colllege choice dilemma

mickydi

Help please...

got Arts in UCD and Primary teaching Liverpool ... hope to do Primary teaching eventually. am trying to decide between courses.

If 3 yr Arts would do Irish & History but have been told these are very tough ... does anyone know. Got C2 in both in LC .... very unhappy expected better!! Love Irish. Aim would be 18mth Post Grad in Primay Ed ... (I know it sometimes takes a while to be accepted on to course)

or

Liverpool 4yr with view to doing conversion Irish after.

Would prefer not to go to UK but wonder if it is the best option if Irish is so difficult.

Any advice or experiences appreciated. Thanks.

Have posted this on other threads .... sorry only getting the hang of this thing!!!!

Lucas10101

If you don't want to go over to UK then I think your mind is made up already.

mickydi

I'd prefer not to go away but am considering it if it is the best option ...

I like Irish but I'm a bit put off taking it to degree as I've been told it's very tough .. studying Irish is one of main reasons I'd be taking Arts ... you see I'm totally muddled!!!!!

Lucas10101

If you enjoy Irish and work hard, there is nothing in the course you cannot overcome.

Do the Arts and do something afterwards.

dontdoit

just another thought wud it be really expensive to go liverpool 4 yrs?-fees, accom etc

snickerpuss

I just finished Irish in UCD, its not that tough. If you have a decent level of Irish you should be fine. The lecturers are brilliant and so friendly, they'd be happy to help with anything if you did have any problems.
I didn't exactly kill myself studying for it and I did fine so it's not as tough as you've heard. Trust me, in first year i skipped entire courses and passed with no probs.
There's very little continuous assessment so it took up very little time compared to my other subjects. You go to the Gaeltacht in Second and Third year.

I wanted to do Art History rather then go straight into primary school teaching and I don't regret it for a second, when you love a subject and want to study it, you should. Primary School Teaching can always be done later but you're unlikely to go back and do Irish.
I say go for it.

Any more questions, feel free to ask!

mickydi

Thanks ... do you mind if I ask what level Irish you had from LC. think I'm swaying towards Arts again!!!

Pythia

Teaching is fairly difficult to get into here after doing an Arts degree. Many people head over to England afterwards, so it's likely you would go now or later.

Esmereldina

Pythia wrote:

Teaching is fairly difficult to get into here after doing an Arts degree. Many people head over to England afterwards, so it's likely you would go now or later.

This is true but having an interest in Irish and doing a degree in it can be a big help in getting a place in the postgraduate course here.

snickerpuss

I had a B1 in honours Irish but I am fluent. The courses are run through Irish and there were people with verying levels of it. Its not extremely hard Irish and I mean it when I say the lecturers are lovely and would help with anything.
Go up to the Irish department and talk to Meidhbhín Ní Úrdail or Diarmaid O Sé. They're up on the second floor, section B.

If thats too scary then just show up to a few classes and see what you think.

mickydi

Thanks for the post folks, all helpful .... might try to pluck up courage to talk to lecturers mentioned ... seems like a good idea, although to do that I'd have to have made my decision! Am leaning more towards UCD at mo. ... will have to decide very soon time is running out

?

If you can that is. History at University/Third level is very different to the Leaving Cert. Sure you need to know the information but what they're primarily teaching you in college is research skills, in essence how to be a historian.

If you have a C in Higher Level LC Irish then you have the required level of Irish for Primary School teaching (as far as I know). If you missed out on the required level of points talk to your Career Guidance Councellor - or the one in UCD they don't ask you for a student card before talking to you - and see where a UK qualification or an Irish postgrad one will take you.

mickydi

Not easy to drop in to UCD as I live quite a bit away. I did miss the points here and considered repeating but spoke to guidance councillor and was advised re the two options mentioned.

I'm happy with the history ... know a couple of people who have done it. More concerned about the Irish although the previous posts have helped.

Am going to try the Irish I think and if it doesn't work out perhaps apply through UCAS next year to Primary Teaching ....

Thanks for all the posts

snickerpuss

No prob.
I'll be around UCD Arts building so if you're stuck with Irish, feel free to give me a shout.
You can go to a few classes and swap to something else if you really hate it.

mickydi

Thanks snickerpuss ..... might take you up on that !!

dumbyearbook

Go do the teaching you'll be set towards a career from day1 - 4yrs will fly, get your profession sorted then have your 'study fun' after if you are still into Irish at that stage do a diploma by night in it.

The Uk would be fine, fair play for considering it id never have thought like that in first year!

A conversion course is better than coming out of arts hunting for a hDip afaik?