The art of choosing a course with flexible prospects

College Choice: In 2003 more than 25 per cent of first-preference degree applications and 14 per cent of cert/diploma applications were for courses in arts and social science.

In UCD alone, 1,232 places were allocated for its standard arts degree, a further 118 for its denominated arts degrees, and 145 for the social science degree. More than six in every 100 first-year degree students in Ireland are studying arts/social science at UCD.

When you take into account similar numbers in Trinity, as well as those taking arts degrees at NUI Cork, Galway (including the joint degree with St Angela's in Sligo), Maynooth, University of Limerick (through Mary Immaculate College), St Patrick's in Drumcondra, and Dublin Business School (fee-paying), one can see that this area of study is of the greatest interest to prospective students.

Also under the general arts heading would be programmes in theology, philosophy and the liberal arts, offered by Carlow College, St Patrick's (Pontifical) Maynooth, Milltown, and All Hallows.

Students taking degrees, diplomas and certificates in social science, applied social studies, and social care have a wide range of options.

Central to all such programmes are the subjects of social policy (the study of the social services and the welfare state), and sociology (the study of society and social life: why people behave the way they do). Degree programmes are available from NUI Dublin, Maynooth, Cork, Trinity and DIT. In 2004 Athlone, Dublin and Limerick Institutes of Technology are launching new degree programmes.

Applied social studies (social care) diplomas, with options for add-on degrees, are also available from the Institutes of Technology in Blanchardstown, Dundalk, Sligo, Tralee and Waterford, as well as from Carlow College.

An exciting development is the launch by UCC of two degrees in social science (CK114) and social work (CK115), open exclusively to mature students with a background of work in these fields.

A story is told of a deeply disgruntled arts graduate employed by a major corporation. The employer had not bothered to inquire what subjects he had taken in his degree. Given the hard work he put into getting a good honours qualification, he was quite disappointed. After some months he plucked up the courage to ask the employer, who smiled and responded that the content of his degree was not the key factor in securing his contract of employment. Rather, it was the fact he had negotiated his way independently through three years at university, learnt the skills of self-motivation, and worked through a series of project deadlines, formal examinations, and so on.

Also relevant was that he had got involved in numerous college societies, learning the skills of public debating, as well as actively participating in the sporting life of the college. In doing so he had proved his suitability to be similarly self-motivated in acquiring the skills necessary to perform productively in his new job.

There is no clearer rationalisation of the benefits of taking a liberal arts/social science option in college.

Recent statistics published by UCD show that within a year of graduation, 44 per cent of arts graduates were involved in post-graduate study, while 45 per cent were in employment.

For many 18-year-olds, the prospect of choosing a career is a daunting prospect - and the opportunity to study a range of non-career specific subjects, while learning the skills necessary for independent living, is attractive.

The range of careers open to such graduates is enormous: teaching, civil service, local authorities, journalism, public relations, advertising, recruitment, management consultancy, customer service, entertainment, insurance, sales, marketing, social work, politics, telesales, e-commerce, and tourism, to name only some.

Arts and social science graduates have the flexibility to move in any direction they wish. Many of them take post-graduate master's degrees in areas such as journalism or business administration. The key strength of an arts/social science qualification is its flexibility.

There are major differences between the arts programmes on offer. Whereas most colleges will allow students apply for a general arts degree involving taking three subjects in first year (NUI Galway has a four-subject first year) and two in the remaining two years of the degree, others, such as Trinity, insist on applicants selecting a two-subject combination (TR001) or a separately coded degree, e.g., English studies (TR023).

Such denominated courses are available in various universities, e.g., in economics, history, philosophy and psychology, at UCD, each with its own code and points requirement.

BA (international) degrees are also available, over four years, involving the study of a language within the programme, and a year studying at a Continental university.

The number of applicants and the quality of their examination results will determine the points requirements for the various arts programmes available.

Taking previous years as a rough guide, arts degree requirements tend to fall between 380-410 points, with Trinity being higher.

A degree in social science would be somewhat similar, with the diploma requirement falling to between 310-360 points.

For those prepared to pay fees, entry to an arts degree can be obtained through Dublin Business School, at around 250 points.

r Tomorrow: careers in the building and construction industry

Brian Mooney's column on CAO options will appear daily in the run-up to the February 1st deadline.

r You can email Brian Mooney on bmooney@irish-times.ie

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