UCAS Extra – a chance to add another choice.

Extra opens later this month Students may be able to add another choice! On 25 February, Extra will open – this means that students who are eligible will be able to add another choice in Track. It’s opening two weeks later than planned, following the application deadline moving from 15 to 29 January. Students can use Extra if they included five choices on their application, received decisions from all five, and weren’t accepted, or if they declined the offers they received. Read more about Extra and how your students can use it.

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IADT Spotlight Sessions for CAO Courses

Welcome to spotlight sessions – a series of short talks on every CAO course we offer at IADT. You will have the chance to hear from lecturers and chat to our current students about what it’s like to study the course along with a live Q+A to ask any questions you have before the CAO deadline.

Thurs Feb 11th @ 5pm – Humanities – English + Equality Studies, New Media Studies and Arts Management

Thurs Feb 25th @ 5pm – Business Management, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship

Thurs March 11th @ 5pm – Applied Psychology

Thurs March 11th @ 7pm – General CAO Talk

Thurs March 25th @ 5pm – Creative Computing

Tues April 13th @ 5pm – Humanities – English + Equality Studies, New Media Studies and Arts Management

Thurs April 15th @ 5pm – Business Management, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship

Tues April 20th @ 5pm – Applied Psychology

Thurs April 22nd @ 5pm  – Creative Computing

Nursing at Ulster – Candidate selection update – online interviews

The selection process for Nursing and Midwifery courses in Northern Ireland will be different this year. Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast will now work in partnership to ensure that the selection process for Nursing and Midwifery programmes is consistent, reliable, user friendly and fit for purpose. We want to ensure the best future nurses and midwives possible, and we have changed the selection process to help us to better achieve this goal.

The UCAS personal statement will not be used to shortlist candidates for interview. If an applicant is on track to meet or have already met the academic conditions for the programme they have applied for, they will be invited to interview.

We are using an online interview platform called SONRU which is widely used by universities around the world for recruitment and selection. Please see the following link for more information on how SONRU will be used what applicants can expect from the interview process: What Is A Sonru Video Interview? How It Works & Useful Tips (wikijob.co.uk)

The interviews will focus on the values and attributes required to be a Nursing or Midwifery professional. Regardless of the number of Nursing and Midwifery programmes and/or universities the applicant has applied to in Northern Ireland, it is anticipated that applicants will only be interviewed once. All interviews will be assessed by members of university staff, members of the Nursing and Midwifery professions and members of the universities’ service users and carers groups. If an applicant on applies to study Midwifery, their interview will be assessed by a Midwifery registrant.

Each candidate’s responses to interview questions will be assessed and scored. The total score at Interview is used to create a ranked order and offers are made to applicants who rank highest on their interview score.

We will commence invitation to interview on SONRU in February. Ahead of this, applicants will receive a Consent and Declaration form which they will be asked to complete, in order for them to progress to interview. If the applicant does not respond, they will not be able to proceed to interview.

Applicants will receive all communications via email to the email address they provided to UCAS when they made their application. Please encourage applicants to check email accounts regularly – including Spam and Junk Mail folders.

We anticipate that all interviews be completed by the end of March and all decisions will be communicated via UCAS Track before the UCAS deadline in mid-May.

Ulster University change of campus

As you will be aware, we have been working to determine the future location of our School of Health Sciences programmes, currently based at Jordanstown.

It has been decided that the School of Health Sciences undergraduate programmes will relocate to our Magee campus in Derry~Londonderry from September 2022, with postgraduate Health Sciences teaching moving to the University’s Belfast campus at the same time.

The School of Health Sciences will remain at Jordanstown for the 21/22 academic year to enable sufficient time for transition arrangements to the new locations.

This decision by the University reflects the benefits and opportunities presented by the co-location of the School of Medicine, Paramedic Practice and the award-winning School of Nursing, all of which are based at the Magee campus.

Bringing these programmes together will open up opportunities for an interdisciplinary student learning environment, as well as building on existing research collaborations in personalised medicine and cognitive analytics based at Magee.

