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Journalism or Economics, Politics and Law...

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  • 08-05-2005 10:27am
    #1
    segadreamcast
    Registered Users Posts: 2,872 ✭✭✭


    Up until this week, I was resolute in my decision to choose journalism as both my University choice and future career option.

    However, I have since decided that by choosing journalism as a course I could be, potentially, leaving University with a degree that has a rather narrow scope in terms of potential employment, and thus, I am leaning towards EPL because it seems like more of a 'real' degree.

    Are there any students here of either journalism or EPL who would care to guide me in my reasoning?


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    #2
    Beebopalula
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭Beebopalula


    If you're passionate about journalism then don't waste time and go for the degree. But I understand your dilemma to go for the rounded degree, and you could possibly go for a masters in journalism when you're finished.
    It's good to have a few strings to your bow, especially if you want to go into economic/business or political reporting.

    I was in a similar predicament when I was choosing my CAO options, whether to go for an English degree followed by a masters, or the straight degree. I was told by a journalist to go for the degree if that's what I really wanted. And I did, and so happy I did.

    If you're unsure and would feel better finding your fight with the epl degree then I'd go with that, if not and you're aiming to be a journo then put the journalism degree on that number one spot!


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    #3
    steveland?
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,842 ✭✭✭steveland?


    I'd go for journalism if you're certain that that's what you want to do.

    There's no point going for a degree you probably won't enjoy doing and then after it being so pissed off with college that you won't bother going back to do the masters...

    There was a guidance councellor in school who told us to put down something you want to do in college, not something you're guaranteed to get a good job out of.


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    #4
    Moorsy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 245 ✭✭Moorsy


    Hey I have e-p-l down as my second choice at the mo. I have B.E.S.S. (Business, Economics and Social Science) in Triners for first. I was gona go for journalism but I think maybe its a bit too narrow at least with e,p,l we can do law, and politics and French or German r psychology basically lots to juggle around with. My careers teacher knows the guidance counsellor out there and he rang her up for me and she said that the proff's are really really really top class and "it has the makings of a really good degree" (that’s my teacher not the dcu head).
    Since B.e.s.s. is 480 and on the increase I probly wont get it so this wont hopefully go up to much. What u thinking about for points for this course?


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    #5
    segadreamcast
    Registered Users Posts: 2,872 ✭✭✭segadreamcast


    What am I thinking about the points for this course? They should rise by about 15 to be honest - I'm in no doubt about that...so you ought to be aiming for 460 to get it as, from what I can tell, since it was a new course last year, some people may have been disuaded from it...


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    #6
    segadreamcast
    Registered Users Posts: 2,872 ✭✭✭segadreamcast


    Thanks for the advice all by the way, I'm not sure about doing journalism at all anymore as - frankly - the career prospects seem to be waning, especially in print.

    Thus, I think I'll go the EPL route and, as somebody else suggested, do a masters in journalism. Does anybody know what the alternative routes (in terms of masters) after doing the EPL course are? Is there a list I can access somewhere?


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    #7
    Moorsy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 245 ✭✭Moorsy


    Go to the DCU website and go to the courses section it amazing . It really clear and well laid out, its what turned me to e,p,l. It gives the creditation system and what u do, suggested reading(bollocks) and the proff ect really good! www.dcu.ie


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    #8
    jrey1981
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,531 ✭✭✭jrey1981


    I've heard that the standard of the course at DCU is very high for the journalism course. If you really have the passion and drive to do journalism, then go for that as you will pick up political and economics on the way...but if you're doing the course that will make you the most employable then I would go for EPL and then as you say, you can do a masters in journalism. I believe DIT do a good one.

    I got a journalism degree in the UK...but am now working in business and doing some writing and research as a volunteer with a charity in Dublin...it's not what I envisaged I'd be doing, but journalism is exceptionally competitive and I'm resigned to the fact that only by volunteering will I build experience with an organisation, while paying the bills with work in business.


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