Q: My daughter who is in fifth year would like to do a degree in computer software but we are not sure how she should go about this. Would she be better doing a degree in a university if she got the points or doing a two year course in an RTC and then completing the degree later? She loves computers and would love to work in this area. Are any colleges better than others in computing?
- Limerick father
A: Your daughter is very lucky that she is so interested in computer software just now because there are great opportunities in the industry which is one of the fastest growing industries in the world just now.
She could certainly apply for degree courses in all the NUI colleges, UCC, UCD, UCG and Maynooth, as well as in UL, DCU and TCD but she shouldn't forget that there are degrees in other colleges in this area such as WIT, Cork RTC, DIT and, for the first time, Limerick RTC (LC 024 computer science). There are also two new courses in the universities in computing for 1998, DN030 computer science in UCD, as distinct from the DN008 science degree, where computing is offered as a first year subject which can be taken to degree level; and the MH203 computer science in Maynooth.
You ask whether she would be better taking a degree in a university or doing a two-year course in an RTC and the answer is that it really wouldn't make any difference to her employability if she takes the university course or takes a two-year course in an RTC. But she should continue with the two-year course from any of the RTCs (or indeed for that matter with either of the two from DIT Kevin Street or Aungier Street) and having achieved a merit/distinction continue on to diploma and finally degree level.
It could take four or five years this way but it is covered by the free fees scheme the whole way. If she does not get a merit/distinction in the national cert and would still like to go for the degree, she should get a work placement for one year and then re-apply for the add on diploma/ degree in an RTC, a university or institute of technology.
If she gets the points for the degree course, she should take it but if not, she will do just as well going the other route and in fact it suits some students much better because it is a more practical route which provides job qualifications at the end of each phase of certification.
The only edge some courses have over others is that there is a job placement element in them and employers have, for obvious reasons, got a preference for these courses and often spot future employees through their work placement with the company. The following colleges offer job placement as part of the course: UCG, DCU, UL, Cork RTC and WIT.
Some private colleges also offer courses in computing from national cert to degree level.
A comprehensive list of courses available in computer software was published in the careers and courses pages of E&L on Tuesday October 7th.
Q: I want to apply for a place on an art and design course for entry next autumn. When do I apply and when do I have to have a portfolio ready? Are there any other tests besides the portfolio?
- Sligo student
A: If you wish to apply for a cert, diploma or degree course in art and design through the CAO system, you must apply by February 1st 1998 because almost all these courses are restricted courses. You can check the restricted courses list on page 10 in the 1998 CAO Handbook.
Once you have applied, you may change your order of preference up until July 1st but don't forget to request a change of mind form from CAO once you get your statement outlining your application record, which you usually receive before the end of May. The degree list and the cert/diploma list are treated separately so that if you make changes on one list it does not affect the other.
As regards NCAD, there is one course which is not in the CAO system - the first year core programme - and you apply directly and submit a portfolio by January 31st 1998. The other two courses there are through CAO (education and industrial design). For the education course you bring a portfolio and a completed drawing test to an interview in May while for the industrial design course (jointly run with UL), you bring your portfolio along to an interview in late April / early May.
All of the art and design courses in DIT and the RTCs and WIT are through CAO and applications must be made by February 1st 1998. Dun Laoghaire RTC now encompasses the Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design which ran a different admission system to the RTCs in 1997 whereby, in March, applicants submitted a portfolio and this was assessed on a pass/fail basis.
Successful students then go for an interview and assessment of portfolio in April for which 600 marks are given and these are added to the Leaving Cert score.
A centralised screening system operates for most of the RTCs by which a project is given to applicants. This can be used by some colleges as a pass/fail screening test and by others by just allocating a mark. Some colleges also combine it with another form of assessment.
The following RTC colleges participate in varying degrees in the project assessment which is co-ordinated by the CAO: Athlone, Cork, Limerick and Galway.
However Letterkenny RTC applicants are assessed at the college for its two courses in March or April and while Sligo RTC runs an early assessment (December 1st) for fine art, the industrial design course is no longer restricted as is also the case for Carlow RTC's industrial design course; it is scored on Leaving Cert points only. WIT requires students to submit a short project to the college and this is graded pass/fail.
DIT asks students to submit a portfolio on certain dates in February for all its courses be they cert, diploma or degree level and they then award 600 points for portfolio and interview.
All of these art and design courses have specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Cert so do check the college brochures.
The entry procedures for all these courses are a nightmare for students carting portfolios around the country in the depths of winter or into Spring when they should really be at home studying for their Leaving Cert. The RTCs are trying to combine the organisation of the project and two RTCs - Cork and Limerick - already facilitate students by offering one portfolio assessment/ interview for both colleges. If assessment can be centralised for Leaving Cert art, surely something can be done for entry to art and design courses?
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
