Students wishing to combine environmental concerns and engineering flair might like to investigate the possibilities on offer in NUI Galway's new direct-entry civil and environmental engineering degree.

Made available late last year, there are eight first-year students, three women and five men. This year, the course will be on offer through the CAO and it is expected that up to 20 first-year places will be available. Last year's cut-off registered 425 points.

Professor Padraic O'Donoghue says the sample is very small but it appears that that environmental engineering appeals to women more than most engineering courses.

The course is offered under the civil engineering umbrella and there is some overlap in course content. O'Donoghue says there is an explosion of activity in the environmental area with new legislation, EU directives and new treatment plants being built. Waste management is likely to be a huge issue for the next 10 years.

The college prospectus notes that the provision of a clean water supply is "one of the most basic requirements of civilised living. The environmental engineer is involved in all aspects of the cycle of water supply and purification. The environmental engineer is also concerned with the treatment and safe disposal of the large quantities of waste generated in our society."

NUI Galway introduced some environmental engineering courses into its civil engineering degree two years ago and 12 students will graduate from this stream next year. So, there are some courses up and running already, says O'Donoghue, it's a matter of building on these.

Students will participate in a work experience programme at the end of third year. O'Donoghue is enthusiastic about the benefits of work experience saying it makes a "huge difference to the students. They are more professional and have a better understanding of where they want to go. They come back with ideas for final year projects and it enlivens the atmosphere around the place...they also gain interview experience and are more rounded, meeting the needs of the profession."

HE SAYS communications are very much a part of the environmental engineering programme as engineers will have to go out make presentations to fellow professionals, to local authorities and to the community. "They must be able to communicate with different groups of people." So, students will do formal presentations as well as report writing. Students will also get a good grounding in all aspects of IT.

As well as the core engineering subjects, students take physics, chemistry and microbiology at an advanced level.

As to careers, O'Donoghue expects graduates will find work with local authorities, with Government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Teagasc and Coillte as well as in private industry. Increasing public-private partnerships are also opening up more opportunities.

"The vibrant economy and the money the Government is putting into infrastructure is having a big impact on employment opportunities for civil and environmental engineering. In the near term, I would expect these prospects to remain good."

Special subject requirements: higher-level C3 in maths or pass in the special engineering entrance exam in maths; any lab subject (physics, chemistry, biology, physics and chemistry, agricultural science).

An information booklet is available from the department of civil engineering. Contact: Prof Padraic O'Donoghue, Department of Civil Engineering, NUI Galway, tel 091 750316. Website: http:// www.nuigalway.ie/eng