Belfast is the most appropriate location for postgraduate provision – supporting the existing health sciences workforce to access continued professional development, alongside our current postgraduate nursing provision.

Now, more than ever, in the context of a health service that continues to face sustained challenge in tackling COVID-19, we are acutely aware of the vital contribution of our allied health professionals. The Magee campus will best enable the NHS strategic emphasis on development of multi-disciplinary teams and rich opportunities for interprofessional learning.

Students who begin their health sciences studies with us in Jordanstown next year will be fully supported in the transition to Magee through familiarisation programmes and activities, ahead of the move. Our Magee campus outperformed the UK sector with 91% overall student satisfaction in the 2019 National Student Survey (NSS).

Its unique blend of iconic historic buildings and progressive new teaching spaces creates a welcoming environment in which to study and follow career ambitions in healthcare.

Colaiste Dhulaigh – cdcfe Architecture courses

Our Architectural Technology / Architecture course leads to DIT, University of Limerick, Dundalk IT and other Universities and IT’s.

Architecture is a rewarding field of work and study that calls for both creative and technical skill in the design of buildings and environments.

This architecture course is designed to provide learners with the opportunity to develop skills and to prepare a portfolio in architecture or architectural technology to further their studies at degree level.

An Architect’s work primarily focusses on creative, conceptual and detail design of buildings.  An Architectural Technologist works more on the technical design for construction.

Learners will gain skills in the areas of building design and sustainability, to prepare them for either Architecture or Architectural Technology.

Click here for more information …

Studying abroad information from Careers Portal

https://careersportal.ie/ed_training/study_abroad.php

This section provides important information for anyone considering studying abroad, including:

• Reasons to study abroad (university rankings, entry requirements, the experience etc.)
• Important considerations (comparability of qualifications, visas, language requirements etc.)
• Study abroad – by subject (including medicine, languages, art, engineering etc.)
• Study abroad – by location (covering key information about studying in the UK, Europe, the USA and Australia & New Zealand)

As there are numerous ‘student recruitment’ companies online promoting specific universities or courses, it can be difficult to know if you are getting balanced and accurate information. This section aims to provide clear and impartial information, with links to relevant and up-to-date websites.

There is also an independent personalised European University Central Application Support service – EUNiCAS which is aimed at Irish students interested in studying in Europe. 

Studying abroad for the full duration of a course provides an opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the local lifestyle and the chance to travel and see that part of the world, while getting a qualification. However, that may not be for everyone and there are other options, such as completing an Erasmus+ programme, or doing your work/practical placement element of an Irish degree abroad.

PLC Post Leaving Certificate courses

PLC courses are really worth considering as a good alternative to CAO courses: there are fantastic level 5 and 6 PLC courses on offer at the moment.

 You do not require CAO points to gain entry to these courses, many act as a stepping stone to courses in UCD, TCD and other universities.

These are usually one or two year courses. 

 You can study a worthwhile course to see if you are on the right path e.g pre university science / engineering / law/ nursing – before committing to a 4 year degree in this area.

Look at www.bife.ie  – excellent pre university science course, excellent music tech courses, excellent portfolio courses

www.dfie.ie  – excellent radio / DJ course, links to lots of industries, excellent pre university courses

https://www.ballsbridgecollege.com/ event management / business / business with Chinese 

Pre-Primary School Teaching at Coláiste Dhúlaigh College of Further Education.  This course suits students who got the points for teaching but missed the grade in Irish. See https://www.cdcfe.ie/courses/pre-primary-school-teaching/

NB: This is not a full list! Explore all the colleges of further education in our area – Sallynoggin, Dundrum, Stillorgan, Marino and more.

How to Apply?

Students may join the programme by contacting the nearest Education and Training Board (ETB) or school offering PLC courses. You can search PLC courses and providers on Qualifax.

To apply to these courses you apply online directly on the website of the college of further education you have chosen. You will be invited for interview – a good experience in itself – and you will be offered a place before you sit the LC, which can be reassuring and a great back up plan. 

