Part time mathematics degree

peanuthead

Hi

I'm looking into doing a part time mathematics degree at kevin street.

I already have a degree in English and Spanish and I completed the PGDE too. I will be working in a school this year so I want to do this degree part time.

Is it still considered an undergraduate degree even though I am a graduate myself? I don't really get that part of it.

Also, I don't have any maths in my primary degree - will this mean that it will take me four years to complete the part time course.

I don't want to sound ungrateful for advice, but there is really no point in someone posting the relevant link to the website as I have read it and don't really fully understand it.

I have also emailled the college and they won't be getting back to me before mid August so any help before then would be great.

Roro4Brit

http://www.dit.ie/study/parttime/programmes/dt248mathematics/

Is this the degree you're talking about!? Just to be clear?

What's not to understand!? Yes it's a primary BSc degree - just because you have a degree in Spanish already won't make this a post grad qualification. That's obvious.

Also since you don't have any mathematical modules completed at 3rd level I'd be sure that, yes you will need to do all 4 STAGES as you will not qualify for any exemptions.

By the way it says the degree is completed in 4 stages, each being 2 years.

From my days as a math undergrad I seem to remember that 2 x 4 = 8. Therefore it takes 8 years to complete. Not being funny, but if you failed to deduce that based on the information provided then maybe a maths degree is not for you :P

peanuthead

Roro4Brit wrote: »

http://www.dit.ie/study/parttime/programmes/dt248mathematics/

Is this the degree you're talking about!? Just to be clear?

What's not to understand!? Yes it's a primary BSc degree - just because you have a degree in Spanish already won't make this a post grad qualification. That's obvious.

Also since you don't have any mathematical modules completed at 3rd level I'd be sure that, yes you will need to do all 4 STAGES as you will not qualify for any exemptions.

By the way it says the degree is completed in 4 stages, each being 2 years.

From my days as a math undergrad I seem to remember that 2 x 4 = 8. Therefore it takes 8 years to complete. Not being funny, but if you failed to deduce that based on the information provided then maybe a maths degree is not for you :P

Well, actually that was not the page I was looking at, but that one does make it clearer.

You are being funny by the way, a right old smart ass and I hope your undergrad maths is not leading you into teaching yourself because I doubt you would be any good at it.

And I am pretty sure it's not going to take me 8 years to do a maths degree part time - that is ridiculous.

Roro4Brit

peanuthead wrote: »

Well, actually that was not the page I was looking at, but that one does make it clearer.

You are being funny by the way, a right old smart ass and I hope your undergrad maths is not leading you into teaching yourself because I doubt you would be any good at it.

And I am pretty sure it's not going to take me 8 years to do a maths degree part time - that is ridiculous.

Hey hey hey, calm down there Sally. I was trying to help you even though your op was ridiculously vague and dIdn't even refer to the exact course you were talking about. You still haven't said which course it is. You'll need thicker skin and better communication skills than that if you plan on working in a school the rest of your life.

And FYI, even though I decided against teaching as full time career I do teach maths to adult learners in 2 local schools, and I'm pretty frikin fantastic at it too.

By the way, you're welcome.

peanuthead

Roro4Brit wrote: »

Hey hey hey, calm down there Sally. I was trying to help you even though your op was ridiculously vague and dIdn't even refer to the exact course you were talking about. You still haven't said which course it is. You'll need thicker skin and better communication skills than that if you plan on working in a school the rest of your life.

And FYI, even though I decided against teaching as full time career I do teach maths to adult learners in 2 local schools, and I'm pretty frikin fantastic at it too.

By the way, you're welcome.

Sorry. I'm having a bad day and taking it out on the computer.

Yeah I don't really know what course I want to do. All I know is that I want to be qualified to teach it at junior and senior level as I already do at junior and would like to make it official.

I originally thought it would be 2 years but then I heard that that was only if I had it in my primary degree. They told me that in that case it would be 4 years.

I can invest 4 years, but not 8.

peanuthead

So by the looks of things I could go as far as stage 3?

