Posted: 11 March 2008
UCD CAO first preferences up 5.2%
Figures for CAO applications show that UCD first preferences are up 5.2% on 2007. A total of 7,073 students gave UCD their first preference compared to 6,724 in 2007.
This reflects a strong performance in Science – particularly omnibus entry where first preferences were up almost 30%. Agriculture and Food Science showed a growth of 58.8% - and while this increase is due to the introduction of Human Nutrition, first preferences in other areas of Agriculture and Food Science, excluding Human Nutrition increased by 12%.
The B.Soc.Sci degree showed a huge increase this year – with over 115% growth in first preferences, following a major revamp of the programme.The BA programmes increased by 1.7%, attracting a total of 1,470 first preferences.
There was a decline in first preferences in a number of the health professions reflecting a national trend. The two large nursing degrees – general nursing and children’s nursing, were up on 2007 by 11.5% and 8.5% respectively.
The Business degrees were up 2.5% reflecting the strong recovery in the B.Comm (International) degrees. Business and Legal studies also performed well but, overall, law degrees fell by 7%.
Engineering also had problems with the increase in first preferences for mechanical engineering unable to counterbalance a fall in Civil Engineering. Omnibus Engineering (where students do not specialist until 2nd year,) fell by 2.5% but this is still above 2005 levels. Electronic Engineering showed an increase of 14% on 2007 and, coupled with steady numbers in the BA in computing and an increase in the BSc in computing of 5.6%, is an encouragement for the ICT sector.
