History & Political Science

Olderboy

Hi,
Just been informed that Ive been accepted to Hist/Pol for 2010. Im currently an off books student and started a little slow last year before I had to leave on medical grounds so thought I might get a little head start as I have 3 months recovery time to kill.
I was thinking of choosing the European history related modules and was wondering if anybody could recommend a few books or standard texts that might get me started? Maybe a couple on the economic policy option as well?
Started Politics last year so have all that info.
Also..How does the language elective work? Cant find much detailed info on TCD site. What languages are available and what sort of methods do they use? Are you in proper classes or small study groups? or would that be alot to do combined with all the reading History would require?

Thanks for any help you have...

phlegms

I do single honours history so I share the history modules with the His/Pol crowd.
The Early modern europe courses are really interesting and Graeme Murdock is a grand aul' lecturer.

This book should see you set for the course. It doesn't go anywhere near the detail you needed, but as a base text/reference book/introductory text it will serve you well for both Early modern europe modules. I know in my year, pretty much everyone used it throughout the year.

electrogrimey

This book as well will do you well. Another general textbook, but what I learnt from the year is that general books are more useful that detailed books. Come exam time it'll be between lecture notes, Wikipedia, and one of these books - obviously the book wins.

Language is a full year class, while the others are half year. You take it instead of another class, but it's a lot more work than a history/politics class, and you have 3/4 exams in it at the end of the year, with orals etc. If you really think it'll be useful do it, but in the long run you're probably better doing a history/politics course.

Just make sure you're good banter. Sometimes hispol can be a bit baterally challenged.

RexMundi

I'm hoping to do this next year too and was looking at the language electives, which are very badly described on the website..

If you replace a history course with language electives do you do one or two languages?
If you do poor in it, will it have much of an effect on your final degree?
How many hours would it take up, as opposed to a history module?
Are they any good, in terms of teaching and what kind of standard would you need to be at to do competantly at it?

Also when you say "baterally challenged", do you mean "banterally challenged" as in not up for much craic? Ah well...

Apologies for this torrent of questions but they're bugging me...

electrogrimey

RexMundi wrote: »

I'm hoping to do this next year too and was looking at the language electives, which are very badly described on the website..

If you replace a history course with language electives do you do one or two languages?
If you do poor in it, will it have much of an effect on your final degree?
How many hours would it take up, as opposed to a history module?
Are they any good, in terms of teaching and what kind of standard would you need to be at to do competantly at it?

Also when you say "baterally challenged", do you mean "banterally challenged" as in not up for much craic? Ah well...

Apologies for this torrent of questions but they're bugging me...

For example, in history, You choose 6 modules for the year. 3 per semester. If you want to do a language you pick the language over one of these modules, but the language module is year long. The hours are a small bit longer than a history module. It'll be the same for hispol except I assume you'll be doing more than 3 modules a semester

It won't have any effect on your final degree as they're year long modules, it's not a course. You can do them in first and second year, but I don't think you can in 3rd and 4th year.