Roro4Brit

peanuthead wrote: »

Sorry. I'm having a bad day and taking it out on the computer.

Yeah I don't really know what course I want to do. All I know is that I want to be qualified to teach it at junior and senior level as I already do at junior and would like to make it official.

I originally thought it would be 2 years but then I heard that that was only if I had it in my primary degree. They told me that in that case it would be 4 years.

I can invest 4 years, but not 8.

No prob. I should have said I was only joking!! Pure maths degrees are tough and can take a while to do on a part time basis. That course in dit is probably designed to make sure the students can handle the workload while succeeding in the workplace.

Would you consider the part time Arts degree in UCD - it takes a min of 4 years and afaik it offers 2 maths programmes - Mathematics and Mathematical Studies - both making you eligible for the hdip to teach Maths. You could then take Economics or Statistics as your other subject - great combo if you plan to teach.

It's getting tough out there for math teachers, I was even reading recently that engineering grads that hve done maths during their degree can't register to teach maths after their hdip - insane.

peanuthead

I will look at that now. Thanks

peanuthead

Roro4Brit wrote: »

No prob. I should have said I was only joking!! Pure maths degrees are tough and can take a while to do on a part time basis. That course in dit is probably designed to make sure the students can handle the workload while succeeding in the workplace.

Would you consider the part time Arts degree in UCD - it takes a min of 4 years and afaik it offers 2 maths programmes - Mathematics and Mathematical Studies - both making you eligible for the hdip to teach Maths. You could then take Economics or Statistics as your other subject - great combo if you plan to teach.

It's getting tough out there for math teachers, I was even reading recently that engineering grads that hve done maths during their degree can't register to teach maths after their hdip - insane.

I'm starting to wonder if I am an idiot now. UCD seems to offer a very limited choice of evening degree in Arts - you can only study Greek and Roman and History this year????!!!??

I think I'll just stick with DIT and see how it goes mid august when I talk to whoever is calling me.

Roro4Brit

Yep I see now that some subjects are not on offer for the eve degree - it certainly was between 02 and 06 when I was there! Interesting...

There's also the open university...you can pick your own combo of subjects in however long you want...means you could accellerate the learning if you were able for it.

peanuthead

Okay so DIT told me I would have to start at stage one as I didn't do Honours level Leaving Cert Maths. She also told me that this year they are not running a stage one due to cutbacks.

Now, I have asked her this question - we'll just see if I can get an answer a little quicker, but do you know if it is possible for me to do the LC higher level exam this june and start in stage 2 in Sept? Don't want to risk it not going ahead again!

evolving_doors

Have you considered open university?

Dept of ed is throwing some shapes recently so you'd want to get your skates on although that could all be put on hold if it costs money or gov changes etc... here's the quote from their site ..

The then Department of Education and Science should work towards the achievement by 2018 of an objective that all students should be taught mathematics solely by teachers who hold a mathematics qualification, and post graduate courses should be provided on a scale and level commensurate with this objective, enabling the estimated 2000 teachers who do not hold such a qualification to upgrade their skills.

http://www.education.ie/robots/view.jsp?pcategory=10861&language=EN&ecategory=54200&link=link001&doc=49710


a load of political jibber jabber though really to appease industry moguls looking for a smart economy (didja ever)

Maybe try and get started with the new project maths teacher training http://www.dwec.ie/ in tallaght run courses if you can wrangle your way on. They said if enough people ring up they will consider running extra courses...

peanuthead

thanks armelodie. I should just say i've a primary degree in eng and spanish, with sociology in first year. Did o level leaving cert and either got b or c definitely not a or d.
So maths wasnt my strong subject in school but i've recently developed an interest due to teaching up to 2nd year higher level and 3rd yr ord level in schools. Want to learn the leaving course and make it all official with an actual degree.
Presumably i would need to be a qualified maths teacher to take part in the project maths course? Or just qualified in anything witn an interest in pursuing maths?