Changing the structure of my degree

Salty

Hi everyone!

Final year is looming and I'm doing an Arts degree, majoring in English and minoring in Psychology. However, I'm wondering if anyone has any info about possibly changing the structure of my degree.

I'm been working out my provisional timetable as they need my availability in work, and everything I want to do is clashing.

The modules I have the basics of in Psychology are the ones I'd like to continue with to an advanced level in final year, but they clash with the only modules I'm really excited about doing in English.

I'm a first class honours student in English. No matter how hard I work, I can't get more than a 2.1 in Psychology. I'm wondering if it's possible to change to a single honours degree in English, and just keep 10 credits of Psychology. I feel like I've a real shot at a first class honours degree, but I don't think I'll get it if I have to compromise on modules I'm really enthusiastic about in English to do modules I've a bit of experience in for Psychology.

If I choose my favourite modules in English, I'll have to do Psychology modules I've no clue about. If I do the Psychology modules I prefer, I'll have to pick English modules which don't interest me in the slightest.

It's making me sick and anxious thinking about it. Who would I even contact in UCC in relation to this?

Thanks in advance!

April O Neill

Was just passing this forum and saw this.

Are you getting good firsts in English? If you are, might doing the modules you're really enthusiastic about in English be enough to vault you over the threshold into overall first class honours territory, even with 2.1 grades in psych? What kinds of 2.1s were you getting in Psych. High or low?

Do you take one subject as a major? If so, wouldn't that carry more credits? If you get a good first in that subject it might be enough.

Also, don't be afraid of the new psych stuff. You might find you have a flair for it.

Salty

April O Neill wrote: »

Was just passing this forum and saw this.

Are you getting good firsts in English? If you are, might doing the modules you're really enthusiastic about in English be enough to vault you over the threshold into overall first class honours territory, even with 2.1 grades in psych? What kinds of 2.1s were you getting in Psych. High or low?

Do you take one subject as a major? If so, wouldn't that carry more credits? If you get a good first in that subject it might be enough.

Also, don't be afraid of the new psych stuff. You might find you have a flair for it.

Thanks for the reply!

Yes, the firsts I'm getting in English are good. My highest English grade all year was 80%. The max I seem to able to get in Psychology is 66%. I got 76% in one Psychology exam, however it was literally a learn-it-off-and-spit-it-out kind of exam, and I got lucky with the questions.

I got 61% overall in Psychology this year. The first in English (can't remember the exact percentage) was enough to bring me up to 68% as my overall second year grade, so close to the first!

I am majoring in English which is 40 credits. I'm doing 20 credits in Psychology. I'm wondering if I can change to the single honours format and do 50 credits in English and 10 in Psychology. I suppose the final year fear is starting to set in and I'm starting to panic a bit.

April O Neill

I guess I'm not the best person to answer the UCC stuff, as I didn't go there.

But I took up chemistry in university as part of my course, having only studied it to JC level before. I was TERRIFIED but worked my arse off at it and it was my best subject at the end of first year, much better than biology and maths, which I did so well at in school. I'm just trying to say, doing some unknown psych stuff might not be a bad thing, you might just excel at it. I reckon it'd be worth it to do English modules you'd love. Can you do some prior reading on the psych stuff to see what it's like?

Corkfeen

To best of my recollections, I think there's a possibility that you might be able to change to 50 credits as I don't think there's any specific module for 50 credits students that you missed out on this year. Worth calling the English department to check it out, I'd suspect.

Salty

@ April O Neill, I know what you mean about hard work! It certainly helps a lot, especially if you go hell for leather at something you may not like or know much about. I have surprised myself in this respect before.

@ Corkfeen, yes the extra 10 credits would have been one 100% continuous assessment seminar module. I did one of these in second year, the single honours students would have done two. Essentially, I'd be taking on only one extra module in English to take it to single honours level, but dropping two Psychology modules.

I think I'll call the English Dpt. in the morning.

Corkfeen

Hope you manage to sort it out if you want any feedback on final year modules or seminars,feel free to ask. I'm probably more useful in that regard.

Salty

Corkfeen wrote: »

Hope you manage to sort it out if you want any feedback on final year modules or seminars,feel free to ask. I'm probably more useful in that regard.

Thanks a lot! I might quiz you in the near future :P

IHeartChemistry

Babes, official timetables aren't out yet :P Won't be out for another month :P I'd say make a decision when the timetables for next year come out, cos I know my dept are semesterising the schedule to make the transition easier for the 14/15 change! English may be doing that as well!

Also, don't leave me!! Unless you are keeping the two I'll be keeping :P

Salty

IHeartChemistry wrote: »

Babes, official timetables aren't out yet :P Won't be out for another month :P I'd say make a decision when the timetables for next year come out, cos I know my dept are semesterising the schedule to make the transition easier for the 14/15 change! English may be doing that as well!

Also, don't leave me!! Unless you are keeping the two I'll be keeping :P

Haha, yeah it's the provisional ones I was working from! I'm under pressure in work for my availability!

I won't leave you, don't worry!:P

IHeartChemistry

_meehan_ wrote: »

Haha, yeah it's the provisional ones I was working from! I'm under pressure in work for my availability!

I won't leave you, don't worry!:P

Already? Uck, well, maybe ring Mary O'Donovan and ask when the booklets will be released? Same with the English department. Chances are they won't come out for another month like knowing how UCC works like :pac: They should be able to tell you what next years timetables are like! Or try timetable.ucc.ie?

I kinda wished they'd upload these booklets around now to make life easier for us. Start of September is a tad late for planning like :pac:

EDIT - according to timetable.ucc.ie the new timetables are up on the 19th of August! Only 10 days :P