Higher education

Unlike Dutch higher education, Irish higher education is not divided into HBO i and WO i . Irish higher education institutions can offer both types of education. This often means that for each diploma we have to determine whether it is HBO or WO. Below, we describe the diplomas that we often see.

Admission to higher education: CAO points

The Central Applications Office (CAO) processes applications for Irish higher education. Students apply to the CAO 1 year before the start of the study programme. The CAO operates a points system for applications from students with a Leaving Certificate.

CAO points

The number of CAO points students receive depends on their Leaving Certificate exam results. You can calculate the points with the Points Calculator. There is also an overview of CAO points that students receive per subject based on their exam results: Common Points Scale and Grading System.

The higher education institutions choose the students themselves. The student with the highest number of CAO points is placed first, then the student with the second highest number of points and so on.

The number of CAO points needed differs per discipline, per educational institution and per year. There are overviews of the number of points per type of course:

• For Level 6 and 7 courses (Higher Certificate and ordinary bachelor’s degree), please see Points Required for Entry to 2020 Level 7/6 Courses.
• For Level 8 courses (honours bachelor’s degree), please see Points Required for Entry to 2020 Level 8 Courses.

The study programme for a Level 6 Advanced Certificate is focused on professional practice. If students complete the entire programme, they receive a major award. Students can work or continue their studies after the programme.

• Duration i : 1 year.
• Study load i : major award of 120 credits. No ECTS credits, but credits from the Common Awards System: 1 credit stands for 10 hours of study. A major award consists of minor awards of 5, 10 or 15 credits.
• Content: profession-oriented programmes that students put together themselves with various subjects. The subjects are called minor awards or components.
• Admission requirements: a Level 5 Certificate. An educational institution may also accept other diplomas.
• Function of the diploma: work. Also, the Level 6 Advanced Certificate usually gives students exemption from the 1st year of a bachelor's programme in the same field of study. Irish higher education institutions do require students to have completed the courses with ‘distinction’: 80% or higher.
• Diploma: Level 6 Advanced Certificate.

Higher Certificate programmes are often professionally oriented. Students usually take Higher Certificate programmes at colleges or institutes of technology. Some universities also offer this type of education.

• Duration: 2 years.
• Study load: 120 ECTS.
• Content: often technical programmes with employment as a goal.
• Admission requirements: a Leaving Certificate obtained in the Leaving Certificate Established (LCE) programme or the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) usually with the following requirements:
  • a minimum of 5 subjects, including English or Irish and usually mathematics;
  • at least O6 or H7 as the result for these subjects; and
  • a minimum of 200 CAO points.
    A Level 5 Certificate can also give access.
• Function of the diploma: a Higher Certificate usually gives exemption from the first 2 years of a bachelor’s programme in the same field of study. Students can continue studying for an ordinary bachelor's degree after a 1-year add-on study programme.
• Diploma: Higher Certificate.

During bachelor’s programmes, students receive education with a focus on professional practice or research. Ordinary bachelor’s programmes have different learning outcomes than honours bachelor’s programmes. Also, the admission requirements are somewhat lower than those of honour's bachelor's programmes.

• Duration: 3 years.
• Study load: 60 ECTS per year (180 ECTS for 3 years of study).
• Content: profession-oriented or research-oriented education; presentations and essays, participation in work groups, partial exams per subject. Less material is covered than in an honours bachelor’s programme.
• Admission requirements: a Leaving Certificate obtained in the Leaving Certificate Established (LCE) programme or the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), usually with the following requirements:
  • a minimum of 5 subjects, including English or Irish and usually mathematics;
  • at least O6 or H7 as the result for these subjects; and
  • a minimum of 200 CAO points.
    A Level 5 Certificate can also give access.
• Function of the diploma: access to a 1-year add-on programme to get an honours bachelor's degree. With this honours bachelor’s degree, they can apply for a master's programme. An ordinary bachelor's degree does not give access to a master's programme.
• Diploma: an ordinary bachelor’s degree: bachelor + field of study. The diploma states 'bachelor + field of study' (‘ordinary’ is not mentioned).

Most bachelor's programmes are honours bachelor's programmes. Students conclude the study programme with an honours bachelor’s degree. The term ‘honours’ does not mean that students have graduated 'with honours'. It means that they have taken an honours programme. The learning outcomes are different from those of an ordinary bachelor's programme. Also, the admission requirements are higher than those of ordinary bachelor's programmes.

• Duration: usually 3 or 4 years, this depends on the field of study:
  • Technical programmes usually last 4 years.
  • Study programmes in dentistry, medicine and veterinary medicine last 5 or 6 years.
• Study load: 60 ECTS per year.
• Content: profession-oriented or research-oriented education; presentations and essays, participation in work groups, partial exams per subject, often a thesis or final project.
• Admission requirements: a Leaving Certificate obtained in the Leaving Certificate Established (LCE) programme or the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), usually with the following requirements:
  • a minimum of 6 subjects, including English or Irish and usually mathematics;
  • at least 2 of the 6 subjects with H5 or higher as the result;
  • the other 4 subjects with at least O6 or H7 as the result; and
  • a minimum of 350 CAO points.
    A Level 5 Certificate and/or Level 6 Advanced Certificate can also give access.
• Function of the diploma: access to master's programmes or work.
• Diploma: an honours bachelor’s degree + field of study. The place of 'honours' in the diploma name (in Latin and in English) varies from university to university. Sometimes, it is bachelor + field of study + honours; in other cases, it is honours + bachelor + field of study. For example, at the National University of Ireland: Baccalaureatus Scientae Honoro/Honours Degree or Bachelor of Science.

