Athlone IT has removed one hurdle of its entry requirements for a national diploma in design. Elaine Larkin reports

Time is running out for CAO applicants interested in applying for the national diploma in design (communications) at Athlone Institute of Technology. Applicants are not accepted after February 1st.

However, those who do get their applications in on time will be pleased to discover that one of the hurdles to a place on the course has been removed.

Up to this year, Athlone IT was one of several colleges using a project assignment or a design test supplied by the CAO to determine if applicants were of high enough standard to present their portfolios for assessment by the Institute. "This year we have decided for a few reasons not to go with the project," says Marlene Armstrong, head of the department of design at the institute. "Stage 1 of the course will be that they will apply to the CAO and if they put it down as one of their options we then contact them. The next selection will be the portfolio and then afterwards we are talking about Leaving Cert or NCVA," she says.

Whereas in the past there were no restrictions on the portfolio, now there are. What is being asked for now, says Armstrong, is a more limited portfolio. The work must be confined to 15 presentation sheets of art and design work, either size A1 or A2 and two sketch pads.

There are guidelines to what applicants should submit in their portfolios and, says Armstrong, "we have to be very conscious that a lot of our applicants are following the Leaving Cert programme. Based on that we are talking about design-based projects or anything involved in problem-solving, which is design. If you take the Leaving Cert programme and the design syllabus there - anything that's in there - elements of that would be suitable to submit."

Successful applicants, who tend to be a mixture of Leaving Cert students and 30 per cent of PLC students, will find themselves with a place on a three-year, full-time course. Approximately 36 students are taken on each year, because "we think 36 is a number with which you give them a certain amount of personal attention, which I think students need, especially in the early stages."

Although there is an even breakdown now between male and female students, Armstrong notes that, "in pre-technology times we definitely had more girls. We have noticed that the trend would be roughly half and half. Since the design business became more technologically based I think there has been a trend for more males." Technology and work on computers is a major part of design and students learn how to use programs such as Quark Xpress and Adobe Photoshop.

Even in the diploma, says Armstrong, students are introduced to multimedia programmes and Web design. In first year, the basics are laid down untill the end of March and from then on they work on design projects only.

First-year subjects include graphic form, typography, media drawing (drawing, printmaking, photography, image manipulation software), historical and theoretical studies, business administration, communications and keyboard skills. Classes are held between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, but usually finish at lunchtime on a Friday. First years would have 26 or so hours a week and are sometimes divided between different classes as they often work on a rota system.

The course is divided into the more theoretical area of complimentary studies and chief study. There are 1000 marks awarded per year. Some 80 per cent of these are for the chief study subjects and 20 per cent for complimentary studies. In line with the marking system, the two areas of study are given corresponding hours on the timetable.

After three years on the diploma, students can go out into the workforce or continue their education in Athlone by applying for the bachelor of design with multimedia technology. Students tend to end up in design studios and some have set up their own freelance businesses.

According to Armstrong, "The majority of them start off working in the design industry, designs studios, in advertising, design or multimedia.. " The website is: www.design.ait.ie