Q My parents have some acres of forestry and I've become very interested in this as a career. I know it's in UCD but could I do it anywhere else?
- Leitrim student
Yes, the only degree course is in UCD. It's available in the omnibus entry for the agricultural science degree DN010 and in 1998 points for entry were 370.
This four-year course has a common first year and then the second, third and fourth years are specific to the individual degree programmes. There are nine degree options including forestry.
Students then select their preferred degree following a common first year and advisory meetings/ discussions with the departments responsible.
This seems like a very good way to make a decision, especially as entry to each degree programme is a matter of choice, but there may be some limits as to the minimum or maximum numbers of students taking a particular programme.
All degree programmes here, except food science, require on- or off-farm professional work experience in approved degree related areas. This work experience carries credits towards the degree and is assessed and examined by each department.
Graduate opportunities include land assessment for forestry planting, forest maintenance, timber purchase, foresters in private enterprise or with the State.
There are two national diploma courses - one at Waterford IT (WD076) in forestry and the other, styled as forestry management, at Galway/Mayo IT (GA040). Points for intake in 1998 were almost the same at 280-285.
Tralee IT has a national cert in agricultural engineering which has a specialism in forestry (TL640). This is concerned with design, manufacture, modification and maintenance of equipment in forestry as well as land drainage-reclamation and surveying.
The state forestry company, Coillte, has a joint programme with Ballyhaise Agricultural College, Co Cavan, (phone 049 38108) in agri-forestry. This also involves a work placement.
Teagasc (phone 01 668 8188) also runs short training courses.
Many universities in Britain offer degree courses in forest products, amenity forestry and management, forestry-forest science, agroforestry, arboriculture and woodland conservation. They include Aberdeen University, Edinburgh University and the University of Wales, Bangor.
Higher national diploma courses are available in some colleges such as the University of Brighton and De Montfort University
Some colleges of further and higher education also offer courses such as Sparsholt College, Hampshire, which has a course in forestry and arboriculture. All phone numbers and addresses are in the UCAS Handbook 1999, which should be available in your school. You can phone UCAS at 0044 1242 227788 for details.
Q: Do any schools in the Republic provide A level courses?
- Wexford reader
As far as I know there is one private institution in Dublin, the Dublin Tutorial Centre (phone 01 661 2209) which provides A levels primarily over a one-year period at PLC level. It is listed on the National Centre Register in Britain as a designated centre for all of the examining boards throughout Britain and Northern Ireland.
Generally, it uses the Oxford and Cambridge Board (OCSEB) for languages and humanities and the Associated Examining Board for the sciences (AEB). There are six different examining boards in Britain as well as the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment (NICCEA).
Some of these are considered to be more difficult than others, so you should choose whichever board you wish to apply to carefully. Fees are £2,465 for three A Levels to include exam fees.
You would be better to do the Leaving Cert first and then do the A levels the year afterwards. Leaving Cert subjects are accepted at pass level for college matriculation purposes and so are GCE O level.
I don't know of any schools in the Republic which offer these GCE O level subjects.
The Dublin Tutorial Centre also facilitates external candidates who have studied independently and wish to sit examinations. Application forms and details of subjects available can be had from them.
The type of Irish student which A levels suit are those who perhaps have a particular interest and ability in a group of subjects such as the sciences and who wish to continue with those only with a view to gaining entry to specific faculties such as medicine or veterinary etc and who do not wish to repeat six subjects in Leaving Cert.
Q: I'm a second-level teacher in Dublin. I'm interested in remedial education. What courses are available? Are they full-time?
- Dublin teacher
Generally, courses in remedial education are considered to be in-service courses for teachers providing the specialist knowledge and skills required to help students with learning difficulties within the ordinary school system.
These courses are recognised by the Department of Education and Science as a qualification for remedial and resource teaching both at primary and second level. Courses generally are one-year full-time and time is divided between lectures, workshops and school placements.
Because of recent proposals to increase the provision of remedial services in primary schools, more jobs will be available at this level from next September. There are four taught diploma courses available in this area: compensatory and remedial education in UCC; remedial and special education in UCD; remedial education in NUI Galway and remedial education (primary /second-level) in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. These courses are open to graduates and qualified primary and second-level teachers, including those working with Youthreach and community education projects.
Queries can be answered only through this column and not by phone or post. Write to Sile Sheehy, Education & Living, The Irish Times, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 - or by email to education@irish-times.ie
