Posted 23 August 2010
Points increase in 56 entry routes to UCD degrees
Points for degrees at UCD have almost universally increased in 2010 reflecting not just the growth in the number of CAO applicants nationally but the first preference popularity of UCD degrees.
As predicted, points in professional healthcare degrees all increased.
Physiotherapy (DN006) continues to attract very high calibre students. After several years of falling first preferences, this professional healthcare degree had a substantial increase in applicants (38% July on July) in 2010 and the increase in points to 535 reflects demand. Radiography (DN004) has maintained its steady increase in points over the past five years and now stands at 525.
In the second year of the HPAT entry route, points in medicine (DN002) at UCD rose to 725. Although student numbers are capped at 122, UCD has the largest intake of medical students in Ireland.
Overall, UCD offers around 180 nursing places to school leavers with the vast majority of students going in to general nursing (DN110) which increased again this year to 400 points. Children's and general nursing (DN116) increased to 490 while midwifery (DN118) made the largest jump from 420 to 460 points.
News in science is all good for those who are encouraging greater interest in the discipline. Omnibus science at UCD (DN008) has made a massive leap from its low in 2008 and points for 2010 are 435, reflecting the growth in first preferences of 18% in July 2010 over 2009. Nine of the eleven denominated science degrees also increased points in round 1 with neuroscience (DN036) climbing from 475 to 500.
Points for Mathematical Science (DN032) rose to 465.
Computer science (DN030) increased from 370 to 375 points. This degree incorporates the old BA computing (DN050) which stood at 300 points in 2009.
UCD restructured entry to engineering this year, dropping from seven entry routes to one. Consequently, where the former entry routes ranged in points from 305 to 460, the single omnibus engineering (DN077) has settled at 425 points for round 1 in 2010.
Round 1 points in architecture (DN001) fell slightly to 495 from 505 in 2009. However, final round offers in 2009 at 480 may not materialise this year as the number of high calibre candidates was very encouraging.
By far the largest educator in the agriculture and food science sector, UCD takes in around 275 students each year. Points in every degree in this area have increased with animal science (DN046) rising by 55 points to 405. Agricultural science (DN010) is up from 395 to 420 while Human nutrition (DN090) rose to 515 points in the round 1 offers.
Veterinary medicine (DN005) is a unique professional degree on the island. Points in round 1 rose from 555 to 560. Veterinary nursing (DN106) is in its second year as a degree and has increased in points from 420 to 435.
This year UCD introduced an option whereby students could pre-select two subjects within the omnibus arts (DN012) entry code and be guaranteed a place in those classes. 86% of students opted to pre-select their subjects. By leaving all of these options within the same omnibus entry code, the university made a commitment to giving students equal access across the range of arts and human sciences subjects rather than determining subject choices by points. Round 1 points for DN012 increased by 5 points to 365.
Having restructured the course three years ago, social science (DN007) at UCD has performed well in terms of both first preferences and points. This year, points remained at 395.
Overall, points in degrees in business and law at UCD remained steady. Omnibus commerce (DN015) remained at 450 points, the BCL law (DN009) increased by 10 points and the combination business & law (DN021) increased by 5 points.
(Produced by UCD University Relations)
