Law always features in the top 10 courses in the points league. Last year points ranged from 570* (* means random selection applied) for law and French in TCD to 455* for corporate law in UG and law and German in UCC.
The list of desired professions for many second-level students is headed by barrister and solicitor. But law degrees are academic qualifications, not a professional training. Law graduates must undergo further education and training to qualify as a barrister or solicitor.
Graduates with a degree approved by King's Inns may apply for the two-year barrister-at-law degree. Half the places on this course are reserved for graduates. Admission is very competitive and, last year, a minimum of a 2.1 was required. Graduates of this course must spend a further one year "devilling", essentially working as an unpaid apprentice. All of this adds up to six or seven years of hard work before you begin to earn a living.
For graduates of degrees other than those approved by King's Inns, the route is even longer - they first do the King's Inns two year diploma before applying for the barrister-at-law course.
So, if you are determined to become a barrister you should think about choosing a degree which is approved by King's Inns. Approved courses - TCD: LLB, LLB (French), LBB (German). UCD - BCL; UG - LLB: UCC - BCL, BCL (French), BCL (German); UL - BA (European studies, law option) and BA (law and accounting).
Students must take certain compulsory subjects in their law degrees or they must make up the deficit by passing the appropriate subject in the diploma course.
The Law Society is responsible for the professional training of solicitors. Everyone who passes the society's entrance exam is entitled to train as a solicitor. Trainee solicitors spend four or five months in full-time education and then they must put in a minimum of 18 months training as an apprentice before they return to full-time education for a further two months. The problem for many students is securing an apprenticeship.
Of course, many students study law and have no intention of training as a barrister or solicitor. Mr Seamus McEvoy, UCC's careers officer, says: "A law degree is a great degree to have. From a business perspective it is very useful to have an understanding of law. A lot of students look at law and say: `But I don't want to become a solicitor or a barrister.' In fact, it is a very good base degree. It is all based around the interpretation of English so people gain very good communication skills. Last year, one of the six big accountancy firms took on six UCC graduates."
Higher Education Authority figures show the majority of 1996 law graduates (48.6 per cent) were engaged in research or further academic training. A further 22 per cent were in vocational and professional training, while 23 per cent of 1996 law graduates entered the labour market directly. This latter figure includes graduates who entered training as a solicitor. A small proportion, 2.1 per cent, were seeking employment in April 1997.
There is a variety of law degrees on offer, from corporate law in UG to law and accounting in UL to business and legal studies in UCD to law with languages in TCD and UCC. Graduates of degrees which combine law study with another discipline are more likely to enter the labour market directly.
For instance, of UL's 1996 graduates, 21 had gained employment by April 1997, eight went on to research or further study, two to vocational or professional training, one was seeking work and one graduate was not available for work or study.
Legal studies are not only available at degree level. Waterford Institute of Technology and Letterkenny RTC offer certificates in legal studies. WIT offers an add-on diploma in legal studies and legal studies in international trade. Graduates of either diploma may be eligible to continue their studies to the college's add-on BA in legal and business studies.
DIT offers a two-year part-time course in legal studies which prepares students for admission to King's Inns and the Law Society.
Second-Level Teaching
Teaching usually equals a secure job in parents' minds. But the statistics for 1996 higher diploma graduates show most graduates did not get the permanent, pensionable post their parents wish for - at least not in the first year after they graduated.
A primary degree followed by a higher diploma in education is the main entry route to second-level teaching. The HEA's snapshot of graduate destinations taken in April 1997 shows only 3.8 per cent of H Dip students with full-time teaching jobs. This is a tiny proportion of those graduating.
However, 57 per cent did have part-time, temporary or substitute teaching posts while 8.9 per cent were teaching abroad. A further 10.4 per cent of graduates were in further study or training while 5.1 per cent were seeking employment. This compares unfavourably with an overall figure of 3.6 per cent graduate unemployment (primary degrees).
None of this is good news if you want to become a second-level teacher. Even though prospects after H. Dip are fairly dismal in the short term, the number of applicants for H Dip places far outnumbers the 800 places available annually. So there is no guarantee you will even get a place on a H. Dip. A primary degree is not an automatic passport to the H. Dip.
The other main route into teaching is via a concurrent teaching degree. These degrees - which are offered in subjects such as physical education, home economics, religion, music, metal/engineering technology and wood/engineering technology - include teacher/training in the primary degree so there is no need to do a higher diploma.
The jobs market seems to be somewhat better for these graduates. HEA statistics show 6.4 per cent of concurrent teaching graduates went into permanent wholetime teaching while 80.8 per cent were in temporary or substitute posts. Only 1.4 per cent were seeking employment.
Primary Teaching
There are five colleges offering teacher-training courses which qualify students to work as primary teachers. These are St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin; Mary Immaculate College, Limerick; Colaiste Mhuire, Marino, Dublin; Froebel, Blackrock, Dublin, and the Church of Ireland college in Dublin.
Each college has two admissions codes in the CAO handbook, reflecting the fact that 10 per cent of places are reserved for Gaeltacht applicants.
Last year the cut-off points ranged from 470* (* means random selection applied) for St Pats, Drumcondra, to 410 for the Church of Ireland college. The points required were lower for Gaeltacht applicants, ranging from 420* to 440.
Graduates of the bachelor of education programmes fared better on the jobs front than their H. Dip counterparts. Almost one-quarter of 1996 graduates had secured permanent full-time teaching positions by April 1997, according to HEA statistics. The bulk of graduates, 74.5 per cent, were in temporary, substitute or part-time teaching positions.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation says there is a shortage of qualified substitute teachers. This is borne out by the fact that none of the graduates were seeking employment.
There is another occasional route into primary teaching. When the supply of qualified teachers is low, a postgraduate course may be sanctioned by the Department. However, this is not a route school-leavers should bank on.
About 600 first-year teacher training places will be available annually for the next four years. It is likely points will remain high - primary teaching is much sought-after by school-leavers.
Fees and British universities
College choice has received a number of queries about fees in universities in Britain and Northern Ireland.
From the start of the 1998-99 academic year, everyone beginning full-time undergraduate higher education in the UK will have to pay up to £1,000 a year towards their tuition fees. Irish nationals studying there may qualify for help from the British or Northern Ireland authorities if they satisfy certain conditions.
If income is below £23,000 sterling a year, you may not have to pay anything towards your tuition costs. But if your income is the equivalent of Stg£35,000 a year, you will probably not qualify. For people with incomes in between these two figures (and who satisfy the various conditions) help is available on a sliding scale.
The British Department of Education and Employment has produced a leaflet entitled Investing in the future: Help with tuition fees for EU Students. This is available from The British Council, Newmount House, 22/ 24 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, telephone (01) 676 4088. A further publication which will detail the application procedures will be available in March or April.
Maintenance grants are paid by the Irish Government to eligible students attending approved undergraduate courses in Britain and other EU states.
Additional reporting by Catherine Foley
Helpline
Students, parents and teachers with queries about colleges, courses and application procedures, are invited to call the College Choice helpline between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. today. Telephone (01) 679-2350.
Take Note
A law degree is an academic, not a professional qualification.
To qualify as a barrister or solicitor, postgraduate study is required.
Most H. Dip graduates will not get a permanent job directly after they graduate.
Five colleges offer primary teacher-training courses.