Many courses for students who find life in science

BIOTECHNOLOGY may be defined as the application of living organisms to industrial processes. The organisms are usually micro-organisms, explains Dr Margery Godinho, course leader of Waterford RTC's biotechnology diploma, so any course which includes microbiology should be of interest to students looking for courses in the biotechnology area.

For instance, UCD offers a specialisation in industrial micro-biology. The department was set up in 1956, with the support of Guinness and Bord na Mona, and Professor Liam Fogarty explains that before biotechnology became a buzzword, industrial microbiology was biotechnology.

Students first opt for science, taking four subjects in first year and then specialise taking three, two and, finally, one subject in subsequent years, if they take the honours option. The course includes a 12-week industrial placement where students undertake a research project, relevant to the particular industry.

Biotechnology spans a number of disciplines such as process engineering, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. So, it's important to consider carefully the various science and applied science courses on offer. For example, UL offers a degree in industrial biochemistry designed to prepare graduates for. careers in manufacturing or service industries or research establishments which use biotechnology or biochemistry.

Carl ow RTC offers a one year add-on BSc in industrial biology which builds on their cert in applied biology and the diploma in food quality management courses. It includes an industrial placement and course director, Dr Patricia Mulcahy, says that employment prospects are exceptionally high.

Three colleges, DCU, UCG and Maynooth, offer ab-initio degrees in biotechnology. Points are high - last year you would have needed 500 points to secure a place in UCG, 415 to get a place in DCU and 405 in Maynooth. The course in Maynooth is a new development - 21 first-year students enrolled in the course last October so there will be no graduates for another three years. There were 70 first-year places in DCU last year, and 22 in UCG last year.

Dr Pat Morgan of UCG says that she would advise students to know what they are getting into. If you opt for an omnibus entry science degree you will sample a number of subjects in first year and specialise later. You don't have to be as focused as somebody opting for a particular area, such as biotechnology, from year one.

Students who opt for general science in UCG cannot transfer into the biotechnology programme but they can do about three-quarters of the subjects (not the placement or the continental language). UCG offers a masters in biotechnology and this is an option open to those who don't get the points to go directly into biotechnology, says Morgan.

Graduates of most science courses tend to opt for post-graduate studies and biotechnology is no exception. Muireann Ni Dhuigneain, careers and appointments officer with DCU, says that 45 to 50 per cent of graduates usually continue on to further study.

For instance, in 1995, 18 of the 35 graduates went on to further study while 11 went directly into employment. She lists a wide range of industries which employ biotechnology graduates - brewing and distilling, the production of alcohol and organic acids, dairy and food processing, pharmaceuticals, enzyme and fine chemical manufacture, vaccine production, waste treatment, diagnostic reagent production and research and development in industry.