MA Educational Psychology 09

Croí

Awww cheers

Too much thinking about it might be my enemy from now on! So thanks for help and best wishes

Will let ye know how I get on if it's of help to anyone hoping to go down a similar path


Croí

The Black Oil

Just had an email from a friend who is going through the first round for UCD's MAEP this afternoon. He is secondary teacher, but has some psychology up his sleeve, too.

- Today we have 2.5 hours to write a critique on a research article.

- IF you manage to get through that successfully there is a 2nd round in a month's time when I will have to give a 1hr presentation

- IF you manage to get through that there is a 3rd round full panel interview.

He's expecting there to be around 200 people there for 14 places.

Moobui

The critique bit is correct but the presentation is not 1 hour it is 10 minutes and the interview is on the same day, generally 2 people on the panel.

The Black Oil

Alrighty

Valmont

The Black Oil wrote: »

Alrighty

I'd imagine a one hour presentation would be a nightmare for all parties involved.

Douise

did you say that you applied for educational psychology in UCD for this coming september (2009)? when i enquired about it I was told that there was no course starting this year and that the next one would be 2010. Did they lie to me???

Moobui

The first phase in selecting candidates was last Friday so someone in UCD gave you the wrong information. As far as I know they take applicants every year unlike the clinical course which has not taken students every year.

yapster

there was info for this course on the website

http://www.ucd.ie/education/graduateprogrammes/taughtprogrammes/masterofartsineducationpsychologymaep/

Closing date 6th March

amz5

I'm studying with the OU at the moment, and I'll be finished next year. I'm a primary school teacher with 7 years experience (mainstream). I'm taking a career break in September to go travelling, and I'd really like to gain some experience in psychology along the way (maybe in America or Oz). I'd be willing to work volunatarily for a few months....what kind of experience do you think I'd be able to get/would be valuable?

I have a lot of experience of autism, as my 24 year old brother is autistic, so that's not something I really want to get into.

I've noticed that a lot of the traditional psych undergrad courses offer placements, and I feel that I might be at a disadvantage from this perspective due to my lack of experience. Any suggestions to help me (and others) to get into Ed. Psych will be much appreciated! Thanks!

Any more info on when Mary I. will start the Ed Psych course? Apparently they're advertising for lecturers for the Ed. Psych course. I'm an ex Mary I girl, would hate to go back but if necessary...

Bertee

Hi C, I want to be an ed psych too. (thought it would be easy all those years ago when i decided on it!) Did an interview for the UCD course a couple of weeks ago, but as my referees have not been contacted yet I'm losing hope. Did you do an interview again this year? The course seems very different this year with the change in director.
Best of luck,
B

Moobui

The director on the UCD course has not changed, he will be back in September. The course changes slightly every year but I did not realise that there were plans to make it very different from previous years, what kind of changes are they making?

Bertee

Hi there,
I actually just meant that as an applicant the course is different this year. I didn't realise that the change in director was only temporary, as the correspondance I've had from them over the past few months has all been from the new director. I was wondering why the website wasn't updated, so thanks for clearing that up.
The experience of applying has been different this year. At the critique stage we were given more time than last year and the director refused to give the presentation topic at that stage as she felt it would put unecessary pressure on people. Feedback was given on the dates they said it would be given (progress!) and my friend who did not proceed to the final interview was given really comprehensive feedback on her performance at the critique stage and her overall application. Last year I got absolutely no feedback even though I made about five requests - very frustrating. It just seems very organised this year.
Are you on the course?

Moobui

Those are definitely good changes to see, I found it a bit disorganised last year and the waiting was terrible when they didn't stick to the dates so it's great that things have changed, last year was my first time to apply so I had nothing to compare it to. The only other change I heard was that they are taking 22 people in this year. Best of luck with the application, is it next week you find out?

Bertee

Yes, next week is when I expect to hear. Although I think they would have contacted my referees by now if they were going to offer me a place.
It's great they have expanded the course though.

Moobui

Don't give up hope yet. I don't think they contacted my referees until they offered me a place so I am sure you are still in the running. Best of luck for next week.

The Black Oil

A friend of mine got a call yesterday to say he's been accepted. They just need to check his references and see his transcripts (of stuff that's not psychology).

Croí

Oh well that has completely ruined my day! I haven't heard a thing. Hope you're having better luck Bertee!

:(:(

yapster

I still wouldn't rule out getting a place. They offered some people places as late as August last year. Who was the female director?

Bertee

i'm gutted to hear offers have been made, I've heard nothing. so disappointing.
temporary female director is dr joyce senior.

yapster

she's really lovely. do bear in mind that it always happens that one person doesn't take their place for some reason or another. i think that happended last year before they even added the 2 extra places. and they have 22 spots this year.

baileyjackson

Simone, did you end up in Belarus Hw did you find it?

I would like to point out to all, that children in Belarus are affected more by the aftermath of the soviet union and its policies on people with disabilities, then the radiation after Chernobyl. These children suffer from things like downe syndrome and more common problems then radiation poisoning. Cancer is there, depending on geographical location, but not all children are suffering from the aftermath of Chernobyl. It is always possible to make institutionalised childrens lives better.

As a volunteer who has travelled to Belarus, and who has a background in Social Work and Psych, I find some of the above comments appalling.

Valmont

baileyjackson wrote: »

I find some of the above comments appalling

So as not to derail this thread any further, why don't you PM me as to why you feel some of my posts are appalling. I'd admit to slight cynicism but that's it if you read my posts within the fairly obvious context they were posted in.

kitkat.3b4t

Valmont wrote: »

I don't know the actual health problems or disadvantages that the children you may or may not be working with have but I'd imagine it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to teach a congenitally deformed or terminally ill child to 'have a better form of life' unless you're a trained professional. I say this because I have relatives who took in children displaced from the fallout in the mid 90's. Congenital deformities and thyroid cancer are some of the main illnesses resulting from the Chernobyl disaster and perhaps this would be a more 'medical' volunteer position.

http://www.volunteer.ie/ presents many less hardcore volunteer opportunities that surely meet the requirements of working with ill or disadvantaged children.

Simone seems very keen to do this type of work. Perhaps he/she has the necessary personal qualities!!!