Students have forsaken building and property related third level courses over growing concerns about the housing market.

The latest figures from the CAO show a decline in the numbers of students applying for built environment courses of 31.42%.

Built Environment subjects include courses such as construction studies, surveying and planning.

-- Advertisement --

While the drop in third level applicants in these areas is recorded as a fall of almost a third, the decline in demand in these subjects at ordinary and certificate level is even greater - at 40%.

Applicant numbers for architecture courses have also witnessed a decline of 7.37%.

Other courses, which have attracted negative media publicity - such as nursing (down 6%) and law (down 4%) - have also seen a fall-off in demand.

The figures support the recent trend of a reversion back to safer, more traditional choices like teaching, amid fears of a market crisis.

(VB/JM)