Choosing colleges ...TCD or UCD

languagenerd

Aquila wrote: »

Not necessarily,i am willing to explore other options if TCD has a better arts dept.

As someone already said, Trinity's Arts faculty has a better reputation than that of UCD, but it really depends what you're looking for. I have friends doing in Arts in UCD, but bear in mind my info for that is second-hand.

UCD have a very flexible Arts course (though they don't have Omnibus entry anymore - you specify two subjects on the CAO and pick a third, and maybe a fourth, when you get in). It's easier to do a broad curriculum course there (an elective module that isn't linked to your main subject) and if you fail, you can repeat a module/semester with little problem, except that you have to pay for it. Within your subjects, you can choose from a range of modules.

In TCD, I can really only speak for the language dep'ts, but it's a lot more specialised than UCD. We pick our two subjects at the start and stick with them (though you can change courses within the first six weeks if you don't like yours and have the points etc). My course wasn't offered Broad Curriculum, though we had the choice to do general Linguistics courses instead of one of our coursework modules. Your choice of modules depends on your subjects - in Spanish you don't have a choice in modules, everyone does the same (until 4th year) and in French we had a limited choice (2 out of 3 in 2nd year, 2 out of 6 in 3rd year).

From what I've seen and heard, I think TCD's arts courses (in general) are harder than UCD's, which could be a good or bad thing - depends whether you think that they're taught to a higher standard in TCD or whether you think they just mark harder.

Sniedel wrote: »

You forgot a full stop.

Ah, sure, didn't we already establish that TCD don't teach grammar anymore? :pac: I don't usually do the Grammar-Nazi thing, but when that's the only contribution someone's made to a thread...

Gordon Gecko

If cricket's your thing the pitch is right on campus, no treks out to Santry :pac:

Monsieur Folie

This is relevant, I guess..

General Science in Trinity vs UCD?

I know that seeing as this thread is in the TCD forum, it's probably going to be biased, but ah well. =P

A lot of people have told me that 'UCD is better for science', but when I read into their course it didn't seem to be as open and flexible as the Trinity one. Plus I've kind of fallen in love with the idea of going to Trinity College over the last few weeks, as opposed UCD which, when I visited it, didn't really excite me.

I would most likely be picking something Biology/Chemistry related in 3rd year as opposed to Physics, if that helps at all. I do love physics, but I'm not as good at it as I am with the other two.

If I were to choose right now I'd pick Trinity, but I'm just curious as to whether that's the rational decision for me, or if I'm just blinded by love for the place!

Interferon Gamma

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

This is relevant, I guess..

General Science in Trinity vs UCD?

I'd most likely be picking something Biology/Chemistry related in 3rd year as opposed to Physics, if that helps at all. I do love physics, but I'm not as good at it as I am with the other two.
!

To generalise, you should probably base your decision on the specialities then.

In the past there was a much larger difference between both courses, UCD offered computer science through common entry, allowed direct entry to specialities and let you do joint majors. Today, UCD's course is much more similar to TCD's with the exception of their horizons programme. Aside from that and on more a practical level, the courses are largely the same. The difference being limited to assessments, time spent on labs and tutorials and whether a research project is a mandatory component of 4th year.

As you mentioned being interested in biology, I can only advise emailing the course advisors in both colleges, as research is usually somewhat broad. For example something like neuroscience is very biochemistry and physiology based in TCD, in UCD they collaborate with the computer side of things some more. Biochemistry in both universities is excellent. We just opened a new building for medicine, neuroscience and biochem, UCD has the Conway institute and both are excellent research facilities. So really, it comes down to your interest in molecular medicine and immunology or Pharmacology to sway things one way or the other.

Admittedly, I'm ignorant as to how zoology and environmental science works in both universities but I'm sure both are good.

Monsieur Folie

Interferon Gamma wrote: »

To generalise, you should probably base your decision on the specialities then.

In the past there was a much larger difference between both courses, UCD offered computer science through common entry, allowed direct entry to specialities and let you do joint majors. Today, UCD's course is much more similar to TCD's with the exception of their horizons programme. Aside from that and on more a practical level, the courses are largely the same. The difference being limited to assessments, time spent on labs and tutorials and whether a research project is a mandatory component of 4th year.

As you mentioned being interested in biology, I can only advise emailing the course advisors in both colleges, as research is usually somewhat broad. For example something like neuroscience is very biochemistry and physiology based in TCD, in UCD they collaborate with the computer side of things some more. Biochemistry in both universities is excellent. We just opened a new building for medicine, neuroscience and biochem, UCD has the Conway institute and both are excellent research facilities. So really, it comes down to your interest in molecular medicine and immunology or Pharmacology to sway things one way or the other.

Admittedly, I'm ignorant as to how zoology and environmental science works in both universities but I'm sure both are good.

Thank you for the advice, I'll look into it!

