The right CAO course sits at the overlap of three things: what you're interested in, what you're good at, and what you value in work. The most reliable way to find that overlap is to profile your interests and personality first, then match them to courses — rather than starting from course titles.
If you're staring at the course list feeling like nothing fits — or like too many things do — you're in the majority. This is a matching problem, and matching problems are solved by understanding the inputs first: your interests (RIASEC), your personality (Big Five), and your aptitudes, then mapping them to specific courses.
Psychologist John Holland found that most people's work interests cluster into six types, known as RIASEC. Most of us are a blend of two or three. Knowing your top types is the single most useful filter for course choice, because course fields map cleanly onto them.
| Type | You tend to enjoy | Example CAO course areas |
|---|---|---|
| Realistic | Building, fixing, hands-on and outdoor work | Engineering, Construction, Agriculture, Sport Science |
| Investigative | Analysing, researching, solving problems | Science, Medicine, Computing, Data Science |
| Artistic | Creating, designing, expressing | Design, Architecture, Media, Creative Writing |
| Social | Helping, teaching, caring for people | Nursing, Teaching, Social Work, Psychology |
| Enterprising | Leading, persuading, running things | Business, Law, Marketing, Entrepreneurship |
| Conventional | Organising, structuring, working with data | Accounting, Finance, IT Support, Administration |
You can find your three-letter code in a few minutes with our free RIASEC test for Ireland.
Your code is a starting filter, not a verdict. Here's how each type commonly translates into CAO options — remember most people blend two or three, and the blends are where the interesting courses live.
Practical problem-solvers who like tangible results. Look at Mechanical/Civil/Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, Agricultural Science, Sport & Exercise Science, and the many apprenticeship routes (craft, ICT, engineering). R + I fits engineering and technology especially well; R + E points toward construction and agri-business management.
Curious analysts who like to understand why. Consider Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Data Science, Actuarial/Financial Maths, and the health sciences. I + S suits medicine, physiotherapy, and clinical roles; I + C suits data, forensic, and laboratory science.
Creative and expressive thinkers. Explore Graphic/Product/Interior Design, Architecture, Film & Media, Journalism, Music, and Creative Writing. A + I fits architecture and UX design; A + E fits advertising, marketing, and creative business.
People-centred helpers and communicators. Look at Nursing, Primary/Post-Primary Teaching, Social Care, Psychology, Speech & Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy. S + I points to the health professions; S + E to HR, community development, and management.
Persuaders and leaders who like influence and results. Consider Business, Commerce, Law, Marketing, Event Management, and Entrepreneurship. E + C suits finance and accounting; E + A suits marketing and media production.
Organised, detail-oriented planners. Explore Accounting, Finance, Business Information Systems, Actuarial Science, and IT/Administration. C + I suits data analytics and computing; C + E suits banking, insurance, and financial management.
Two students can share a RIASEC code and still suit different courses. That's where personality and aptitude come in:
The Course Compass assessment combines all three — RIASEC interests, Big Five personality, and aptitude — and returns your best-match CAO courses from 830+ options, each with an explanation of why it fits.
Aoife, 5th year, "no idea what to do." She takes the assessment and gets code SAE (Social–Artistic–Enterprising), high Openness, strong verbal aptitude. Her shortlist writes itself:
She went from zero to five genuinely-fitting options in under an hour — then refined the order using our how to choose a CAO course steps.
Common, and not a problem. Options:
You can do this by hand — profile yourself honestly, map to the areas above, then research modules. Or you can let the assessment do the matching against every CAO course and hand you a ranked, reasoned shortlist to work from.
Last reviewed: July 2026. CourseCompass is not affiliated with the CAO. Course examples are illustrative; always confirm current course details and entry requirements with the relevant institution and cao.ie.