Help !!!

Anneju

Hi everyone !

I'm a French student and next year, thanks to the Erasmus program, I'm going to study in UCD!

The only problem is that I am supposed to chose now my courses for next year and I can't find information on the ucd website...

I have to take 60 ECTS ( European Credit Transfer System), 30 ECTS/ semester, in 3rd or 4th year. (I am in 4th year but I can take 3rd year courses) and I would like to take history, politics and international relations courses (originally I study English in France but I want to become a journalist and I'm really interested in politics)

Sorry to bother you, but the teacher in charge of the exchange with UCD does not know more than me... and I also would like to know your impressions on the courses !

On the ucd website, I have found several courses that seem interesting but the content is not detailed... for instance, what is the content of the course called "political change" ?

So here are my main questions:

- Where can I find precise information about 2006-2007 programmes ? (Is there a hidden website somewhere ? or a good soul willing to answer my stupid questions ?)

- If some of you have already taken politics or history courses, please can you tell me it is like and if you liked it? Any courses I should avoid ?

I would particularly like to know what your exams look like : do you have big essays or a series of questions, or multiple choice questions ? Is it difficult ?

For the moment, here are the courses that interest me:
(I've found these on http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/artshl.htm )

In politics:
Comparative Public Policy
Dynamics of European Integration
Political Change
Political Communication
Politics of Nationalism
Politics of the Northern Ireland Conflict
State and Nation

And in history:
The Irish Experience 1920-2000
Irish Foreign Policy, 1919-1973
Northern Ireland
The Image of America Since Tocqueville

Sorry this may sound a bit technical, but on the 2005-06 brochure (that i've found on http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/booklets.htm), some courses are 7.5 ECTS, but on the 2006-07 programme they all count 5 credits... I am a bit lost !!

- One more about the exams: on the ucd website, I've read that " The examinations for semester 1 courses will be held in the summer." : does this mean that i'm going to have to take my Semester 1 exams in july ??

Really sorry to bother you with all my questions ! And if any of you need information about France I'd be happy to answer all your questions in return !! (except the "do you have a bath everyday?" ==> the answer is YES!!)

Thank you to those who will take time to answer me !!


Anneju

Chakar

Didn't know the French had a bath every day.But anyway if you want to find out more information you can learn all you can when you enrol for courses online each course has descriptions about the content.

Mr.Nice Guy

Anneju wrote:

- One more about the exams: on the ucd website, I've read that " The examinations for semester 1 courses will be held in the summer." : does this mean that i'm going to have to take my Semester 1 exams in july ??

What you mean this July as in next month? Nah, it would be around next May after your year has finished.

Anneju wrote:

And if any of you need information about France I'd be happy to answer all your questions in return !! (except the "do you have a bath everyday?" ==> the answer is YES!!)

What I've always wanted to know is, do French people snigger when people talk about "gay Paris" (gay Pa-ree)? Please tell me you do.

Anneju

thank you so much for answering me !

So there are no exams in december/january ?

And french people actually do snigger a lot (even if i'm not quite sure about what you mean with "gay paris")

pigeonbutler

Anneju wrote:

- ...........One more about the exams: on the ucd website, I've read that " The examinations for semester 1 courses will be held in the summer." : does this mean that i'm going to have to take my Semester 1 exams in july ?? ...
Anneju

Yes indeedy, this year's Education Officer decided in her infinite wisdom to inform the college authorities that "no-one in Arts/Human Sciences wanted Exams at Christmas" and they presumed that that was the will of the general student body. By the time they were informed that this wasn't a representative opinion it was too late and arrangements had been made.

Anneju

so it means that students have plenty of time to forget everything they've learnt during the 1st semester
thanks anyway

Font22

that better not apply to other courses!!!!

Blush_01

Anneju, things are changing a little again this year in UCD. This year some courses were implimenting a course that was between the new system and the old one. Next year, they will be doing things slightly differently again (in English anyway!).

