English reading lists

Mikanella

.o/ I'm hoping to attend next year as a mature student, and wanting to study English (and History of Art, Latin and Studies in Psychology in the first year).
So, I was wondering if anyone either a 1st year or 2nd year English student could give me any preparation tips/advice - and if possible a reading list, so I can get a head start, since it's been a long while since I was in acadamia!

Thanks in advance!

Censorsh!t

Well last year, we did Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides
Titus Andronicus by Shakespeare
Canterbury Tales by Chaucer
Picture of Dorian Gray by oscar wilde
wuthering heights by emily bronte
the caretaker by pinter
the bald prima donna by iogene eunesco

all i can think of now..

Mikanella

Heh thanks - that's plenty to start with :P

Censorsh!t

That will keep you nice and busy

bjdk

Censorsh!t wrote: »

Well last year, we did Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides
Titus Andronicus by Shakespeare
Canterbury Tales by Chaucer
Picture of Dorian Gray by oscar wilde
wuthering heights by emily bronte
the caretaker by pinter
the bald prima donna by iogene eunesco

all i can think of now..

Beowulf also. Thats a handy one to read. The questions on this in the summer exam are usually quite easy.:D

Friday73

Went back myself as a mature student, be prepared to do presentations in English, especially if you are aiming for a degree in it. The presentation was optional in 1st year when I was there (not sure now), but compulsory in the remaining years. Beowulf, Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Emily Bronte were some of the books that was on my reading list. (Check in the student union for second hand books.) With the English degree, you will be doing continuous assessments through out the years as well. If you find yourself doing a play by Shakespeare that is a bit hard to follow (it was compulsory in first year), go to www.sparknotes.com You will find all his plays there. Only use it only as a GUIDE! Do not mention it in your bibliography, I know one person who had in it her bibliography, she got a severe rollicking over it. (Get a booklet from the English dept on how to do the bibliography as they differ from department to department).
In second year, you will have to pick a core English subject, then you have to work all your other course subjects around it, so be prepared for something you don't like. Hopefully that won't happen!;)
If you are panicking at the thought of your writing style, there are courses given free, but it is severely limited, so get in early. Furthermore, the Mature Student Office also run workshops on how to get into the habit of note taking, studying etc.
FINALLY! Enjoy UCC, it's a fantastic place!:):)

captainspeckle

Friday73 wrote: »

Went back myself as a mature student, be prepared to do presentations in English, especially if you are aiming for a degree in it. The presentation was optional in 1st year when I was there (not sure now), but compulsory in the remaining years. Beowulf, Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Emily Bronte were some of the books that was on my reading list. (Check in the student union for second hand books.) With the English degree, you will be doing continuous assessments through out the years as well. If you find yourself doing a play by Shakespeare that is a bit hard to follow (it was compulsory in first year), go to www.sparknotes.com You will find all his plays there. Only use it only as a GUIDE! Do not mention it in your bibliography, I know one person who had in it her bibliography, she got a severe rollicking over it. (Get a booklet from the English dept on how to do the bibliography as they differ from department to department).
In second year, you will have to pick a core English subject, then you have to work all your other course subjects around it, so be prepared for something you don't like. Hopefully that won't happen!;)
If you are panicking at the thought of your writing style, there are courses given free, but it is severely limited, so get in early. Furthermore, the Mature Student Office also run workshops on how to get into the habit of note taking, studying etc.
FINALLY! Enjoy UCC, it's a fantastic place!:):)

yeah, i agree with most parts, excpect the core module thing? i assume you mean the seminar? well there is a very easy way of ensuring that you get the one that you want, just do what everyone else who had initiative and really wanted a particular seminar did, queue two hours earlier that the time stated! (just to let the op know, when signing up for modules in second and third year, the seminars are on a first come, first served basis and places are very limited) i did, and when i arrived there was a good fifty people before me. i did have to sit on the floor in the west gate for close to three hours, but i got the seminar i wanted and it was a small price to pay. i mean, there were people swhoing up like 20 minutes after the sign up time, and they were like **** sake, i wont get the seminar i wanted. pretty stupid really. it was clearly told to us that it was on a first come first served basis.

so, anyways to make my point and stop ranting, if you queue early you WILL get what you want. its a pretty simple idea.

Edit: also, presentation will be among the easiest things you will do in English in my opinion. they arent actually that bad. i did one the other day and it was a lot less work that an essay or example, and well, a lot more enjoyable aswell!

ReacherCreature

captainspeckle wrote: »

and when i arrived there was a good fifty people before me. i did have to sit on the floor in the west gate for close to three hours, but i got the seminar i wanted and it was a small price to pay.

You queued for three hours? Is the seminar you got enjoyable? It'd want to be utterly fantastic to queue for three hours!