Even as Ireland sells itself as a land stocked with technologically-literate works, second-level students are spurning the sciences. Only 11 per cent of Leaving Cert students took chemistry in 1997, compared with 21 per cent in 1987.

In the same 10-year period, the proportion of students taking physics has fallen from 20 per cent to 14.5 per cent, while the numbers taking the Leaving Cert have increased by 17 per cent.

"The danger for the country," says Professor Martin Henry, of DCU's school of physical sciences, "is that we will have too few technologists and scientists around in five to 10 years time . . . it's not just science but engineering and high-tech companies."

DCU is introducing a degree in September which may inspire interest in the sciences at second level. This is the first such course to be made available in Dublin.

Graduates of the college's B Sc in science education will be qualified to teach chemistry and physics to Leaving Cert at second level - the Teachers Council has yet to formally approve it. A concurrent course, students combine teaching practice with study of the sciences, with particular reference to the second-level curriculum. Henry says the course has been developed in response to a clearly defined need. The first two years are common and students then decide to major in physics or chemistry but they are qualified to teach both to Leaving Cert. A quota system will not be put in place, says Henry.

As well as second-level teaching, graduates may opt for careers in areas such as technical training, human resources and even marketing, he adds. They will have developed interpersonal and information technology skills. From first year, students are exposed to schools and teaching. There are 25 places in the first year of this new course. Students wishing to become science teachers may also be interested in UL's well-established B Sc in education which educates students in arrange of biological, agricultural, physical and related sciences with a view to equipping them to teach in second level schools (1998/99 cut-off points: 430).

Alternatively, you can complete a science degree and then apply to do a higher diploma. Additional H Dip places have recently been created to provide more physics and chemistry teachers.

DCU has developed another new offering in the science area - a B Sc in sport science and health. This should provide students with an understanding of the scientific aspects of sport and exercise.

Sports science includes exercise physiology, biomechanics (gait analysis, hitting and pitching and propulsion), as well as elements of psychology and sociology. College sport and recreation officer John Kerrane says the college has invested £11.3 million in sports facilities since 1992. The gym is doubling in size and the college has purchased 35 acres land is developing new playing pitches and tennis courts.

Kerrane says DCU is "actively pursuing" a 25-metre, 8-lane pool, which would be suitable to host the swimming events in the Special Olympics in 2003. It should be emphasised that the new sports science degree is very much a science degree. First year will be mainly science-based with students taking physiology, anatomy, maths, biochemistry, maths and information technology. Sports science is introduced in third year and students give it most of their attention for the final two years. Major themes include health issues related to sport including a specialist module on drugs in sport, as well as biomechanics and psychology of sport, says Professor Malcolm Smyth.

Areas of potential employment include coaching and training; commercial fitness businesses; health promotion and education; sport and leisure administration; sport and exercise research; corporate fitness development; exercise rehabilitation and professional sport.

Kerrane says the new DCU sports science unit will "develop links with local, regional and national sporting organisations, and it will actively encourage service and research collaboration between the university and sporting and medical bodies."

While a degree in sports science is new to Dublin, UL already offers a very popular degree in sports and exercise science (1998/99 cut-off points: 480).