When the languages and marketing diploma course in Waterford Institute of Technology started in the late 1980s it was the only course of its type in the State. Now many similar courses are available and numbers have dropped. "There was a time when we got students from all over the State. Now it tends to be more concentrated in the south-east or the east," says Dr Fionnuala Kennedy, course leader for the German and marketing course. Over a decade later, there are plans afoot to upgrade the long-winded national diploma in business studies in languages and marketing (French major or German major) to degree status. It is hoped that the degree course will be available in September. "We are in the process of designing a degree in languages and marketing, which will be an ab initio degree, so it's four years straight through. That will include a year abroad at one of our partner colleges." It will be very similar to the diploma, apart from a compulsory year abroad, says Dr Kennedy. It hasn't gone through the formalities of the NCEA. "It is something that has been on the cards for a long time but just hasn't happened yet." Some 90 per cent of students end up on degree courses. "They all want a degree - in fact they want a degree in languages and marketing." Currently, students have the option of doing an add-on degree in the BA in applied languages, where the emphasis is on translation. "They can take either a business option or a third language at beginners' level. Up to now a lot of students have opted to go into the final year of the bachelor of business studies degree, but there are problems with that because they have huge numbers." The focus of the course is on languages and although French and German are the main language options, Dr Kennedy says, "we are hoping to introduce Spanish, but it is related to the school situation. There are lower numbers doing Spanish at school."

Students do a second language and have a choice of German, Spanish, French or Italian. All four can be take at beginners' level and German and French at post Leaving Cert level. Other first year subjects include business administration, communications, marketing, economics and financial accounting. These and the second language are all assigned three hours of lectures each per week. Eight hours a week is spent on the first language, which, Dr Kennedy admits, is quite intensive. In the second year students study their two languages, statistics and data processing, financial management, European law, buyer behaviour and marketing channels. Students have the option of spending their middle year abroad at a partner college. "We wouldn't send all students," explains Dr Kennedy, "but we would send the better students who want to go." In third year the focus is completely on marketing with the two languages. The main subjects are international marketing, advertising, marketing research and marketing management and enterprise.

"The standard is also fairly high and the students have to have a pretty good ability for the language." Dr Kennedy's view is reflected in the minimum Leaving Certificate requirements for entry to the course - students must have an ordinary B3 or honours C3 standard. The reason for this is obvious - half the course is language. There has been a high failure rate at the end of first year, where students realised they couldn't match the two, says Dr Kennedy. "They had difficulties keeping a high standard in both the business and in the language." But now it is fairly steady and last year there was an 85 per cent pass rate in German and a 65 per cent pass rate in French. The course essentially attracts students with an interest in languages, which they would like to apply to something useful to them. "Because it is international marketing, the likelihood is they may be able to work abroad." This can also involve doing marketing for Irish companies abroad. Many of the students who make it through to the end embark on the European Orientation Programme, a year-long combination of work and training. They can be employed by a company, usually Irish, to work in a foreign subsidiary.