First year Earth/Ocean science NUI Galway

Half Rhodesian

hello all

Will be heading to NUI Galway this september.. Earth and Ocean science

At the moment my main area of interest would be focused on geology but who knows what may happen when i start the the course.. another subject area may catch my eye but we'll stick geo for now.

Regards first year subject choice, I'm thinking of going with Biology, Physics and chem to go with the intro to EOS module.

Am i limiting myself for second year options here with this subject choice?
I enjoy physics and chem and love Biology and can get decent grades in them all but i really am not fond of maths.

A passable subject i suppose but the grade wouldn't be an A or B like the others and i do find that subject very boring for some reason, always have.

Any info from current or ex students would be great on this.

also, how did you find the first year? was it mad hard?

Thanks all

westmidlands

Hey! Hope you enjoy NUI Galway, great university! Are you doing the denominated EOS course or doing it through Undenominated Science? I did Undenominated Science in NUIG but I went for Physics in the end. Anyway, the only advice I have in terms of subject choice is that Maths is a very useful one to take if your not sure, it's a prerequisite for a lot of of second year subjects and is generally a good subject to take anyway. For what its worth I took pass maths for leaving cert and gave honours a go in college and I found it a lot easier than secondary school, the way its thought in college just clicked with me better. I guess my main advice is don't be afraid of college maths to the extent it might limit your 2nd year choices, it's a very doable subject in college with lots of tutorials and help layed on, e.g. NUIG puts on a service called SUMS where you can drop in and get one on one help with maths, it's open every afternoon during term.

I took EOS in 1st year and 2nd year, its definitely not hard. I found all the EOS courses really interesting and enjoyable. Some great lecturers there.

Half Rhodesian

Hey westmidlands,

I got the denominated eos course alright. Im pretty sure i know id like to go for the geology but who knows what might happen. Oceanography or something like that might take my fancy altogether.

I guess id better check it out to be on the safe side before registration.

Thanks for your reply

Flomar

Hey there!

I'm about halfway through demoninated Earth and Ocean and I took physics, biology and chemistry in first year. Maths is not necessary unless you intend to take it in second year.
I know the NUIG website is a pain but if you go to the college of science page, then into first year information under undergrad information, there are syllabus files for each course.
Have a gander at the second and third year subjects in EOS and any pre-requisites are listed!

Enjoy

Half Rhodesian

thanks flomar!

Thats great to know, will go have a look at that now so.

Cheers again

Half Rhodesian

i had a good look at the eos page on the website.

Physic, chem and bio will be just fine after all.
Never knew you could take french or german as electives either.

Cheers again

Flomar

I took German as an elective but to be honest I'm not sure if I'd do it again. You can take beginners or LC level German or LC French. It was quite easy to pass, I had done German in school, but unless you have a real interest in either of the languages I wouldn't bother. It's not recommended to take a language in third year either, as you'd be giving up EOS modules to do so.
No bother at all! Pretty much every person I've met in the EOS department is sound and the lecturers are very approachable.
Best of luck to you Sir!