I would suggest that you go to the web page for the specific schools you're interested in. If you email Michael Laffan at mlaffan@ucd.ie he's the head of the History department and should be able to tell you who to talk to. Alternatively, call +35317168164. For politics, the head of department is Attracta Ingram attracta.ingram@ucd.ie and the Politics department number is +35317168393. If they can't help you, they'll be able to tell you who can. I hope!

Best of luck!

Vainglory

pigeonbutler wrote:

Yes indeedy, this year's Education Officer decided in her infinite wisdom to inform the college authorities that "no-one in Arts/Human Sciences wanted Exams at Christmas" and they presumed that that was the will of the general student body. By the time they were informed that this wasn't a representative opinion it was too late and arrangements had been made.

I'm pretty damn outraged at the above comment. Only noticed it now.

Yes John, that's totally fair. Of course, I arranged numerous meetings practically BEGGING people to tell me what they thought of proposed semesterisation/modularisation for all years purely for the good of my health. I sent emails about it to class reps, proposed motions at council, designed flyers and leaflets and posters, all just for the sheer amusement of it all.

And when the people who came to those meetings and got involved in the campaign told me that it was their opinion that nobody should be subjected to such huge changes in curriculum without first being asked, then is it really so surprising that I took this line with the college? Contrary to the impression given by your quote, which seems to be plucked from the sky, all I ever asked for, quite clearly (have a look back at the material) was for ..

1. The College to inform students of the consultation process that was going on with class reps so that we would get a truly representative view of the opinions of the student body and not just of the reps and sabbatical officers (I repeated this plea ad nauseum at every single meeting I attended with University officials and in front of the student protest in the Astra Hall too)
2. No drastic changes to be introduced to final years without their being asked first, preferably in the form of a class-wide ballot, as was done in some cases

Now, IF (and that is a very big IF, unless you're basing your wild statements on anything other than "people I talked to outside Arts last Tuesday) the views presented by reps at consultation meetings were unrepresentative, and the college designed proposals based on those views, then that is entirely their own fault for not doing what I begged and pleaded with them to do from the word Go...ASK THE REST OF THE STUDENT BODY.

I cannot count the number of times I said something along the lines of "You cannot expect all these reps to run around informing the entire university of the consultation process and how to get involved. They have degrees to get. They're your proposed changes, you tell them." I suggested practical ways to do this. Posters around campus. Emails. Letters. None of this was done until the college had pretty much decided what they were doing anyway. And when it was done? A3 black on white posters with size 15 Times New Roman, stuck arbitrarily around the Arts block. Don't blame me for a lack of consultation. Blame the college.

And I don't know why the hell you think it was so unrepresentative anyway. The campaign came about because an ordinary student approached a rep and asked her to get the union to do something about it. So we did. But our line, always, always, always, was "Change isn't necessarily bad. But we deserve to be asked first." It wasn't, as you seem to think "No change, ever."

The meetings Philip Nolan eventually held in the Arts block were very sparsely attended, by a maximum of 50 or so people each time. There are significantly more students than that in Arts who would be affected by the changes. Is it so illogical to assume, that if they had all been so infuriated (and they all would have read it in the Tribune, even if they didn't see the college's pathetic attempt at posters) then they all would have attended and voiced their objections? It may surprise you John, but it is impossible to please everyone, despite Fianna Fail's constant efforts to do just that.

I asked the college to involve ordinary students before proposal stage was reached until I was blue in the face. Anyone at those meetings will tell you that. If you choose to make unsubstantiated, vague, sweeping and generalised comments about me, then I suppose that's up to you. On the other hand, my conscience is perfectly clear. Your own choice of words even gives away the ignorance of your argument. The college "presumed". Well perhaps, just perhaps, they shouldn't have presumed. LIKE I TOLD THEM NOT TO.

Mods, I apologise for this being drastically off topic but I feel so misrepresented by pigeonbutler's post and I don't think it warrants a fresh thread to respond.

Anneju

thank you Blush_01 !

And sorry about the "controversy" over your exams !

