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Arts advice please.....

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  • 11-07-2009 3:39pm
    #1
    Stick_man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 125 ✭✭


    Hi all, Im am seriously considering doing arts next year as a mature student and any advice would be most welcome. I have a pretty intense interest in literature, history, politics and have ambitions of becoming a journalist. I realise that perhaps an arts degree might not be essential to acheiving that ambition but I dont want to take the course purely for my career choice. I just think I would really enjoy studying some of the subjects mentioned. I do nothing outside of work besides reading and writing and in a sense feel something is lacking with regards to my education. Also would it be very difficult to secure a place being a mature student. Again any advice/comments would be much appreaciated.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    See here and the post below it. I've tagged both threads with the word "arts".


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    #3
    ReacherCreature
    Registered Users Posts: 4,500 ✭✭✭ReacherCreature


    I have a pretty intense interest in literature, history, politics and have ambitions of becoming a journalist.

    Yes, you can do History, Politics in Arts here.
    By Literature, do you mean English?
    I just think I would really enjoy studying some of the subjects mentioned.

    By all means this is the right attitude to have. In my opinion, enjoying the course is very important. If you don't enjoy it, you won't gain anything from lectures and you won't get on top of assignments. Therefore enjoying the course is an essential element in my opinion.
    I do nothing outside of work besides reading and writing

    Will Work clash with your course?
    Also would it be very difficult to secure a place being a mature student.

    To be honest, I'm not sure, I've heard of people in UCC and on Boards getting in no problem. I'm sure people here might be able to answer your questions.

    Hope I've been of assistance.


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    #4
    ReacherCreature
    Registered Users Posts: 4,500 ✭✭✭ReacherCreature


    Also would it be very difficult to secure a place being a mature student.

    OP I found this post in another thread, it may be helpful.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61118181&postcount=21


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    #5
    Byron85
    Registered Users Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭Byron85


    Stick_man wrote: »
    Also would it be very difficult to secure a place being a mature student. Again any advice/comments would be much appreaciated.

    I got into UCC and UCD this year as a mature student this year. I can't wait to start in September. Now, it can be somewhat difficult as everyone who applies as a mature student has to sit the MSAP exam, which is effectively an aptitude test. I found it relatively ok but others found it very difficult. Also you need to have a good personal statement written up for your CAO application. All in all I think a bit of luck comes into play during the application process as a mature student. Any more questions?


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    #6
    Stick_man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 125 ✭✭Stick_man


    ReacherCreature wrote: »
    Yes, you can do History, Politics in Arts here.
    By Literature, do you mean English?



    By all means this is the right attitude to have. In my opinion, enjoying the course is very important. If you don't enjoy it, you won't gain anything from lectures and you won't get on top of assignments. Therefore enjoying the course is an essential element in my opinion.



    Will Work clash with your course?



    To be honest, I'm not sure, I've heard of people in UCC and on Boards getting in no problem. I'm sure people here might be able to answer your questions.

    Hope I've been of assistance.

    Much appreaciated, I will make sure work doesn't affect the course should I be successful in applying. I did mean English, novels, poetry, Shakespeare etc. Thanks for taking the time.


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    #7
    Stick_man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 125 ✭✭Stick_man


    T.W.H Byron wrote: »
    I got into UCC and UCD this year as a mature student this year. I can't wait to start in September. Now, it can be somewhat difficult as everyone who applies as a mature student has to sit the MSAP exam, which is effectively an aptitude test. I found it relatively ok but others found it very difficult. Also you need to have a good personal statement written up for your CAO application. All in all I think a bit of luck comes into play during the application process as a mature student. Any more questions?

    Think that covers the application, I have never sat an aptitude test before but would'nt really fret over it( I think!) thanks for the valuable info.


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    #8
    ReacherCreature
    Registered Users Posts: 4,500 ✭✭✭ReacherCreature


    I did mean English, novels, poetry, Shakespeare etc.

    Check this - http://www.ucc.ie/modules/descriptions/page019.html#EN1001

    If you haven't checked it already, it's just a quick runover of what English in first year entails.


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    #9
    allyatsea
    Closed Accounts Posts: 31 ✭allyatsea


    T.W.H Byron wrote: »
    I got into UCC and UCD this year as a mature student this year. I can't wait to start in September. Now, it can be somewhat difficult as everyone who applies as a mature student has to sit the MSAP exam, which is effectively an aptitude test. I found it relatively ok but others found it very difficult. Also you need to have a good personal statement written up for your CAO application. All in all I think a bit of luck comes into play during the application process as a mature student. Any more questions?


    What kind of questions do they ask in the aptitude test? How long is it, and what sort of thing do they look for?


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    #10
    Byron85
    Registered Users Posts: 1,443 ✭✭✭Byron85


    allyatsea wrote: »
    What kind of questions do they ask in the aptitude test? How long is it, and what sort of thing do they look for?


    I think the test was 2 hours long and divided into 2 sections. The first section is composed of essay questions. One is compulsory and the other is one you choose from a list. The second section is made up of multiple choice questions ranging from Maths to literary criticism and analysis. Here's a link to some information about the test on the company's homepage.

    http://msap.acer.edu.au/preparation


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