Course UCC

Lily92

Hey
Im hopin to be an incoming 1st year to UCC this Sept.
Except i cant decide on a course.. I really wanta do a broad degree cos i dnt have my heart set on ny type of work haha.. but i rele wanta do sumthin different to school work.
SO.. If anyone has ny info on Government Studies (especially), Law nd Arts..
Any info will be appreciated!

Thanks

ReacherCreature

Lily92 wrote: »

Hey
Im hopin to be an incoming 1st year to UCC this Sept.
Except i cant decide on a course.. I really wanta do a broad degree cos i dnt have my heart set on ny type of work haha.. but i rele wanta do sumthin different to school work.
SO.. If anyone has ny info on Government Studies (especially), Law nd Arts..
Any info will be appreciated!

Thanks

Hello. To be fair you're asking of a lot. Simple question: What interests you? What do you enjoy? Answering this may help you somewhat.

Have a look through the UCC page.

There's topics of Government here and some here.

Arts threads are here and here. More: here

Law

Threads will give you a help. I'm an Arts student and I love it; mainly as I'm doing History as a major and I love that in itself. More precise questions would be handy!

Nova_era

The only problem with doing Government or Law is that you're very set in what you're studying, with very little variation. At least if you do arts, you can do 4 completely contrasting subjects for the first year, and then decide what you like. If you do Government, and realise half way through that you have no interest in local government policy, then you're left with little options.

Lily92

Thanks for the Replies.. I dont wanto be a teacher so that's why im not keen on arts... Is dat the right attitude to have towards it?

Byron85

Lily92 wrote: »

Thanks for the Replies.. I dont wanto be a teacher so that's why im not keen on arts... Is dat the right attitude to have towards it?

I don't want to be a teacher and i'm in Arts. There are a lot of people in Arts who don't want to be teachers so you shouldn't look at it as a "teacher degree". Think of it as more of a broad education.

CantGetNoSleep

If you are interested in those subjects, an arts degree in something like economics and politics could be an option too?

Law is good also as it gives you a definite career path, although there is a big difference between having a law degree and being a lawyer, but you are on the right track

Government is an interesting course also, I think you do placement in year 3 which is good.

Whichever of these courses the most important thing would be to get good results from first year, as they are all the types of courses you would be looking at doing further study / training before going into employment

I was looking at University of Melbourne a few weeks ago, they offer about 5 undergraduate 3 year courses, think they were science, arts, music business or something along those lines. It might be a good option to bring that system in in Ireland

bp1989

Please DO NOT do Arts. I got suckered into it in 1st year and left at the beginning of 2nd year. I then changed to another course, costing me €4000.

Arts doesn't qualify you for anything. You'll have to do a post grad afterwards, and unless it's teaching you're after (and you say you're not), then a broad Arts degree with 1 year in a specific area won't be as strong as a proper degree based on the same area.

I know a guy who stuck it out with Arts and he's currently doing his masters, mainly because he simply cannot get work. He's been in college 6 years at this point.

Choose a course with a focus or focus on not getting a proper job. Too many people do useless Arts degrees and never end up using them. The subject choices are horrible, if you don't bring two usable subjects into your second year, you're screwed, and nobody will tell you the mistake you're making.

The class sizes are too big, and it's really tough to focus. Since I changed courses, I now have a focus, am far less stressed and the smaller class size means I feel I can ask questions and look for advice without feeling like I'm stealing the lecturer away from the 400 or so other people which would be in my Arts course if I was still doing it.

Just a word of warning. So many realise what a mistake they made by doing Arts, which is why so many drop out. You'd be better off taking a year out and really thinking about what you want, because nobody can know what they want from life when they're still in school. Your idea of what you want will change wildly in college, believe me.

It's a messed up system that they try to pressure you into deciding what you'll do every day for the next 50 years of your life when you're 17. But one thing I know for sure is that Arts is not the answer. It's so unfocused it will frustrate you eventually. You have been warned.

