Q & A

Your education questions answered

My daughter was extremely disappointed not to receive an offer for a place in nursing in 2003. Given that nursing is only now available at four-year degree level is there any hope for students who do not meet the entry requirement in their Leaving Certificate?

Unfortunately students failing to meet the Leaving Cert entry requirement will probably fail to gain a place on a nursing course. Having said that, a small number of places are being offered by three colleges that will accept FETAC Level 2 qualifications.

The following HEIs will consider specific FETAC Level 2 qualifications for entry to the first year of the pre-registration, four-year degree courses in mental handicap nursing, psychiatric nursing or general nursing, on a competitive basis (up to five places per HEI): University College Cork CK710 (General), CK720 (Psychiatric), CK730 (Mental Handicap); Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology GA810 (General), GA820 (Psychiatric); University College Dublin DN110 (General), DN120 (Psychiatric).

To be considered for entry to these courses the following are the minimum FETAC Level 2 qualifications: A pass on any one of the following NCVA/FETAC Level 2 qualifications - DCHSN Nursing Studies and DCHSX Community & Health Services. You must have distinctions (i.e. 80 per cent or greater) in five modules in the NCVA/FETAC Level 2 qualification, which must include D20001 Anatomy & Physiology D20012, Introduction to Nursing D20032, Human Growth & Development or C20006 Biology.

For details and availability of the above-mentioned qualifications in your area refer to the FETAC website.

Our son is in first year in university, studying science. He is finding the course extremely difficult and not what he expected. We are trying to encourage him to stay, but he feels he is unable to cope. He has approached the relevant people in the college. We are at a loss as to how to help him. If he were to finish/drop out what are his options of other higher-level courses?

As students have up to 20 choices on their CAO form, they may not have researched the subjects taught on each of their choices properly and thus ended up in a similar situation to your son.

If your son is interested in a career in science, but finding some subjects difficult, it should be possible to get tutorial support from the college. Many students struggle with maths in first science and failure in this subject is the main reason for failure in this degree.

If, on the other hand, he has discovered that science is not for him, he should formally withdraw from the course before Christmas and make a new application to the CAO in January. If he starts a new degree programme in September 2004, he will have to pay a half-year fee in year one and will receive free fees after that. He has until next July 1st to decide on his list of choices. The points he received last year will be used to determine which course he is offered in August 2004.

Brian Mooney is president of the Institute of Guidance

Counsellors.

[ bmooney@irish-times.ie ]