DN670 Economics & Finance breaks 600-point entry marker as UCD first round CAO offers go live

Posted 15 August, 2019

• Round 1 points for UCD’s prestigious DN670 Economics & Finance are 601, making it the first course to exceed 600 Leaving Certificate points¹ in Ireland
• UCD has highest points in Ireland across general entry degree courses² in Engineering, Science, Computer Science as well as Medicine and Architecture
• 24 (62%) of UCD degrees have increased points on last year’s final round offers. Points for 12 courses fell and 3 remain the same
• This year UCD increased the number of places to 4,120, up from 4,063 (1.4%) and increased the number of Round 1 offers by 140

Commenting on the first round offers for UCD this year, the Registrar and Deputy President of UCD, Professor Mark Rogers said:

“Although we have significantly encouraged applicants from cohorts other than the Leaving Certificate route through specific initiatives such as the Access Programme, we have also increased the number of offers we are making in Round 1 today by 140.  We are the university-of-first-choice in Ireland and seek to maintain our national appeal.

Employers are constantly seeking out UCD graduates, not just in STEM but across all subjects and disciplines.  We continuously refine and upgrade our curriculum and our teaching practices to give our students the best educational experience. 

This is the second year for the revised social sciences, arts and humanities suite of degrees and it’s clear that student applicants appreciate the range of new pathways that are more tailored to their interests and aspirations.”

¹ Based on entry using LC points only
² Comparison with common entry level-8 programmes nationally

STEM

UCD leads the points in STEM across the country.

Round 1 points for Engineering (DN150) are up to 511 and UCD has indicated that they will take in up to 265 students as the demand for places is so strong.

The University increased the number places in Computer Science (DN201) in 2015.  This year first preferences increased again (by 8.7%) and points are up by 11 to 488.

Points for DN200 Science also increased by 11 and this year Round 1 points are up to 521.

Finance, Business & Law

At 601, (DN670) Economics & Finance commands the highest points at UCD and is the highest of any degree across Ireland.

Points for Actuarial & Financial Studies (DN230) also increased and in Round 1 stand at 577*.

Points for Commerce (DN650) at 498* and Commerce International (DN660) at 509 remain at 2018 levels.  A number of extra places in Commerce have been offered, bringing numbers up to 220.

Business & Law (DN610) has dropped 10 points to 521.  Law (DN600) is at 522.

Arts & Humanities

The number of places for the three-year Arts (DN520) degree have been increased by up to 50 and points have fallen from 366 to 336. 

The 4-year (DN530) Humanities is at 348 points in Round 1.  This reflects the adjustment in first preferences, which increased by 68% over 2018 levels when the new suite of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences were introduced.

Points for Modern Languages (DN541) have fallen and on Round 1 are 368.

Social Sciences

The 4-year BSc in Social Sciences (DN700) has increased on final round points for 2018 to 390.  Sociology & Social Policy (DN750) is at 330 points in Round 1. This course, which is viewed as the entry route to a career in social work and related professions, recovered its first preferences this year with an increase of 72%.

Points for Psychology (DN720) have risen from 500 to 517 in Round 1.

Architecture, Landscape & Planning

Architecture (DN100) has fallen by 1 point from 2018 to 486 in Round 1 for 2019.

City Planning & Environmental Policy (DN130), which experienced the largest percentage increase in first preferences (117%) this year, has seen points rise by 26 to 388.

Agriculture and Food

Also reflecting strong student interest in the environment, points for Agri Environmental Sciences (DN253) have increased to 403 in Round 1 this year. 

Points for other agriculture and food degrees have all fallen.

Healthcare

The largest nursing intake is for DN450 General Nursing with over 160 places. Points in Round 1 have fallen to 398, reflecting a fall in first preferences this year.  Points for DN451 Children’s and General Nursing have gone up by 13 to 488. 

Points for undergraduate entry to Medicine, (DN400) have increased to 736.  Radiography (DN410) is up 9 to 509 while Physiotherapy (DN420) increased by 3 to 548 in Round 1.

Veterinary Medicine (DN300), which finished on 555 random selection last year has increased to 567 in Round 1. 

³ *= random selection
⁴ Based on LC + HPAT scores

By: Eilis O'Brien, UCD University Relations