Dublin Business School Degree

[Zapatista]

All,

I have recently applied to the DBS for one of their part time degree courses. Could anyone tell me if their degrees are held in as high a regard as those of the Universities, Trinity, UCD, etc.? Their awarding body is John Moore University Liverpool.

All feedback appreciated as always.

Zapa.

 

[CGorman]

Saw your post in the Misc fourm and felt obliged to reply! My opinion would be that Private Colleges such as the DBS and Griffitte college are seen in slightly less positive terms as UCD, DCU etc. Thats just my opinion, but maybe that only applies to those who go there full time after secondary education (because the points are lower and some might say that they are buying their degrees).

 

[Brendan Burgess]

Hi Zap

The degrees in the private colleges are not held in anything like the same regard by potential employers as the degrees from the Universities. For the reasons which C gave. The calibre going in is much lower than the calibre going into the Universities.

Brendan

 

[Zapatista]

Thanks guys.

I appreciate your feedback. You have both confirmed my own assumption.

Zapa.

 

[Magoo]

Hi Zap

The calibre going in is much lower than the calibre going into the Universities.

Brendan

I think that's unfair. Is there any basis for this statement?

From experience, I believe that Irish employers favour NCEA or university recognised qulaifications as opposed to those offered by Liverpool, etc. But these are available (albeit more limited) through private colleges as well.

 

[Pexus1976]

At the end of the day a degree is degree. Its a piece of paper with a stamp on it.

If your going for an interview, the firm will be looking for past experience and references! Not what you did when you were a student.

So regardless of where you got your degree from DBS or Trinity it will come down to the candidate who is most suitable for the position.

 

[dam099]

I think that's unfair. Is there any basis for this statement?

I think its common knowledge. Anyone with the points goes to the likes of UCD/Trinity/DCU etc. which are better regarded and cheaper.

 

[Magoo]

I think its common knowledge. Anyone with the points goes to the likes of UCD/Trinity/DCU etc. which are better regarded and cheaper.

Perhaps. But on the other hand I've heard that Trinity courses are generously marked as a means of enhancing the reputation of the college to the point that within industry a 2/1 would really be read as a 2/2.

Personally I think that, in as much as it's possible, NCEA courses are the most reliable indicator of ability. They're subject to independent verification and they relate to standards in this country only.

 

[JamesFlynn]

Hi Zapa,

A college's reputation changes over time - I can remember there was real snobbery about DCU degrees in the early 90s, but today I'd say it's a very well respected institution.

I've worked in both TCD and DBS in the past (in neither any more) - the latter wouldn't be anything as prestigious, but I wouldn't assume therefore that the quality of teaching is any less. If anything, DBS have a very mercenary attitute towards their lecturers (many lecturers are let go every year if they get a poor report from students), whereas in TCD, most of the lecturers are full time tenured researchers, for whom lecturing can be an irritating distraction. There are of course some brilliant exceptions, but most TCD lecturers are primarily interested in, and compensated for, their research. This is the same for any research-focussed university.

The DBS part time lecturers almost all work professionally in their field, so the course content does tend to be more applicable to real life and have less "academic" guff than TCD. The DBS lecturers are also compensated based on how good a teacher they are, not on what research they've done this year - it's an important distinction.

So, though it's true that DBS wouldn't currently be as well regarded as the state colleges, that doesn't necessarily reflect on the quality of the teaching, or what you'd get out of a degree, especially if it's one of the evening post-graduate qualifications.

Good luck with your studies in any event!

 

[JamesFlynn]

Perhaps. But on the other hand I've heard that Trinity courses are generously marked as a means of enhancing the reputation of the college to the point that within industry a 2/1 would really be read as a 2/2.

Magoo - this strikes me as just typical academic water-cooler gossip and begrudgery! The TCD programs I've been involved in were, frankly, viciously marked - one course had a 90% failure rate over the 4 undergrad years. There's no evidence that I know of that TCD marks any easier or harder than any other university.

 

[Magoo]

There's no evidence that I know of that TCD marks any easier or harder than any other university.

I think that's the point. There's seems to be no basis, other than hearsay and bias, for finding in favour of one college over the other.

My views on most business related degrees is that they reflect the capacity of a student to learn and apply themselves over a prolonged period. These qualities remain constant regardless of where the graduate studied.