Learners coming from Further Education Institutes (FEIs) around Ireland into degree programmes at Portobello Institute have gone on to achieve huge success.
FEIs offering level 5 and level 6 qualifications provide learners with great insight into their topic of interest before committing to a longer degree programme.
Portobello Institute has an impressive portfolio of sports degrees awarded by top universities.
Some of our upcoming sports programmes include BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy awarded by the University of Essex, BA (Hons) in Physical Education and BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Science awarded by Liverpool John Moores University. These are all delivered full-time in person or through blended learning.
Learners who hold a level 6 qualification relevant to these degrees may be eligible for advanced entry into the second year of these three-year programmes. This is assessed on a case-by-case basis but often works to cut the number of years studying for learners and fast-track their journey to success.
This has proven to be the case for a number of our successful graduates such as Shannon Byrne and Sean Moriarty, both of whom progressed from Coláiste Íde College of Further Education into year two of our BSc in Sports Therapy.
Shannon now owns a sports therapy clinic in Dublin while Sean has just completed his master’s in physiotherapy in Scotland.
Shannon started with Portobello in year two of the degree meaning that she gained her Level 8 Honours degree in less than two years.
“I was delighted with that. Not only are you saving on the fees for a year but you’re getting the degree a year earlier as well. I’ve got a twin sister and she started her degree straight out of school, and she was saying ‘Ah I’ll have my degree before you’ and we ended up getting it the same year so that was nice too,” she said.
As one of a pair of competitive twins, Shannon took pleasure in winning one over on her sister. But she was even happier with the course she had found. Not only was she delighted with the course, but she was even happier to avoid having to do a four-year degree that would limit her options and waste much of her time.
“I found the course great. I absolutely loved all the lecturers. Because the classes were so small, it made it so much easier to have a chat with the lecturers if you were stuck on something. They were so much easier and accessible compared to my sister’s experience in university where the lecturers didn’t even know her name,” she said.
Anne Walding is a guidance counsellor at Coláiste Íde College of Further Education. She works closely with the Portobello team to ensure clear pathways of progression into our sports degrees
“It’s really beneficial and you can see that by how it’s grown. It’s very valuable. We have the staff and personnel that can bridge the gap between Leaving Cert and college. We can do a lot of work on the skills that they need.
“By the time they come to Portobello in the 2nd year, we’ve got the people that are committed and know what they want. The success rate is really good, we are really happy with it,” she said.
Learners graduating from level 5 or level 6 qualifications across sport, early years or business studies can find impressive and achievable routes to higher education at Portobello Institute.
See all of our sports courses here.
See all of our early years courses here.
See all our business of fashion courses here.
Further Education Institutes interested in partnering with Portobello Institute to ensure clear pathways of progression for learners, can contact our Director of Enrolment, Brandon McLean at brandon.mclean@portobelloinstitute.com or call 01 892 0035.
If you are interested in more information about any of our sports programmes, entry requirements or advanced entry get in touch with our Expert Admissions Advisor, Jo Shaw at jo.shaw@portobelloinstitute.com or call her on 01 892 0024. You can also book a free 15-minute consultation at a time that suits you here.
