History (arts)

Brooke01

Hi,
I’m applying for history through the arts. So is there anyone studying history at UCD? Could you tell me what the course is like, student life, a teaching? What is the course work like?
thanks

Pride Fighter

Brooke01 wrote: »

Hi,
I’m applying of history through the arts. So is there anyone studying history at UCD? Could you tell me what the course is like, student life, a teaching? What is the course work like?
thanks

You are herded into lecture theatres with 500 people. Then you do weekly tutorials in a room designed for 10 people with 40 people. Then you are herded into an exam centre with 2-3,000 people.

Basically you are treated like cattle. Its the same with most big courses, English would be the same. That said, if you like history do it, the course content should be enjoyable.

Brooke01

Pride Fighter wrote: »

You are herded into lecture theatres with 500 people. Then you do weekly tutorials in a room designed for 10 people with 40 people. Then you are herded into an exam centre with 2-3,000 people.

Basically you are treated like cattle. Its the same with most big courses, English would be the same. That said, if you like history do it, the course content should be enjoyable.

Thanks

But do think NUI Maynooth would be a better choice rather than going to UCD ?

convert

Before choosing which course you want to do, you need to have a look at each college and what they offer. If for example, you prefer Irish history and see that Maynooth specialise in European history, then you would be better to go to UCD. You need to look at the teaching methods, i.e. lectures v tutorials, number of assignments to be submitted, etc. Also you need to look at whether or not Maynooth is modularised to the same extent as UCD.

Obviously been a much bigger university, there will be about 500 people in your lectures in first year, but the numbers drop in second year as people choose different electives and/or opt to drop history in favour of another subject. It's also when you begin to specialise into different types of history for your 'option' courses.

Nobody can tell you which is better. Both offer different things. Only you can know which college suits your personal needs.

Mr.Nice Guy

If you are interested in Irish history then I would definitely recommend UCD over NUI Maynooth and would probably rate it above Trinity too in that respect, although others might disagree with me on that.

I think in terms of the quality of the lecturers on offer UCD is a very good choice. As Pride Fighter touched on though there are a lot of people there so perhaps it would be best to look to joining the History Society or other such socs for the social element.

Brooke01

Thanks everyone . How difficult is first year history in UCD? (I’ve done history for the LC). Can anyone tell me what the course is like at UCD? Do you need to have good at analytical and good english skills for first year history? Can anyone give me a I inside to the course
Thanks

Pride Fighter

Brooke01 wrote: »

Thanks everyone . How difficult is first year history in UCD? (I’ve done history for the LC). Can anyone tell me what the course is like at UCD? Do you need to have good at analytical and good english skills for first year history? Can anyone give me a I inside to the course
Thanks

English and analytical skills are the bread and butter of any arts course. So of course you need them. The first year classes are simple enough. They dumbed it down since my day to classes called doing history where you learn about the easter rising and other stuff along those lines. Although as I said UCD is a big course, if you like the course content you'll be fine. Also if you have a bubbly personality it'll be easy for you to make friends. Its always the shy ones that have problems settling. Just put yourself out there and you'll be grand.

convert

Brooke01 wrote: »

Thanks everyone . How difficult is first year history in UCD? (I’ve done history for the LC). Can anyone tell me what the course is like at UCD? Do you need to have good at analytical and good english skills for first year history? Can anyone give me a I inside to the course
Thanks

First year history isn't very difficult, but it's a doss either. It's set at a level that first years should be able to manage. The courses aren't designed to catch you out. Don't forget that you will be expected to research for each assignment you do. Most assignments are essays or critical analyses of texts or articles, so like any other subject that requires you to write essays, you will need relatively good English skills, as well as an ability to analyse.

Don't worry too much, as first year courses like 'Doing History' should equip you with the skills you'll need for second and third year, should you decide to keep on history.

The most important thing with assignments and exams is to answer the question that you're asked. I know that may sound like an odd thing to say, but the majority of students who perform poorly in assignments/exams are those who either didn't provide any references (don't worry, that's covered in tutorials/seminars) or who failed to answer the question asked of them. Once you do that, you will pass. If the question is 'discursive' and you simply state the facts without engaging/arguing with the question, you'll probably get a C. If you argue your case throughout the essay making sure you'll back it up sufficiently with quotations and examples, then you'll probably get a B or an A.

Don't forget, the lecturers and tutors are there to provide guidance and advice. If at any stage you feel a little 'lost' or have any other questions, just approach them, either personally after lectures/tutorials or during office hours, or via email.

Check out the history website: www.ucd.ie/historyarchives for what courses are on offer and what to expect of them.

Gingy

One of the handy things that they try to entice with is that there are no end of term exams in in the first semester of first year.

Overall, it's quite an enjoyable course. In saying that, I don't like the core options for 2nd year, there's only one Irish option and it's on 16th/17th century stuff (which turned out to be quite interesting), I would prefer more, considering that Ireland 'Struggle for Independence' and 'Dev's foreign policy' sold out in under an hour, it would make sense to have them as core options.

