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Electives for bringing up your G.P.A.?

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  • 10-12-2009 12:18pm
    #1
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭


    Any advice on 1st year modules that are fairly straightforward? Which of the beginner language courses did people find most interesting/enjoyable/easy?!:cool:


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    #2
    rainbow kirby
    Registered Users Posts: 26,928 ✭✭✭✭rainbow kirby


    I particularly enjoyed Japanese when I did it. Pick whichever one interests you most (and actually has spaces!) though.


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    #3
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭jamser89


    Thanks!Anyone have any idea what the German for beginners course is like? Is there much homework to do outside of the classes etc.?


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    #4
    Thomas_S_Hunterson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,151 ✭✭✭Thomas_S_Hunterson


    jamser89 wrote: »
    Thanks!Anyone have any idea what the German for beginners course is like? Is there much homework to do outside of the classes etc.?
    I did it this semester, the material is pretty handy only my lectures were on from 6-8pm on a wednesday which was pretty inconvenient so I only made about 4 of them.


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    #5
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭jamser89


    Any mcq exams or modules where there's no final exam? Preferrably introductory science modules


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    #6
    Browney7
    Registered Users Posts: 3,100 ✭✭✭Browney7


    Information and communications technology in Computer science and algorithmic problem solving are both handy enough. Think they might only be 1st semester though.

    German is grand. A lot of continuous assessment including participation/attendance, mid term, oral and final exam. Useful enough aswell.


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    #7
    fillmore jive
    Closed Accounts Posts: 649 ✭✭✭fillmore jive


    There's a first year geology module that is just a field trip to Antrim or somewhere for a weekend to do some project. No exam you just have to write up a report but there's probably some co-requisites to do the module.

    Another good science one to do is Algorithmic problem solving, it's a first year comp science module. Interesting subject, easy enough exam and the lecturer is very sound so that should bring your gpa up a good bit.


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    #8
    El Siglo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,803 ✭✭✭El Siglo


    Land Use and the Environment (AESC 10010) with John Feehan, probably the best module I ever did in UCD.


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    #9
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭jamser89


    Any 2nd semester modules though? think those modules are 1st semester.


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    #10
    Thomas_S_Hunterson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,151 ✭✭✭Thomas_S_Hunterson


    jamser89 wrote: »
    Any 2nd semester modules though? think those modules are 1st semester.

    Formal Foundations (COMP10070) is second semester as far as I remember. No final exam and pretty light workload.


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    #11
    MrKingsley
    Registered Users Posts: 2,428 ✭✭✭MrKingsley


    I did a social policy elective last year. Approaches to Social Issues.

    Absolutely great class. 1200 word essay worth 50% and hour exam for the rest. Well worth it.

    Glad to see some people are using the elective system correctly!:D


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    #12
    upmeath
    Registered Users Posts: 1,492 ✭✭✭upmeath


    Polish was good craic, small class, about 12 of us if I remember correctly. Tape test was tricky but the rest was a piece of cake. The written exam was like join the dots meets MCQ. Got a B+ with minimal effort.
    DO IT!


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    #13
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭jamser89


    Does anyone know what the third year history module The Birth and Death of Yugoslavia is like??


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    #14
    33% God
    Closed Accounts Posts: 338 ✭✭33% God


    jamser89 wrote: »
    Does anyone know what the third year history module The Birth and Death of Yugoslavia is like??
    Probably a gigantic cluster****, like Yugoslavia itself.


    On Topic:
    Introduction to Programming. Easiest A in the world.


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    #15
    WeeBushy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,572 ✭✭✭WeeBushy


    El Siglo wrote: »
    Land Use and the Environment (AESC 10010) with John Feehan, probably the best module I ever did in UCD.

    I think a friend did that course, did he tell you the exact questions that were coming up on the exam?

    Biology for the modern world is very interesting and fairly easy if you're interested in that area. It's kind of a social commentary on current matters within biology. It's a first semester module though. Had the mcq exam this morning and with little to no study (many harder, more important exams ahead) I knew the answers to pretty much all the qs.

    I did beginners spanish two years ago it was interesting, enjoyable and easy!


