The popularity of agriculture-based third-level courses is growing, according to recent figures from the CAO.

Some 455 chose an agriculture or horticulture degree as their first preference in 2016, while 532 chose agriculture/horticulture as their first choice this year, an increase of 17%. Apart from "other health care" courses applications, which also rose by 17%, this is the sharpest increase in this year's CAO applications.

Other courses where applications have shot up are veterinary medicine, (+9%), law (+9%) and architecture (+7%).

New Leaving Cert syllabus

Meanwhile, as reported by the Irish Farmers Journal earlier this year, Minister for Education Richard Bruton has approved a new specification for Leaving Cert agricultural science. The current agricultural science syllabus has been in place for over 40 years. The State Examinations Commission will put together a draft on how this new specification will be taught and it is hoped the new syllabus will be implemented across Irish secondary schools by September 2019 at the latest.

New agricultural science syllabus agreed

Sharp increase in popularity of agriculture degrees

The number of students who have applied for third-level honours degree courses in agriculture/horticulture has shot up by 17%, according to figures released this Thursday.