BSc. in Horticulture

DoBhrionn

Currently horticulture sits at a very high priority on my CAO form and I'd like to know how the course is going, I know it's only a new course (so I was told). What are the lecturers like? Although I don't mind copious amounts of work, is there much? I know that there is the odd trip the Botanic Gardens, is it worth it?
Thanks for any feedback,
D.B

joshrogan

From the How's DCU Science Thread-

'm doin' Horticulture, so I'd be in all the common entry classes except for the physics labs.
DCU's fairly cool. Nice atmosphere and such.
Most of the lecturers are excellent but Niamh O Sullivan for Maths and J.Morrison for Intro Bio are brutal. They leave me in a daze. It's not that the subjects are hard but just that they have bad teaching methods. Although Morrison seems to do a decent job for the practical bio labs.
The course is really good. Interesting. The assignments aren't too bad. But the course moves far too quick. Before I've got a grasp of what's going on, they're about 2chapters further. Physics in particular. I thought most of the Physics CA were trick questions. Did ****e in that.
I've picked up Chemistry very quick. I'm fairly behind in the others. The work load is overwhelming. I know of about 10 others who feel the same.
How are you finding it?

p1akuw47h5r3it

I don't do Horticulture I'm Common Entry but first year is Common for everyone more or less. Just to add to the previous post it is pretty tough workwise but every science degree is (thats worth doing anyway).

You just have to work from the start there is no other way around it. Most of the lecturers are fine bar the Maths and Bio one (the way Bio is done is u have two lecturers who alternate, and the one we have at the moment is useless).

Chemistry is pretty difficult, especially the labs. I didn't get mine finished today and it's only lab 4. If you haven't done Chemistry (I haven't before) a good bit of work is required.

Physics labs are piss easy, what you do in lectures is tougher. I really like Physics though (so far) so maybe I find it easier than most. I hadn't done Physics before coming to DCU. The tutorials are good fun aswell.

Maths is fairly easy so far, I did pass btw. It's only week 4 though so I presume it will get tougher. Everyone says the maths lecturer is awful, I dont think she is THAT bad but she isn't unbelievable either. Her notes are useful enough imo. The maths tutorials are a great help though, never miss them if you do end up in DCU

I guess it's tough to give a proper oversight of the course because nobody specializes till 2nd year and this is the courses first year obviously.

If any more questions just ask here

YoungSpoon

DoBhrionn wrote: »

Currently horticulture sits at a very high priority on my CAO form and I'd like to know how the course is going, I know it's only a new course (so I was told). What are the lecturers like? Although I don't mind copious amounts of work, is there much? I know that there is the odd trip the Botanic Gardens, is it worth it?
Thanks for any feedback,
D.B

I'm one of the few that are doing the course. This is the first year they've done it. (Don't let it scare you off into thinking they're unexperienced). The course is essentially just a combination of already existing courses(General Science and Hort.).
The 1st year is essentially Common Entry Science, except we don't do Physics labs(we still do Physics itself for some reason though). Although we spend 3 hours a week doing Biodiversity which alternates between lectures in the Botanics/Dcu and field trips in the gardens and around parks and greens in the city (Plant I.D, landscaping, natural formations).
The lecturers are incredibley friendly and many are very good(exception of a few in Dcu).

The work load is fairly intense, as with any science course. I'm currently falling behind in a few subjects, but I'm starting to get the hang of them as the year progresses. You'd really want to put in the work as soon as you start, as said above. Don't think of yourself as being like the Arts, language or Computer students. This course is actually hard. But don't let that scare you off. You'll get used to it.

After the first year, the course is meant to change drastically. We'll be spending the same amount of time we do now in Dcu in the gardens, and our trips to Dcu will be scaled to something close to 3 hours then.

The course is incredibley interesting and definitely worth it, assuming you can put in the academic work in the first year. Then it's nearly all practical excluding the portfolio.

If you have any other questions at all, ask away

Bootsy.

Hi,
I was considering this for next year, I'm just wondering how is 2nd year going for you?

YoungSpoon

I'll tell you when I'm in it This is the first year they've ever had Hort~ in DCU. The second year is meant to be primarily in the Botanics with the occassional bit in DCU. It'll definitely be easier. It shouldn't be much different from the level 7 courses the Botanics already do. Maybe a bit more intense.
The 3hours we spend every week this year are like an intro to all the modules we'll do next year. They've all been really interesting so far.

http://www.dcu.ie/prospective/deginfo.php?classname=HOR&originating_school=30

It's fairly spot on under "course structure" here. If you have any other questions, just gimme a shout

Bootsy.

Ah, thanks, I obviously wasn't looking at the dates properly!

Thanks for the replies, it's very helpful to hear from someone doing the course, especially when it's so new.

YoungSpoon

I'd just like to add something about this. If it's purely the practical side to Hort~ that you want, you'd probably be better off doing a PLC with Teagasc(in the Botanics).
The first year isn't easy going. You'd wanna be working fairly consistantly in DCU with this course. Although it does offer more oppurtunities if you do it (Research and such). The chemistry elements could be useful for preparing fertilisers/plant growth regulators and things. So I suppose you'd never know where the extra skills may help you.
But I'll admit, the maths and physics may throw you off. They're fairly bollocks.