Q: I'VE just passed my Leaving Cert. I'm very good at sport and would like a business career in this area with a view to opening my own sports centre after some years working as a manager. Is there any suitable suitable in the Dublin area?
- Dublin student
A: Many well-known courses are run by the City of Dublin VEC in its PLC colleges - a list was published in The Irish Times Going to College supplement on August 19th. Many courses may be full by now but you should check.
NUI, Dublin (UCD), is running a new diploma course in sports management. This two-year part-time course covers organisation, management and administration in the sports industry. The course is aimed at those who are involved in sport but particularly those who compete at top level and also those who work as administrators in a sporting organisation or as managers or employees in the leisure industry. Applicants are expected to be of matricualation standard - which you are - and they may be interviewed or their aptitudes assessed before being accepted.
The bad news is that the closing date was early July and, although late applications may be accepted, the course starts at the end of September so you need to contact the Project Manager, Continuing Education, at (01) 706 8712 or (01) 706 8714 immediately. The £1,750 fee includes all tuition, course material, library and computer facilities as well as exam fees.
The course involves commerce, medicine, philosophy, sociology and a modern European language. Though it is part-time, the course will be organised in four 12-week semesters. Lectures and seminars will be held over two mornings and one evening per week from the end of September to May. The four modules each year cover management of sport organisations, financial management, principles of marketing, consumer behaviour, personnel management, the biology of human performance including individual and corporate exercise prescription, management of injuries and medical problems, behavioural sciences in sports management, modern sporting trends, coaching aids, the commercialisation of sport, media relations and the use of a modern European language in a professional context.
Q: My daughter is in fifth year and is very art-oriented. She has a natural eye for shape and colour and is very creative. She has done some modelling and photographic sessions and has also co-ordinated a fashion show. She is in fifth year. She would love to work as a makeup artist. Where could she train for this in England?
- Co Cork parent
A: There is only one course that I know of for this career. It's at the London College of Fashion, 20 John Prince's Street, London WIM OBJ. This is a three-year BA Hons in costume and make-up for the performing arts and it's located in the School of Fashion Promotion.
There are two distinct options - theatrical make-up and special effects for theatre/ TV and, second, costume design. Entry requirement is A-Level art at grade C or an equivalent such as a PLC course in art. I don't think Leaving Cert art would suffice unless you have an exceptional portfolio.
They require a sound art portfolio showing a good interpretation of colour and drawing ability. They are not looking for specialised makeup items in particular. An interview will establish your interest in theatre and TV - this could be taking part in school dramas or showing creativity behind the scenes in an entertainment or stage company by helping with costumes or make-up or design.
Instead of doing a PLC course here, you could also apply to this college for a one-year foundation course in media or for their higher national diploma in design fashion which trains in styling for hair and make-up in preparation for work in general photography or catwalk photography. Because there is only one state-funded course in the UK, entry is very competitive.
You could also think of a beauty therapy course at home and get a CIBTAC or CIDESCO qualification first which has some modules for which you could get exemptions.
Have you thought of the two-year cyclical course in make-up for film/TV & theatre in Dun Laoghaire College of Art & Design - phone (01) 280 1138? This course is 80 per cent practical and 20 per cent academic.
Job opportunities are expanding in this area. In addition to film and tv companies, relatively new areas are opening up such as make-up for videos, fashion photography and portrait photography.
Q: My daughter is taking eight subjects for Leaving Cert in 1998. I feel she has too much on her hands but she is afraid to give up one of them. Her plan is to sit six at higher level and do either maths or Irish at ordinary level. Could you give us any guidance?
- Clare parent
A: Only six subjects are counted for points for any course - degree, diploma or certificate. So carrying eight is an enormous load which will not gain any extra points. Your daughter is obviously a good student and able to deal with this load but she may be spreading her efforts instead of concentrating on six subjects - the fixed amount of time and effort available has to be spread over eight instead of six if she is to have any normal life outside school at all.
From now on, she should concentrate on her six higher-level subjects in which she hopes to get the best grades. She should allocate a certain amount of time and effort to her ordinary level subject so that she qualifies for as many colleges as necessary by keeping that to meet college/ faculty subject requirements.
It's difficult enough to get top grades in any subject. She should narrow her efforts to the best six subjects, unless she has (a) a group which has a common core such as maths, physics, and applied maths or biology and home economics or (b) a subject in which she excells naturally such as music or art.
It's sad that this is the way education has gone with the points system governing the selection and number of subjects a student can take instead of a free choice to enjoy what she is obviously able for but you have to be realistic about efforts and energy.
Questions can be answered only through this column and not by phone or post. Write to Sile Sheehy, Education & Living, The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 - or by e-mail to education@irish-times.ie
