There are many ways to get started in science-based sectors

COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE:Science, Agricultural Science, and Food Science

Despite the economic downturn, the Irish pharmaceutical and chemical sector still remains strong, with 16 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies located in the Republic.

There are 26,000 people employed in the medical devices and diagnostics sector and 4,000 people are employed in the biotechnology industry. Furthermore, Science Foundation Ireland has committed €920 million to scientific and engineering research in third-level institutions.

Where are the jobs?

Within the Pharmachem sector alone there are nine major capital investments, totalling more than €1.5 billion, under way at Centocor, Eli-Lilly, Glaxo SmithKline, Gilead and Pfizer in Cork; at Genzyme and Servier in Waterford; and at Merck Sharp and Dohme in Clonmel and Carlow respectively. The industry exported more than €42 billion worth of products in 2007, representing 45 per cent of Ireland’s total exports.

The programmes on offer:

Physics-based programmes: As well as degrees in mathematical and experimental physics, there are courses in medical physics, physics and computing, astrophysics, instrumentation, and chemical physics.

Medical research degrees: Courses in this area include medical chemistry, molecular medicine, medical biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, pharmacology, drug and medical analysis, food science, or indeed health and safety and physiology.

Biology-based programmes: Apart from biology degrees, colleges offer related areas such as botany, molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, ecology, anatomy, immunology, physiology, and plant engineering.

Chemistry-based programmes: Courses include analytical chemistry, biopharmaceutical chemistry, chemical instantiation and analysis, and forensics.

Interested in working outdoors?

There are degrees in wildlife biology, zoology, earth, ocean, and climate science, equine science, agricultural science, fisheries, environmental studies, forestry, and archaeology.

Interested in the environment?

The new earth sciences programme in Trinity (TR077), and UCD’s climate and earth systems science (DN038) might fit the bill. See also environmental and earth system sciences at UCC (CK404) and earth and ocean sciences (GY314) at NUIG. Several of the ITs and universities offer environmental science programmes at levels six, seven and eight.

What are the benefits of a broad-based science degree?

There is still great benefit in following a broad-based general science degree programme. Details of all science courses can be found at www.qualifax.ie

Agricultural science

UCD is the only university in Ireland providing the widely recognised Bachelor of Agricultural Science qualification.

With 10 agricultural science programme options available, the programme considers the agri-food, nutrition and environmental sector in its broadest sense. With the exception of horticulture, landscape and sports turf management, which substantially increased the number of places available in 2008, points on all of the programmes increased in 2008, in some cases by 75 points.

Agricultural science (DN010) enables students to take modules in basic sciences in the first year, with the option of pursuing any of the following degrees in year two: the recently introduced degree in animal science-equine (DN409); animal and crop production (DN045); animal science (DN046); food and agribusiness management (DN043); agri-environmental sciences (DN044); food science (DN040); engineering technology (DN047); horticulture, landscape and sports turf management (DN048); and forestry (DN042).

Alternatively, students may enter their preferred denominated programme directly. NUI Maynooth offers a course in equine business (MH405).

Food science

UCC offers nutritional science (CK504), food science and technology (CK505), food business (CK501), and international development and food policy (CK506). UL offers food science and health (LM068), which blends food microbiology, chemistry and processing with modules such as human nutrition and physiology, exercise and health.

DIT has courses in human nutrition and dietetics (DT233), and food technology/ pharmaceutical technology (DT480). UCD has recently introduced a BSc in human nutrition (DN090), which looks at the science of the relationship between food and health. At ordinary degree level, DIT offers food processing-pharmaceutical manufacture (DT481); Dundalk IT offers food science and health (DK782); and Letterkenny IT offer food science and nutrition (LY837).

Veterinary nursing

UCD has just announced the introduction of a four-year full-time Bachelor of Science (veterinary nursing) degree programme, CAO code DN106.

Tomorrow: careers in technology

• Brian Mooney guides you through the college options available to you in this year's CAO process. This column will continue until the February 1st CAO deadline.
• Online:Listen in to Brian Mooney's podcast at irishtimes.com/education