TCD genetics??

Gindle

Am thinking of doing general science in TCD next year, and have my hopes set on genetics. Does anyone know how hard it is to get Genetics as your specialized choice in 3rd year? And how many places are there for it? Also, what's the difference between general and human genetics?do you still cover a bit of human genetics in the general course?

banjopaul

I'm in JS genetics. How hard it is to get in to depends entirely on your year, how well other people to do and how many of them also want genetics. This year it was one of the hardest to get in to, I think a low 2.1 was the lowest to get in, which is just over 60%. Doesn't sound much coming from the leaving cert, but to get that as an average of the 12 exams of 2nd year is quite difficult, especially failing one exam means you have to repeat it and don't get to apply again until 2nd round, when many courses will have been filled.

There were 14 places last year but it has just been raised to 16 places.

Not a huge amount of difference between genetics and human, nearly all the lectures are the same, just different tutorials and human genetics project work is more human based while ours has more of a microbial, plant or animal basis. The labs are the same for both.

Feel free to ask more questions if you'd like.

Gindle

I wasn't interested in genetics to be honest so I can't give you much help, but from being in general science I think the following is true

Gindle wrote: »

Does anyone know how hard it is to get Genetics as your specialized choice in 3rd year?

It's one of the competitive ones to be honest, you'd definitely have to be prepared to put the work in.

And how many places are there for it?

I think it was 16 places this year, but I can't say for sure. Bear in mind though that if there's 16 places that doesn't mean that in exams you have to come in the top 16 in the class, you just have to be in the top 16 out of the people who want genetics, which will be a far smaller number.

Also, what's the difference between general and human genetics?do you still cover a bit of human genetics in the general course?

Human genetics share some (biology I think) modules with general science in first and second year, and then I think they still share some classes with the Genetics class in further years. From talking to someone in Human Genetics ages ago, I think the main difference in first and second year is that you do a journal club, where you look through scientific papers.

Edit: ah, banjopaul is far more qualified to give info, ignore this!

Gindle

Cheers for all the info, I thought before that there were only 4-8 places so this makes things look better! Final few questions(I hope), is it worth doing the DCU genetics and cell biology course just to get the extra cell education, or is it covered anyway in the TCD courses? And do you think it would be better to do a 4/3 year pure genetics course rather than going through science? Eg. UCC genetics

NeuroCat

Gindle wrote: »

Cheers for all the info, I thought before that there were only 4-8 places so this makes things look better! Final few questions(I hope), is it worth doing the DCU genetics and cell biology course just to get the extra cell education, or is it covered anyway in the TCD courses? And do you think it would be better to do a 4/3 year pure genetics course rather than going through science? Eg. UCC genetics

You'll probably find that the direct entry courses share nearly all their modules with the general science courses in all colleges. So I don't imagine you would be at any disadvantage.

The extra celle education in the DCU course might sacrifice some modules in genetics you could be studying in TCD, check out the prospectus and modules. Compare and contrast. See which one you would honestly find more interesting. I don't think having a pure genetics degree would hinder you in the slightest compared to someone who has studied a bit more cell biology than you.

banjopaul

Gindle wrote: »

Cheers for all the info, I thought before that there were only 4-8 places so this makes things look better! Final few questions(I hope), is it worth doing the DCU genetics and cell biology course just to get the extra cell education, or is it covered anyway in the TCD courses? And do you think it would be better to do a 4/3 year pure genetics course rather than going through science? Eg. UCC genetics

You'll still get to do a fair amount of cell biology in the first two years of Science, as well as getting a nice broad basis in almost all areas of biology, and chemistry/geology/maths as well depending on what you pick. I can't say what would be better or worse as far as different colleges go, as I only have experience of here, but apparently the Smurfit Institute is quite highly regarded internationally, so may be something to consider.

Gindle

Do you do much human genetics in the general genetics course do you know? I'm interested in the human side but not interested enough for the Human Genetics course:o

lucernarian

There isn't much difference between Genetics as a moderatorship in science and the Human Genetics degree. In first and second year, they do the same biology/chemistry modules I believe, except Human Genetics can't do broad curriculum and have an extra set of tutorials or suchlike going on over the two years. And then in the moderatorship I think there's only a module or two in the difference. It certainly doesn't justify the much higher points when general TR071 science allows one to do a very similar degree but also change direction more easily if you realise that college chemistry for example is not for you.

banjopaul

Gindle wrote: »

Do you do much human genetics in the general genetics course do you know? I'm interested in the human side but not interested enough for the Human Genetics course:o

In first and second year Human Genetics have a 1 hour tutorial each week by themselves, but other than that they just take modules from the general Science course. They haven't got a choice as to which modules to take, whereas the common entry people do.

In 3rd and 4th year again Human genetics have their own tutorials and maybe one or two lecture courses, but for the most part we're treated as if we're in the same course essentially.

Here's the layout of 3rd year, on page one:
http://www.tcd.ie/Genetics/JS_course_weights_exams.pdf

From that you can see the only modules that are different between the two courses are these:
Module GE3110 for Genetics students only:
BI3025 Biochemical techniques practical (Mike McKillen, 24 hours)
GE3060 Tutorials and essays (FW/PL, 16 hours)

Module GE3115 for Human Genetics students only:
GE3004 Science, philosophy and ethics (DMcC, 8 hours)
GE3051 Human pedigree analysis (MdeA, 16 hours)
GE3065 Tutorials and essays (DMcC 16 hours)

Everything else on the list is taken by both courses.