ARTS OMNIBUS

stressedcao

Hey trying to fill out cao atm and was just wondering if i could get some feedback from people who are doing arts. Is it hard to make friends? what subjects would you suggest taking up? :rolleyes:

kev_s88

haha to be honest if its what you want to do then put it down...it gives you a huge amount of options so its also good if you're not sure what exactly you want to do

as for making friends, it really depends on the subjects you chose. some of the subjects will have maybe 400 people in the lectures and it can be hard.although you still have tutorials which are small 15 people classes and thats where you will make most of your friends...other subjects have smaller classes. i did music, drama studies and info studies...music has about 80 ppl, drama has about 60 ppl and info studies has about 150...so i found it easy to make friends!!!

some subjects are also very specialist like music...you need some sort of musical background to actually succeed in studying music in college so its a lot easier to make friends because everyone has similar interests (music!)

hope that gives you some sort of idea about making friends anyways...on the subject of subject choice? pick something you might have an interest in or something new you want to try and is easy to learn from basics

KeyLimePie

I'll be your friend.

bnt

Does it have to be Arts? This is the most-taken subject at UCD by far, and after graduation you'd be joining a huge herd of Arts graduates looking for work. There are other options e.g. if you have any kind of skill at Maths and Physics, Engineering also has an Omnibus entry. There's also Chemistry, Biology and Maths for those who enjoy those subjects.

After two years at UCD, it seems to me like Arts Omnibus is the place for people who feel they have to go to university but don't know what they want to do, and feel they can't hack anything technical. But Arts is not an easy option i.e. it might be less technical but it makes up for that with workload. Do you know what you want to do after the degree?

stressedcao

no i really wanted teaching but lc didnt go well for me so now im having to look at other options......i dunno what to do.....i have basically 2 hours to make a huge decision

Mr.Nice Guy

I did not know what I wanted to do and chose Arts and I feel it was a good move. When you graduate you have the freedom to go into a good few areas. If you think you want to do teaching it's a good course to do as if you end up changing your mind on the teaching route, at least you can go into other areas and you're not tied down to one area.

With regards to subjects, I'd suggest English as that seems to always be a subject that's in demand. Likewise a knowledge of Irish or French is useful.
Basically do subjects that you think you'll enjoy.

Good luck.

dyl10

It really is what you make it.

Look at the subject list for Arts. If you see 2 or 3 subjects you'd like to take to degree level, then you're good to go.

The friends issue in Arts really depends on the person you are and the subject you're doing. If you aren't afraid to talk to someone you don't know yet, then it's unlikely you'll have any problems.
Naturally bigger courses that are less personal are harder to make friends in, that's the nature of them, but if you try I wouldn't imagine you'll have too much trouble.

In regard to subjects, I've experience in the subjects below.

Geography is interesting and entertaining, I'd certainly recommend it as a good second/minor subject to do.

Economics is good/great/bad/boring/interesting/uninteresting, it can really be situational and module specific as to whether it's interesting or not

Computer Science is good, making friends is easy enough from what I saw and it's definitely one of the more close knit subjects, I've come across. That being said, I hear that if you don't have any aptitude for it, it's soul destroying.

El Siglo

Arts is what you make of it, geography is the best subject, you can go on and do technical stuff afterwards (e.g. environmental stuff seems important, town planning etc...). Stay away from english and history, you'll never get a job and nearly everyone who graduates will have at least one of these subects, so if you do them you have to be the best at them to make an impact on a potential employer, that's a fact! Arts is easy no matter which way you cut it (try and compare it to science) however if you do no work, you'll do badly, goes without saying. Friends, if you're not socially retarded you'll make friends.

Gary4279

I'm heading off to do arts next year, History, Celtic civilisation and Economics. anyone any idea what these classes are like?:p Are the professors good ect...

PS. How long is the average essay in college?

IceICEbaby

Gary4279 wrote: »

I'm heading off to do arts next year, History, Celtic civilisation and Economics. anyone any idea what these classes are like?:p Are the professors good ect...

PS. How long is the average essay in college?

Hey...omg, don't do Celtic Civ....
I have NEVER wanted to kill myself more than when sitting in those lectures.
Literally every single lecturer we had was incredibly boring (with the exception of kelly fitzgerald - she's kinda cool but just plain crazy really :rolleyes:)
Seriously, don't take it unless you have a serious interest in the early Irish church/early welsh stories.
The one thing I will sa y is that its a very easy grade - its not difficult to do well and without much effort...also it was actually the class that I made my best UCD friends...:D...but SO many people dropped it after the first semester...
You have 6 weeks to change your mind in the first semester anyway, so you don't really have any worries.
I did archaeology and found this to be MUCH more interesting. I think you should check them both out. I don't want put you off reallllly x)

History...I did this and I wish I'd taken more modules of it tbh.
I found it really interesting, especially Modern Europe in the 2nd Semester...
There's usually only one lecture and one tutorial...so you have to do a lot of work on your own...
Also, History is MASSIVE...so you're gonna have to make an effort to get to know people...