83ste

Anneju wrote:

The Irish Experience 1920-2000

Stay away from this one, there's three huge books to read, not all of the material is very interesting and only one of the four lecturers is any good (Laffan). Also, the exam this year was a bit tricky! On the other hand you may find it more interesting seeing as you're not Irish!

The '20th Century International Relations' course (also in history) is very good. Half the lectures are given by a visiting American professor (there will a different guy next year, of course, but I'd say it'll be just as interesting). The exam was also very straightforward.

Also, do any of Dr. Declan Downey's courses if you can. He loves Erasmus students!

Anneju

Thank you ! the "20th Century International Relations" actually interests me a lot but i don't know if my erasmus coordinator will let me to take it !

What are your exams like ? Do you have a big essay (like the thing we call "disseration" in france, which is extremely academic),a series of short questions, multiple choice questions, commentary on a text...?

Mr.Nice Guy

Anneju wrote:

Thank you ! the "20th Century International Relations" actually interests me a lot but i don't know if my erasmus coordinator will let me to take it !

What are your exams like ? Do you have a big essay (like the thing we call "disseration" in france, which is extremely academic),a series of short questions, multiple choice questions, commentary on a text...?

I myself do history. We don't have multiple questions. As for essays, you do between around 4-8 essays over the course of the year and they make up part of your mark but most marks are for the exam. I think around 80% are for the exam but I might be wrong on that. The essays aren't that long really. They wouldn't be dissertations. Most tend to be around 4-5 pages.

The exam questions are based on what you've studied on the course and they will be similar in style to the essay questions that are given.

pretty*monster

pigeonbutler wrote:

Yes indeedy, this year's Education Officer decided in her infinite wisdom to inform the college authorities that "no-one in Arts/Human Sciences wanted Exams at Christmas" and they presumed that that was the will of the general student body. By the time they were informed that this wasn't a representative opinion it was too late and arrangements had been made.

Butler, you're not even an Arts student.
No one, at all, ever came to the decision that there would be no xmas exams. The decision that was reached was that Xmas exams would not be imposed by the administration. Each individaul school in Arts/HS has been given the freedom to set/not set Xmas exams pending student concent, and to my knowledge some schools will be setting xmas exams. Other's will not be.
Of course some schools have not consulted their students... but nothing in ucd ever has an entirely happy ending.

That aside the education officer and the Arts reps came to the fairest compromise available.

OT; I think politics have set Xmas exams, but I can't be sure, GusherING should be able to confirm it.

The_Minister

Vainglory wrote:

And when the people who came to those meetings and got involved in the campaign told me that it was their opinion that nobody should be subjected to such huge changes in curriculum without first being asked, then is it really so surprising that I took this line with the college?

*Screams*
*shots*
*Foams at mouth*
I've said this before and I'll say it again -ONLY A CERTAIN SUBSECTION OF THE STUDENT POPULACE WILL EVER GET INVOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You cannot, cannot take the views of these people as being representative! You have been in office for nearly a year now, surely you've copped on to this! Most students will never wield a placard or get really, really angry, they will just bitch and sulk when the bad thing happens.
*Breaks down in frustrated weeping*




Just so I'm clear if we had Christmas Exams this year, we'll have them next year?

pretty*monster

Firespinner wrote:

Just so I'm clear if we had Christmas Exams this year, we'll have them next year?

Yes, of course you will.

As a matter of interest (and despite my better instincts not to get into another row about the union) how should one get the input of students who will not get involved.

And I'm not talking about heavily involved. I'm not talking about moderatly involved.
I'm talking about the barest little facet of involvement,
Consider this sequence of events:
A class rep (short, female, brunette philosophy student for arguments sake) goes up the top of her class and say I'm looking for input on what you think about christmas exams and an increse in continuous assesment.
Rep sends an email to my class seeking input on the same
Rep gets only negative feedback on xmas exams.
Rep makes several more lecture addresses explicitly stating that my personal views and the view of the class such that I have guaged it is anti-xmas exams
When after months of weekly updates to my class to this effect with noone coming and saying, "actually, I'd like Christmas exams" the School holds a meeting (announced in a lecture by the head of department, and by letter so every student in the class) to take a vote on christmas exams (which passed by a sizable majority, though the majority was unnecessary as the HoD has decided that every student was entitled to a de facto veto on xmas exams since we had all entered into a system which we understood would not have christmas exams and thus cannot be said to be hard done by if they are not introduced (thank god for a bit of logic).

