Science and engineering courses a lure for college hopefuls

COLLEGE hopefuls have turned towards general arts degrees and the science and engineering courses with the lure of good careers, according to the first statistics on this year’s record 71,843 applications.

While overall applications are up more than 6% on last year, the Central Applications Office (CAO) reports above-average interest in level 8 (honours bachelor) degrees in arts and social science, with 16,659 listing one of these courses as their first preference, up 10% on 2009.

The deadline was February 1, although late entrants may submit course choices by May 1.

In an apparent response to Government and industry initiatives to get more young people to pursue science programmes, there has been a 9% spike in first preference for level 8 science degrees, up to almost 6,500.

Almost 6.5% more CAO applicants had an engineering technology degree at the top of their course list than a year ago.

Despite controversy last year over the new aptitude test used in combination with Leaving Certificate results to choose entrants, first preference applications for medicine are up 12% to 3,755, or more than 5% of all 62,082 who listed a level 8 course on their CAO forms.

Almost 41,500 people have picked at least one Level 7 or 6 (ordinary bachelor degree or higher certificate) course, an increase of 6.3% on 2009, an indication of rising numbers with lower qualifications seeking to improve their work prospects or those returning to education after a long break.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe welcomed the rising interest in science and engineering courses and said it indicated parents and pupils see science and technology as the future in terms of creating jobs.

“Obviously the more young people we can attract into that side, the better it is in terms of attracting multinational development in Ireland,” he said.

While financially constrained third-level colleges face pressure to meet increased demand for places, one higher education leader said they would do their best to facilitate more students next autumn. “We are all subject to an employment control framework and we’ll be meeting the Higher Education Authority to discuss budgets later this month. But we may have scope with the reduction in apprentice places and lower demand in certain study areas,” said Cork Institute of Technology president Dr Brendan Murphy.

National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), reported an 11% rise in students picking their courses as their first preference, with 8% increases in applications for computing and product design programmes and a 32% hike in interest for its biotechnology degree.

Mr O’Keeffe said the creation of a new agency by the end of the year to put in place a quality and awards system across the third level sector will ensure uniform quality for degree holders and potential employers.