Record numbers choose to become ‘eternal student’

THE eternal student has become a reality in many Irish households as record numbers of students choose to remain on in college for further studies after graduating with a basic degree.

Despite the buoyant jobs market, more students than ever are shunning the conventional workplace and pay packet in order to pursue postgraduate studies.

Enrolments in postgraduate education jumped by 30% — representing more than 5,000 extra students — in the five years to 2005, according to figures released yesterday by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

More than 22,000 students are currently in postgraduate studies in HEA institutions which include the seven major universities, four teacher training colleges, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, National College of Art and Design and Royal Irish Academy.

Over 15,000 of them are in full-time studies but the number of part-time students at postgraduate level is also steadily increasing, growing by 16% between 2000 and 2005.

Most are studying for masters degrees but over 700 students are aiming higher and earning the title of ‘Doctor’ each year by graduating with PhDs. The single biggest category, accounting for 43% of all new PhD graduates, are earning their doctorates in science.

Dr Vivienne Patterson of the HEA welcomed the increase in postgraduate activity which she credited to the injection of funds channelled into colleges since the HEA established the dedicated Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions in 1998.

Over €600 million has been provided directly for research in that time while substantial funding has also been attracted from private philanthropic sources.

Dr Patterson said: “The growing numbers pursuing graduate studies reflects not only the much improved higher education research infrastructure that has been established, but the increasing acceptance that if Ireland is to continue to progress socially, economically and culturally, we need highly educated, innovative and creative people.”

The increases at postgraduate level reflect a general growth in student numbers at HEA institutions over the past five years. Total enrolment at undergraduate level rose by 7% between 2000 and 2005.

Females outnumbered males at all times during this period but males appear to be catching up with a 9% increase in male enrolment compared to a 5.6% increase in females.

The vast majority of new undergraduates last year were aged 17-19.

HEA figures also show that non-national students make up 11% of full-time enrolments with the biggest single group coming from North America.

Higher education in numbers

* Females make up 59% of new undergraduates.

* Females make up 56% of new postgraduate students.

* Females outnumber males 3 to 1 in health sciences.

* Males outnumber females 3 to 1 in engineering, construction and manufacturing.

* Arts and humanities have biggest intake of undergraduates (28%).

* Social science, business and law have biggest intake of postgraduates (26%).