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    #16
    SmashingPilot
    Registered Users Posts: 540 ✭✭✭SmashingPilot


    fillmore jive wrote: »
    There's a first year geology module that is just a field trip to Antrim or somewhere for a weekend to do some project. No exam you just have to write up a report but there's probably some co-requisites to do the module.

    Ye, this module requires you to take all the other 1st year geology modules to be eligible for it, did it last year.
    Its also more than a weekend. Its 4 days, during the midterm break in March and as much fun as it was the workload almost killed me for those few days.


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    #17
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭jamser89


    Whats the exam like in Principles of Macroeconomics? 1st year module.


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    #18
    JBUCD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 48 ✭JBUCD


    33% God wrote: »
    Probably a gigantic cluster****, like Yugoslavia itself.


    On Topic:
    Introduction to Programming. Easiest A in the world.

    They changed it for people doing it as an elective.


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    #19
    33% God
    Closed Accounts Posts: 338 ✭✭33% God


    JBUCD wrote: »
    They changed it for people doing it as an elective.
    Really? What is it now?


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    #20
    JBUCD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 48 ✭JBUCD


    33% God wrote: »
    Really? What is it now?
    Not sure exactly. Anyone tell us whats the difference. But they divided up the Comp Sci students and the students doing it as an elective.


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    #21
    Korvanica
    Registered Users Posts: 3,992 ✭✭✭Korvanica


    Introduction to Cognitive Science - Most interesting module I've done in Ucd. Excellent lecturer and easy exam.


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    #22
    WeeBushy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,572 ✭✭✭WeeBushy


    Korvanica wrote: »
    Introduction to Cognitive Science - Most interesting module I've done in Ucd. Excellent lecturer and easy exam.

    1st or 2nd semster? My elective in Sem2 is fairly meh, wouldn't mind trying to find somethig better. I'd say places are full for the best ones though...


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    #23
    Jaybl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39 ✭Jaybl


    Korvanica wrote: »
    Introduction to Cognitive Science - Most interesting module I've done in Ucd. Excellent lecturer and easy exam.
    Im doing this course next semester so good to hear. Also doing my other elective this semester. (Comp Forensics)


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    #24
    scange01
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33 ✭scange01


    +1 for Algorithm Problem Solving. Could you solve the Cabbage, Sheep and Wolf problem as a child? That's pretty much an exam question.

    And if you have any kind of competency with Maths, or if you're doing Micro/Macro, Intro to Quantitative Economics.
    A not so hidden secret which led to one course actually being banned this year from doing it as an elective.


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    #25
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭jamser89


    How did people find the beginners spanish course?


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    #26
    Stercus Accidit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,758 ✭✭✭Stercus Accidit


    Drawing systems.

    Its first year tech graphics (secondary school) and is tailored to the architecture students who have no time for more than one lecture a week, we do be busy with projects.

    So three submissions, no exam, and one 2 hour lecture a week.

    And its easy if you have done tech drawing before, or even if you havn't.


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    #27
    MrKingsley
    Registered Users Posts: 2,428 ✭✭✭MrKingsley


    jamser89 wrote: »
    How did people find the beginners spanish course?

    Absolutely beautiful if its done through the applied languages centre.

    Learn some really practical stuff and its mainly done through oral work. The first class i went to was in week 6 an i still managed a b- so its not a huge workload either


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    #28
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭jamser89


    MrKingsley wrote: »
    The first class i went to was in week 6 an i still managed a b- so its not a huge workload either

    did you not miss out on assessment then by missing the first 5 weeks?lol


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    #29
    littlefriend
    Registered Users Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭littlefriend


    Has anyone done 'psychology of perception' as an elective. I chose it for next semester but not sure about it now..


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    #30
    jamser89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 65 ✭✭jamser89


    littlefriend wrote: »
    Has anyone done 'psychology of perception' as an elective. I chose it for next semester but not sure about it now..

    Don't worry Aidan Moran is a great lecturer. Lectures very enjoyable and interesting and exams weren't too stressful!:)


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    #31
    CRoche09
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭CRoche09


    Economics and society in first year is pretty simple....The lecturers arent great though. Cormac O Grada - an old man who seems to be constantly on his period and Colm McCarty - who is good but just does random stuff and its not very interesting.

    Its 2 lectures a week, and 2 hour exam and a mid term. Its not exactly interesting but it could be easy to do well in it if you just put in a bit of work..


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