From a social aspect, it's not great. Opportunities are limited when trying to meet new people. And to make matters worse, all my history lectures are at 9 this year, which is a very lazy excuse, but it does mean that I've missed more lectures than I should have.

noodler

There are some excellent lecturers, Aldous, Gough, Laffan and Downey.

What I would recommend, do some work for your tutorials. It is a horrible cringeworthy experience to have to sit there for an hour with a tutor and pray you don't get asked a question.


I personally thought the courses got much more exciting in the 2nd and third years of the course.

Sad Professor

Gingy wrote: »

One of the handy things that they try to entice with is that there are no end of term exams in in the first semester of first year.

They stopped doing that. Doing History and RtoR both had exams this year. Although RtoR was a take-home exam. Anyone who did history the year before had it very handy.

I've found first year history to be excellent so far. Don't find the large class size to be a problem at all. The seminars are pretty well organised and tutors are excellent. A far cry from the awful tutorials that I have to endure in other subjects.

Dave!

Personally I didn't like most of the core modules that we were required to do, but the optional modules are great. Some of the lecturers are really interesting and the content quite exciting.

The work isn't too strenuous, you should be okay if you apply yourself. Your writing skills will improve the more essays you write.

Make the effort to do the readings for, and attend, your tutorials/seminars and you'll get alot more out of the course than just a degree.

Gingy

Pity about the old exams, was a nice incentive to do history.

I agree with Dave, that I also don't like all of the core modules, but some of the options are good.

I didn't realise it til late last year that if your structuring, referencing and footnoting is correct, your grade will increase by about 10-15%, make sure you sort that out early enough.

conor.hogan.2

Try to get a course with elva johnson and edward james course in first year (roman period) is great too.

mcgrath and o'hannracháin are good too.

PrinceMax

Having studied history in UCD and Trinity, I'd say the quality of education you get in this sort of a subject in Trinity will be better, but UCD obviously excels in other areas. The main reason is, the intake for Trinity's history courses are much lower. I remember in UCD, I'd say there were around 300 in my lectures. At Trinity, it was max 100. Also, much of the essay feedback at Trinity, even in first year, was from Lecturers and Professors. At UCD it was from tutors or teaching assistants.

dr gonzo

I love history and i dropped it, classes are too big, dept is not very approachable and the core modules aren't great imo. In saying that however it might just not have been my thing despite a general interest in history. The tutors and most of the lecturers are excellent too.

Powerhouse

PrinceMax wrote: »

Having studied history in UCD and Trinity, I'd say the quality of education you get in this sort of a subject in Trinity will be better, but UCD obviously excels in other areas. The main reason is, the intake for Trinity's history courses are much lower. I remember in UCD, I'd say there were around 300 in my lectures. At Trinity, it was max 100.

Since you cite this as the main reason for your claim could you elaborate as to how the number of people in a lecture affects the quality of the lecture? I've been in lectures of 220 odd people and lectures of maybe 15 - as far as I was concerned the lecturer was doing pretty much the same job.

Okay at a number as low as 15 you might get a bit of inter-action but when the number gets as high as 100 I fail to see the difference.

Powerhouse

dr gonzo wrote: »

I love history and i dropped it, classes are too big, dept is not very approachable and the core modules aren't great imo. In saying that however it might just not have been my thing despite a general interest in history. The tutors and most of the lecturers are excellent too.

There is no doubt people often with a "general interest" in history enjoy talking/reading about major topics/events but an academic course (this applies in any subject in fairness) is a different matter where you will cover all sorts of material which will previously have been fairly obscure to you. It is no concidence that it's the core models that "aren't great". If they were optional people wouldn't do them.

Again I am not sure how the size of the class affects actual learning - I always found that was something you ultimately did in the smallest possible class i.e. alone - but History is always seen as very doable subject so will always be popular. Unfortunately this also has repercussions for its value as a degree because there are so many out there.

PrinceMax

Powerhouse wrote: »

Since you cite this as the main reason for your claim could you elaborate as to how the number of people in a lecture affects the quality of the lecture? I've been in lectures of 220 odd people and lectures of maybe 15 - as far as I was concerned the lecturer was doing pretty much the same job.

Okay at a number as low as 15 you might get a bit of inter-action but when the number gets as high as 100 I fail to see the difference.

Nope. It doesn't affect the quality of the lecture. I said 'The main reason is, the intake for Trinity's history courses are much lower'. I was merely using the lecture scenario to demonstrate how much lower it is. The lower intake, which is evident when you go into a lecture, then goes on the effect, the amount of seminars you get to do, the amount of time which is available for interaction with your professors/tutors, the level of feedback you get etc.
Aside from that, I generally found the staff more approachable- probably, again, because they are dealing with lower numbers, so they get to know you.

Yupp2010

Im thinking about doing history and english through arts..wbu? I'm not sure what the points are going to be like though

Michaelrsh

Are Trinity supposed to be better than UCD in Arts & Humanities but not in anything else? That generally the impression I get with the UCD vs Trinity debate.

PrinceMax

Michaelrsh wrote: »

Are Trinity supposed to be better than UCD in Arts & Humanities but not in anything else? That generally the impression I get with the UCD vs Trinity debate.

I'm sure they're evenly matched in most areas.