Starting Science Deg. In September!!!

LiamONeill

I'm going to attend nui galway in september to do an undenominated science degree. The only problem is i didn't do physics/chemistry for my L.C. I was wondering how much of a disadvantage i am at? i would be prepared to work hard in the time it takes me to catch up. Also does anyone know how many hours per week this course is?

Creature

I can't tell you anything about that course in particular because I didn't do it but in general science courses tend to start off with the basics in first year. I only did chemistry for the LC and had to do physics and biology in first year college. However I got my head around them both fairly quickly and didn't have any trouble with them so I wouldn't worry if I were you.

ArthurDent

Would echo what Creature says, most courses assume that not all students may have taken all science subjects for leaving and start at a pretty basic level. Make sure you go to tutorials, do your lab write ups as you go along and talk with lecturers if you find an area difficult, most will be happy to help you out.
When I started my degree I only had chemistry and ended up taking a physics/chemistry double major, it can be done, don't get too stressed out about it.

tribulus

yeah i agree with the other posters, i'm just finished the 1st year of my science degree in UCD.

I was lucky in that i did biology and chemistry for the LC and my degree interests lye in chemistry/biochemistry but if you're willing to work you can easily do it.

like the other posters said go to all your labs/tutuorials even if there isn't marks going for them, go to your lectures - most lecturers are only too happy to help you with problems however poor you are with a topic once you show interest and aren't just asking about the minimum grade to pass :rolleyes:

that's been my experience of it anyway - put in the work and you'll be fine regardless of you're LC subjects

good luck

Number6

You'll be grand. The majority of first year science in UCG is just brushing up on LC stuff. Get an LC physics and chemistry book off of a friend. They're practicaly the same course.

I'll be doing first science in ucg (group e - Chem, physics, applied maths and computer science) again as I have to repeat due to health reason... not because i'm stupid

Try to find me out when you start. I'll probably be your Chemistry class rep (if all goes to plan) and i should hopefully be sitting on the ChemSoc committee as the Undergrad representitive.

Feel free to PM me or post if you have anyother questions

Gone West

sixie, Im starting undemoninated science in NUIM as well in Sep. I was wondering the same thing. thanks. Might chat you in #pimpdaddy about it.

nesf

Number6 wrote:

I'll be doing first science in ucg (group e - Chem, physics, applied maths and computer science) again as I have to repeat due to health reason... not because i'm stupid

There's no shame in repeating a year, contrary to popular belief. I had to drop out of college for just over two years due to illness. Am only returning this autumn.

Time out due to illness is a fact of life. You are lucky if it doesn't happen to you. Some of us have had to try and "make the grade" through a lot worse than just exam stress and pressure.

Some people just don't seem to grasp that and are obsessed with how fast you got those letters after your name. They shouldn't matter. The only thing that should matter is the person not their exam results or whatever.

Anyone who's been involved with research could tell you that there's many a fine parrot who sails easily through exams and is unable to do anything original when faced with true academia. Not to say that exam results shouldn't matter. I know I'm proud of mine. It's just that they are not the be all and end all. No one in 10 years will care about what you got in your finals. They will care about what you've done since. Remember that.


(steps off the soapbox)

stevenmu

The chem/physics parts of the NUIM Science course are basically leaving cert stuff again in 1st year. It's obviously easier if you've already done them because you're just going back over the same stuff again, but it's not really a disadvantage to not have done them if you see what I mean.

nesf wrote:

Anyone who's been involved with research could tell you that there's many a fine parrot who sails easily through exams and is unable to do anything original when faced with true academia. Not to say that exam results shouldn't matter. I know I'm proud of mine. It's just that they are not the be all and end all. No one in 10 years will care about what you got in your finals. They will care about what you've done since. Remember that.

I agree completely, I know plenty of people who got Comp Sci degrees just by being able to recite back lecturers notes verbatim, yet in the real world they wouldn't have clue how to begin writing even a simple program. Very few of them are working in the field now.

nesf

stevenmu wrote:

I agree completely, I know plenty of people who got Comp Sci degrees just by being able to recite back lecturers notes verbatim, yet in the real world they wouldn't have clue how to begin writing even a simple program. Very few of them are working in the field now.

It's a major flaw of the present exam system.

In Physics in UCC, we had an internal exam that counted for 10% across the four physics modules in 2nd and 3rd year. It was a very tough exam, but it was "open-book". IE you could bring the main text book in with you and the questions only needed formulae from it. But the questions were not "standard" if you know what I mean.

The idea being, that anyone can learn off the material, but only someone with understanding could apply it well.


I thought it was a very good idea, although it wouldn't translate well into to other subjects where verbatim definitions are bread and butter parts of doing the degree.

Physics (in UCC at least) was less concerned with your ability to memorise proofs and far more interested in testing your understanding of said proofs.

Son Goku

A terrible artefact of the current exam system is that there are people who advance through science based on networking and socialising skills.

nesf

Son Goku wrote:

A terrible artefact of the current exam system is that there are people who advance through science based on networking and socialising skills.

I'd personally say that's more of a problem at post graduate and researcher/lecturer levels.

At undergrad it's less of a problem. Still there, but nothing compared to the politics and **** that can dominate further up the food chain.

Imho.

rainbow kirby

nesf wrote:

There's no shame in repeating a year, contrary to popular belief.

Some people just don't seem to grasp that and are obsessed with how fast you got those letters after your name. They shouldn't matter. The only thing that should matter is the person not their exam results or whatever.

well said nesf.

