DCU Science Opinions?

Fiske

Hey all,

I'm a first year CES student here in DCU at the moment. Since September we've had only one good lecturer. I won't go into too much detail about the rest, but generally if you're giving a lecture I'd expect you to have looked through the slides beforehand and at least pretend you want to be there for an hour.

What myself and other students I've met have experienced so far this year has made me feel like I signed up for a dosser's course, which is not what I expected from a science degree at all, and it's not something I want my dad to spend hard-earned money on. I was wondering if there's anyone else who's been in one of the science degrees and has experienced this? Does it get better at all or was I just wrong to pick DCU?

Dub404

During the first year of CES biology, chemistry and physics are taught at a level with students who didn't do all three subjects at leaving cert level in mind. As a result, as you say, it can and will feel like a "dosser's course". As you move into second year the level that the material that you look at will quickly increase to the more challenging stuff that someone going for a B.Sc. might expect (I can only speak for my own course, as someone who did CES 2 years ago and chose to go into pharmaceutical chemistry).

As for this year, your labs will continue to be boring (esp physics). And the only module that would get your juices flowing would be PS128 (if you elected to do it instead of general physics or physics for scientists or whatever its called).

If you want to know anything more specific ask away and I might be able to give a better answer.

ironictoaster

Final year biotech student here . First year for all science students isn't great to be honest, I definitely had a lot of brutal lectures in T101! However when you pick your desired course in 2nd year, you'll have smaller classes and taking modules specific to your degree which are generally lectured by people who work and are currently doing research in that area, it's more like a classroom environment in my experience particularly in 3rd and 4th year. It will definitely get better

Fiske

ironictoaster wrote: »

Final year biotech student here . First year for all science students isn't great to be honest, I definitely had a lot of brutal lectures in T101! However when you pick your desired course in 2nd year, you'll have smaller classes and taking modules specific to your degree which are generally lectured by people who work and are currently doing research in that area, it's more like a classroom environment in my experience particularly in 3rd and 4th year. It will definitely get better

Thanks, this is really reassuring. I've been hoping that it's just a first year thing.

ironictoaster

Yeah I wouldn't worry about it. If you have any questions on biotech, let me know.

Duffman K

Would agree with the others on this, did CES in first year and wasn't bothered going to a lot of the lectures.

Then second year comes and you got slapped in the face with lots of labs (chemistry) and lab reports along with more difficult lecture content.