Byron85

bp1989 wrote: »

Please DO NOT do Arts. I got suckered into it in 1st year and left at the beginning of 2nd year. I then changed to another course, costing me €4000.

Arts doesn't qualify you for anything. You'll have to do a post grad afterwards, and unless it's teaching you're after (and you say you're not), then a broad Arts degree with 1 year in a specific area won't be as strong as a proper degree based on the same area.

I know a guy who stuck it out with Arts and he's currently doing his masters, mainly because he simply cannot get work. He's been in college 6 years at this point.

Choose a course with a focus or focus on not getting a proper job. Too many people do useless Arts degrees and never end up using them. The subject choices are horrible, if you don't bring two usable subjects into your second year, you're screwed, and nobody will tell you the mistake you're making.

The class sizes are too big, and it's really tough to focus. Since I changed courses, I now have a focus, am far less stressed and the smaller class size means I feel I can ask questions and look for advice without feeling like I'm stealing the lecturer away from the 400 or so other people which would be in my Arts course if I was still doing it.

Just a word of warning. So many realise what a mistake they made by doing Arts, which is why so many drop out. You'd be better off taking a year out and really thinking about what you want, because nobody can know what they want from life when they're still in school. Your idea of what you want will change wildly in college, believe me.

It's a messed up system that they try to pressure you into deciding what you'll do every day for the next 50 years of your life when you're 17. But one thing I know for sure is that Arts is not the answer. It's so unfocused it will frustrate you eventually. You have been warned.

In this day and age a Masters is the minimum for the majority of careers. Frankly, it's quite odd if you don't do some sort of post-grad. Arts is far from unique in that sense.

As for it being not focused; in first year it is very broad but from second year onwards it is focused, hence the Major, Minor etc, options.

Many drop out because, yes, they shouldn't have picked Arts as it is far from being the easy Degree which many assume it to be.

The subject choices are horrible? Well, I guess that's your own subjective opinion but it's not exactly right. Maybe all of the choices aren't to a person's liking but there are so many options to choose from.

Group 1
Computer Science; History
Group 2
Applied Mathematics; European Studies; Folklore; Gaeilge/Irish; Greek & Roman Civilisation; History of Art; Studies in Psychology
Group 3
Archaeology; Chinese Studies; German; Latin; Mathematics; Mathematical Studies; Politics
Group 4
French; Sociology; Studies in Music
Group 5
Economics; English; Greek; An Léann Duchais; Religions and Global Diversity
Group 6
Geography; Italian
Group 6b
Celtic Civilisation; Philosophy; Spanish


The above options give you a wide area of choice.

Just because you made a mistake with your University applications doesn't mean someone else is to blame. At the end of the day you're the one who chose what to put down on your CAO. It's my second time at third level but that doesn't mean i'm blaming someone else for my prior failures. If you feel that you got "suckered" into it, well then that's your own fault for not researching the Degree properly in the first place.

bp1989

bp1989 wrote: »

Please DO NOT do Arts. I got suckered into it in 1st year and left at the beginning of 2nd year. I then changed to another course, costing me €4000.

Arts doesn't qualify you for anything. You'll have to do a post grad afterwards, and unless it's teaching you're after (and you say you're not), then a broad Arts degree with 1 year in a specific area won't be as strong as a proper degree based on the same area.

I know a guy who stuck it out with Arts and he's currently doing his masters, mainly because he simply cannot get work. He's been in college 6 years at this point.

Choose a course with a focus or focus on not getting a proper job. Too many people do useless Arts degrees and never end up using them. The subject choices are horrible, if you don't bring two usable subjects into your second year, you're screwed, and nobody will tell you the mistake you're making.

The class sizes are too big, and it's really tough to focus. Since I changed courses, I now have a focus, am far less stressed and the smaller class size means I feel I can ask questions and look for advice without feeling like I'm stealing the lecturer away from the 400 or so other people which would be in my Arts course if I was still doing it.

Just a word of warning. So many realise what a mistake they made by doing Arts, which is why so many drop out. You'd be better off taking a year out and really thinking about what you want, because nobody can know what they want from life when they're still in school. Your idea of what you want will change wildly in college, believe me.

