August NUI Galway CAO Offers Show STEM Subjects Increasingly Popular

Number of courses commanding in excess of 500 CAO points at NUI Galway has almost doubled since 2018

Demand for courses in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) at NUI Galway has grown this year, as CAO offers issued today highlighted the areas of interest of the Leaving Certificate class of 2019.  NUI Galway programmes which have seen the greatest year-on-year increases in points include Civil Engineering, Electronic and Computer Engineering, Biopharmaceutical Chemistry and Energy Systems Engineering, demonstrating a strong interest in both traditional and emerging STEM subject areas. Meanwhile, there was continued high demand for both Biomedical Science (533 points) and Biomedical Engineering (519 points).

NUI Galway’s Student Recruitment and Outreach Manager, Sarah Geraghty said: “NUI Galway has seen significant increases in CAO points reflecting a continued growth in interest in the University and its programmes. The number of courses commanding in excess of 500 CAO points at NUI Galway has almost doubled since last year. This year’s choices indicate an increased interest in careers in the technology and innovation sector, with MedTech courses proving particularly popular. 

“The demand for NUI Galway’s new programmes, Law and Human Rights and Government (Politics, Economics and Law), provide evidence of demand for courses leading to careers where graduates can have a powerful and positive impact on the world around them.”  

Other points of interest include:

• Interest in all Law programmes at NUI Galway increased significantly, including the new Law and Human Rights degree for 2019 coming in at 510 CAO points.
• Other new programmes attracted good interest including  Government (Politics, Economics and Law) at 402 CAO points and Education (Computer Science and Mathematical Studies) CAO 401 points
• The flagship business degree BComm (Global Experience) continues to attract high demand, cutting off at 509 CAO points.
• Points increased across all engineering programmes at NUI Galway. Three of the highest year-on-year increases were in Civil Engineering (509 CAO points), Electronic and Computer Engineering (509 CAO points) and Energy Systems Engineering (532 CAO points), demonstrating a strong interest in both traditional and emerging engineering subject areas. Students who achieved the CAO points for an undergraduate engineering degree course at NUI Galway but who have not met the obligatory maths requirement have the opportunity to take a Maths qualifying exam on August 20^th.
• Demand for NUI Galway’s Arts degrees remains strong, with programmes in Psychology, Music, Journalism, English and Media Studies, Creative Writing and Drama, Theatre and Performance proving particularly popular.
• NUI Galway’s strength and reputation in Biosciences is also reflected with continued high demand for both Biomedical Science (533 points) and Biomedical Engineering (519 points). Science programmes which experienced significant increases in CAO cut off points include Biotechnology (473 CAO points) and Biopharmaceutical Chemistry (510 CAO points).
• Podiatric Medicine, a health sciences degree unique to NUI Galway, experienced significant growth in demand, result in a 43 points increase (434 CAO points).

Ms Geraghty continued: “We are conscious that students are faced with big decisions as they move to third level, and a dedicated first year student hotline is now open to help with queries about college life at NUI Galway.”

NUI Galway First Year Student Hotline will be open from 12 August to 30 September 2019. The hotline is at +353 (0) 91 493999 and is open Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm. It opens Saturday, 17 August, from 10am-1pm, or visit https://www.nuigalway.ie/startinguniversity/

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