Carlow College Graduates

V480

Just wondering if anybody on here has been to Carlow College (not the I.T., the other one) ?? In particular anybody who did the degree in Humanities like I did.

Personally, going to college in that place was probably the worst decision I've ever made but I'm not going to bore you with details about that, I just want to know if anybody who has done this course has found work since doing it and what areas you have ended up in? How would you rate the college overall since you finished??

I wanted to get into teaching when I did the BA but doesn't seem like there's going to be jobs at second level for a very long time so just wondering if anybody branched into different areas since finishing.

Nead21

I know lots of people who are graduates of carlow college...they are all working in various areas including social care, youth work, education etc

I dont think where you go to college has a an impact on your professional prospects.

V480

Nead21 wrote: »

I dont think where you go to college has a an impact on your professional prospects.

I don't know why you thought I was suggesting that anyway. I was mainly referring to people who did the Humanities degree as it is a very broad course that can lead to lots of different directions, just wondering where fellow graduates may have ended up...

scoopmine

What did you do in third and 4th year? What did you apply to do after?

V480

scoopmine wrote: »

What did you do in third and 4th year? What did you apply to do after?

Hey,

I focused mainly on History and English in 3rd / 4th year, I did Irish Studies, English Literature, Creative Writing, Existentialism and History plus the usual philosophy/theology courses you are required to do until 3rd year.

Unfortunately, in picking these subjects I made myself ineligable to do the teaching practice in 3rd year. That would probably be my main criticism of the degree, they make a big deal of the teaching practice element but when it actually comes to down to it you have to take up an almost entirely religion based degree to do it.

Anyway I went on afterwards to do an MA in History but since finishing that have stuggled to find work. I would like to do the h.dip eventually but can't afford it at the moment.

scoopmine

I am a third doing all the religious subjects and teaching practice because I feel its the best thing the college has to offer!

Nead21

V480 wrote: »

I was mainly referring to people who did the Humanities degree as it is a very broad course that can lead to lots of different directions, just wondering where fellow graduates may have ended up...

maybe you should have said this ^^

instead of this

V480 wrote: »

Personally, going to college in that place was probably the worst decision I've ever made.

in your opening post.

Queen-Mise

The reason the teaching part of the degree is based mostly on religion in third and fourth year is because it is giving you the necessary qualifications you need to teach Religion.

Doing the Humanities degree is no different than an Arts degree - your situation now is no reflection over Carlow College.

Carlow College is a particularly good institution with a great reputation.

V480

I don't know why people think I'm having a go at Carlow College - IM NOT. In fact I went to UCD after and found the lecturers in Carlow were actually better than in UCD.

When I said it was a mistake going there I meant from a social point of view, though I gather it has got a alot better in that respect in the last few years.

I just wanted to know in what areas fellow Humanities grads are working in? Most ppl I graduated with seem to be on the dole like myself and I just was curious as to what areas others branched into.

Nead21

If you went to UCD then i would suggest paying a visit to the career guidance counsellor there and having a chat with them...looking at areas you might be interested in and how to pursue those paths.
linky http://www.ucd.ie/careers/contactushours/

As regards most graduates being on the dole, that is across all disciplines and is not a reflection on the course but the economy. An advantage to doing such a broad course is that you are not limited to particular areas you can go into, and you will have developed skills without realising it. Again, this is something you need to chat to a career advisor about.

V480

Queen-Mise wrote: »

Carlow College is a particularly good institution with a great reputation.

Sorry but I had to laugh at that, most people in Carlow don't even know the place exists, and Carlow isn't exactly full of culture and heritage, unless you count the Foundry and Scraggs Alley.

I suppose you must have been in the college in the last few years when it has supposedly had some kind of a renaissance? Because when I was there the Humanities dept in particular was a joke.

You had half the Humanities staff not talking to each other (with one lecturer in particular being snubbed by the others) which wouldn't matter only for the fact that it interfered with students work and grading, i.e. two lecturers who don't get along supervising a dissertation and making the students life a hell constantly getting them to re-write perfectly good work just to annoy the other supervisor.

You also had a situation where it was practically impossible to fail exams, particularly in first year. I know of plenty of students who failed exams, then failed the repeats, but still ended up back in the next September because the college were so desperate for the registration fee. One of our lecturers even told us you would have to 'deficate on the page' in order to fail a Carlow College 1st year exam.

