Psychology through Arts?????

karaokeman

I am a 6th year about to sit my Leaving Cert and have some plans for changing my course choices.

Firstly I want to do Psychology and nothing else at this moment in time. I would love to do it in UCD mainly because I've seen the college and I love it, the buzz appears unreal and everyone was so friendly at the open day.

I was wondering how many points it is to do Psychology through Arts? Also is it true you can only take it as a minor because thats what the lecturer I spoke to at the open day told me.

Looking at the points, I don't think realistically I could get 505 with my current exam results.

I have Psychology in Maynooth down as my first choice. 475 is ok for me, I might just about scrape that many in the LC. Anything within that range is what I achieved in my mocks. Otherwise I have Arts down for 375 in Maynooth.

Is there any backdoors to Psychology in UCD, if not I will just stick to my current plans for lower points courses.

teenagedream

I rang UCD asking the exact same question as you and I was told that it could only be done as a minor subject throught arts and you can't book online. So it's basically first come first served. Maybe there is another way but the woman in admissions said that it's the first students to register that get a place and if you turn up late its your own loss.
I don't go to UCD so I can't say if that's what happens when you're there just information I was given.

HUNK

Well if you really want to do it in UCD put it down as your no. 1 choice - you never know you might just get it. Then I suppose you could put Psychology Maynooth as your second choice, and whatever as your third choice.

You might want to visit the Psychology forum as well just to read up any questions you might have http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055010056

As far as I know, you should be looking to do a Psychology course/degree that is accredited. UCD is as far as I know. Not sure about Maynooth.

karaokeman

HUNK wrote: »

Well if you really want to do it in UCD put it down as your no. 1 choice - you never know you might just get it. Then I suppose you could put Psychology Maynooth as your second choice, and whatever as your third choice.

You might want to visit the Psychology forum as well just to read up any questions you might have http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055010056

As far as I know, you should be looking to do a Psychology course/degree that is accredited. UCD is as far as I know. Not sure about Maynooth.

I doubt it.
I have it on my CAO but I booked it online.
As much as I would love for it to happen.

scuzzam

Hey
I'm currently doing psychology here in UCD - you're right, it is an awesome place.

First off i would agree with what others have said and say you should put it down first if you want it, it'll do no harm if you don't get the points but you'll be kicking yourself if you do and you didn't put it down!

Secondly, what you've been told is right. The only way you can take psychology as a major is if you get it through CAO. To take it as a minor you need to do at least 10 credits in it in first year (2 modules), preferable 20 so you have a better knowledge of it. You sign up for these modules online and they are first come, first served with a limited number of places so on the morning that registration opens you'd want to be on straight away. However, even if you get on the modules you need and pass them, at the end of first year you will need to fill out a form applying to keep psychology as a minor and submit it to the school of psychology where 20 applicants will be chosen at random to be able to study psychology as a minor.

So as you can see, studying psychology as a minor is down to luck in the end, it gets drawn out of a hat... Don;t let that discourage you too much though! Many don;t apply to have it as a minor and you just might be one of the 20 who gets chosen!

WeeBushy

scuzzam wrote: »

Secondly, what you've been told is right. The only way you can take psychology as a major is if you get it through CAO. To take it as a minor you need to do at least 10 credits in it in first year (2 modules), preferable 20 so you have a better knowledge of it. You sign up for these modules online and they are first come, first served with a limited number of places so on the morning that registration opens you'd want to be on straight away. However, even if you get on the modules you need and pass them, at the end of first year you will need to fill out a form applying to keep psychology as a minor and submit it to the school of psychology where 20 applicants will be chosen at random to be able to study psychology as a minor.

So as you can see, studying psychology as a minor is down to luck in the end, it gets drawn out of a hat... Don;t let that discourage you too much though! Many don;t apply to have it as a minor and you just might be one of the 20 who gets chosen!

That's a truly awful way of choosing people. It should be on academic merit imo.

I seem to remember years ago that there were a limited number of places on offer for people who excelled in first year and wanted to do it as a major but only had it as a minor. I'm pretty sure my brother was offered this after 1st year. Must've done away with that. A real shame.

karaokeman

Ok so its probably too late to apply to Psychology through Arts.

So whats about pure Psychology? I'm planning on moving it to #1 on my course choices just in case I get it.

Is there anything I should take into consideration other than getting the points for it?

If I do great, I will come to UCD to study Psychology no bother.

OneOfThem Stumbled

karaokeman wrote: »

I am a 6th year about to sit my Leaving Cert and have some plans for changing my course choices.

Firstly I want to do Psychology and nothing else at this moment in time. I would love to do it in UCD mainly because I've seen the college and I love it, the buzz appears unreal and everyone was so friendly at the open day.

I was wondering how many points it is to do Psychology through Arts? Also is it true you can only take it as a minor because thats what the lecturer I spoke to at the open day told me.

Looking at the points, I don't think realistically I could get 505 with my current exam results.

I have Psychology in Maynooth down as my first choice. 475 is ok for me, I might just about scrape that many in the LC. Anything within that range is what I achieved in my mocks. Otherwise I have Arts down for 375 in Maynooth.

Is there any backdoors to Psychology in UCD, if not I will just stick to my current plans for lower points courses.

Look, here's the situation:

You can put down Psychology as first choice - sure.