Anita Blow

Fairly sure Trinity is held in higher regard for it's Physiology/Neurology/Biochemistry work if you're looking to go into any of those areas

Monsieur Folie

Anita Blow wrote: »

Fairly sure Trinity is held in higher regard for it's Physiology/Neurology/Biochemistry work if you're looking to go into any of those areas

Thanks! Biochemistry and Neurology are both options for me at the moment. I still have a lot of research to do before I fill in the CAO at the end of the year! Only in 5th year so I have a lot of time to think about it still!

mc8755

Anita Blow wrote: »

Fairly sure Trinity is held in higher regard for it's Physiology/Neurology/Biochemistry work if you're looking to go into any of those areas

To be honest, neither will merit a job at the moment. Both TCD and UCD are great for Biochemsitry, I know about the Neuro program in UCD which I hear is fairly good but I don't know about the Trinners version, though I'd imagine they'd be much of a much like Biochem. Just be sure to pick an undergrad that you're really interested in and willing to put the work in for because you'll all but surely need to do postgrad study to get a good science job and you'll need good grades to get into any postgrad program either here or abroad.

Monsieur Folie

mc8755 wrote: »

To be honest, neither will merit a job at the moment. Both TCD and UCD are great for Biochemsitry, I know about the Neuro program in UCD which I hear is fairly good but I don't know about the Trinners version, though I'd imagine they'd be much of a much like Biochem. Just be sure to pick an undergrad that you're really interested in and willing to put the work in for because you'll all but surely need to do postgrad study to get a good science job and you'll need good grades to get into any postgrad program either here or abroad.

To be honest I haven't really thought about postgrad's or anything like that yet. Effort is not an issue, I'll be putting all of my efforts into doing well in whatever I choose, money is though! Aren't postgrads even more expensive than going to college at undergrad level? Maybe I'm mistaken.. If I need to do one I'll find a way, I guess..

For what it's worth, I'm doing general Science in TCD at the moment (just waiting on my 3rd year exam results) and I love it. I can't imagine ever being happier anywhere else.

Monsieur Folie

true-or-false wrote: »

For what it's worth, I'm doing general Science in TCD at the moment (just waiting on my 3rd year exam results) and I love it. I can't imagine ever being happier anywhere else.

Stop teasing me! =P

I really want to go! Trinity seems like such a cool place.

mc8755

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

To be honest I haven't really thought about postgrad's or anything like that yet. Effort is not an issue, I'll be putting all of my efforts into doing well in whatever I choose, money is though! Aren't postgrads even more expensive than going to college at undergrad level? Maybe I'm mistaken.. If I need to do one I'll find a way, I guess..

Don't worry about postgrad costs, especially PhD-wise because of funding and the like. I just mean go with what you're most interested in because you won't mind putting in the hours to get top marks. No real science jobs employ undergrad only people unless you're insanely lucky and if you plan to leave the EU to work you'll almost definitely need a level 9 or higher. From personal experience though I'd say you're on the right track between TCD and UCD because they seem to be the best for science degrees in the areas you're contemplating.

oppenheimer1

The amount of nonsense spouted in this thread is astounding. At undergraduate level there is almost no difference between Irish universities. Despite what many (clueless, arrogant, snobs?) here would have you believe, Trinity is no better or worse than UCD. Employers look at Irish degrees merely a a box to tick, as they see that training for a job begins the day they take you on. Some employers will be snobbish about hiring graduates from ITs (I have come across this), but have yet to hear of an employer favouring graduates from one university over another on purely academic grounds. Companies, I find tend to employ graduates of the same colleges the senior managers attended however.

The difference in colleges really only comes into play at postgraduate level, where certain colleges have specialities, and allow for a greater depth of study. A degree from any particular Irish university will not enhance or inhibit your ability to go on and do further study at any of the worlds great academic institutions.

In my honest opinion a perfectly legitimate reason for choosing one college over another would be the student experience. At undergraduate level, perceived academic excellence would rank low - because in truth, as I've already said, for employers and for further study, there is almost no difference between them.

CommanderC

Denerick wrote: »

Trinity is the better college. If you care about education you will always choose to study in Trinity over UCD (The exception being the generic business courses, which aren't really educational anyway - just codified bull****/articulated common sense wrapped up in an educational veneer)

I know this sounds very dickish and arrogant but it is an objective fact. Even UCD alumni will admit how terribly their university is run, how mediocre the courses are becoming, and how every a year a new batch of the great unwashed gets unleashed upon their arts departments.

This is what you can expect for the next 4 years at Trinity

Id go for DCU !!

EuropeanSon

To oppenheimer1, it probably depends on the department and area of study, because looking at other Universities' Mathematics courses, they seem much less challenging than ours.

EuropeanSon

CommanderC wrote: »

This is what you can expect for the next 4 years at Trinity

Id go for DCU !!

This I suppose, is you speaking from extensive experience of studying in Trinity? Or are you just talking out of your arse?

oppenheimer1

EuropeanSon wrote: »

To oppenheimer1, it probably depends on the department and area of study, because looking at other Universities' Mathematics courses, they seem much less challenging than ours.

At undergraduate level it doesn't matter for Irish universities, they really are all considered to be the same by the most important group - employers. Abroad however its a different matter. The UK for example, graduates from the golden triangle will get the preference for jobs and post graduate places.