Expand+Course Requirements
Subjects Required
Minimum of O4 or H6 in Mathematics and minimum of O4 or H6 in one of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics with Chemistry or Agricultural Science

General Entry Requirements
A minimum of six Leaving Certifica...

Hide-Course Requirements
Subjects Required
Minimum of O4 or H6 in Mathematics and minimum of O4 or H6 in one of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics with Chemistry or Agricultural Science

General Entry Requirements
A minimum of six Leaving Certificate subjects at Grade 06/ H7, to include the subjects English OR Irish AND the subject Mathematics. In addition, applicants must present at least two subjects at grade H5.

Leaving Certificate Mathematics Requirements
DCU does not award points for the subject of Mathematics at Leaving Certificate Ordinary Alternative or Foundation Level. This subject will be accepted for admission purposes for the following courses:

BA in Applied Language and Translation Studies
BA in Contemporary Culture and Society
BSc in Education and Training
BA in Journalism
BA in International Relations
BA in Communication Studies
BA Gaeilge agus Iriseoireacht (Irish and Journalism)
Bachelor of Civil Law (Law and Society)
BSc in Multimedia
Bachelor of Arts: Joint Honours
Bachelor of Early Childhood Education

Leaving Certificate Subject Combinations
Certain subjects will not be scored separately if they occur in combination with subjects that are similar in content. In each case, the highest individual grade will be scored. The following six groups of subjects are affected by this:

1 Music and Musicianship, Music A, Music B

2 Economics, Agricultural Economics

3 Physics with Chemistry - if combined with Physics and Chemistry, only two best scored - if combined with Physics or Chemistry, only best scored

4 History, Economics and Economic History - if all three are taken, only the best two will be scored

5 Latin, Classical Studies

6 Greek, Classical Studies

Bonus Points for Honours Mathematics
25 bonus points will continue to be awarded in 2018 for higher level Mathematics, at grades H6 and above in the Irish Leaving Certificate or equivalent.

Expand+DCU has an active mature student body and strongly encourages applications from mature candidates (those aged 23 years or above on 1st January in the year of entry). As a mature student, your wealth of knowledge and experience will make a valuable co...

Hide-DCU has an active mature student body and strongly encourages applications from mature candidates (those aged 23 years or above on 1st January in the year of entry). As a mature student, your wealth of knowledge and experience will make a valuable contribution to the university, and we are always working towards widening participation to allow mature students gain entry onto DCU courses.

What are the entry requirements?

Applying as a mature applicant means that you do not compete with Leaving Certificate students for places at DCU. Instead, experience other than examination grades is taken into consideration – this may be work experience, further studies or other relevant experience. For some courses, however, particular Leaving Certificate subjects may be necessary. In all cases, the university will want to know that you have the ability and motivation to make the most of your studies at DCU.

What supports are available for mature students?

There is a wide network of services. The Mature Student Academic Writing Week prepares you for college life through workshops on topics such as academic writing, citing and referencing. Other topics include supports for students at DCU, such as the Mathematics Learning Centre, IT supports and the Mature Student Society. You will also have access to Student Support and Development workshops throughout the academic year for example CV Clinics, Learning Students and Motivational Workshops.

What financial supports are available to mature students?

There are a number of sources, including the Government’s Free Fees Initiative, the Higher Education Grants Scheme, the Back to Education Allowance and the DCU Student Assistance Fund, once a registered DCU student. Information on these schemes is available at www.studentfinance.ie.

Where can I find out more?

For the Mature Student Officer, please contact 01 700 6987.

For general and admission enquiries, please contact the Registry on T +353 (0)1 700 5338 E registry@dcu.ie

How do I apply?

All mature applicants for full-time study must apply to the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1st February in the year of entry.

Expand+Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20th January 2018 at 5:15pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm

Late online application - restrictions apply: Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1st May 2...

Hide-Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20th January 2018 at 5:15pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm

Late online application - restrictions apply: Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1st May 2018 at 5:15 pm

Change of Mind - restrictions apply: Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1st July 2018 5:15 pm

Exceptional online late application - see page 14 of the 2018 CAO Handbook: Fee €60 Closing Date: 22nd July 2018 at 5:15pm

You should avoid submitting an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all fees are non-refundable.

LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5:15pm on 1st February 2018 and will be accepted up to 5:15pm on 1st May 2018, subject to the restricitions listed on page 3 of the 2018 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5th March 2018 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.

Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the Timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22nd of July at 5:15pm applies only to applicants who are currently undergraduate students in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system.

If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.

Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.

Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, Maynooth University and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.

Refer to page 15 of the 2018 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.