Than, and only then, does some disgruntled student get up and say that the vote is unfair, that s/he wants Xmas exams and feels short changed for a variety of reasons, none of which stand up.

I mean, this isn't a cf being inviolved or not involved, this is a case of being able to give your opinion when it is activly sought.

The_Minister

People only go to these things to complain. When they hear it is on the cards, if they like it then they assume that everyone is for it and if not then they complain. Its like the old saying that most people vote against someone else not for anyone. People are more active when they are opposed to something. They votes were taken at meetings that required a student to care enough to take up they're free time and go to. This would always weigh the vote against (and if I may say so towards the opinion of certain class reps).
As to what you could have done - that varies from person to person. If I make class rep I will just occasionally ambush random people in lectures and interrogate them on their opinions. If I do that often enough then I should have an accurate indication of student opinions.


EDIT: I've said this before but I really think we need a union bitching thread where we can post responses and post links to the "mother-thread" where the little scuffle started. Then we can battle in that thread. That way the union stuff is removed and doesn't clog up the other threads.

Vainglory

Firespinner wrote:

*Screams*
*shots*
*Foams at mouth*
I've said this before and I'll say it again -ONLY A CERTAIN SUBSECTION OF THE STUDENT POPULACE WILL EVER GET INVOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You cannot, cannot take the views of these people as being representative! You have been in office for nearly a year now, surely you've copped on to this! Most students will never wield a placard or get really, really angry, they will just bitch and sulk when the bad thing happens.
*Breaks down in frustrated weeping*




Just so I'm clear if we had Christmas Exams this year, we'll have them next year?

Suffering Jesus.

For PRECISELY that reason (that not all students will get involved in SU activities) I begged and pleaded with the college administration to use their plentiful, abundant resources to reach every student on the issue and get their views (like they did with first year surveys on Horizons.) WE cannot do that. But THEY can. And THEY refused.

What would you have had me do? GUESS? I went with what I had and begged and pleaded the college to help me reach more students.

Blah.

hullaballoo

Firespinner wrote:

*Screams*
*shots*
*Foams at mouth*
I've said this before and I'll say it again -ONLY A CERTAIN SUBSECTION OF THE STUDENT POPULACE WILL EVER GET INVOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You cannot, cannot take the views of these people as being representative! You have been in office for nearly a year now, surely you've copped on to this! Most students will never wield a placard or get really, really angry, they will just bitch and sulk when the bad thing happens.
*Breaks down in frustrated weeping*




Just so I'm clear if we had Christmas Exams this year, we'll have them next year?

Banned. One week.

Chakar

Bit harsh there...

hullaballoo

Chakar wrote:

Bit harsh there...

Excuse me?

Edit: And by that I mean for you to offer some sort of reason for you telling me that I was harsh to ban him. Please do it via PM, I don't want to make a mess of this thread.

Chakar

Banning Firespinner, I thought it was a bit harsh as he's doing the Survivor Challenge and all.What do you think?

EDIT: Its straightened out Firespinner was flaming so he's banned Hulla explained the reasons so thats just grand.

Blush_01

Eh, Chakar, I don't think so. I also think you didn't listen to what Hulla asked you to do. If I was mod I'd have banned more than Firespinner, Hulla is being pretty damn lenient!

Anneju, ignore the political nonsense so many people have been perpetuating in this thread, it has nothing to do with everyday college life for the majority of UCD students.

If you're interested in media, there are two student-run newspapers and a radio station too, as well as all the different societies. It's a pretty huge place, and is easy to get lost in. Maybe we could have a welcome boards beers for any new/international students at the beginning of college so that you'll recognise a few people around college and at least have someone to say hi to?