Alternative Routes to Primary Teaching

Alternative Routes to Becoming a Primary School Teacher using QQI Level 5 (5M3635) Award in Education & Training:

Pre-Primary School Teaching at Coláiste Dhúlaigh College of Further Education.  This course suits students who got the points for teaching but missed the grade in Irish. See https://www.cdcfe.ie/courses/pre-primary-school-teaching/

Dublin City University

• Study DC009 : BA (Joint Honours) Humanities with Irish and one other subject and then complete PME – Professional Master of Education: Primary Teaching DC970

Marino Institute of Education

• Study CM020 : B.Sc Early Childhood Education followed by PME – Professional Master of Education(Primary)
• Study CM010 : B.Sc Education Studies followed by PME – Professional Master of Education (Primary)

Maynooth University

• MH101 Arts followed by PME – Professional Master of Education (Primary)
• MH801 Early Childhood Teaching and Learning. followed by PME – Professional Master of Education (Primary)

Susi Grant

SUSI provides assistance for approved full time education in further education (Post Leaving Certificate courses), higher education (undergraduate courses), postgraduate studies and also in some cases to students who wish to study outside of the State.  Eligible students attending a PLC course receive a maintenance grant. Eligible students attending higher education as well as receiving the maintenance grant, also have their student contribution covered.

SUSI’s online application opened on 25^th April 2019 for the 2019/20 academic year and deals with all applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, it is important to apply as early as possible after the April opening date and to submit any documentation requested by SUSI within the specified timeframe. Last SUSI processed more than 99,000 applications with approximately 80,000 students receiving funding for the 2018/19 academic year.

Students who are thinking of applying for a student grant should visit the website http://www.susi.ie which contains information and advice on making their application. They can check your eligibility with our Eligibility Reckoner.

SUSI advises that all students submit their application as soon as possible to assist in its timely processing. This years’ priority closing date for new applications is 11^th July.

Students do not need to have their leaving certificate results, or to have accepted a course in order to submit an application.  If a student ticked the SUSI box on the CAOapplication the CAO will advise SUSI on their behalf which course they have selected. All other applicants should inform SUSI once they have accepted a course by completing a Course Notification Change Form which they can submit online.

Students should gather income information for 2018 as applicable for your household and have their own PPSN and PPSN for relevant householders to hand.

Once they make an application students are encouraged to use their own SUSI Online Application Tracker where they can track the progress of their applications and confirm that any required documentation has been received.

SUSI will only discuss personal information with people who have consent to discuss the application. Students can log on to their online SUSI account to give this authorisation at any time.

Students can contact the SUSI support desk using the following:

Email: support@susi.ie

Phone: 0761 087 874

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susisupport

Twitter: https://twitter.com/susihelpdesk

UCD Social Science useful links and information

 Social Sciences degrees available in UCD

4 degrees – (BSc Social Science DN700, BSc Economics DN710, BSc Psychology DN720 and BSocSc Social Policy & Sociology DN750).  

You may find some of the following links of interest: 

Social Sciences Open Evening Webinar recordings: 

1.     UCD Undergraduate Degrees

2.     Social Sciences Student Panel– Hear from the experience of our current students studying Social sciences degrees.

3.     Careers Panel- Hear from 3 of our Alumni who studied Social Sciences degrees 

In addition, please see links in relation to our subject videos if you want to hear more about studying the specific Social Sciences subjects in the degrees. 

1.     Archaeology 

2.     Economics 

3.     Geography

4.     Information and Communication Studies

5.     Philosophy 

6.     Politics and International Relations  

7.     Psychology

8.     Social Justice 

9.     Sociology

10.  Social Policy and Sociology    

We also have some very short student and Alumni Video Testimonials to view:  Robyn: BSc Psychology (DN720),  Eddie: BSc Social Sciences- Economics, Maths & Statistics (DN700),  Aoife: BSc Social Sciences- Politics & International Relations (DN700) and Zoe: BSoc Sc Social Policy and Sociology (DN750)

  Social Sciences Prospectus