13
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,073 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Moonbaby wrote: »
    I think your poll would be more effective if it had a it doesn't matter option.

    My bad - ill get it sorted.


  • #14
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,735 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Sully wrote: »
    Okay, so it does happen but not all the time - where then, does a Uni degree be picked over an IT Degree? I know the degree is the degree but I thought employers might feel the Uni one would be of "better quality" with regards to material and lecturers?

    Not specifically down to the Uni, it's more down to the course. I'm working at the moment with plenty of people who went to the same college as me (though from different years - Trinity btw) but there are also plenty of people from other colleges (including ITs). In the end, they would probably care most about the course itself then the college, and even still they're generally more interested in you and what you can do instead of what letters you have after your name.

    Plus, as has been said in another thread in this forum about useless degrees, experience is really what employers are after. However, if you're looking to go into academia then the Uni is better, simply down to the whole point of an IT. But then again, if you can show that you're an excellent student from an IT etc. etc. etc... there's no one answer here :)

    Btw, this would really suit the Education forum.


  • #15
    buckfast4me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 314 ✭✭buckfast4me


    Doesn't matter
    Moonbaby wrote: »
    I have alot of friends in Business, it doesn't seem to matter a bit. Except for accountancy where it is more beneficial to do it in an IT.

    true. im in my final year of a degree in an I.T. , it was a 4 year course (level 8 / 60 ECTS credits) and writing my thesis at the moment which has to be minumum 25,000 words excluding reference. My friend doin business degree in a uni only has to do a 10,000 word 1 for the same level 8 degree.!


  • #16
    Red Hand
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,983 ✭✭✭Red Hand


    Sully wrote: »
    Okay, so it does happen but not all the time - where then, does a Uni degree be picked over an IT Degree? I know the degree is the degree but I thought employers might feel the Uni one would be of "better quality" with regards to material and lecturers?

    Well, I guess in certain disciplines, there would be bias towards Unis. I mean, ITs as a rule don't have much to do with the humanities, do they? At least not as much as Unis. Plus, it may look good if you say that you Professor so and so was one of your teachers...Professors sound so much better than lecturers!


  • #17
    ellenmelon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 488 ✭✭ellenmelon


    id say it depends on the course and to an extent the person. some people prefer the purely written based stuff over the practical side..some people the opposite (a broad generalisation i know..just an example) im currently at a private training institution doing a degree but we arent a university, neither are we a IT. our degrees are accredited through a major university here so theyre 'real' degrees. so are the diploma's and advanced diploma's available. its a highly practical/'real world situations' course with assignments etc also so i am lucky to get the best of both worlds. some people that have come from university find the lack of straight book work hard, whereas i find it good that i dont have the pressure of many essays etc. im not stupid by any means, im quite intelligent but i just dont enjoy pure bookwork.

    aaaand i think ive gone off topic.


  • #18
    Sam Vimes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,611 ✭✭✭✭Sam Vimes


    IT (Institute of Technology) Degree
    i have the unusual experience of having been to both an IT and a uni. I did a cert in an IT and then transferred to the uni for the degree.

    when i transferred to uni there was a massive leap in both the amount and difficulty of work that had to be done. I'd been able to coast along in the IT getting As and Bs without doing any real work but the same wasn't true in the uni. I considered dropping out in the first semester and going back to the IT. I'm glad i didn't though because i ended up with a first :)

    there was a lot of what could be best described as hand holding in the IT but i was expected to do a lot more on my own in uni.

    in my case i think the uni degree was better because i was pushed a lot harder. And contrary to what a previous poster said, there was a good bit of personal attention because there were only 20 in the class. That wouldn't be true of all courses though


  • #19
    Jeebus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 649 ✭✭✭Jeebus


    IT (Institute of Technology) Degree
    Different circumstances for different degrees.


  • #20
    ScumLord
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,787 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    Ele.. san seo, are onboat,. but sure tghat's the craci. ?

    Whats can thosua do abiout it likr ansoe


  • #21
    Sam Vimes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,611 ✭✭✭✭Sam Vimes


    IT (Institute of Technology) Degree
    ScumLord wrote: »
    Ele.. san seo, are onboat,. but sure tghat's the craci. ?

    Whats can thosua do abiout it likr ansoe

    now that's a drunken post


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  • #22
    buckfast4me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 314 ✭✭buckfast4me


    Doesn't matter
    Commander Vimes wrote: »
    i have the unusual experience of having been to both an IT and a uni. I did a cert in an IT and then transferred to the uni for the degree.

    when i transferred to uni there was a massive leap in both the amount and difficulty of work that had to be done.

    Err.. it also might be due to the fact that certs are generally much easier than degrees? lol !!


  • #23
    Naikon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,564 ✭✭✭Naikon


    Doesn't matter
    Why does the poll not include non university/IT institutions such as DIT or the private colleges?.
    A "traditional" University degree may be seen in the eyes of employers to carry more weight, but at the end of the day the person should be taken on their own merits and not which college they emerged from.
    A person does have other desirable attributes besides their academic qualifications.