It's a messed up system that they try to pressure you into deciding what you'll do every day for the next 50 years of your life when you're 17. But one thing I know for sure is that Arts is not the answer. It's so unfocused it will frustrate you eventually. You have been warned.

I used to view an Arts degree negatively before. I kind of agree with you with regards people doing a degree in English and such without any notion of becoming a teacher. But a degree is a degree. In the US, most people do a BA or a BSc. Then they specialise. I mean a Law degree does not make you a lawyer nor does an Accounting degree make you an Accountant. It takes years of further study with the professional bodies. Also the qualification you get in the end of an Arts degree is a BA in whatever subject you want to do. In UL, the prestigious Law and Accounting degree is a BA in Law and Accounting so that's basically an Arts right there! I want to do BA Single Honours in Economics. They have changed that course somewhat now and anyone doing 50 credits in Economics will have their own specific class and will not be mixed with those doing less than 50 credits in Economics. So that's big classes out for me!

ReacherCreature

bp1989 wrote: »

Please DO NOT do Arts. I got suckered into it in 1st year and left at the beginning of 2nd year. I then changed to another course, costing me €4000.

Arts doesn't qualify you for anything. You'll have to do a post grad afterwards, and unless it's teaching you're after (and you say you're not), then a broad Arts degree with 1 year in a specific area won't be as strong as a proper degree based on the same area.

I know a guy who stuck it out with Arts and he's currently doing his masters, mainly because he simply cannot get work. He's been in college 6 years at this point.

In fairness, your post is terrifying for prospective students. I think you should balance out your argument somewhat; include something benefical and constructive.

Arts is a degree. Of course it's a qualification, in the lowest sense of a qualification it's still one! The post about the student doing 6 years is irrelevant here also imo.

Choose a course with a focus or focus on not getting a proper job. Too many people do useless Arts degrees and never end up using them.

'Useless Arts degrees'? Yeah so some of my History lecturers who I've talked with, their Arts degrees - which gave them a foundation in academics and life, they're useless right? I don't think any degree is useless, they carry some benefits under the harshest light.

The subject choices are horrible

Ridiculous. As T.W.H Byron posted, the subjects are numerous, broad and expansive. Relgion studies to Computers. History to Latin. So on.

The class sizes are too big, and it's really tough to focus. Since I changed courses, I now have a focus, am far less stressed and the smaller class size means I feel I can ask questions and look for advice without feeling like I'm stealing the lecturer away from the 400 or so other people which would be in my Arts course if I was still doing it.

I understand your point about class sizes but I find tutorial groups great for a stronger focus and to an extent, meeting people. Also, lecturers (ones I've dealt with have been great over email and office hours) will help you out if you don't want to talk in a lecture hall etc.

Nova_era

Arts is a level 8 degree. The majority of CIT degrees are level 7. Not having a go at CIT for once, but even the "lowest" UCC degree already places graduates in a better position than the hundreds who graduate from CIT each year.

Also, at the age of 18, or whatever the average school leaving age is; how many people are thinking about how their choice in University will affect their career? Of course some do, but IMO Arts is a great way for students to get into the University mindset, and then move on to bigger and better things. To say that it's just a degree for people who want to become doctors is absurd, ignorant, and points all the fingers in the direction of someone with a dislike towards this faculty which is born out of their own failure.

I'm in second year European Studies, in August I will spend a year at the University of Vienna, following in the footsteps of a number of Nobel Prize winners. Am I wasting my time, and would employers rather a degree in Government than European Studies degree in which I've achieved fluency in a language and shown that I have the capacity to work abroad?

A number of politicians begun their careers with an arts degree, as have an extremely high number of academics. If I had an interest in being a Historian, should I shelve that dream because the only way of studying History in UCC is through arts?

It just sounds like someone is spiteful towards Arts because they couldn't hack it, it's nobodies fault but your own that you dropped out and paid €4,000.

