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Texts, Contexts, Cultures integrated PhD

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  • 23-11-2009 11:47am
    #1
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭


    This yoke: http://www.textscontextscultures.ie/

    Anyone on this at the moment or know anyone who is?

    (Will be talking to course coordinators as well, just want to get some word-of-mouth opinions now.) :)

    Things I'm curious about:
    - how does the 'new technologies' thing actually work out?
    - to what extent is it multi-institutional - just for a couple of option courses in the first year?
    - how does the research part of it work out - do you need to have a decent idea of what you want to concentrate in before you start?

    (cross-posted to TCD forum)


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    #2
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    I'm involved in the programme this year, sort of.

    New technologies basically involves a conference video call between the universities (although this year there is no one in cork). Its only for one or two modules so its only a few hours a week. If you are in Galway and its Nicholas' module then he lectures directly and everyone else gets it on the video call.

    It would be a very good idea to have a research topic worked out in advance, especially because you will have to find your own research money unlike the first year the course was set up. Have you done a masters yet? I guess it would be technically possible to start the course without a topic, treat it as a lead in masters year (without the parchment at the end of it), and try to work on a topic in the meantime.


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    #3
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭claire h


    Thanks for answering. :)
    brianthebard wrote: »
    It would be a very good idea to have a research topic worked out in advance, especially because you will have to find your own research money unlike the first year the course was set up. Have you done a masters yet? I guess it would be technically possible to start the course without a topic, treat it as a lead in masters year (without the parchment at the end of it), and try to work on a topic in the meantime.

    Did most of the people on the programme come in with a masters? At TCD it's something people have been applying to immediately after their BA, and part of the appeal is the idea of getting to be already in a programme while putting together stuff for a PhD as opposed to researching/writing a masters' thesis while also coming up with a PhD proposal. That 'technically possible' sounds like it might have an invisible 'but you'd be mad to do it that way!' at the end... ;)


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    #4
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    I'm fairly sure the majority of our group of six have masters. Obviously its not necessary but you need to have a tangible research topic and be able to knock up a proposal by January (assuming you apply for a fellowship this year). I can't imagine having a research topic ready at the end of my degree, nor being able for the amount of work that will come in the first year of the programme. I am glad I did a masters and I learned a lot from it, plus my research topic is a result of my masters dissertation. But obviously its up to you, talk to the main guy in TCD about it (I forget his name) and see what he thinks.


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    #5
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭claire h


    brianthebard wrote: »
    I'm fairly sure the majority of our group of six have masters. Obviously its not necessary but you need to have a tangible research topic and be able to knock up a proposal by January (assuming you apply for a fellowship this year).

    Cool, that's good to know. Thanks again. :)


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    #6
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    No problem. btw I was told that the majority of people who receive an IRCHSS fellowship are already in their programme, so I don't know how likely you will be to be successful in your application. I'm not saying not to do it of course, just letting you know that its a hard thing to get. The success rate in recent years has been about 1 in 4, that might change this year. Make sure to look into what fellowships trinity have on offer, talk to the head of TCC up there, start thinking about a topic and set up a meeting with a possible supervisor to get their imput.


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    #7
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭claire h


    brianthebard wrote: »
    No problem. btw I was told that the majority of people who receive an IRCHSS fellowship are already in their programme, so I don't know how likely you will be to be successful in your application. I'm not saying not to do it of course, just letting you know that its a hard thing to get.

    Funding as opposed to actually getting in to the programme, do you mean?


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    #8
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    Not 100% sure what you mean, but its easy to get on the TCC programme, much harder to get a fellowship.


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    #9
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭claire h


    brianthebard wrote: »
    Not 100% sure what you mean, but its easy to get on the TCC programme, much harder to get a fellowship.

    That was pretty much what I wanted to know, thanks. :) I wouldn't have been assuming that funding would have been at all easy.


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