Students who cannot or do not wish to complete the entire taught/research master's programme can usually receive an intermediate award or exit award. In Ireland, the Postgraduate Diploma is the intermediate award of a master's programme.

• Duration: 1 year.
• Study load: 60 ECTS.
• Content: all courses of a master's programme, but students do not write a thesis.
• Admission requirements: an honours bachelor's degree.
• Diploma: Postgraduate Diploma.

There are different types of master's programmes:

• 1-year master's programmes (taught master's programmes);
• 2-year master's programmes (research master's programmes);
• 5-year integrated master's programmes;
• 1- or 2-year Master of Philosophy programmes.

Please note: the Master in Arts (MA) of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) is an exception. Students receive this MA without any additional study or exams. At least 2 years after completing a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at Trinity College, they will automatically receive this degree. Students will not receive a transcript of grades with this MA, as they have not taken any courses.

Taught and research master's programmes

• Duration: 1 year (taught master’s) or 2 years (research master’s).
• Study load:
  • in 1-year taught master's programmes: 90 ECTS;
  • in 2-year research master's programmes: no credits.
• Content:
  • in 1-year taught master's programmes: profession-oriented or academic education; lectures, tests and exams. These programmes are called taught master's programmes, because students mainly receive education and do not conduct research.
  • in 2-year research master's programmes: academic education; research techniques, research project and thesis. These programmes are called research master's programmes, because students mainly do research.
• Admission requirements: a strong honours bachelor's degree in a similar field of study, usually second class honours, grade 1, or first class honours. Very occasionally, institutes of technology admit students with an ordinary bachelor's degree and useful work experience.
• Function of the diploma: access to PhD programmes, professional doctorates or work.
• Diploma: Master’s degree (master's + field of study). Master's degrees are awarded in Latin and in English. For example:
  • Master of Engineering (ME)/Magister in Arte Ingeniaria (MAI); and
  • Master of Science (MSc)/Magister in Scientiis.

Integrated master's programme

In technical fields of study, students can also opt for an integrated master's programme. These programmes combine the bachelor's and master's programmes. Students only receive a Master's degree.

• Duration: 5 years.
• Study load: 300 ECTS.
• Content: a technical bachelor's and master's programme in 1 programme; profession-oriented or research-oriented education. Students usually do a final project (no thesis).
• Admission requirements: a Leaving Certificate obtained in the Leaving Certificate Established (LCE) programme or the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), usually with the following requirements:
  • a minimum of 6 subjects, including English or Irish and usually mathematics;
  • at least 2 of the 6 subjects with H5 or higher as the result;
  • the other 4 subjects with at least O6 or H7 as the result; and
  • a minimum of 350 CAO points.
• Function of the diploma: access to PhD programmes, professional doctorates or work.
• Diploma: Master’s degree (master + field of study). Master's degrees are awarded in Latin and in English. For example: Master of Engineering (ME)/Magister in Arte Ingeniaria (MAI).

Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is a research master's programme.

• Duration: 1 year or 2 years.
• Study load: in 1 year: 90 ECTS, in 2 years: no credits.
• Content: 1 year: 60 ECTS for education (coursework) and 30 ECTS for a thesis. 2 years: little or no education, the focus is on research and writing a thesis.
• Admission requirements: an honours bachelor's degree in a similar field with good results, usually second class honours, grade 1.
• Function of the diploma: students often use this academic master's programme as a stepping stone to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). In this case, they can use their MPhil research and thesis as the basis for the PhD.
• Diploma: Master of Philosophy.

Students can obtain a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) after completing a PhD track, usually at a university. They often continue their studies in the field of their Master's degree.

• Duration: 3 to 5 years.
• Content: studying, academic research and writing a dissertation.
• Admission requirements: a master's degree or sometimes an honours bachelor's degree in the same field of study and with good study results, usually second class, grade 1, honours.
• Diploma: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Or in Latin: Doctor in Philosophia (PhD).

Students can also obtain a Doctorate after completing a PhD programme. Students mainly do research, but the focus is more on professional practice compared to a Doctor of Philosophy. These study programmes are usually offered by universities.

Professional doctorates are also PhD tracks, usually at a university.

• Duration: 3 to 4 years (full-time) or 4 to 6 years (part-time).
• Content: studying, research and writing a dissertation.
• Admission requirements: a master's degree or an honours bachelor's degree in the same field of study.
• Diploma: Doctor in + field of study. For example: Doctorate in Law and Doctorate in Education.