Recognition of Honours Degree in Canada

CBCB2

Hi,

I have a first class honours degree in Commerce from NUI, Galway.

I am hoping to move to Canada next year. I was talking to a friend of mine who is Canadian last night. He was shocked that I was able to do my degree in 3 years and that I got a first for over 70%.

He said over there it takes 4 years for an honours degree. Kinda like the IT's here you have an Ordinary Degree after 3 years and you do a 4th year to get your honours degree.

He also said that they require an 80% grade average to gain a first. But that generally it's not really used and most people just go by honours degree or ordinary degree.

He said I might have problems getting my degree recognised as an honours degree in Canada when I move.

I was just wondering has anybody else experienced this? Or has anybody else had a problem with a 3 year degree course?

Any help at all would be appreciated. Thanks a mill!

djk1000

If you want to be sure, you should get it accreddited for Canada, there is information on this web page http://www.cicic.ca/415/credential-assessment-services.canada

doolox

Look up ECTS on the internet and you will find all the needed info to convert European Credits to foreign credits. I think a BA degree equates to 240 ECTS points while a Science or Engineering degree equates to 240 ordinary and 360 for an honours. I do not know how the college authorities treat a commerce degree but that should not be difficult to look up and translate into the relevant countries system. Each years fulltime study equates to 60 ECTS points.

If it is anything like nursing or other professions you may have to sit exams in order to qualify to work in Canada. Similar restrictions apply to Australia and the US for Electricians and Lawyers, for example.

blindsider

I don't think you will have any great difficulties. Your qualification is a Level 8 on the NFQ - this is a clearly established Framework and is internationally recognised.

An organisation called ENIC-NARIC looks after international qualification recognition, and the Canadian office details are:


National Information Centre(s)

Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC)

Centre d'information canadien sur les diplômes internationaux (CICDI)

95 St. Clair Avenue West, Suite 1106
Toronto, Ontario, M4V 1N6
Canada

Phone: +1-416-962-8100, poste/ext. 242
Fax: +1-416-962-2800
E-mail: http://cicic.ca/691/ask-us.canada

Web site(s):

http://cicic.ca/

Contact person:

Ms. Natasha Sawh, Coordinator/Coordonatrice


It would certainly be worth dropping them an email to ask what the procedures are for recognition of your qualification. At some stage they may look for supporting documentation: copy of your degree and academic transcripts etc.

In an ideal world they would write to you confimring that your degree equates to a point on the Canadian system - this is what employers etc will be looking for.

I would not be too concerned that yours was a 3 yr degree - it's not unusual internationally - in fact semesters are the international standard, so it might be better to explore this.

The bottom line is that there is an official method for recognising your degree in Canada and this is the only information you need.

Most of the rest is speculation.

I'd be surprised if the office in Canada can't open a database and look for: Ireland -> NUI -> BComm -> Hons = XYZ on there system.

I'm sure you're not the first NUI BComm graduate to go to Canada.

Best of luck!

CBCB2

Wow - thanks for all the quick responses.

I'll check all those out. I really appreciate the help.

I'm glad to see you don't think the 3 years will be a problem blindsider. It really threw me!

Thanks again!

retalivity

in all honesty, qualifications mean shag-all here(unless youre fresh out of college/uni)....they'll get you an interview maybe, its experience that will get you a job.

I have an hounours degree in which i got a third. tbh, i'd forgotten what i actually got and it was never asked about in any interview I had here

CBCB2

Good to know, thanks!

seb65

Don't worry about your degree conversion. Your grades are excellent - just google convert Irish to Canadian grades - or convert honors degree to GPA. You can then make reference to the conversion in you cover letters. You're looking at between a 3.75-4.0 GPA with a first (4.0 being a perfect GPA).

If your looking for the difference in the programs though, a Commerce degree in Canada is five to six years because they include work terms. Also, students specialize in a specific area of business during their commerce program - marketing, finance, etc. That said, all business programs in the western world have the same core components, so you should be fine.

Canadian employers only care that you have the degree - as said above - if you're just starting out. They care much less about grades than Irish employers, they want people who can work.

You should look at oil and gas companies in Alberta - especially Calgary. They seem to hire lots of commerce grads.

Xiney

make sure you get the terminology right - we call it a BCom here. So make sure you mention that it's equivalent to a BCom.

Also, a bachelor's is generally 4 years in Canada but that is just the usual amount of time people take to complete it. Our programs are vastly different from Ireland, you have certain classes that are required, a certain amount to choose from (say, choose 3 of these 5 for example) and some electives. It's not like we end up with a class of the same people in every class from start to finish - people can and do complete 4 year degrees in 3 years by taking extra classes and studying during the summer, etc.

Finally - the more prestigious firms will want to see your transcript - and too many grades lower than 80 will be unacceptable, so you will want to have a grade conversion chart in there somewhere (or mention that 40 is a pass, since it's 55 here)

CBCB2

Thanks again for all the help!