If you want a degree, look at the yellow pages of the CAO handbook. What, you say? That's where the certificates and diplomas are listed.
But that's where the greatest chance of getting a college place lies. OK, so, on the face of it, the grey pages of the CAO handbook contain lists of that most desirable qualification - the degree. And students want degrees. So, what's this about the yellow pages? To repeat myself once again, certificates can lead to diplomas to degree. And certs and diplomas are valid qualifications in their own right. I should know - I have one of each.
And certs and diplomas can lead to degrees. The number of add-on degree options has expanded hugely in the past few years. The usual route is via a two-year certificate to a one-year diploma and onwards to a one- or two-year add-on degree. Students must achieve certain grades in their exams to progress directly. However a year's work experience and a pass diploma is equally acceptable.
Here's how it works. Take students who successfully complete a two-year certificate in civil engineering and then achieve a merit in a one-year diploma in any RTC. They are now eligible to apply to Sligo RTC which offers a two-year add-on BEng in civil engineering. The first graduates of this course finished in June last year and were conferred in November.
Of the 25 students who graduated, three are now engaged in masters' programmes and the remaining 22 are all employed as civil engineers, according to Mr Jim Hanly, head of the department of civil engineering and construction studies.
The BEng (Civil) in Sligo RTC is the first recognised civil engineering degree course in the history of the State as the equivalent courses in the traditional university sector were recognised under British administration, says Mr Hanly.
Students climbing the ladder from certificate to diploma to degree are eligible for free fees and are also eligible to apply for maintenance grants, whether it takes four or five years to get to degree.
Using the yellow pages as a route to a degree may take a little longer but the degrees are as valid as those contained in the grey pages.
Athlone RTC: Bachelor of Business Studies; BA in accounting and finance; BBS in tourism and hospitality management; BA in applied social studies in social care; BDes in multimedia studies; BEng (polymer engineering); BEng (software engineering); BSc in applied chemistry; BSc in toxicology.
The college has a transfer arrangement with Camborne School of Mines, Cornwall, and the University of Portsmouth, for graduates of the diploma in mineral engineering.
Carlow RTC: BSc in industrial biology; BSc in software engineering; BTech in product technology; BBS in services marketing.
There are formal transfer arrangements between Carlow RTC and Essex University, England, for the BSc in physical opto-electronics and the BSc in environmental and industrial chemistry
Cork Institute of Technology: BA degrees in fine arts and applied social studies; BSc in biomedical science offered in conjunction with UCC; BSc in analytical chemistry with quality assurance; BSc in applied physics and instrumentation; BEng in structural engineering; BDes in ceramics.
Dundalk RTC: It is possible to advance from any of the college's four business studies certificates through a diploma to a one-year add-on bachelor of business studies. The college also offers BSc in commercial computing; BSc in building surveying; BSc in food science; BEng in product design engineering.
Dun Laoghaire RTC: It has four add-on degrees: BDes in interactive media; BA in film/video studies; BDes in film/video design and BDes in production design. Applicants who hold a national diploma in design/communication or art (or equivalent) are eligible to apply for these courses.
Galway RTC: BBS programme which incorporates a bridging module as an integral part of the course; BSc in furniture technology; BEng in digital and software systems engineering; BSc in software development; BSc in computing in business applications. There are also transfer opportunities into the BTech in manufacturing technology and the BA in hotel and catering management.
Letterkenny RTC: Students who have completed any one of a number of business-related diplomas and certs can apply for a degree in business studies. An add-on degree option in applied computing is now on offer.
Limerick RTC: Add-on degrees in fine art (painting, printmaking and sculpture) and design (graphics, fashion and ceramics) are available to holders of an appropriate diploma in art and/or design. An add-on postgraduate diploma for art and design teaching is also available. An add-on BSc in information systems is available to holders of an appropriate national diploma. There are also transfer opportunities in to the college's BSc in chartered surveying courses (quantity surveying, valuation surveying, building engineering and management).
Sligo RTC: Offers 10 add-on degree options. There are three options in the bachelor of business studies - finance, marketing and management; BSc in computing; BA in fine art (subject to NCEA approval but the college is confident it will get the Okay); BA in social care; BEng in civil engineering; BSc in quality assurance (open to graduates of computing, science and engineering diplomas); BEng in product design and development (open to graduates of any engineering diploma); BSc in environmental chemistry; BSc in occupational safety and health. There is also a transfer facility into the college's ab-initio degree in environmental science and technology.
Tallaght RTC: BBS with marketing and languages with options in French, Spanish and German; two other business degrees with options in accounting and management; BSc in computing (information technology); BEng manufacturing engineering; BEng electronic engineering; BSc in applied chemistry; BSc in bioanalytical science.
Tralee RTC: BBS in business studies in marketing or accounting; BA in information systems management; BSc in computing. New add-on courses approved by the NCEA are a BSc in health and leisure studies, a BSc in construction management and facilities management and a BSc in analytical science with product/ process development. There is a transfer arrangement with the University of Limerick for students who pass the advanced certificate in business studies.
WIT: BA degrees in the following options: business and financial studies; recreation and leisure; applied social studies in social care; legal and business studies; applied languages. There are BSc degrees in chemistry and quality management, commercial software development and applied biology with quality management. The BTech in computer-aided manufacturing is a follow-on to a diploma in manufacturing technology. A new add-on BA in financial services is also on offer.
DIT: Most of DIT's degrees are ab-initio, which means that you go directly into the degree programme. But, there is the possibility of transferring from the various diplomas offered by the DIT into these degree programmes. Usually, a student will need a merit or distinction in a relevant programme and they will transfer into year three of the degree. It is possible to transfer from diploma programmes in other colleges into degrees in DIT but DIT's own students will get preference (exception - biomedical sciences)
Additional research by Catherine Foley