UCD Horizons

samsamson

I'm filling in the CAO this February and keep hearing adverts on the radio for a UCD Horizons course.

I checked out the website (https://myucd.ucd.ie/aboutucd/ucd_horizons.ezc) and all it really says is that it's based on a different credits system than a usual degree, or something. I didn't really understand.

I have no idea what I want to do, so I thought a course where I can get a taste of loads of different things (and not get stuck with crap subjects for too long) might be good.

Is this a new course? Anybody here heard good/bad things about it?

Thanks!

Edit: Or maybe this isn't even a course, is it just some new system of grading people or something? I think I might be confused!

Stabshauptmann

Read through the website again. Then consult your schools guidance councillor.

Horizons is a new system where you choose electives (small parts of other courses) to do as well as your main course. You change these every semester and their purpose to to give you a broader education. It assumed you'll pick things that you find interesting rather than your electives being of any practical career use since they wont cover any one course in sufficient detail.

Be warned. Due to demand and schedule conflicts there is the possibility you will not get the electives you want.

The other new changes in UCD are the structuring of courses and exams in line with the international standard. In general this means a greater emphasis on continuous assessment and a balancing of the amount of hours a course requires across different subjects.

Breezer

UCD Horizons is the branding applied to a system introduced in UCD a few years ago. Basically, for most courses, it means you will study 5 'core' subjects, or 'modules', per semester (of which there are 2 per year). These are compulsory. In addition, you will choose one 'elective' module from any course in the university per semester, provided it doesn't clash with your core timetable. You will be examined twice in the year, once in December and once in May, along with having some element of continuous assessment (the format of this varies depending on the course: you may have mid-term exams, essays, lab work, projects or a combination).

Normally modules are worth 5 'credits' each, which are awarded provided you pass the module. You need 60 credits to pass a year. Occasionally, modules are worth more than 5 credits, and therefore you don't need to take as many modules if you're doing one of these. The credits system has nothing to do with your grade, you just get awarded all 5 (or 10 or whatever) if you pass the module, and none if you don't; you still get awarded a First, 2.1, 2.2 or Pass as before depending on what grades you achieve (although the college labels this differently using GPA - Grade Point Average, but when you look beyond all the weird branding it's the same as any other college).

I really wouldn't worry too much about the ads. A lot of money has been invested in talking up this new system in the media. It has its benefits (being able to take a language in addition to your core subjects, for example) and drawbacks (most students haven't a clue what electives to pick and merely focus on enrolling in something before the system crashes). Ultimately I don't think it makes a great deal of difference - for me there's been slightly more positives than negatives - but I wouldn't get too hung up on it. If you think you want to do a course in UCD, put it down on your CAO, and same for any other college.