Students opting for new third-level courses are making an act of faith. They will travel a new path, and there are no reassuring statistics as to past graduates' success.
Parents may also take a little persuading, as courses such as multimedia, business studies with equine studies, and law with French law did not exist if and when they were making their own career choices. Two new colleges also make their debut this year, Blanchardstown Institute of Technology and Tipperary Business and Rural Development Institute. Both encourage non-standard applications.
A further two private colleges, Griffith College, Dublin, and Dublin Business School, are now offering courses through the CAO.
Today's column explores some of the new courses in the business and humanities areas.
The CAO contacted College Choice yesterday to say that its phones were knocked out by lightning but the office can still be contacted by fax at (091) 562344 or by post at Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway. This column will let you know when the phones are back.
Irish studies at UL
Mr Liam O Dochartaigh, course director of the new BA sa Leann Eireannach at the University of Limerick, says the course has three elements. The first is Irish language and literature, "which of itself is growing in popularity in other universities". The second is a group of other courses, including Irish literature in English, modern Irish history, traditional music and Irish folklore.
But "the element which makes the course different is the continental language", says Mr O Dochartaigh. Course graduates will be trilingual, he says. "Taimid ag iarraidh cur go mor le ceimithe ni amhain don mhuinteoireacht ach do thionscnaimh na hoidhreachta agus na turasoirechta chomh maith," a deir se.
High levels of ability and interest in the Irish language and in Irish studies generally will be expected of prospective students.
Culinary arts at DIT Cathal Brugha Street
This new four-year degree combines theory with practice and interpersonal skill development. Mr Paddy Keys, lecturer in DIT's School of Hotel and Catering Operations, says: "From a personal point of view, I've come through the whole chef thing from 16 years of age and there was nowhere we could go to develop ourselves as chefs.
"This course provides a good solid academic qualification, and it will allow graduates to come out at the top end of the profession. They will also come out with a very good cooking ability. We don't want to lose sight of the need to produce professional chefs."
Law with French Law at UCD
Dr Leila Anglade, director of the programme, says: "in Ireland there are a number of courses which offer law with French or German. This is a step beyond." Students study Irish and French law as well as the French language.
The resulting BCL is recognised by King's Inns and the Law Society, she says. As well as studying for the BCL in UCD, students spend a year in France at one of the four partner universities. These are top French law schools, says Dr Anglade, and at the end of the year students also get a degree from the French university.
"As opposed to teaching students legal French we will teach French law in French. This means students will not waste any time in their year abroad," she adds. It will be challenging, but students will be introduced to French law gradually, beginning in English in first year to ease them in. "Gradually we introduce documents in French . . . Some of the normal BCL options have been replaced by French law so it should not be any more time-consuming for students."
Dr Anglade, who has a degree a from the Sorbonne law school and from Harvard, says she is thrilled about the new degree. "It's quite a novel thing for Ireland and we are very enthusiastic about it."
Equine studies at Athlone IT
Dr John Cusack, head of the school of management, business and general studies, says Athlone IT, with Gurteen Agricultural College, is introducing a new national certificate in business studies in equine studies, with up to 20 first-year places. Gurteen Agricultural College in Ballingarry, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, is about 30 miles from Athlone and has the facilities to do the equine modules while Athlone IT will concentrate on the business elements of the course.
This course is not in the CAO system so students must apply directly to the admissions office in Athlone IT. As well as five passes at ordinary level in the Leaving Cert, students must have British Horse Society level 2 or Pony Club C+ test or an approved equivalent qualification. Students without these equine qualifications may sit an aptitude test about horses.
If there are too many qualified applicants, places will be offered on the basis of Leaving Cert points, says Dr Cusack. The first year of the course will be residential in Gurteen, with students travelling to Athlone one day a week. In second year, the situation is reversed. The course is roughly half and half business and equine studies.
Languages and business administration at Athlone IT
This new diploma is also being offered outside the CAO. It has been approved by the NCEA but is awaiting Department of Education sanction.
Three-quarters of the course will comprise languages, with the rest of the time dedicated to marketing, information technology and business skills.
Applicants must have a higher-level C in French, German or Spanish. Students will take this language and a second ab initio language, which they need not have studied previously. They will get extra tuition in the second language so, at the end of year three, they will graduate with two major languages. Places will be allocated on the basis of Leaving Cert points.
TRBDI
The Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute has two campuses, in Thurles and Clonmel. The role of the institute is twofold: to provide third-level education to students (both Leaving Cert and mature) and to interact with local communities and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to reverse rural depopulation.
This year TRBDI is offering three courses through the CAO: a national diploma in business studies (SME development); a national diploma in sustainable rural development (in Thurles only); and a national diploma in information and communications technology.
Rural heritage studies Galway Mayo IT (Castlebar campus)
Dr Sean Lysaght, lecturer in the new three-year ab initio diploma says: "We have an emphasis on landscape studies and all that embraces from environmental studies to archaeology to history to rural sociology."
There's an emphasis on the hinterland of Mayo which, in Dr Lysaght's words, is "rural, with Famine history and wilderness such as blanket bog, sand dunes and coastal environments." The course, which was previously offered to school-leavers at certificate level, tends to attract students who have an interest in archaeology and geography.
"We also get students with an interest in folklore and the Irish language and we tend to try and marry the different interests. There is a practical element, particularly in third year, with courses in information technology and business management. They also study the applied side of heritage . . . tourism development, rural development with a heritage component."
In the first instance, graduates tend to get seasonal jobs as information officers at heritage sites and tourist attractions, according to Dr Lysaght. A little above that, there are jobs as conservation officers or project managers with museums, heritage developments or FAS-based schemes. At the top of the jobs pyramid are the new heritage officer positions being created by the county councils, says Dr Lysaght.
Blanchardstown IT
This new institute of technology is not listed in the CAO handbook but there are four courses on offer this year through the CAO: computing and information technology; electronics and computer engineering; business studies; and business, information technology and languages. It is expected the college will take 250 first-year students in total into its new campus in Blanchardstown.
The Government has allocated £20 million to meet the capital costs of establishing the new institute, which will have state-of-the-art facilities.
The institute can be contacted at the Department of Education and Science, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1. Telephone: (01) 8734700. The college has produced a prospectus which details the courses on offer - ask your guidance counsellor for a copy.
A high proportion of its students will be "non-standard entrants" such as mature students, students without the usual Leaving Certificate qualifications, students with disabilities and students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
Additional reporting by Catherine Foley
Help-line
Students, parents and teachers with queries about colleges, courses and application procedures are invited to call the College Choice help-line between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. today. Phone (01) 679-2099.