Biotechnology UCD or NUIG

steph0712

Hello,

I got accepted in both MSc degrees.
Can you please help me to decide which is the better one!
Or would you suggest MSc in Immunology at TCD as the winner?
I think the latter is maybe too specialised.

Cheers,
Steph

don023

Hi Steph,

What was your original degree in? Are you doing the course to get into industry or into research and possible phd position at a latter stage?

steph0712

My original degree was in Marine Biology. I figured something with business is good to have the alternative option to not have to work in a laboratory all my life. Also got the Molecular Cell with Bioinnovation in Cork now as an offer, too.

So difficult. Guess I have a tendency between UCD and UCC by now.

don023

Did you apply for the UCD MSc in Biotech & Business or just pure MSc Biotech?

I've applied for and accepted the MSc in UCD. I figured UCD would have greater multidisciplinary resources (and offer greater range in research areas) and be more closely affiliated with companies in Ireland. Plus I did my undergrad in Cork and would like a change!

When do you have to make a final decision?

abhayveer02

I got an offer to study MSc Biotechnology from Both NUIG and UCD. I know UCD is better in ranking, NUIG campus looks good and artistic though and researches in biotechnology are booming there,but genuinely which university will be good for academic purpose to study. I am an international student, fees is somehow the same so better invest in better one. please help.

don023

If the fees are the same then think about the living costs. Dublin will be a lot more expensive than Galway in every aspect. Cheaper housing will be further out from UCD and so more time and money on transport. Living close by will be expensive and in my experience, in September 2013 it was impossible to find somewhere to live. I didn't get a room untill well into November so make sure you get ahead of the 1st year college students (they start looking end of August after 1st round of college offers)

Think about what you want from your masters. If it's manual lab skills, practice on presentation or reporting, the prestige of having gone to a higher ranked University etc.. Really compare the course content and read up on the module descriptions. And don't be afraid to email the schools in the universities to talk to the people coordinating the masters course.

Galway has the only licensed stem cell manufacturing facility in Ireland (http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0127/500333-stem-cells/)

UCD is big on funding for start up biotechs and good for fostering you into business world.

Both uni's will be great though and Ireland is a small enough country that the links between these universities (and other national uni's) will be quite close. It's only 1-2 years of your life!