Durham College (DC) offers more than 450 pathway to degree options for students including a pathway agreement with the Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI), a representative body for 13 institutes of technology in Ireland. The agreement provides an opportunity for graduates of specific two and three year Ontario college programs to earn an honours degree abroad, in some cases earning the degree with only one additional year of study.

Jessamyn Adams, a Durham College Accounting – Business Administration graduate, is one such student that has taken advantage of this unique opportunity as she completed a Bachelors of Business – Accounting and Finance at the Institute of Technology – Blanchardstown in Dublin, Ireland following her time at DC.

“When I read I could obtain my degree in only one further year of study rather than the two I would need in Ontario I thought I should at least apply,” said Adams. “ITB offered me the most generous exemptions for the diploma I had already completed and even though I had never been to Ireland I knew it as somewhere I wanted to explore and what better way than to live there.”

The pathways agreement with DC was developed between IOTI and College’s Ontario, an advocacy organization for Ontario’s 24 community colleges. The agreement primarily pertains to programs within the School of Business, IT & Management (BITM) and the School of Science & Engineering Technology (SET) offering students the chance to further their post-secondary education abroad while experiencing one of the world’s most dynamic and lively countries.

“My experience working with the Irish Institutes enabling students to further their education abroad has been excellent,” said Susan Todd, dean of SET. “Many Canadian students now have the opportunity to transfer their college credits to obtain a degree in a beautiful English speaking country, which will broaden their horizons both culturally and academically.”

Support abounds for students looking to take advantage of the pathway opportunity. “Start to finish they made my transition to Ireland so great,” said Adams. “Once I accepted, I was put in contact with an International Officer and he answered my incessant questions from everything to do with my courses to where I was going to live and how to get around.”

Students can visit the College’s Ontario website for background information on the agreement itself in addition to the IOTI website, which offers additional information on specific academic bridging requirements per program/institution.