Tutorials and societies are your best bet...

(As for economics, I know one guy who HATED it and another few people who loved it...so I suppose its impossible to say)
My most important tip about arts (and i kinda wish id done this) is that you should pick the subject you're INTERESTED in and enjoy.
Don't pick subjects you don't really like JUST because you think they'll be handy. If you don't like the subject, its 10x harder..

Also, languages are REALLY hard...only do a language if you're really into languages and are willing to put a lot of hours in...
Celtic civ essays were no longer than 1500-2000 words each (and you only have to do 2 per module)
History...about 2000

Good luck! Kinda wish i could do first year again x)))

captainspeckle

El Siglo wrote: »

Arts is what you make of it, geography is the best subject, you can go on and do technical stuff afterwards (e.g. environmental stuff seems important, town planning etc...). Stay away from english and history, you'll never get a job and nearly everyone who graduates will have at least one of these subects, so if you do them you have to be the best at them to make an impact on a potential employer, that's a fact! Arts is easy no matter which way you cut it (try and compare it to science) however if you do no work, you'll do badly, goes without saying. Friends, if you're not socially retarded you'll make friends.

hmm.....

Just-A-Phase

stressedcao wrote: »

Hey trying to fill out cao atm and was just wondering if i could get some feedback from people who are doing arts. Is it hard to make friends? what subjects would you suggest taking up? :rolleyes:

I've just finished first yr arts, took sociology, economics and politics but then dropped Economics and picked up history instead for semester two. Suggesting what subjects you should pick is impossible really as everyone is different but I can tell you what I think of each one I took;

Sociology - Interesting to an extent but waffly and pointless in my opinion. In semester 1 you take Foundations of Sociological Thought and introduction to sociology and then Irish culture and society and sociology in practice. I personally found semester 2 much more interesting, sociology in practice is actually pretty good and its not too difficult. Its mainly all essay writing and there's usually a good bit of work to get done for seminars, but the work isn't really too bad.

Economics - I hate this subject with a passion and really have nothing good to say about it. However that's not due to the subject its down to my lack of ability and interest in it so if economics is your thing then maybe you might like it. I only took Micro and Macro as I dropped it in semester 2, exams, both mid-term and finals are multiple choice questions and there's no percentage to be gained outside of exams through like attendance and work etc something which I didn't like at all.

History - I've only taken this for a semester but loved it. Semester 2 was Doing History 2(19th century Irish history) and Modern Europe. Lectures and lecturers were pretty good, the stuff covered was interesting but lots of reading and essay writing. What I would say about history though is that there is no point in taking it unless you have a genuine interest in it as it can be tough, and would be a lot worse if you couldn't care less what happened in the past.

Politics - I really like this but I know a lot of people who took it and hated it. I think this is another subject that you have to have at least some interest in it. Semester 1 is Introduction to Irish Politics and Political Theory and semester 2 you take International Politics and Comparative Politics. It can be difficult enough at some times but I enjoyed it. Lots of reading to do, especially in Political Theory and Int Pol. Mix of essays, multiple choice and short questions in exams. Also a good lot of tutorial work.


As for making friends that's really down to you and your personality. There is no denying arts is a huge course, most lectures will have 400 people in them. I was lucky enough that a few people from my secondary school went to UCD as well but to make friends you do need to put yourself out there and make the effort, you could very easily spend your time there talking to absolutely no one, so it really depends on the effort you make.

Raemie

Im just out of first year arts, really enjoyed it. I did history, politics and economics.

I found economics quite dull, the theory was somewhat interesting but it got lost beneath a sea of graphs and formulae. I will drop it next year, but the first year stuff wasnt particularly difficult (except quantitative ), i never really went to lectures (first thing in the morning) and only read the overheads from blackboard and i got through it alright so anyone actually interested wouldhave no trouble. It seems fairly well taught.

Politics was good, some of the courses are very like philosophy, a selection of political theorists to read and discuss. The others were a bit leaving certy, ie. learning off reams of facts. I didnt like some of the lecturers (one in particular, not naming names) but overall it was really interesting.

