While the points for agriculture and agricultural science courses have continued to rise this year, points for some ag programmes have remained the same, or dropped.

Agricultural Science in UCD increased by 10 points to 465 (a 48% increase in points required for the course since 2007), and while dairy business in UCD increased by five points, and Agriculture in CIT increased by 15, points for ag programmes in DkIT, LYIT, and IT Tralee have dropped.

It should be noted, however, that Waterford IT offered a Level 8 Agricultural Science programme to CAO applicants for the first time this year and points for this course were 430, which is extremely high for an agricultural course in its first year.

Popularity

Surprisingly, the popularity of this course didn’t take from Waterford’s other ag programmes. WIT’s Level 7 agriculture course increased by 5 points while the Level 7 Agricultural Science programme remained the same, at 410 points.

This course saw a 130-point increase between 2010 and 2013 alone.

Two horticulture courses provided the most dramatic points increase in the sector. Horticulture and Agri- environmental Sciences in UCD (Level 8) increased by 70 points to 395, while the Level 7 horticulture programme in CIT increased by 75 points to 180. It is important to note, however, that DCU cancelled its Level 8 programme in horticulture this year, and this may explain the sudden influx to other institutions.

Veterinary is as popular as ever, demanding 580 points in UCD, while veterinary nursing for the most part saw an increase in points, particularly in Athlone IT and Dundalk IT, where courses increased by 30 and 35 points respectively.

Almost all courses in the area of food science and nutrition saw an increase in points, particularly Level 8 courses such as International Development and Food Policy in UCC (335 points to 360), Food Innovation in DIT (330 to 365), Food Science and Health in UL (375 to 415), and Food and Business Management in Applied Science in St Angela’s in Sligo (220 to 265).

First-preference applications for Level 6, 7 and 8 agriculture and horticulture courses have increased by 157% since 2007.

A total of 604 students made an agriculture or horticulture course their first choice on CAO forms in 2007 and this figure rose to 1,553 in 2014.