Second Year electives

spaceman1

I'm registered for two majors in second year and the system is asking me to choose electives. Is this right? My timetable is already too crowded as it is, but without the electives I can't get 60 credits.

x keo21

yes this is correct u must choose 2 electives to make up your 12 modules, same as last year!!!!
u should have from your 2 courses 10 core and option modules, the electives will give you the required 12.

spaceman1

By "last year", do you mean stage two last year or do you mean that I should have had electives in 1st year because I never chose any electives in first year.

the evil lime

You did, you probably just used them to do three 20 credit arts courses, or the 20, 20, 10, 10 combo. The system counts those as elective credits. Either that or you did first year over two years ago.

spaceman1

I did three twenty credit courses in first year. That explains everything.

Thanks.

Pride Fighter

I am in second year also. Last year you did like me 3 20 credit majors. For second and third year the majors are 25 credits if a joint major which makes up 50 credits so you have to pick 10, ie 2 modules. The 2 extra modules I took were in my course anyway because I am so interested in what I am doing. You could do the same or be adventurous and try something new.

spaceman1

That's the problem. I have no interest in choosing electives outside of my two major courses, but it seems that I have no choice, as all the electives for my courses are full.

This system is really frustrating. I'm in second year, the courses are only three years long and it looks like I have to take up at least another subject to pass stage two.

Cannibal Ox

What majors are you doing? Depending on what you're doing there could be some electives that cover simillar topics.

spaceman1

History and Information Studies. I don't mind choosing electives from a different course if I have to, I'm just surprised that a student would be allowed to start a new course in second year, when they haven't already studied it in first year.

Pride Fighter

I do History also. You could pick your electives in subjects that are similar in terms of style ie essay writing and exams with an emphasis on reading. I do Greek and Roman civ and find it very interesting. You could take a module called Alexander and his successors in semester 2 and one called early Roman empire in semester 1. They are just history modules in a different time. English and Philosophy are also a bit similar but I have only ever done English modules in first year and although enjoyable did not excite me as much as GRC and History.

spaceman1

So your saying that the lecturers in those courses have absolutely no problem with a student entering their course even though thay have never studied it?

Dave!

The idea of the modules is that they're supposed to be individual and self-contained. Some have pre-requisites, but for the most part you're supposed to be able to take a module and be able to understand it and pass the exam using the information contained within it, and not need to dip into other subjects.

Hope I understood you correctly BTW......

spaceman1

You understand perfectly. Every module I have looked at has an eligibility section, but it's always blank. I wasn't sure if that was a UCD error or not.

Thanks for the help.

Dave!

Yeah most of them have no prerequisites, but if you have a look at some of the Computer Science modules for instance, they often require you to be familiar with certain programming languages. And alot of the '[Module Name] II' kind of ones require you to have done '[Module Name] I' in the first semester to be eligible.

Pride Fighter

spaceman1 wrote:

So your saying that the lecturers in those courses have absolutely no problem with a student entering their course even though thay have never studied it?

They have no problem at all. In fact they can give you extra reading if they feel you need background and that'll bring you up to speed.

spaceman1

Thanks again, and by the way, does anyone know what time the students desk is open?

spaceman1

Has anyone taken this course 'Databases and Information Systems I' (COMP20070)?

I did information studies in first year and this is one of my choices for stage two. There is no previous requirements according to the info and I'm thinking of taking this course. Is it hard for someone who didn't do computer science in first year?

Jwacqui

Im in 2nd year too and same thing happened me, i only wanted to do subjects within my degree when it came to electives. If you contact the school they might open up elective places if you explain that is what you are majoring in, this is what was done for me.
Hope that helps!

rainbow kirby

spaceman1 wrote:

Has anyone taken this course 'Databases and Information Systems I' (COMP20070)?

I did information studies in first year and this is one of my choices for stage two. There is no previous requirements according to the info and I'm thinking of taking this course. Is it hard for someone who didn't do computer science in first year?

It's not hard, it's just really, really, really boring. Think propping up your eyes with cocktail sticks boring.

spaceman1

Thanks Jwacqui, I've sorted the electives issue. I'm taking Irish Folklore, it fits my timetable perfectly.

And thanks rainbow kirby, you've convinced me. I always take boring over hard if I've no choice.

Thanks a lot.