College Choice:Every day, until the deadline at the end of the month, careers expert Brian Mooneywill guide you through the CAO process and outline the best possible options.
Restricted application programmes have either a portfolio or interview component, which is labour-intensive and time-consuming for the staff of the colleges involved, therefore colleges only consider applicants who indicate their interest by the initial February 1st deadline. A large proportion of these courses are offering mature entry nursing places.
• Art and design courses
The National College of Art and Design (NCAD) design faculty offers five honours bachelor degrees with specialisms in ceramics, glass and metals, fashion design, textile design and visual communication; its fine art faculty offers four programmes in fine print, media, painting and sculpture and its education faculty offers a BA in art and design education.
All these specialisms start with a common first year - AD111. Application is through the CAO by February 1st and a portfolio must be submitted directly to NCAD by February 8th. There is no interview.
NCAD also offers industrial design - AD012 - for those interested in the design of products for manufacture. Applicants are called for an interview with concurrent portfolio assessment, which will take place during the week beginning April 21st.
Places in NCAD are not awarded on Leaving Certificate points, but applicants must meet NUI matriculation requirements. Selection is based on portfolio assessment only for AD111 and interview and portfolio assessment for AD012.
For those who want to teach art, students may qualify by completing the BA in art and design education or by first completing another level 8 degree in art and design, then taking the higher diploma in art and design education at NCAD or the diploma for art and design teachers offered by some institutes of technology.
The Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology offers six honours bachelor degree programmes in (1) animation, (2) photography, (3) visual communication (print, screen and 3D spatial), (4) visual art practice aimed at those aspiring to become practising artists, (5) film and TV production aimed at aspiring directors, producers, scriptwriters, editors, cameramen and women, web developers and digital effects specialists, (6) model-making for film and media for those interested in artistic illusions and special effects.
All six programmes involve portfolio assessments in March, with interviews where necessary in April.
The Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) offers four honours degree programmes within its faculty of applied art, design - interior and furniture (DT544), design visual communications (DT545) (aimed at those wishing to become graphic designers, typographers, image- makers, illustrators and digital media designers), fine art (DT546) (in painting, sculpture, print media) and photography (DT559).
It also offers a certificate in design display (DT515) for those who wish to pursue careers as display designers in the retail industry.
• Other programmes
Athlone IT has an honours degree programme in design and visual communications (AL052) and a design communications ordinary bachelor degree (AL020). Cork IT has ordinary degrees in design communications (CR036), art and design at Crawford College of Art (CR201).
Galway-Mayo IT offers art and design (GA270) and film and television (GA271). Limerick IT has art and design (LC102). Sligo IT offers fine art (SG231).
• Music courses
For those specifically interested in second-level teaching, Trinity has music education (TR009); DIT has music education (DT501), which it runs in conjunction with TCD TR009. Traditional Irish musicians are catered for on this programme.
Mater Dei offers music and religious education (MD401) while Maynooth, UCD and UCC have a single arts subject music in first year. UCC has a four-year music degree (CK103) and a three-year art and music option (CK104) with two arts subjects in first year.
UCD (DN001), Trinity (TR002), Maynooth (MH103), the Royal Irish Academy Music (DC211) Composition (DC212), Dundalk IT (DK860), Waterford IT (WD027) and CIT (CR121) offer honours bachelor degrees.
For those interested in Irish traditional music, University of Limerick (UL) has an Irish music and dance option (LM030).
New in 2008 is a voice and a dance option (LM031) from UL.
• Drama and theatre studies
There are programmes in drama and theatre studies at Trinity (TR025), UCC (CK112), drama (performance) at the DIT (DT529). New this year from IT Tralee at level 8 are folk theatre studies (TL170) and performing arts ((TL175). DCU is offering acting through the Gaiety School of Acting (DC213).
• Architecture
There are two restricted degrees at the DIT (DT101) and UL (LM099).
• Going green?
The award for the most interesting new restricted programme in 2008 goes to Dr Billy Fitzgerald at Sligo IT, for (SG402) fisheries management, a programme of training in environmental, development and protection aspects of fisheries management.
Advice podcast
Listen or download the podcast for advice on how to complete the application form, and for an overview of the current CAO process, at ireland.com/education
Tomorrow: Business Courses