Looking into the Science course..

amyrhassett

I am looking into doing Science in UCD (mainly Biology) and was wondering if anybody had any feedback on the course or the college in general???

Mainly im wondering:

What is the week structure?
Is there a lot of assignment to be done?
Is there an awful lot to learn (Im not lazy, just curious!!)


Is the college too big?
Are there a lot of services there (eg supermarkets etc)


Im just looking for general information so that i get a better idea as to what going to college will be like....im in fifth year so i have to start thinking about it now....
Thanks

IrishKnight

amyrhassett wrote: »

I am looking into doing Science in UCD (mainly Biology) and was wondering if anybody had any feedback on the course or the college in general???

Background; did my BSc Genetics in UCD and currently doing my PhD in Biochem in UCD also.

What is the week structure?

Generally busier than other course due to labs. You'll tend to do about six courses per semester. Each of those have lectures, and some have labs and tutorials. Labs are three hours long and either done in the morning (starting at 1000hrs) or in the evening (starting at 1800hrs) Lectures are about an hour long. You can have very few or a lot of lectures in one day. Somedays you might have four or five while other you may just have one.

Is there a lot of assignment to be done?

Mostly essays and the "trout report". Word to the wise, start assignment early; don't leave them until the last minute and you'll be fine.

Is there an awful lot to learn (Im not lazy, just curious!!)

Well, yes. Over the four years you are being trained to think like a scientist, so there is a lot to take in. But it is do able if you spend the time at it. Also, college learning is a bit different from LC learning. You are expected to understand what is going on, not just word vomit onto A4 page during the exam.

Is the college too big?

No. If you are worried about making friends etc, don't be. Just the societies, if you play a sport or fancy picking one up, they are a great way to met people.

Are there a lot of services there (eg supermarkets etc)

AIB on campus
BOI across the N11
A centra
A new SU centre with gym, shop, cinema

I'd recommend investing in a bike. Closest Tesco to campus would be a five/ten minute cycle.

beardedmaster

IrishKnight wrote: »

Labs are three hours long and either done in the morning (starting at 1000hrs) or in the evening (starting at 1800hrs)

I think what IrishKnight meant was that the 3-hour labs finish at 1800hrs, rather than start.
Labs for some subjects are 2 hours long, instead of 3.
Also for some subjects, as well as lectures, you have Tutorials, where it's a small number of you (20-30), and the tutor, and you work through problems and the difficult parts of the course on a more one-to-one basis, and these can be quite helpful. These are an hour long also.

You said your main interest in Science is in "Biology". The entry into the Science degree in UCD in now undenominated - so you go in common entry, but could end up coming out with 1 of 22 different degrees. The Biology-related degrees are 10 of these 22. They are -

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cell & Molecular Biology
Environmental Biology
Genetics
Microbiology
Neuroscience
Pharmacology
Plant Biology
Physiology
Zoology

This range is pretty much unrivaled in the country, compared to the other Universities.

Each of these degrees are under the jurisdiction of different "schools" in UCD - School of Biology & Environment Science, School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, and the School of Medicine & Medicine.
SBES does Cell & Molec, Environmental, Plant Biology & Zoology.
SBBS does Biochem, Genetics, Microbiology, Pharmacology & Neuro.
SMMS does Physiology.

There used to be an option of doing some of these degrees as a Joint Honours degree, taking two subjects, but I think they're making moves to get rid of them entirely among Biology-related subjects. SBBS are anyway, I'm not sure about the others. You might still be able to do Plant Biology & Zoology together, for example. You can still do them with some combinations of Maths/Physics-related subjects though, as far as I'm aware.

As a first year, your classes are going to be huuuge. There's going to be loads of different people who end up doing all of the above degrees in your classes a lot of the time. In 2nd year, (in most cases), you pick 3 of the above degrees to be eligible for, and do the different modules required for each. You then pick 1 out of these and continue it on for 3rd and 4th year.

Class sizes in 1st year of 300-400 go down to less than 20 by the time you get to 3rd year, because of how much you specialize. As for the college itself being "too big"? Not at all. Just make some friends! I made friends in 1st year just by sitting down beside and chatting to different people in lectures, you get to know loooads of people! The smaller-group sessions (labs, tutorials), can be handy for that. Get involved in societies and such too, if you like. I made friends with people in 1st year that ended up doing a completely different degree to myself, but still see them the whole time.

As for hours... prepare for a lot of them. Science students have among the worst hours in the University, I'd say possibly the Architects and Engineers being the only ones ahead of us. But you get used to it!
As IrishKnight said, you might have only 1 lecture on some days and 3 or 4 on others. I ended up having Fridays off all last semester, but the other four days were pretty much all full.

I'm just finished 3rd year doing a Biology-related degree, so feel free to ask any more questions if you have them.

IrishKnight

beardedmaster wrote: »

I think what IrishKnight meant was that the 3-hour labs finish at 1800hrs, rather than start.

Indeed, twas a typo.

amyrhassett

Thanks everybody, guidance councillors just cant tell you what its like on a day to day basis........cant blame them though!!!