    There is a common misconception that non university degrees are "easier". I would argue that a large number of low points courses can't fill their courses due to the diffiulty of the said courses.
    Low points course != easy ride so to speak, at least not in my course.

    I have a friend studying arts who is shocked at the number of contact hours I have per week in my course(DIT).
    To the point though, it really depends on the course and goals.
    Would people disagree that say for example a degree from MIT in the states is any less valuable than a "real" Institution?
    I have to go with the IT option due to lack of choice tbh.


  • #24
    Sam Vimes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,611 ✭✭✭✭Sam Vimes


    IT (Institute of Technology) Degree
    buckfast4me wrote: »
    Err.. it also might be due to the fact that certs are generally much easier than degrees? lol !!

    the cert was a two year course after which you could continue on to a diploma and then a degree. it wasn't possible to apply to the degree course. you had to do the cert and diploma course first so it was effectively a degree course that you could drop out of early with a qualification.

    i did two years in the IT and then transferred into second year and they'd done more in one year than i'd done in two. there's no way the IT degree course could have covered the same amount of stuff as the uni course and from talking to my old class i know they didn't. so lol youself


  • #25
    Sam Vimes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,611 ✭✭✭✭Sam Vimes


    IT (Institute of Technology) Degree
    Naikon wrote: »
    Why does the poll not include non university/IT institutions such as DIT

    i'm confused. DIT is an IT institution. it says IT right there in the name


  • #26
    buckfast4me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 314 ✭✭buckfast4me


    Doesn't matter
    Commander Vimes wrote: »
    the cert was a two year course after which you could continue on to a diploma and then a degree. it wasn't possible to apply to the degree course. you had to do the cert and diploma course first so it was effectively a degree course that you could drop out of early with a qualification.

    i did two years in the IT and then transferred into second year and they'd done more in one year than i'd done in two. there's no way the IT degree course could have covered the same amount of stuff as the uni course and from talking to my old class i know they didn't. so lol youself

    You didn't say that in your first post, you compared a 2 year certificate course in an institute of technology, with a 4 year degree course in a university.

    Obviously the degree is going to be more difficult, because those courss es with exit points after year 2,3,4 are a LOT differently structured from a 4 year straight degree course. Have a read of this thread about DT249 in DIT (it's the cert/diploma/degree course with exit points) and particularly BrandonBlock's post which I can say is true. The 4 year course with exit points (DT249) in 2nd year they have around 8 hours lectures/labs per week, whereas in the 4 year straight course (228) 2nd year consists of around 36 hours per week and doing 11 subjects. In general workloads are much higher in degree courses, compared to cert->diploma->degree courses, whethere you are in an IT or a university.


  • #27
    sunnyjim
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,302 ✭✭✭sunnyjim


    I would like to introduce myself as the counterpart to Commander Vimes.

    I did 3 years in a University, and this year have switched to an IT, after I dropped out. I have covered more and learned more in the past 6 months then I did in the previous 3 years. More opportunities to learn, greater staff dedication, better relationships with industry etc

    Most importantly, less academic idiots. You know the type - no doddery types who can't run ****e.


  • #28
    Naikon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,564 ✭✭✭Naikon


    Doesn't matter
    Commander Vimes wrote: »
    i'm confused. DIT is an IT institution. it says IT right there in the name

    Nah, it's a bit confusing but legally DIT is a seperate entity to the IT's and Universities. The Colleges follow the Dublin Institute of Technology Act 1992, which is seperate to the University of Ireland and Institute of Technology Acts.DIT is classified as a "National Institution" or something along that line.

    The College has degree awarding powers whereas the IT's for example have the awards body HETAC, DIT awards degrees on their own merit without an external body.
    Unlike the IT's and private Colleges, DIT awards Doctorettes so it can be lumped in with the private Colleges either.


  • #29
    Robbo
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,648 Mod ✭✭✭✭Robbo


    Naikon wrote: »
    Unlike the IT's and private Colleges, DIT awards Doctorettes so it can be lumped in with the private Colleges either.
    Doctorettes? Are they female doctors?


  • #30
    Naikon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,564 ✭✭✭Naikon


    Doesn't matter
    buckfast4me wrote: »
    In general workloads are much higher in degree courses, compared to cert->diploma->degree courses, whethere you are in an IT or a university.

    When you apply for DT211/DT228/DT249 you are entering a Honours degree course regardless.
    The DT249 is far more modular and is designed for people who have jobs, so it's bound to have alot less hours. This has no bearing on the difficulty of the course. I would imagine holding a 9-5 job and college is more difficult tbh.

    Just becasue the DT211/DT249 have exit points doesent mean it's an easier course.


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  • #31
    Naikon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,564 ✭✭✭Naikon


    Doesn't matter
    Robbo wrote: »
    Doctorettes? Are they female doctors?

    Excuse the mistake :-) , I mean Doctorate.


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