How about the numerous female students who were awarded suspiciously high grades from a certain lecturer they were 'involved' with? And he was 'involved' with plenty! It took the college about 5 years to cop on to that one though I gather the situation has been dealt with.

I left Carlow College totally disillusioned with 3rd level education. There were people who I was in college with who p!ssed their way through the degree, failed exam after exam and and the end of it came out with the same crap bit of paper that I did.

All this is even before I get on to the social side of things - non existant. The place is full of odd country folk from places like Offally, Westmeath and Bagenalstown who hang around in little groups and only talk to people they think they are related to.

It's annoying because, as I said, there are some brilliant lecturers in there, and some nice people. Hopefully they are better treated now than they were before.

Lillylilly

V480 wrote: »

Sorry but I had to laugh at that, most people in Carlow don't even know the place exists, and Carlow isn't exactly full of culture and heritage, unless you count the Foundry and Scraggs Alley.

I suppose you must have been in the college in the last few years when it has supposedly had some kind of a renaissance? Because when I was there the Humanities dept in particular was a joke.

You had half the Humanities staff not talking to each other (with one lecturer in particular being snubbed by the others) which wouldn't matter only for the fact that it interfered with students work and grading, i.e. two lecturers who don't get along supervising a dissertation and making the students life a hell constantly getting them to re-write perfectly good work just to annoy the other supervisor.

You also had a situation where it was practically impossible to fail exams, particularly in first year. I know of plenty of students who failed exams, then failed the repeats, but still ended up back in the next September because the college were so desperate for the registration fee. One of our lecturers even told us you would have to 'deficate on the page' in order to fail a Carlow College 1st year exam.

How about the numerous female students who were awarded suspiciously high grades from a certain lecturer they were 'involved' with? And he was 'involved' with plenty! It took the college about 5 years to cop on to that one though I gather the situation has been dealt with.

I left Carlow College totally disillusioned with 3rd level education. There were people who I was in college with who p!ssed their way through the degree, failed exam after exam and and the end of it came out with the same crap bit of paper that I did.

All this is even before I get on to the social side of things - non existant. The place is full of odd country folk from places like Offally, Westmeath and Bagenalstown who hang around in little groups and only talk to people they think they are related to.

It's annoying because, as I said, there are some brilliant lecturers in there, and some nice people. Hopefully they are better treated now than they were before.

Wow, this was not my experience at all. I studied Social Care and graduated in 2006. I had a great time, met some great people and learnt a lot. I got a great job on leaving and have no bad things to say about the college other than it was FREEZING all the time.

It was my impression that the Humanities crowd were very cliquey, but I thought that was with each other- they would never chat to the SC heads at all.

And in regards to failing exams, I know someone who failed some first year and second year humanities exams, so it is not impossible to do.

When I was there, there was a GREAT social scene- the student union would organise nights out as well as each class/ year organising their own sessions.

I am insulted by your quote of it being full of "odd country folk". Did you expect it to be full of Dubs? The reason college is so fantastic is that you get to leave your little box and meet new people with new stories and experiences. I had only ever been in one other county before moving to Carlow from spending my life in Dublin. Yes, it was a bit different, but I embraced it. It sounds like you maybe didn't open up to all it had to offer.

tombull82

I don't know why people think I'm having a go at Carlow College - IM NOT.

Really? ....


@V480 See Here

Smile - Be Happy
Good things might come your way.

pboyleobrien

I went to Carlow College and I did the Humanities degree. I did the placement for 2 years. When I finished I got a job teaching religion in a secondary school and then I did a PGCE Primary and I have been teaching since I graduated 6 years ago. I found the course really good and the lecturers were great. 1 female lecturer in particular was great, very willing to help and gave great lectures and notes. Some of the students from my year are teaching-primary and secondary, 1 is working as a journalist, a few are working in banking etc.

TaosHum

Graduated last year. Currently doing an MA there.

TaosHum

V480 wrote: »

Sorry but I had to laugh at that, most people in Carlow don't even know the place exists, and Carlow isn't exactly full of culture and heritage, unless you count the Foundry and Scraggs Alley.