Byron85

Also, just for the record, Carl Sagan, probably the most famous Astronomer and Astrophysicist in the world, graduated with an Arts Degree when he initially graduated from University.

Of course though, Arts Degrees = a road to unemployment and destitution.

captainspeckle

bp1989 wrote: »

Please DO NOT do Arts. I got suckered into it in 1st year and left at the beginning of 2nd year. I then changed to another course, costing me €4000.

Arts doesn't qualify you for anything. You'll have to do a post grad afterwards, and unless it's teaching you're after (and you say you're not), then a broad Arts degree with 1 year in a specific area won't be as strong as a proper degree based on the same area.

I know a guy who stuck it out with Arts and he's currently doing his masters, mainly because he simply cannot get work. He's been in college 6 years at this point.

Choose a course with a focus or focus on not getting a proper job. Too many people do useless Arts degrees and never end up using them. The subject choices are horrible, if you don't bring two usable subjects into your second year, you're screwed, and nobody will tell you the mistake you're making.

The class sizes are too big, and it's really tough to focus. Since I changed courses, I now have a focus, am far less stressed and the smaller class size means I feel I can ask questions and look for advice without feeling like I'm stealing the lecturer away from the 400 or so other people which would be in my Arts course if I was still doing it.

Just a word of warning. So many realise what a mistake they made by doing Arts, which is why so many drop out. You'd be better off taking a year out and really thinking about what you want, because nobody can know what they want from life when they're still in school. Your idea of what you want will change wildly in college, believe me.

It's a messed up system that they try to pressure you into deciding what you'll do every day for the next 50 years of your life when you're 17. But one thing I know for sure is that Arts is not the answer. It's so unfocused it will frustrate you eventually. You have been warned.

Typical Arts naysayer! (I am so bored of having this conversation)

Just becasue the course didnt work out for you doesn't mean its a waste of time. I dont think the course is unfocused at all actually and that problem was probobly down to your own lack of interest or enthusiasm. To anyone reading this who is interested in studying Arts, don't let other people dictate what you want to do with your life. If you have a passion for an area in humanities then do it! As other posters have mentioned here some of the most influencial people in society today have started with a BA. To say it qualifies you in nothing is a load of crap talk and a typical repsonse from people who thing that unless you are studying a course that you can add an 'ing onto then its just not worth doing. (nursing, accounting, teaching, engineering.... etc.) This people are the reason that people look their noses down on humanities. I always wanted to study English, to do this, one must enroll in an Arts degree. I don't understand peoples disdain for this course? the study of English, French, Latin, Geogrphy, Economics (to name a few) is just an important as study in any other area!? Without any of these subjects a lot of research and academia and knowledge could not be accquired?

I am starting to ramble a bit as I quite tired from reading and study. (yes, thats right, I am actually studying, who would have thought it?)


/rant.

captainspeckle

Lily92 wrote: »

Thanks for the Replies.. I dont wanto be a teacher so that's why im not keen on arts... Is dat the right attitude to have towards it?

Not really?!

Thats like saying everyone that studies science want to work in a lab for the rest of their life which is completely untrue!

rebel105

There is absolutely nothing wrong with an Arts degree once you have a fair idea of where you want to go at the end of it, and what arts subjects will help you get there.

However, I do think that people who dont know what career path they want to follow should be wary of arts... If you dont know what you want to do, take a year out and think about it!

Lily92

I have law down now as number 1... nd Government as no.2..

Ny opinions on Government studies wud be appreciated please

is it the next course to go for after law or is der sumthin else cos i dnt think im goin to get the points for Law and i really wanta do sumthin different to school work nd like the idea of doin a law based degree...

Any info please thanks

JohnMearsheimer

I did Government and my opinion of the course is here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055664739&highlight=Government&page=3

It was my first post on boards and reading back over it now a few months later I think I was maybe a little dismissive of the course. My attitude softened a bit when I got a job where my (limited) knowledge of politics and history comes in useful. I think the course has great potential but it still needs a lot of work!