Tar.Aldarion

having friends in nuig this year doing that course,getting the lc books seems to be a good way.physics in particular is quite handy to pick up.the labs will help you with passing aswell.
mmm not looking forward to those early cold mornings walking to nuig again...sigh but the rest is great..enjoy!

oneofakind32

Looks like I'll be doing ths course aswell even though its not top of my list. Id would be going for group A or B.

causal

LiamONeill wrote:

The only problem is i didn't do physics/chemistry for my L.C. I was wondering how much of a disadvantage i am at? i would be prepared to work hard in the time it takes me to catch up.

As has been said most science degrees start assuming you know little or nothing of the subject matter and (some) will progress quickly from there.

The good news for you is that there is a good chance by the end of first year you'll have a better understanding of physics than many of the ppl with LC physics - the reason is because they will attend the first few physics lectures and realise they've "done it all before". They'll either stop attending or switch-off in class. Suddenly they'll realise (at exam time) that the course overtook their knowledge or had a totally different emphasis.

On some of the other points:
I remember as a fresher our first lecturer suggested we consider whether we were attending college simply to pass the tests and get a degree - or whether we wanted to become scientists. I said both, tbh

If networking and socialising get you through then there's something really badly wrong (read: corrupt) with the examinations system*
Regurgitating can certainly get you through probably most disciplines at the basic level - but that's why there are grades. A total regurgitater will never get more than a pass if the examinations are correctly written*. Certainly a regurgitater shouldn't get honours.
Don't even get me started on politics in academia.
Absolutely no shame in repeating / taking time out - life is a marathon not a sprint.

* Having written a few fresher and sophomore physics papers I know the system.

causal

Billy Kovachy

So very true,i failed all through my time at nuigalway in physics. It was great. The time table i think was around 20 to 23hours in first year. All lectures have an open door policy so if you are stuck on any problem just go and annoy them its in their contract.

Panserborn

I'm a postgrad in Biochem in NUIG and done my whole undergrad in the undoniminated science course there.

The good news is that YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO PHYSICS!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek: When I was a first year (so long ago its scary!) not many people realised this and had a sh*t 1st year because of physics. There is a group of subjects (group D in my day) that has Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Maths. This makes life way easier as Earth Science 1) interesting 2) no maths or equations 3) very few lab praticals 4) much easier to understand than physics.

It is essentially like the physical geography section of the LC - even if you didn't do geography or even if you did it and didn't like it, its way easier than physics.

Can't help you on the chemistry front but its not so bad, the tutorials are good and the postgrads are good for grinds as well.

The takehome message of all this ramble is YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO PHYSICS - REJOICE!

ill be doing undenominated science as well!plan to branch into pharmacy after doing my science degree!

Number6

Where The Dazzler?

LiamONeill

hey dazzler wat's your name. ur plan is exactly the same as mine - pharmacy=big money!

angeldelight

LiamONeill wrote:

pharmacy=big money!

Yes but the degree is hard work. I'm heading into second year in RCSI and it's very enjoyable but hard!

Ill probably go to liverpool university!applied to ucas!was talking to them and they said if i did2 years of a science degree then i could do pharmacy in 2007/08!4year course

my name is darren btw!

silenoz

I got a BSc degree (general) from NUIG... I did undenominated science for three years. Don't worry if you know nothing about Science when you start just go into the lectures and the tutorials (if you can)... I remember having a chemistry tutorial on 8pm on a monday night! Don't worry it's not a very hard course, just pick your subjects wisely.

God, I wish I was in your position... If I could start over again there's so many things I'd do different!

i hope its not too easy!id like it to give me a major grounding in chemistry for doing pharmacy.

chem

Sorry to burst your bubbles, but pharm does not = big money. Dont get me wrong it used to alright. Problem is now days its all the likes of boots and other large scale outlets. The law says in this little green isle that only so many pharms are aloud be opened in an area depending on population. Its a closed shop. Unless your family own one or there is a change in the law its not looking great unless you can get into a hospital or the like. Money in boots is poor for the lenght of time spent at collage or uni.

Number6

Indeed.

I counted at least 6 pharmacists around the shop street area alone.
Towns like moycullen have 2, while oughterard has 1.

It's going to be way overpopulated soon... that's why biochem and regular chemistry will not go out of fashion soon... you pharmacists need us to make the drugs you sell.

nesf

chem wrote:

Sorry to burst your bubbles, but pharm does not = big money. Dont get me wrong it used to alright. Problem is now days its all the likes of boots and other large scale outlets. The law says in this little green isle that only so many pharms are aloud be opened in an area depending on population. Its a closed shop. Unless your family own one or there is a change in the law its not looking great unless you can get into a hospital or the like. Money in boots is poor for the lenght of time spent at collage or uni.

Sorry to burst your bubble but a good friend of mine did pharm in TCD and is now earning good money straight out of college. With zero family connections.

You could make the same generalisation about medicine, but it's not really true. You can earn very good money, you just have to work hard after you finish college to get there.

Same as nearly every other degree.

angeldelight

To be honest, yes Boots are here etc but there's still a large number of independent pharmacies in Ireland, you can see that if you walk through most towns in the country. I know Boots don't pay great but they do offer a lot more regular hours, benefits etc than would be offered to a pharmacist running a small independent pharmacy, so it's all relative. For anyone thinking of going into pharmacy, seriously don't do it just for the money. The course is hard work and the job itself is ok but if you're not interested in the job why work so hard to get a job you don't like, money isn't everything

Number6

Indeed.

On a side note, I don't use boots as a pharmacist, i prefer the independent ones. They all know my name now, and give me free sweeties!! She also helped me out a lot with the DPS card, damn WHB (HSE).