History was my favourite, but you would have to be really interested. There is so much research and reading involved that you would not get through it otherwise. Prepare to spend a huge amount of time in the library (and fighting to the death for one of the few copies of the book you need). The lectures are great, very entertaining lecturers and the seminars are interesting (but sometimes nerverwracking if you havent read the notes lol)

For making friends, you can always meet people if you want to. Lectures are so massive, you could have a great chat with the person sitting beside you and not run into them again. If you get on with someone then get their number or something. Seminars can be good for meeting people, depends on the atmosphere.Societies are your best bet honestly,the smaller ones especially. If you find it hard to talk to people you dont know it might take a while to make friends but there are so many different kinds of people in UCD that youll be grand.

beautifulmeath

I know it's too late for CAO, but if you're worried about making friends, you should ask the Arts programme office about the possibility of switching form Arts Omnibus to a denominated programme (when you're subjects are pre-picked)

I've just finished my first year on the History, Politics ad International Relations course, and I'd never have made friends if i was in Omnibus

There's only 11 people on the course, and we have seperate tutorials and group outings arranged for us, so making friends is given

If there's places on any of them, you might be lucky

El Siglo

beautifulmeath wrote: »

I know it's too late for CAO, but if you're worried about making friends, you should ask the Arts programme office about the possibility of switching form Arts Omnibus to a denominated programme (when you're subjects are pre-picked)

I've just finished my first year on the History, Politics ad International Relations course, and I'd never have made friends if i was in Omnibus

There's only 11 people on the course, and we have seperate tutorials and group outings arranged for us, so making friends is given

If there's places on any of them, you might be lucky

To some extent that's true, I sneaked into a denominated entry course (gpep) but some of my closest friends aren't from the class, in fact I didn't like a lot of my class (a good few stuck up cünts unfortunately). It's the people from tutorials that'll form the core of your friends, and in most cases it's one tutorial group with about 4-5 people out of 12 that you'll be friends with for most of your degree along with those you meet in societies and sports clubs etc... and the all important 'friends of friends', also join a super league team, it's great craic and everybody's sound.

ciarahughes11

hopefully doing arts in UCD in september and was wondering does anybody know if u can only do film studies for one year?? and what its like?

El Siglo

ciarahughes11 wrote: »

hopefully doing arts in UCD in september and was wondering does anybody know if u can only do film studies for one year?? and what its like?

I don't know, but to be fair it's hard enough coming out of college with an arts degree, let alone one in something that's not that useful. Trust me, been there, done that, got the damn degree. Don't pick useless subjects (apologies if I offend any film people, but seriously), pick something you're interested in, but balance it with: 'is this actually going to help regarding future career direction?, 'and can I do well out of this subject, is it hard?' I'm not being a dick, but I know what it's like starting off I originally wanted to do english and history because I wanted to be a journalist. Found out that english and history are the most common arts combinations in the country, and that there were feck all jobs in journalism even when times were good so can you imagine what they're like now?
So I ended up studying GPEP (I got in through arts omnibus, but this entry has since ended), which turned out to be really interesting and something that I could do well in (I got a 1st, and I never studied geography in the leaving cert or heard of town planning). So you have to look at it in a pragmatic sense and pick clever choices (rule of thumb, at least one subject that you can teach with helps a lot). Again, I am sorry if I sound like a prick but trust me; you don't want to work your arse off for three years to come out with a degree in something that's only good for having a decent chat in the dole queue. Better still take electives in it if you want, or do it as a minor but counteract it with something else (e.g. english, history, geography, economics, etc...). This is kind of contradictory to 'pick something you're suited to', for all I know you could be suited to film studies, but you have to examine what postgrad courses want (if you do arts, you will do a postgrad, it's not a matter of if, but when) and what potential employers want as well as what you want. Hope I didn't come across as too much of a shít.:pac:

ciarahughes11

El Siglo wrote: »

I don't know, but to be fair it's hard enough coming out of college with an arts degree, let alone one in something that's not that useful. Trust me, been there, done that, got the damn degree. Don't pick useless subjects (apologies if I offend any film people, but seriously), pick something you're interested in, but balance it with: 'is this actually going to help regarding future career direction?, 'and can I do well out of this subject, is it hard?' I'm not being a dick, but I know what it's like starting off I originally wanted to do english and history because I wanted to be a journalist. Found out that english and history are the most common arts combinations in the country, and that there were feck all jobs in journalism even when times were good so can you imagine what they're like now?
So I ended up studying GPEP (I got in through arts omnibus, but this entry has since ended), which turned out to be really interesting and something that I could do well in (I got a 1st, and I never studied geography in the leaving cert or heard of town planning). So you have to look at it in a pragmatic sense and pick clever choices (rule of thumb, at least one subject that you can teach with helps a lot). Again, I am sorry if I sound like a prick but trust me; you don't want to work your arse off for three years to come out with a degree in something that's only good for having a decent chat in the dole queue. Better still take electives in it if you want, or do it as a minor but counteract it with something else (e.g. english, history, geography, economics, etc...). This is kind of contradictory to 'pick something you're suited to', for all I know you could be suited to film studies, but you have to examine what postgrad courses want (if you do arts, you will do a postgrad, it's not a matter of if, but when) and what potential employers want as well as what you want. Hope I didn't come across as too much of a shít.:pac:

