New third-level courses make for more choices for students entering third level; however, they do require some work. They also represent something of a gamble, as there is no track record for graduates.
However, many of the new courses, particularly in computing, engineering and science, have been developed in response to skills needs, so job prospects should be reasonably healthy for these offerings. Points-wise, these courses may also represent a good bet. Often, the first year a course is offered, points may be lower than when it becomes more established.
Some of the "new" courses in this year's CAO handbook simply represent new ways of entering courses already on offer. In many cases, direct-entry routes are being offered, instead of entry through an omnibus programme. So you might have computing offered as a direct-entry programme, as well as through an omnibus science entry. Other "new" courses are refinements of courses already on offer.
NUI Maynooth's new engineering programmes
The new programmes represent a departure for the college. The college's faculty of engineering is offering three new degrees: electronic engineering, communications engineering and computer engineering. A new building will be ready in September 2001, so students who begin the course next year will spend their first year using existing facilities.
Even though the courses are listed separately in the CAO handbook, under course codes MH301 (computer engineering), MH302 (electronic engineering) and MH303 (communications engineering), the first two years are common for students of all three degrees. First year includes computer-programming, fundamentals of engineering, physics, engineering maths and computer architecture. Second year includes telecommunications, electric circuits, more engineering maths, communications theory and solid state electronics.
Prof Stephen Brown says there will be the opportunity for students to change their minds about the specialisation they choose for third and fourth year. "This is very important for students if they find out they did not initially choose the right thing," he says. There is a six-month industry placement in third year. Some companies in Ireland and abroad have already indicated an interest.
Prof Brown explains that computer engineering comprises 80 per cent hardware and 20 per cent software. The college's computer science and software engineering degrees would tend to the reverse ratio, he adds. There will be 75 first-year places on offer and students must have a higher-level C for all three of the new degrees.
Students who go to Maynooth to do engineering will have "marvellous facilities, engineering in Maynooth is new, and we see this as an opportunity to put together a marvellous degree, with no baggage . . . it will be great fun".
Environmental engineering at NUI Galway
Made available late last year, there are eight first-year students on NUI Galway's new direct-entry civil and environmental engineering degree. This year, the course is listed in the CAO handbook (course code GY409) and it is expected that up to 20 first-year places will be available. Last year's cut-off registered 425 points.
The course is offered under the civil engineering umbrella and there is some overlap in course content. Prof Padraic O'Donoghue says there is an explosion of activity in the environmental area with new legislation, EU directives and new treatment plants being built. Waste management is likely to be a big issue for some time.
NUI Galway introduced some environmental engineering courses into its civil engineering degree two years ago and 12 students will graduate from this stream next year. There are some courses up and running, says Prof O'Donoghue; it's a matter of building on these.
As well as the core engineering subjects, students take physics, chemistry and microbiology at an advanced level. Communications and information technology are also important components of the course. More new programmes will be discussed in tomorrow's column.
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
The college informs us that there are two errors in the arts subject groupings which are listed on page 52 of the CAO handbook. Group four should contain anthropology and nua-Ghaeilge, not just nuaGhaeilge, while group six should contain sociology, music and Spanish not sociology, music and anthropology.
Students with disabilities
Leaving Cert students with disabilities are invited to attend a one-day seminar on third-level options organised by the Association for Higher Education, Access and Disability (AHEAD) and the Association of Graduate Career Services in Ireland (AGCSI).
The seminar will be facilitated by careers advisers, disability officers, as well as students and graduates with disabilities. It will be held in two centres: the Church of Ireland College of Education, Rathmines, Dublin 6, on January 24th and the University of Limerick on January 26th. Students or teachers who wish to attend should contact AHEAD before Monday, January 17th. Tel 01-475 2386/7. E-mail: ahead@iol.ie
If you have a disability and are filling out your CAO form, you should disclose this disability by writing the words "medical condition/disability" along the bottom of page one of the application form.
Students who indicate a disability in this way will receive a supplementary form in March. You should complete this and return it to the CAO as requested. It will then be circulated to each of the colleges to which students have applied. This will alert colleges to the particular needs of students so that preparations can be made to provide the necessary supports.
The director of AHEAD, Ms Caroline McGrath, encourages students to indicate their disability on their CAO application form. This is often an issue for students, she says, but it will not affect your application in a detrimental way. Instead it helps the colleges support you during your time there. All of the universities, other than TCD, have full-time disability officers, she says. At present, TCD has a designated senior academic who deals with students with disabilities and it is expected that the college will advertise for a full-time disability officer in the next few weeks.
DIT has a full-time officer, while most of the institutes of technology have an access officer whose brief includes disability. Ms McGrath says there is a designated person in every higher education institute, so students should make contact with him or her. The helpline has received a number of calls from third-level students with learning disabilities who are experiencing difficulties with their courses.
There can be problems sometimes, particularly with students with dyslexia, she says. It is possible that individual lecturers may hold strong views on dyslexia or other learning disabilities and may refuse to accommodate students. Usually, dyslexic students need support in the form of access to notes, free photocopying or, possibly, tape-recording. There are situations where lecturers are uncomfortable with recording, she adds, but students should be able to come to some arrangement.
For disabled students who are experiencing difficulties with their course, the first port of call is obviously the designated person within the college. If he or she cannot help, then the students' union may be in a position to lobby on your behalf. Students with learning disabilities might also contact the Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities (tel 01 679 0276). AHEAD itself will offer advice and support but the colleges do not entertain direct advocacy from it.
Scholarships for disabled students
Ahead is seeking applications from Leaving Cert students with disabilities for five scholarships to study at third level.
Four companies - Hewlett Packard, Motorola BV, SmithKline Beecham and Wyeth Medica Ireland - are each offering a scholarship to a second-level student who wishes to pursue a third-level qualification in engineering, science, computing/information technology or business studies at a university or institute of technology. Intel Ireland, which previously offered a scholarship to a second-level student with a disability, is continuing with this initiative.
The scholarships are competitive awards, open only to students with disabilities who sit the Leaving Certificate this June. The value ranges from £1,000 to £2,000 per annum and sponsored candidates may be offered work experience and mentoring by company personnel during the course of their studies.
If you wish to apply, write to AHEAD at Newman House, 86 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, or use the phone number and email mentioned above. Completed application forms must be returned to AHEAD by Friday, January 21st.