First Arts

anything goes

Hey, I hope to be going into arts this year (if I get the points of course) and I was thinking about taking History but I've read it's a difficult course and not to do it if you were going to drop it after first year. Could any who did it please give me their opinions. Thanks

______

no need whatsoever for leaving cert history either?




also would i need a laptop for information technology?

Jamey

Loved history all through secondary school, got great marks in JC and LC in it, so it was a definite when I went in doing Arts last year. Big mistake really, is totally different to secondary school History, and I found it tough. Just scraped a pass in the exams and dropping it now for second year. Just be prepared, it is Very different to secondary school History.

risaphoenix

any advice on courses to take?

i'm majoring in archeology and celtic studies and taking latin for the first year but i need another course.

i was thinking information technology but im not sure.

any advice or suggestions?

anything goes

Thanks a million for that, it definatley helps. I'm doing English, Soc and pol and philosophy, don't know about the fourth yet but at least I know I will be dropping it after first year so I'm not that worried.

______

how long are you gave to choose your courses?

drunknmunky

im hoping to get nito arts and was thinking of taking legal studies,english,soc and pol and spanish. With the intention of dropping soc and pol at the end of first year and then if i really dont like spanish to drop that and keep up english.

anything goes

You don't have to choose straight away. I think that for like the first week you can go to lots of different lectures to see what you like. That's what I have been told anyway. I think I'll do Psychology or Classical Civilizations as my fourth subject altough I think Archaeology would be interesting for first year aswell.

Jamey

I was doing them three with history last year - English, Soc & Pol, and Philosophy. if i could go back i would have picked Psychology over History I'd say. But you can't take Psychology on in second year unless you get in the top 100 in the exams if I remember correctly. I think its longer than a week that you can go to any lectures you like. Go to History ones and see what you think. What about Geography? It's supposed to be good enough.

R0C0

Hey, I was just wondering if anyone knows whats expected to happen with the CAO points for Arts this year? Up? Down? I got 350 in my leaving cert last year and the points were 350 for Arts last year!

Conqueror

Bad news, the points went up by 5, to 355. It may drop back for Final Offers next week.


I did History in First Year, up to my degree in fact, and while it is different to secondary school History, it also allows you to learn about eras you didn't get to do in school. The LC course is either 1400-1650 Ireland and Europe or 1870-1990 Ireland and Europe and is very broad. The modules within History at university is much more defined, and you can spend three months learning about the French Revolution or Saint Patrick.

As for what courses to pick, during your first week (the week of your orientation, which is the Tuesday) there are introductory lectures, which give you a taste of what to expect for the year ahead. These lectures are repeated at least once, usually twice, so you can go to a different lecture if there's a clash, or bugger off down the pub. The next two weeks have actual lectures, with stuff that will be examined, but you can go to as many of the lectures as you like, because you have time to see what interests you. By the fourth week, the first Monday or Tuesday of October, you have to register what subjects you're doing for the year. This will be confirmed with your "counsellor", a lecturer from the Arts faculty who's assigned to help you out. The handbook you get on Orientation Day will tell you who to go to, based on your surname.

Edit: I've just found a forum set up by the Arts faculty which may help: http://www.nuigalway.ie/arts/forum/

If you've any other questions on History, Orientation, First Arts or Arts as a whole, feel free to PM me. I'll be happy to help!

R0C0

Its a sickener! Really really wish I'd applied last year!

anything goes

Wow, thanks for all the info. I thought we only had like a week to choose.

TerrorFirmer

History is easy....if you like History. If you view it simply as a mere subject, then it's just as hard really as any other module (none of which, to be honest, are remotely difficult in 1st year). Don't do IT, it sucks. I did it in first year and it was horrible, it would definitely have to be the most difficult course out of the lot within Arts. I'm great with computer hardware so that side of the course was a joke but the bulk of the course and the exam is programming. You don't need a laptop for programming or even have to own a computer...you do it all in college. Oh and if you actually like programming and have any experience, the course would probably be a doodle.

Lockstep

I;m planning on doing History,Soc and Pol,Legal science(to keep the old man happy) and classical civilzation.

Can anyone give me any feed back on those?

