Record number of CAO applications for DCU
First preference applications reach almost 6,000 for first time
Dublin City University has received a record number of applications according to CAO first preference figures released today. Almost 6,000 students have selected one of DCU’s undergraduate programmes as a first choice in the CAO application process, the highest ever in the history of the university.
The recently expanded Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences saw the biggest increase in demand, with applications for its undergraduate programmes up over 15%. The BA in Economics, Politics and Law rose by 43% while International Relations increased by 36% and Media Studies by 31%. Law at DCU continues to be a popular choice, with the BCL Law and Arts (Law) increasing by 34% and 41% respectively.
Demand for the newly added BA Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance is high. With its links to the Berklee College of Music in Boston – one of the most prestigious music schools in the world in its field, it is expected that this will be of great interest to international students also.
Reflecting the national trend towards STEM subjects, interest in engineering at DCU has seen increases. Electronic and Computer Engineering is up 81% and Biomedical Engineering is up 61%. Common Entry Engineering also maintained a strong position, with an increase of 16%.
Interest in DCU’s new BSc Data Science is also strong. The first of its kind in Ireland, the programme was launched in 2016 to meet industry demand for world-class graduates interested in a career in Big Data, data analytics and related data science roles.
Applications for the DCU Business School are also up 10% overall, driven in part by the Global Business (Canada) programme, whereby students have an opportunity to study at Brock University for a two-year period. Accounting and Finance was also strong, up 29% since last year. The unique offering of MINT (Marketing, Innovation, and Technology), which prepares students for a career in the marketing of high technology products and services, remained extremely popular with 27% growth.
DCU’s teacher education programmes, post-Incorporation, remain strong, attracting the highest number of top 3 preference applications and the highest number of total applications nationwide.
Welcoming these figures, Professor Brian MacCraith, President of DCU, said:
“We are delighted to see first preference applications for DCU at an all-time high, reflecting our position as Ireland’s fastest-growing university with student numbers surpassing 17,000 for the first time. The increase in popularity of our courses, specifically in the areas of law, engineering and business reflects a desire amongst school-leavers to develop skills through industry-relevant programmes.
Our aim at DCU is to continuously deliver innovative courses, in areas that are relevant and responsive to emerging areas of employment. As such, we are particularly pleased to see this reflected in strong preference for our new BSc Data Science programme.”