By John Considine
An examination of the Central Applications Office (CAO) documentation on entry points for sports courses shows there has been a large increase in the number of courses offered over the last decade. The table below lists the courses and the minimum CAO points required for entry. These are Level 8 courses or undergraduate degrees. The list is based on a search for the word “sport” (DN272 Horticulture, Landscape and Sportsturf Management was not included). The * signifies that not all applicants at this point level were offered the course and the # signifies an interview may be required.
Over half of the courses listed have appeared since 2010. And, all of these new courses are being delivered by the Institutes of Technology (ITs). IT Carlow, Athlone IT and Limerick IT offer seven of the 10 "new" courses. IT Carlow offers CW178, CW188 and CW858. Athlone IT offers AL837 and AL841. Limerick IT offers LC295 and LC422. The remaining three courses are offered by IT Tallaght (TA327), Letterkenny IT (LY228) and Waterford IT (WD186).
The courses that have been longer in existence tend to have the words “science” and “exercise” in the titles. The newer courses are more likely to have the words “coaching”, “management” and “performance”. The word "Business" appears in only one title.
Not only is there an increase in the number of courses on offer since 2010 but the points required for entry to the traditional courses have also been increasing since 2010. The only courses listed for the full 10 year period 2004-13 are Sports Science and Health (Dublin City University), Sports and Exercise Science (University of Limerick), and Sports and Exercise Management (University College Dublin). The CAO points increases for these three courses since 2010 have been +40, +55, +30, respectively.
It is more difficult to map the changes in CAO points into the economic environment. The points for the three longer established courses tended to decline from 2004 to 2008/9 before starting to increase thereafter. Gross National Product (GNP) adjusted for inflation increased from €122bn in 2003 to€148bn in 2007 before declining for two year to €132bn in 2009. It then increased slowly to €133bn in 2012.
It is possible that the sports area is one of the areas that students expect an increased demand for their talents and qualifications over the coming years. It is also possible that individuals are taking these course as part of their lifelong learning journey. Or it could be a version of supply creating its own demand. Regardless, consumers have a wider range of alternatives and this is usually a good thing.
The courses that have been longer in existence tend to have the words “science” and “exercise” in the titles. The newer courses are more likely to have the words “coaching”, “management” and “performance”. The word "Business" appears in only one title.
Not only is there an increase in the number of courses on offer since 2010 but the points required for entry to the traditional courses have also been increasing since 2010. The only courses listed for the full 10 year period 2004-13 are Sports Science and Health (Dublin City University), Sports and Exercise Science (University of Limerick), and Sports and Exercise Management (University College Dublin). The CAO points increases for these three courses since 2010 have been +40, +55, +30, respectively.
It is more difficult to map the changes in CAO points into the economic environment. The points for the three longer established courses tended to decline from 2004 to 2008/9 before starting to increase thereafter. Gross National Product (GNP) adjusted for inflation increased from €122bn in 2003 to€148bn in 2007 before declining for two year to €132bn in 2009. It then increased slowly to €133bn in 2012.
It is possible that the sports area is one of the areas that students expect an increased demand for their talents and qualifications over the coming years. It is also possible that individuals are taking these course as part of their lifelong learning journey. Or it could be a version of supply creating its own demand. Regardless, consumers have a wider range of alternatives and this is usually a good thing.
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