Would you recommend UCD?

Immaculate Pasta

I'm considering applying to do a Masters at UCD next year at the Smurfit Business School.

I'd like to hear people's opinions and experiences of UCD. Have you enjoyed your time there? Would you recommend it? Where did people live when they were there and did you enjoy it? What's the nightlife like?

Also has anyone done/doing a Masters at Smurfit? I've found out that the school is out in Blackrock, isn't that way out the way? Do you feel isolated from the rest of UCD or doesn't it really matter? Do you feel that you're more employable having done the Masters or did you think it was a waste of time?

So yeah anyone who's been/at UCD talk to me. About anything if you want but about the university would be preferable. I'd like to hear from you all and get a feel of the place :cool:

Pandoras Twist

First up because Smurfit Business School isn't in the UCD campus, it's in Blackrock so comments about UCD itself don't really apply.

I'm doing the Masters of Accounting in Smurfit at the moment. I went to UCD for my undergrad. To be honest you don't really have much to do with the UCD campus. I still use the library there though because it has longer opening times than the Smurfit one. But I don't see why seperation from the UCD campus would bother you really.

My masters is pretty time consuming so nightlife has taken a back seat for me but there has been Accounting nights out and a Smurfit Halloween ball so there are events organised if you find the time to go to them.

I've found UCD to be a great university with excellent lecturers. I think their IT support is quite good too. I don't really know what other factors you could be looking at. The point of going is to get an education and you'll definitely get that.

Accomodation wise you can live on campus which a few of my friends are doing. The accomodations pretty basic but it's fine. Other people live in digs around Blackrock. You wouldn't want to be living too much further away, just for convenience sake. All our lectures start at 9. Marketing Practice also start at 9, not sure about the other courses.

For the masters of accounting, most of us got sponsored by the Big 4 (or other) accounting firms and we will start working for them as soon as we finish. Others who didnt get sponsored will most likely get positions when they leave. I'm not sure about other courses. Depends on the area. The iBusiness masters is apparently excellent for getting jobs, but that may have been UCD propaganda

martin2012

Pandoras Twist wrote: »

First up because Smurfit Business School isn't in the UCD campus, it's in Blackrock so comments about UCD itself don't really apply.

I'm doing the Masters of Accounting in Smurfit at the moment. I went to UCD for my undergrad. To be honest you don't really have much to do with the UCD campus. I still use the library there though because it has longer opening times than the Smurfit one. But I don't see why seperation from the UCD campus would bother you really.

My masters is pretty time consuming so nightlife has taken a back seat for me but there has been Accounting nights out and a Smurfit Halloween ball so there are events organised if you find the time to go to them.

I've found UCD to be a great university with excellent lecturers. I think their IT support is quite good too. I don't really know what other factors you could be looking at. The point of going is to get an education and you'll definitely get that.

Accomodation wise you can live on campus which a few of my friends are doing. The accomodations pretty basic but it's fine. Other people live in digs around Blackrock. You wouldn't want to be living too much further away, just for convenience sake. All our lectures start at 9. Marketing Practice also start at 9, not sure about the other courses.

For the masters of accounting, most of us got sponsored by the Big 4 (or other) accounting firms and we will start working for them as soon as we finish. Others who didnt get sponsored will most likely get positions when they leave. I'm not sure about other courses. Depends on the area. The iBusiness masters is apparently excellent for getting jobs, but that may have been UCD propaganda

Could you please get me more information about the master in accounting at Smurfit? I meant to do the same master at DCU next year but the workload there in DCU scared me , I have heard their coure is very tough , lots of writing and theory, although I just decided to consider Smurfit's MSc as an alternative .. I have also heard that the Msc in accounting at smurfit is much more regarded by the firms and also it's more technical and a bit simple compare to DCU.

Thanks:)

Pandoras Twist

I wouldn't call it simple at all. The work load is extremely intense. I don't know anyone thats done the DCU masters so I can't compare, but as they both give the same exemptions, I can't see the DCU one being any harder or easier really.

There is a good bit of writing in the M.Acc at smurfit, in that we have had to submit quite a few reports. Tax exams are usually done in letters or report format.

UCD does have a good reputation with firms, but I don't think DCU has much less of a reputation. In all honesty I would choose the course that is easiest for you to get to on a daily basis.

[Jackass]

I'd recommend Smurfit for the simple reason that, by an absolute country mile, it is the highest regarded post graduate institution in Ireland in the fields of business and finance.

That's not to say that all of its courses are miles better, but in terms of what it adds to your CV, both at home and abroad, undergrad Trinity imo is certainly better, but post-grad Smurfit is by far better, however I'll be doing it in reverse strangely, with my undergrad in UCD and I hope to study post-grad in Trinty (as their BSc in Finance has better course content imo, and is still extremely reputil post grad college - but I also got into BESS in Trinity but chose UCD Economics over it, again for course content)

Madisson

I have just finished a degree in business and received a first class honours in it. I have been applying for jobs as a trainee accountant and getting nowhere because i dont have a accounting background. Ive been accepted into the masters in accounting in smurfit, im just wondering whether i should go ahead with it or should i go straight into the chartered exams. I would just prefer to be doing the chartered exams with a job aswell where i can be putting it all into practice. please help

Mardy Bum

Madisson wrote: »

I have just finished a degree in business and received a first class honours in it. I have been applying for jobs as a trainee accountant and getting nowhere because i dont have a accounting background. Ive been accepted into the masters in accounting in smurfit, im just wondering whether i should go ahead with it or should i go straight into the chartered exams. I would just prefer to be doing the chartered exams with a job aswell where i can be putting it all into practice. please help

Once you have the masters and a few of the exemptions got as a result of it, it will be easier to find a job as a trainee. The big companies generally want people with masters and those they take on trainee contracts fresh out of an undergraduate degree they pay for their masters in Smurfit.

Pandoras Twist

Madisson wrote: »

I have just finished a degree in business and received a first class honours in it. I have been applying for jobs as a trainee accountant and getting nowhere because i dont have a accounting background. Ive been accepted into the masters in accounting in smurfit, im just wondering whether i should go ahead with it or should i go straight into the chartered exams. I would just prefer to be doing the chartered exams with a job aswell where i can be putting it all into practice. please help

How much accounting did you do in your course? You cannot do the Masters of Accounting in UCD without CAP1 exemptions as far as I know. Even if that wasn't a requirement, there isn't a chance in hell that you would pass the year without them.

Trinity and DIT offer 1 year PDA's I think they're called which get you the CAP1 exemptions. Then you could try apply to the big4 firms during the milkround and they will either sponsor your masters or you can take your CAP2s and FAEs with them. That or you can try and pay for your own masters (if its coming out of your own pocket I would suggest DCU's masters) after the PDA and then apply again.

Prettyblack

I didn't do a masters or anything, just a degree. I guess its OK. There's a good student social scene, and lots of societies, but beyond that it can be hard to make new friends due to the size of the place, and the size of the lecture halls can make it hard to see the same people each day.

Eventually you do settle in, but for the first time it can be quiet daunting. I lived at home which was miles away from campus so I never got involved in the nightlife, but the bar was decent and that's where we hung out mostly during the day, and the odd thing I went to at night was good, well organised etc.

Its not the prettiest nor most central campus but it has nice parts to it and a good library.

Madisson

thanks for all getting back to me. I have nearly got all my exemptions, except for taxation but i'm studying that at the moment so I got the place on that basis. I think i've come to the conclusion that I should do a masters, I had an interview with a bank last week that went well but I do think Id prefer a job where in an accounting firm. All coming out of my own pocket unfortunately but fingers crossed I'll qualify for a grant