no u dont come across as a sh*t at all! believe me i kno a fair few sh*ts. thanks a mill for all that it actually really helped. havn't a clue what subjects to pick at all or what im gonna do after it its a bit of a mess at the moment i wanna look at what kind of postgrads i can do coz not certain i wanna teach. cheers for that!

Handsome Bob

stressedcao wrote: »

Hey trying to fill out cao atm and was just wondering if i could get some feedback from people who are doing arts. Is it hard to make friends? what subjects would you suggest taking up? :rolleyes:

I'd say trust your instincts on this one OP. If you feel that you'd like to play it safe and take up the likes of English, History or Geography then do it. However if you feel for example that you are interested in the culture and society then pick Sociology. If you are interested in the what makes the mind tick then go for psychology etc etc.

It's important that you pick the subjects you want to do and feel that you'd excell at.

As for is it hard to make friends, go to your tutorials because it will be high on impossible to establish friendships in lectures. Tutorials are your best bet for making friends, either that or join societies.

princess-sprkle

IceICEbaby wrote: »

Hey...omg, don't do Celtic Civ....
I have NEVER wanted to kill myself more than when sitting in those lectures.

i have to agree, unless its something you are soooo passionate about, the subject is best avoided it. choosing it in first year nearly made me drop out.

Pride Fighter

ciarahughes11 wrote: »

no u dont come across as a sh*t at all! believe me i kno a fair few sh*ts. thanks a mill for all that it actually really helped. havn't a clue what subjects to pick at all or what im gonna do after it its a bit of a mess at the moment i wanna look at what kind of postgrads i can do coz not certain i wanna teach. cheers for that!

Greek and Roman Civilisation is a good subject. A mixture of history, politics, literature and art. If you like some but not all of these you fine, there is no 'core' subjects that they force you to do come second year.

theboat

Also just out of first year arts. IMHO:
The subjects you pick are really down to your personal interests. Also, an arts degree is not usually going to get you a job on its own, so i wouldn't worry too much about whether the subjects you're interested in are "useful".
As for making friends, the best friends I made this year were through clubs and societies. Tutorials are also good. Try not to be put off by the size of the lectures. If you have an interest or enjoy the subject, it's not that difficult to get used to them.

david p

I put down Arts Omnibus as my first choice on my CAO and I'm thinking of doing these subjects, or at least trying them out:

music
information studies
computer science or politics
sociology
french or psychology

I'm not really sure what I want to do as a career yet, but I'd like to do something creative, whether that be to do with music or advertising or something else. Can anyone give me any advice on the subjects that haven't been mentioned already? I know I'll have to do a postgrad degree after I finish, so my priority really be just doing stuff that I like and finding out what I'm interested in.

Pride Fighter

daverage wrote: »

I put down Arts Omnibus as my first choice on my CAO and I'm thinking of doing these subjects, or at least trying them out:

music
information studies
computer science or politics
sociology
french or psychology

I'm not really sure what I want to do as a career yet, but I'd like to do something creative, whether that be to do with music or advertising or something else. Can anyone give me any advice on the subjects that haven't been mentioned already? I know I'll have to do a postgrad degree after I finish, so my priority really be just doing stuff that I like and finding out what I'm interested in.

Dont do computer science through arts, the degree is 4 years whereas other arts subjects are 3. If you like creativity English is pretty good. I am a fan of Greek and Roman Civilisation, its a mix of art, literature, mythology, philosophy and languages. I did history but it is extremely boring IMO.

Dave!

PF -- for the Computer Science degree you get a degree after 3 years. The 4th year requires a high GPA to get into, and it's required if you want to do a postgrad in Comp Sci. But if like me you're not interested in that, then you can graduate after 3 years with a degree in Comp Sci (and your other arts subject). It's fairly common for people who want to take a Masters in something other than CS.

(from the mouth of John Dunnion, the course coordinator!)