The news has never been better for science graduates in Ireland, writes Brian Mooney
The Higher Education Authority is investing more than €1.5 billion in scientific research and development centres and multinationals are recruiting graduates at a frantic pace.
With more than 50 per cent of the world's top 25 medical device companies operating in Ireland, the employment prospects for graduates of biomedical technology are exceptionally strong. Athlone IT is offering a new degree, the bachelor of science (honours) in biomedical technology, to equip people for a variety of positions within the medical device/healthcare sector.
With these developments, one would expect strong demand for science places at third level. In fact, the points requirements for entry to all level 8 (higher) science programmes are in many cases the lowest for any of the faculties, averaging in the mid-300s.
Although students are used to three core science areas at school - chemistry, physics and biology - the range and choice expands significantly at university level. UCD, for example, has more than 20 BSc options ranging from geology to astrophysics, from genetics to mathematics.
GMIT offers five new honours degrees: medical science, applied freshwater and marine biology, applied biology and biopharma- ceutical science, chemical and pharmaceutical science and physics and instrumentation.
Chemistry degrees
UCD concentrates on pure chemistry although it also offers entry into biochemistry and chemical biology (DN035), while DIT concentrates on applied chemistry.
All the universities offer chemistry specialisations. Maynooth offers chemistry with pharmaceutical chemistry; UL pharmaceutical and industrial chemistry and industrial biochemistry; DCU chemical and pharmaceutical sciences; and TCD medicinal chemistry. UCC offers biological and chemical sciences (CK402) and chemical sciences (CK406).
The ITs in Sligo, Athlone, and Tallaght offer pharmaceutical science while Limerick combines this with forensic analysis.
Athlone, Carlow, Cork, Galway, Dundalk, Letterkenny, Sligo, Tallaght, Tralee, Limerick and Waterford ITs offer applied chemistry certificates. Athlone IT also offers a toxicology degree (AL033).
Physics degrees
UCC offers a general physics degree, Trinity and UCD theoretical physics (DN031), while Maynooth offers a combination with maths (MH206).
UCD also offers experimental physics and a denominated entry to mathematical physics (DN032).
UL, Galway and DCU offer applied physics. DCU, Maynooth, Cork and Galway physics with astrophysics and UCD has a new degree in physics with astronomy and space science (DN033).
Trinity offers physics and chemistry of advanced materials while UL offers biomedical and advanced materials. DCU offers physics with astronomy and DIT physics technology (DT222) and, at ordinary degree level, physical and life sciences.
IT Tralee offers a higher (TL460) and ordinary (TL463) certificate in photonics while GMIT and CIT run certificate and degree courses in instrument physics.
Biology degrees
NUI Maynooth has expanded biological science (MH 208) into a new degree - biological and biomedical - which will allow students to specialise in advanced areas of biology and biotechnology.
UCD offers botany, cell and molecular biology, environmental biology, zoology, and industrial microbiology.
Many institutes of technology offer courses in applied biology, where aspects of the subject relevant to industry are studied. Biotechnology, where biology is applied to many areas, is available at degree level at DCU (DC181), Galway (GY304) and Maynooth (MH202).
Human genetics (TR073) is offered at TCD, with genetics at UCD and UCC. DCU offers genetic and cell biology (DC168). DIT offers an add-on programme in biochemistry and molecular biology for those with suitable ordinary degrees.
Certificate programmes in applied biology are offered by the following ITs: Athlone, Carlow, Cork, Dundalk, Galway Mayo, Letterkenny, Sligo, Tallaght, Tralee, Limerick, and Waterford.
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