Qualifications & Entry Requirements

Qualifications & Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements

What are the entry requirements for part-time students?

If you are 21 years or more by 1st January of the year you commence your part-time course, there are no formal entry requirements.

What are the entry requirements for part-time students under 21 years?

If you are under 21 years you will be asked to fulfil the matriculation requirements for University of Galway. These include the following:

• A pass in at least six subjects (including Irish, English and another language) in the Leaving Certificate Examination or equivalent including:

For applicants sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2017 and subsequent years:

• Grade H5 in two subjects and
• Grade H7/O6 in the remaining four subjects

OR

For applicants who sat the Leaving Certificate prior to 2017:

• Grade D1 in two subjects on the higher course and
• Grade E (higher course) or Grade D3 (ordinary) in the remaining four subjects

Additional entry requirements

Some courses will specify specific work experience as part of the entry requirements (e.g. Social Care, Early Childhood Studies and Community Development Practice). Other courses will require a pass in Maths at leaving certificate or equivalent to gain entry to the course (e.g. Science & Technology, Commerce). Software Engineering students are required to submit a current Curriculum Vitae along with other supporting documentation in their application.

NB: Please refer to the individual course pages for specific entry criteria.

English Language Requirement

All applicants, whose first language is not English, or who have not been educated through the medium of the English language during their two most recent years of study, must present an English language qualification taken within two years of the start of the course. Suggested English language qualifications include IELTS, Cambridge C1 Advanced  (CAE), Cambridge C2 Advanced (CPE), TOEFL iBT/TOEFL iBT Home Edition and Pearson PTE.
 
For more detailed information on the test scores required please refer to the International Office website. 

Academic Credit and Qualifications

The courses offered by the Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development range from Level 7 to 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ Level). The length of time it takes to complete each award varies (see table below).

As you browse our course information, you will notice that courses or their modules are often referred to in terms of ECTs (i.e. European Credit Transfer System) weighting. ECT credits are used on a European-wide basis to place a value or size on the learning contained in a course of study. Credits represent a standard number of class contact hours and average workload for every module on your course. Once you complete the required number of credits, you will receive your award. Below is a sample table of levels, credits and timeframes.

 NB: This table is to be used as a guide only and varies for each course.

Can I gain credit for courses I have undertaken previously?

Yes, if you feel that you have covered some of the course material previously or have significant work experience in a particular area, the university recognises this through RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). This process allows you to gain direct admission to a course or to gain exemptions from some parts of a course based on demonstrated learning achieved prior to commencing your course. This means that you will have a lighter course load for some elements of the course and, in some cases, will be able to complete your award over a shorter period.

Click for further information on Recognition of Prior Learning.