Twin Lance

Id recommend three of those subjects kickoutthejams. Did classics, history and soc and pol in first year, keeping on history and classics for my degree. So long as you have a bit of interest in either history or classics, Id recommend them completely. First year history can be a bit crumby, theres no choice but exams are marked VERY easy. Classics is grand too, but Im a little biased because I love all that stuff.I didnt keep on Soc and Pol because there wouldnt be much I could do in relation to teaching once I finished, but I did enjoy it. And can I recommend Philosophy to everyone? Very fun subject, the history side of it (Plato) can be a bit much but its a very enjoyable choice!

TheInvisibleFie

Did anyone here do English or have any information on it?

I've been looking forward to going to NUIG for most of my life and now I really don't want to go. Maybe it's the moving out thing but I'm so scared I've made the wrong choice.

Lockstep

Haha,No way am I doing philosophy,too many bad experiences.

I did it in school and it was awful,it was a magnet for all the pretentious pseudo intellectuals. Kids who went on about the benifits of communism whilst living off their parents money gained with capitalism(why the hell are you here if you hate communism?
I wanted to go work in the fields of cuba but my parents wouldn't let me
Well thats just pure revolutionary isnt it?)

I just can't face how diappointed I was with philosophy. Other kids ruined it debating the merits of some new theory they dreamed up:(I have a theory that we're sheep, but we think we're wolves.Bob Marley was a wolf who lived by the sheeps way)

Etc

In fairness there was a few good people and the teacher was decent

risaphoenix

anyone know when first years have to be on campus on monday?

risaphoenix

risaphoenix wrote:

anyone know when first years have to be on campus on monday?

Yo really don't have to come into college till you collect your id!You just have to register online.

*Tripper*

But they arent accepting payment yet are they?

K4t

kickoutthejams wrote: »

Haha,No way am I doing philosophy,too many bad experiences.

I did it in school and it was awful,it was a magnet for all the pretentious pseudo intellectuals. Kids who went on about the benifits of communism whilst living off their parents money gained with capitalism(why the hell are you here if you hate communism?
I wanted to go work in the fields of cuba but my parents wouldn't let me
Well thats just pure revolutionary isnt it?)

I just can't face how diappointed I was with philosophy. Other kids ruined it debating the merits of some new theory they dreamed up:(I have a theory that we're sheep, but we think we're wolves.Bob Marley was a wolf who lived by the sheeps way)

Etc

In fairness there was a few good people and the teacher was decent

LOL I know the type. :rolleyes:

If I do Arts, I'll probably choose History, Politics, English and something else.

Can you get a job with an arts degree or would you be wiser to do a masters?

nycman

K4t wrote: »

LOL I know the type. :rolleyes:

If I do Arts, I'll probably choose History, Politics, English and something else.

Can you get a job with an arts degree or would you be wiser to do a masters?

BTW This thread was posted last year:o

K4t

nycman wrote: »

BTW This thread was posted last year:o

I know, I just thought I'd use the search function. That is what it's there for! :pac:

english4490

anyone doing geography? thought id ask here before opening another thread!

jashin

could anyone tell me if doing 2 languagues is managable?i done german for the LC but will be doing begginers level as i got a D2 in honours,was thinking of doing spanish aswell,anyone do 2 languages?

da_shivsta

All I have to say is don't just go in and say "I know what I'm goin to do" because then you won't let yourself believe it if you hate it when you go to introductory lectures. Thankfully, I ended up liking English but I never even considered not doing it, didn't even go to intro lectures which I regret, I would have realised how much reading there was!
Like I said, it turned out grand for me, but just go to all the intro lectures before you make any decisions and keep a completely open mind.

da_shivsta

english4490 wrote: »

anyone doing geography? thought id ask here before opening another thread!