I suppose you must have been in the college in the last few years when it has supposedly had some kind of a renaissance? Because when I was there the Humanities dept in particular was a joke.

You had half the Humanities staff not talking to each other (with one lecturer in particular being snubbed by the others) which wouldn't matter only for the fact that it interfered with students work and grading, i.e. two lecturers who don't get along supervising a dissertation and making the students life a hell constantly getting them to re-write perfectly good work just to annoy the other supervisor.

You also had a situation where it was practically impossible to fail exams, particularly in first year. I know of plenty of students who failed exams, then failed the repeats, but still ended up back in the next September because the college were so desperate for the registration fee. One of our lecturers even told us you would have to 'deficate on the page' in order to fail a Carlow College 1st year exam.

How about the numerous female students who were awarded suspiciously high grades from a certain lecturer they were 'involved' with? And he was 'involved' with plenty! It took the college about 5 years to cop on to that one though I gather the situation has been dealt with.

I left Carlow College totally disillusioned with 3rd level education. There were people who I was in college with who p!ssed their way through the degree, failed exam after exam and and the end of it came out with the same crap bit of paper that I did.

All this is even before I get on to the social side of things - non existant. The place is full of odd country folk from places like Offally, Westmeath and Bagenalstown who hang around in little groups and only talk to people they think they are related to.

It's annoying because, as I said, there are some brilliant lecturers in there, and some nice people. Hopefully they are better treated now than they were before.

I personally like CC, but I heard (was aware) of alot of the stuff you mentioned.

Kiab

V480 wrote: »

Sorry but I had to laugh at that, most people in Carlow don't even know the place exists, and Carlow isn't exactly full of culture and heritage, unless you count the Foundry and Scraggs Alley.

I suppose you must have been in the college in the last few years when it has supposedly had some kind of a renaissance? Because when I was there the Humanities dept in particular was a joke.

You had half the Humanities staff not talking to each other (with one lecturer in particular being snubbed by the others) which wouldn't matter only for the fact that it interfered with students work and grading, i.e. two lecturers who don't get along supervising a dissertation and making the students life a hell constantly getting them to re-write perfectly good work just to annoy the other supervisor.

You also had a situation where it was practically impossible to fail exams, particularly in first year. I know of plenty of students who failed exams, then failed the repeats, but still ended up back in the next September because the college were so desperate for the registration fee. One of our lecturers even told us you would have to 'deficate on the page' in order to fail a Carlow College 1st year exam.

How about the numerous female students who were awarded suspiciously high grades from a certain lecturer they were 'involved' with? And he was 'involved' with plenty! It took the college about 5 years to cop on to that one though I gather the situation has been dealt with.

I left Carlow College totally disillusioned with 3rd level education. There were people who I was in college with who p!ssed their way through the degree, failed exam after exam and and the end of it came out with the same crap bit of paper that I did.

All this is even before I get on to the social side of things - non existant. The place is full of odd country folk from places like Offally, Westmeath and Bagenalstown who hang around in little groups and only talk to people they think they are related to.

It's annoying because, as I said, there are some brilliant lecturers in there, and some nice people. Hopefully they are better treated now than they were before.

What exactly is your problem then? The quality of education? I went to the IT but most of my friends and OH went to " not the IT, the other one" Most people i know that graduated there are in VERY good jobs - particularly the social care graduates, working in areas like childcare, residental social care, drugs outreach, homelessness outreach, theres one probation officer, one manager for the HSE, various different types of teachers - primary and secondary, and one PA to a financial controller for a very big mult-national ( always wants to be a teacher, and is studying irish leaving cert in order to do primary as the secondary route looks doubtful. The quality of education doesn't seem to be an issue..... also you refer to non-existent social life... but in a second breath refer to scraggs and the foundry?? Same social life as the IT.

The lecturers in the IT were as odd as they come... they were always bitching, our marketing lecturer hated our course director rather openly and nobody gives out about the quality of education there. Not sure when you graduated but obviously you came out at the wrong time, like many and the economy didnt help you, but it didnt hold anyone of the graduates I know from carlow college from the period 2004-2006, and some from 08 My advise ..... try working for your goals in life instead of moaning. Failing that there are plenty of secondary teaching courses in england and scotland.