English Studies or English (TSM)

fionnghuala

I'm looking into studying English in Trinity. I was just wondering what the difference is between the course content in English Studies and English as part of the TSM. I've had a look at the website and it doesn't seem to be too different.
I could be wrong but I just want to be sure!
Thanks for any help

Curlyhatescurls

See if this thread helps. If not, say so and I can try and post something more comprehensive:)

fionnghuala

My problem is much like that. I'd like to do German and English. You mentioned you could do a language as part of the broad curriculum. How does that work?

Curlyhatescurls

If you are serious about learning German than probably the best thing to do is TSM German and English. There are broad curriculum language courses offered (when you recieve your offer from tcd you also get a form to sign up for an optional langauge module) You can read about these modules here

However, they really emphasize 'Please note that these are not grammar or conversation classes, but instead employ a project-based curriculum.' I haven't taken part in these so I can't comment on them but I have heard mixed reviews about the classes so it would be worth checking it out if you were considering doing them instead of TSM.

fionnghuala

Thank you. That's much clearer now! What is the workload like? I know people who have studied English in other Universities and said that it's almost impossible in your final year.
Also, how many people would be in a lecture? I don't want to be too lost! :P

Curlyhatescurls

To be completely honest, compared to the leaving cert it is easy (the points are high for english or any TSM course really so you must know what real hard studying is;) ) That being said I found first year tough, although that had a lot to do with being in a new place with no friends and not not knowing how to write a college essay or what was expected of me. I can only give you the perspective of a single honours english student. You will have 13 hours of college a week in your first term. You will be doing six modules, most of which I did not like )but wait! don't let it put you off!!! I will explain in a minute) You will share three of your lectures with TSM and these lectures are big (I'm really bad at guessing how many people there are in a room so I will hazard a guess at approx. 150 people) for your other three modules it will just be single honours (which is usually 30 people) and visiting students. So that is only six hours of your week. The other 7 hours is made up of tutorials. This is where you will make friends as there are more or less around 8 people in these. In your first term you will be taking a module on Old English. This will probably be the bane of your life and this module has one lecture and two language classes (two tutorials) instead of your normal one lecture and one tutorial combo. That is why in second term you will only have 12 hours a week in college.

In second year you get to choose one of your modules each term and these don't have a tutorial, they are lecture based only so your week will be cut down to 11 hours. I was speaking to a third year student last week and your hours get cut down even further!

This is where workload comes in. Although you only have 12-13 hours a week IN college you will have quite a bit of reading to do (which you can do in the comfort of your own room!) It seems daunting at first but you learn to get smart about what not to bother reading and what to skim. This will come naturally. Each module has its own reading, and you have six modules, so on a really terrible week you could end up having 6 books to read! But don't fret! I forgot to tell you that lectures are for 12 weeks and tutorials are only for 7 weeks so if you are finding it hard to keep up you can do just the bare minimum of what is asked of you in a tutorial, they have to leave out a few texts. I can tell you that it is perfectly and quite easily possible to attend all your lectures and tutorials and keep up to date with all your reading and have a great social life and plenty of free time too.

By your final year you will have chosen all your module and be doing exactly what you want to do so work won't seem like work and you will be enjoying all your reading (that's what I am hoping) Also, second year is GREAT, first year is kind of crappy sometimes because they are giving you a strong base in english and this involves stripping everything back and working from the very beginning.

Phew! Sorry for the ridiculously long comment, wish I had thought to ask someone these questions before I went to college. Anyway, best of luck and I hope you are happy with whatever decision you make:)

fionnghuala

Thanks very much for your help! English could become my first choice on my CAO now!