I'm doing geography. It was boring for me tbh but it seems fairly easy to pass once you do your continuous assessment. The lecturers can be kinda strict. But the classes are fairly big which is a good sign and generally theres worse subjects def. I'm not sure whether to keep it on though tbh, I'm just goin in to second year in Sept. Hopefully!

jashin

da_shivsta wrote: »

All I have to say is don't just go in and say "I know what I'm goin to do" because then you won't let yourself believe it if you hate it when you go to introductory lectures. Thankfully, I ended up liking English but I never even considered not doing it, didn't even go to intro lectures which I regret, I would have realised how much reading there was!
Like I said, it turned out grand for me, but just go to all the intro lectures before you make any decisions and keep a completely open mind.

thanks for the advice,what other subjects did you do? ,outta curiosity,and how did ya find them?

loveissucide

First Arts History=complete doss and excellent course.

english4490

loveissucide wrote: »

First Arts History=complete doss and excellent course.

how is the history at 3rd level? doing it for the lc and would be hoping for an A, but i believe its very different at college!:rolleyes:

loveissucide

Pretty interesting actually.You cover a lot of stuff the LC dosn't go near and the tutorials are excellent if you'r elucky enough to get a good tutor.

english4490

loveissucide wrote: »

Pretty interesting actually.You cover a lot of stuff the LC dosn't go near and the tutorials are excellent if you'r elucky enough to get a good tutor.

thanks! out of interest what did ye do in 1st yr? can i ask what other subjects you did in first arts?

loveissucide

English(not great,tutorials really are a nightmare),Soc'n'Pol(Doss.But a boring one),Philosophy(**** for the 1st semester but really improves,2nd semester you do some excellent stuff on ethics)

english4490

loveissucide wrote: »

English(not great,tutorials really are a nightmare),Soc'n'Pol(Doss.But a boring one),Philosophy(**** for the 1st semester but really improves,2nd semester you do some excellent stuff on ethics)

oh good, i will take soc/pol anyway! so is first arts good ya? one last question!!! is it a bit of a nightmare with 1000 people in your course as regards to getting to know people etc?

loveissucide

Societes and that are fairly good.Meet a wide variety of people,and go to your class party whenever it's organised.

english4490

loveissucide wrote: »

Societes and that are fairly good.Meet a wide variety of people,and go to your class party whenever it's organised.

thanks for all that!

jashin

loveissucide wrote: »

Societes and that are fairly good.Meet a wide variety of people,and go to your class party whenever it's organised.

on that note, any societies in particular??

da_shivsta

Womens studies (really good) English (liked it & am keeping it on, ALOT of reading & essays tho) Geography (boring but pretty much a doss) and Archeology (they gave us the exact exam qs that were comin up )
They're all not so bad.
Friends doing Legal Sc- alot failed it's meant to be hard. History - hard but if you like it then you're grand from what I can gather.... Psychology, alot of competition you really have to want it - don't do it if you're just gonna drop it
But from what I can see everyone finds them all different - it all depends on yourself really.

Edit: Societies? Nothing Specific is great! That is a society btw, NSS for short, def join them. But theres a societies day where they all have a table and present themselves in a hall so you'll have a good chance to look around for yourself.

loveissucide

Any societies in particular?I dunno,it's a question of finding out when they're on and making your own way from there.ISS events are usually good craic,same for Nothing Specific.

jashin

da_shivsta wrote: »

Womens studies (really good) English (liked it & am keeping it on, ALOT of reading & essays tho) Geography (boring but pretty much a doss) and Archeology (they gave us the exact exam qs that were comin up )
They're all not so bad.
Friends doing Legal Sc- alot failed it's meant to be hard. History - hard but if you like it then you're grand from what I can gather.... Psychology, alot of competition you really have to want it - don't do it if you're just gonna drop it
But from what I can see everyone finds them all different - it all depends on yourself really.

Edit: Societies? Nothing Specific is great! That is a society btw, NSS for short, def join them. But theres a societies day where they all have a table and present themselves in a hall so you'll have a good chance to look around for yourself.

thanks,will do

loveissucide wrote: »

Any societies in particular?I dunno,it's a question of finding out when they're on and making your own way from there.ISS events are usually good craic,same for Nothing Specific.

thanks to you too

loveissucide

Not a bother.

WesternNight

jashin wrote: »

could anyone tell me if doing 2 languagues is managable?i done german for the LC but will be doing begginers level as i got a D2 in honours,was thinking of doing spanish aswell,anyone do 2 languages?

I'm wondering the same thing, but haven't gotten any answers yet. I'm considering Spanish and either French or German.

Have any of you studied two foreign languages?

da_shivsta

I've heard one language is bad enough.... but I'm not doing any so I hope you get more replies....