If you want you can put down Arts omnibus as well. This means you pick 3 subjects in first year (like psychology, history and philosophy)

Towards the end of first year you can apply for Single Subject Major in Psychology (the exact same course as those who enter pure psychology through the CAO pursue) and, if your grades are high enough you can do that. Alternatively you take take a dual major of Psychology and some other subject (provided that the times don't clash for both).

The frst come first serve thing technically applies, but in practice doesn't for an entire subject. It's only let's-say you want to do a specific optional module on Freud and find that there's only 80 spaces available that you might need to be fast to grab it. I have never heard of anybody not managing to get a subject in Arts due to there being no space (single subject honours is a different matter, mind).

scuzzam

What do you mean by too late to apply for psychology through arts? If you're talking of taking psych as a minor then it's not too late at all, you apply for the omnibus arts degree and it's when registration online for UCD opens after you've accepted your place through the CAO that you need to be quick

I guess regarding things to take into consideration i would just say the sane for most degrees - will you enjoy it enough to be able to put the work in? What are your prospects after the degree? what kind of careers will it help towards - all that kind of stuff. With pure psych (which is still an arts degree) first year will give you a taster and you'll basically be doing the same first year as every other arts student, then in second year you'll just be with your class and a few minor students and there'll be lab reports to do, write up and hand in in preparation for your final year project where you will design and carry out your own psychological study in an area (within reason) that interests you.

spudington16

OneOfThem Stumbled wrote: »

Look, here's the situation:

You can put down Psychology as first choice - sure.

If you want you can put down Arts omnibus as well. This means you pick 3 subjects in first year (like psychology, history and philosophy)

Towards the end of first year you can apply for Single Subject Major in Psychology (the exact same course as those who enter pure psychology through the CAO pursue) and, if your grades are high enough you can do that. Alternatively you take take a dual major of Psychology and some other subject (provided that the times don't clash for both).

Sorry, but that's totally incorrect. OP, disregard this post.

You can enter 'pure' psychology through the CAO through course code DN519 and pursue it as a 3-year degree (BA Hons) or a 4-year degree (BA international); or you can take a minor in psychology.

You cannot enter into the 'pure' psychology programme at the end of first year arts as the previous poster suggested. This used to be the case, but it has not been possible for some time.

If you want to pursue a professional career in psychology (e.g. clinical, forensic, counselling, health, educational, etc.) you first need an honours degree in the subject that is recognised by the Psychological Society of Ireland (link). DN519 at UCD (i.e. 'pure' psych) is recognised); a minor is not. Check with other universities to be sure their courses are recognised.

Good luck, OP!

karaokeman

scuzzam wrote: »

What do you mean by too late to apply for psychology through arts? If you're talking of taking psych as a minor then it's not too late at all, you apply for the omnibus arts degree and it's when registration online for UCD opens after you've accepted your place through the CAO that you need to be quick

I thought you were referring to the people who put UCD arts down when the CAO opened in Febuary. I originally put pure Psychology fifth unsure about whether or not I would get the points. I was told at the open day its better to have the courses you want first because some students put them lower but end up getting the points.
Doing Pychology through Arts was my second option if I didn't get as many points.
Are you saying its when I get accepted for UCD that I pick my Arts subjects and thats when the first come-first served thing comes in?

scuzzam wrote: »

will you enjoy it enough to be able to put the work in?

Absolutely I've been researching Psychology for months now and I know its the degree for me. I've researched the course material, attended sample lectures, met with professionals etc.

scuzzam wrote: »

What are your prospects after the degree?

Do a thesis on whatever area I find particularly interesting at the time and have a good plan for how I would like to go about choosing my career.

scuzzam wrote: »

what kind of careers will it help towards

There are many, many career opportunities with Psychology. There's Educational Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Health Psychology and Sports Psychology, which is recently new.

scuzzam

Yeah, it's when you pick your modules and subjects after you've accepted the course that it's first come first served, generally opens in late August and stays open for the first few weeks of college to allow you to change if you hate one of your modules.

And if you're interested in sports psychology then Professor Morans work might interest you

OneOfThem Stumbled

spudington16 wrote: »

Sorry, but that's totally incorrect. OP, disregard this post.

For some reason psy seems to be totally ****ed up in arts omnibus. Maybe it's going the same way as Comp Sci?

I would have thought that psy would be given the licence for dual-major. Having Welsh and Portuguese as minor only options, at least makes some sense.

spudington16

OneOfThem Stumbled wrote: »

For some reason psy seems to be totally ****ed up in arts omnibus. Maybe it's going the same way as Comp Sci?

I would have thought that psy would be given the licence for dual-major. Having Welsh and Portuguese as minor only options, at least makes some sense.

Psychology couldn't function as a double major because the requirements for Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and the British Psychological Society (BPS) recognition are that the vast majority of modules taken as part of the degree must be in psychology. You can't take a minor if you do psychology for the same reason. It's not necessarily a bad thing; it's a necessity for those who intend to pursue a professional career in psychology.

meathawk

No, it's not to do with the PSI it's to do with the psychology departments small size, simply there's not enough room and in arts they are relatively unimportant because they sort of act independently. In UL sociology and psychology joint major is offered and PSI accredited, WIT psychology with arts is also there. Just look at the PSI website.