Restricted-category Applicants
Mature applicants – most HEIs will require mature applicants, who wish to be assessed on mature grounds, to have applied to CAO by 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm. (This restriction does not apply if the applicant wishes to be considered on the basis of school leaving qualifications only.) For more information about applying to CAO on the basis of mature years go to www.cao.ie/mature.

Applying for the HEAR and/or DARE schemes – to be considered for the HEAR and/or DARE schemes applicants must have registered on the CAO system by 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm and must have completed the HEAR/DARE application form by 1st March 2018 at 5:15pm – supporting documents must be sent to CAO offices before 1st April 2018 at 5:15pm.

Expand+Why DCU?
• A truly unique course aimed at the large number of students who wish to study and work in the area of musculoskeletal injuries related to sport and physical activity.

• Clinical teaching from sports medicine physicians, chartered phy...

Hide-Why DCU?
• A truly unique course aimed at the large number of students who wish to study and work in the area of musculoskeletal injuries related to sport and physical activity.

• Clinical teaching from sports medicine physicians, chartered physiotherapists and athletic therapists and trainers.

• A working sports medicine clinic within DCU provides patient-based teaching and learning throughout Years Two, Three and Four.

• A course supported by state-of-the art assessment, rehabilitation and treatment facilities, and physiology, biomechanics and psychology laboratories.

• Relatively small classes allow for individual attention from high-quality staff.

Understanding Athletic Therapy and Training
We all know that physical activity is a necessary and important part of daily life. Unfortunately, injuries – musculoskeletal injuries in particular – are incurred by people during physical activity in sport, leisure and work. An Athletic Therapist and Trainer (ATT) is an important member of the overall healthcare profession who specialises in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. Such injuries can occur across all ages, standards of sporting ability and population types (including, for example, people with a disability).

We want you to qualify with excellent medical knowledge, clinical skills, communication skills, confidence, problem-solving skills and extensive practical experience. Importantly, you should also develop a profound respect for patients and a highly professional approach when dealing with them.

How does an ATT differ from a physiotherapist?
Physiotherapy is a broad-based healthcare profession that not only addresses musculoskeletal care of the physically active but also deals with a number of diverse medical fields, including oncology, obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics, rheumatology, respiratory and neurological illnesses and burn injuries.

In contrast, Athletic Therapy and Training specialises in musculoskeletal injuries related to physical activity. Such specialisation allows students of Athletic Therapy and Training to examine this area in much greater detail than a student of physiotherapy.

About You
You should be passionate about looking after the health of athletes and the general public, specifically in the area of musculoskeletal health. It is not necessary to be physically active yourself, but an interest in sport or physical activity is essential.

Course Structure
Much importance is placed on understanding the anatomy of the body. Year One begins with anatomy and the basic sciences, giving you an understanding of the pathophysiology of injury. You will also study the theory and practice that underpin physical conditioning to prevent and rehabilitate injury, and enhance health and performance.

In Year Two you will start to learn how to assess, treat and rehabilitate injuries and develop further the theory and practice of training. You will also undertake First Aid and Emergency Care in order to prepare you to provide pitch-side assistance in various sports. In addition, you will start the Clinic modules that will continue each semester for the whole course. These modules will provide you with clinical field experience as well as allowing you to assist in the student-led sports injury clinic based within the School.

Year Three will see you expand your knowledge, as well as learning in-depth principles of rehabilitation, therapeutic modalities and soft tissue therapies.

In the first half of Year Four you will gain three to five months experience working full-time in a clinical setting in Ireland or abroad (including Athletic Therapy and Training facilities in American universities). The latter half of the fourth year includes a major research project.

At all times, how you communicate and work professionally with patients will be emphasised.

Expand+What Will I Study?

Year One
Anatomy
Health and Fitness
Physics
Physiology
Motor Control and Learning
Sociology of Sport
Physiology

Year Two
Injuries
Clinical Practice
Sport and Exercise Biomechanics
Integrated Sport and Exercise...

Hide-What Will I Study?

Year One
Anatomy
Health and Fitness
Physics
Physiology
Motor Control and Learning
Sociology of Sport
Physiology

Year Two
Injuries
Clinical Practice
Sport and Exercise Biomechanics
Integrated Sport and Exercise Physiology
Emergency Care
Injury Prevention
Ethics and Consultation Skills
Psychology of Injury

Year Three
Injuries
Nutrition
Soft Tissue Therapies
Injury, Exercise and Sport Biomechanics
Rehabilitation
Clinical Reasoning
Applied Modalities and Clinical Practice
Enterprise Development
Research Methods

Year Four
Clinical experience
Independent Clinical Practice
Medicine in Sport
Project