To study abroad in Ireland not only invite green meadows, picturesque cliffs and the famous Irish musical culture to a longer stay, but also a diverse higher education landscape. For this reason, every year thousands of young people come from around the world to study in Ireland and the daily studies delve.
The Irish people are generally considered to be relaxed, open-minded and hospitable. She is known worldwide for having fun partying. Common associations are Irish folk and rock music, but also local dishes and drinks such as Irish stew and Guinness. The Irish are a young nation, which is due to the fact that many families are strictly Catholic and have many children.
The Republic of Ireland has experienced an enormous economic boom since the 1990s. The capital Dublin in particular benefited from this period. In the lively metropolis, medieval buildings stand alongside state-of-the-art architecture. In the past few years, the “Celtic Tiger” was hit hard by the European financial crisis, and the country has now regenerated from it.
University landscape in Ireland
The Irish university landscape with its study system has a good reputation internationally. It is in line with other countries based on the established British study structure. It also benefited from the economic boom. At that time, state funds were increasingly being used to equip universities.
The oldest university is Trinity College in Dublin from the 16th century. The other universities also have a long tradition. About 90% of national research and science takes place at universities.
Study Ireland: University, College or Institute of Technology?
There are currently seven universities where international students can study in Ireland. To learn more about the country of Ireland and continent of Europe, please follow thenailmythology. The universities do not all operate under the name University, but also under the name College and University College. But that doesn’t change anything about their university status. The courses on offer cover the undergraduate area and in some cases extend up to Ph.D. programs.
In addition to the universities, there are 14 Institutes of Technology in Ireland. There is a more practice-oriented teaching and the focus is on technical subjects such as engineering. The Institutes of Technology partially cooperate with universities as well as with the local economy: computer software manufacturers, the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
The third sector in the Irish higher education landscape is represented by the colleges. They are either under state or private sponsorship. A large proportion are the state colleges of education where Irish elementary school teachers are trained.
Colleges have different focuses and subjects. The colleges include the often private business schools. Contrary to what the name suggests, they not only offer economics study programs, but are thematically much broader.
Quality assurance of teaching in Ireland
Five of the state colleges and four universities are part of the National University of Ireland (NUI). This federation forms the largest university in the country.
All Irish state universities are part of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), which divides them and their degrees into different levels. The institutions are controlled and evaluated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). This nationwide agency for quality assurance has been responsible for the entire tertiary education sector since 2012: It reviews the courses offered by universities and the Institutes of Technology and all vocational training courses.
Study system in Ireland
The academic year in Ireland is usually divided into two semesters, from September to January and February to May. Irish higher education tends to be schooled. The curriculum includes events such as
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Internships
- Workshops
In regular performance assessments, the knowledge acquired is checked through oral and written exams during the semester and at the end of the semester. A pleasant normality in everyday university life is the relatively uncomplicated contact with the lecturers. Students literally find open doors even outside of office hours.
Recognition of academic achievements for studying in Ireland and Germany
When studying in Ireland, the Bologna Protocol signed by Germany and Ireland ensures mutual recognition of academic achievements. This process is considerably simplified by the modularized study programs and the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
For the recognition of the former German degrees Magister, Diplom and Staatsexamen there are no general rules on the Irish side. Here you should get in touch with the examination offices at an early stage. Experience has shown that recognition from the German side is more complicated than the other way round.
Study programs in Ireland
In addition to the limited semester abroad in Ireland, where students choose a few courses they would like to attend, there are a number of full courses that lead to a degree.
Bachelor degree
The individual university stages are consecutive in Ireland: Depending on the subject, there is the option of taking an Ordinary Bachelor Degree or an Honors Bachelor Degree for the undergraduate bachelor ’s degree.
The Ordinary Bachelor is less research-oriented and has a total duration of three years. The Honors Bachelor is one year longer. The four-year course is more complex and is partly a requirement for a subsequent master’s degree.
Basically, a Bachelor’s degree in Ireland consists of imparting a broad, but rather general, knowledge from several subject areas. Direct entry into professional life is possible without any problems after completing the bachelor’s degree.
Masters degree in Ireland
If after a first degree there is an interest in deepening previous studies and specializing in a subject, a Masters in Ireland makes sense. This also includes an LLM or MBA. For a master’s degree in Ireland, another one to two years of specialized study is required.
In the master’s program, a distinction is made between two courses: the practice-oriented Taught Master and the research-intensive Research Master. Attending numerous courses is part of the Taught Masters course. It ends with the written dissertation. In the research program, the thesis is more extensive and particularly aims at your own research results. The final grade is then made up of the individual grades and the written work.
