english in first year?

magnetman

im currently studying first year arts and plan on majoring in english next year (50 credits). i love english and have particularly enjoyed the modern drama and modern poetry. unfortunately i find old english, shakespeare and all that almost impossible. i never had any interest in old english and just find the whole thing very difficult.

i live outside the city and have to commute everyday and i also have a job to pay for college, and because of this i have missed quite a bit of the year.

we only need to get 40% in each subject to pass the year right? i know that it is probably recommended that we get higher if we plan to do the subject in 2nd year but that is just a recommendation right?

i am also wondering what english is like in second year at UCC?

i would like to focus on more modern english (anything past the 18th century) but is taking modules for old english also compulsory? by that i mean will i be forced to do a certain number of modules focused on medieval english?

i've attempted to ask at the english department but because of the sparse hours i have at UCC i find it difficult to find lecturers and anytime i have gone to the english department they have not been that helpful. i also find the entire UCC website a complete shambles.

ReacherCreature

Hello.

I never done English in 2nd year but did in 1st.

They recommend that you get over 40% yeah, but last year the class wasn't pressured into getting fantastic scores. 40% was my norm for all classes/subjects.

I heard from a friend who's doing a major in English (40 Credits) and she's doing the Old English part of the course and doesn't like it. So I'm not sure if you're able to avoid it or add it as a module etc.

If you're finding it hard to contact lecturers etc you should consider moving in nearer the campus, it'll be easier on you in 2nd year and so on. Just a suggestion.

That's all the help I can give, maybe other boardsie's can help?

quoteunquote

Would anyone be able to give me a reading list for First Year English?

I want to start early.

Alan Smith

I'd also like to know this....

I hated all of the drama and the renaissance poetry but really enjoyed modern poetry, the fiction we're doing at the moment.

It's a pity one of my tutor's doesn't have a clue, though.

Become really lazy but finally got a kick up the arse yesterday and I've already finished my Wuthering Heights essay:cool:

ReacherCreature

Alan Smith wrote: »

Become really lazy but finally got a kick up the arse yesterday and I've already finished my Wuthering Heights essay:cool:

Wuthering Heights is, imo, absolutely brutal!

Done The Picture of Dorian Grey instead. :P

Alan Smith

ReacherCreature wrote: »

Wuthering Heights is, imo, absolutely brutal!

Done The Picture of Dorian Grey instead. :P

The lecturer only gave us one essay title and it was on Wuthering Heights. :rolleyes:
I much prefer Dorian Gray as well, about half way through it and it's much better.

ReacherCreature

Really? Can't remember doing an essay during the year for it.
Done Dorian at the end of year exam.

Your man Eibhear's a tad feckin' annoying.

Livo

quoteunquote wrote: »

Would anyone be able to give me a reading list for First Year English?

I want to start early.

Titus Andronicus, Iphigenia at Aulis, The Tragedie of Mariam, Wuthering Heights, Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation), The Canterbury Tales (The General Prologue, the Pardoner's Prologue, Tale and Epilogue and a few others I can't remember), The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Bald Soprano, The Caretaker... plus lots of poetry.

man i've read a lot so far!

quoteunquote

Livo wrote: »

Titus Andronicus, Iphigenia at Aulis, The Tragedie of Mariam, Wuthering Heights, Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation), The Canterbury Tales (The General Prologue, the Pardoner's Prologue, Tale and Epilogue and a few others I can't remember), The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Bald Soprano, The Caretaker... plus lots of poetry.

man i've read a lot so far!

Thank you

fated2pretend

No guarantee it'll be the same next year, though - well, Beowulf and Chaucer are probably dead certs ...

quoteunquote

I emailed the English department at UCC and they said it will change next year. They told me they'd put me on a mailing list and send me the 2009/10 list in July. That was nice of them.

Ell69

I wouldn't mind doing English in september as part of first arts, but I hate the thought of having to drama studies, that doesn't interest me one bit. Is it a major part of the course? I love peotry and the 'old' english, so I'd be fine other than the drama, :rolleyes:

Alan Smith

Ell69 wrote: »

I wouldn't mind doing English in september as part of first arts, but I hate the thought of having to drama studies, that doesn't interest me one bit. Is it a major part of the course? I love peotry and the 'old' english, so I'd be fine other than the drama, :rolleyes:

You have to do it in first year. Not sure about 2nd or 3rd, though.

ReacherCreature

quoteunquote wrote: »

I emailed the English department at UCC and they said it will change next year. They told me they'd put me on a mailing list and send me the 2009/10 list in July. That was nice of them.

UCC administrations are full of nice people.

Ell69 wrote: »

I wouldn't mind doing English in september as part of first arts, but I hate the thought of having to drama studies, that doesn't interest me one bit. Is it a major part of the course? I love peotry and the 'old' english, so I'd be fine other than the drama, :rolleyes:

You like the latter two options, so try fight through the drama part. Or you could put more focus into the Drama element of it.

captainspeckle

Ell69 wrote: »

I wouldn't mind doing English in september as part of first arts, but I hate the thought of having to drama studies, that doesn't interest me one bit. Is it a major part of the course? I love peotry and the 'old' english, so I'd be fine other than the drama, :rolleyes:

i cant understand how you know that you love old english? as far as i know its not on the syllabus for leaving cert english. its very difficult!!

Ell69

I'd be going back to college as a 'mature' student, been around a while.;)

Rebecca4welfare

English gets much better in 2nd year, mainly because you get to pick and choose the modules you really like! I really enjoyed 2nd year English. I did Romance and Realism, med to ren romance in the first term and can't reccommend them enough.

All you need to do in first year is pass. Continuous assessment becomes much more important in 2nd year though, so be prepared for that. Only the second term modules are examined in the summer, the rest are continuous assessment!

captainspeckle

Ell69 wrote: »

I'd be going back to college as a 'mature' student, been around a while.;)

fair enough, just because you are a 'mature' student doesnt necessarily mean that you wont find the coursework any less difficult? imo.:rolleyes:

Ell69

captainspeckle wrote: »

fair enough, just because you are a 'mature' student doesnt necessarily mean that you wont find the coursework any less difficult? imo.:rolleyes:

Hah , Thats a laugh:eek:, if anything I'll probably be up the walls. Probably be asking peole half my age for a hand. Actually have a daughter in college and could be calling on her input.Things can get missread on these forums when you're just sending a quick reply. I didn't mean to sound like I know it all. Just another poster was wondering how I'd even heard of 'Old English', since its not done in Leaving cert.

Ell69

Oh, that was you captainspeckle, lol!:)