Ucl Or Trinity College Dublin

For English Lit? The course at trinity looks a lot more liberal and contempary (a lot of post-colonial literature, emphasis on critical and cultural theory) whereas the UCL course seems a bit less thematic and emphasis on a few narrative texts.

What are UCL tutorials etc like?

In short which is the better faculty?

Reply 1

generalebriety

Well, no one's gonna have gone to both. So you won't get many people comparing the faculties. :wink:

Which course do you prefer the sound of, and what's stopping you immediately rushing off and applying there? Might also like to look at the university league tables by subject (google Times Good University Guide) if you haven't already done so.

Reply 2

bearandbull

i have offers from both

trinity wont be on the same league table as ucl as its not UK

Reply 3

empfrench

bearandbull

i have offers from both

trinity wont be on the same league table as ucl as its not UK

Are you a post-exam results applicant? Its just that I didn't apply to Trinity because they wanted me to do 4 A Levels, and I wants to drop economics, and I would only have found out whether they had let me in or not in August after the results; although the UCL offer is conditional, I know if I get the grades I'll be going to London, while, even if I had got AAAA, Trinity still might have rejected me.

Anyway - obviously I'm a bit biased, but I would say the UCL course looks amazing. The first year provides a really solid grounding in literature from Old English, to modern times, with great contextual stuff in the 'Intellectual and Cultural Sources' module alongside the narrative texts. As for the teaching, that was one of the major attractions of UCL, as they base the course around a fortnightly one-on-one tutorial for which you prepare an essay and discuss it. You won't get that kind of attention outside Oxbridge anywhere else. Plus the staff are of a very high quality, you'll be in one of the greatest cities in the world for three years, in one of the best Universities in the world, with all the culture, night-life, people etc etc. :smile:

Basically, without knowing too much about the course at Trinity, I'm saying UCL would be amazing. :wink:

Reply 4

username43584

I may be going to do medicine in September, but I've spent a lot of time looking into English courses. My personal preference, based on both the course, the university and the city, would always be UCL. As empfrench rightly said, the UCL course is great for giving you a thorough look through all the classics of literature, moving through the whole length of the canon. The Trinity course seemed more random.

Reply 5

the_alba

This is a post I wrote in response to someone thinking of applying to TCD for a Masters:

'The English department at TCD is very ropey, and it is particularly poor if you are a postgraduate. The teaching is generally terrible, and many of the older tutors are unfriendly, unhelpful and awkward. A lot of my friends did PhDs at TCD; all had bad experiences. I don't know anyone who's actually done the MPhil, but research degrees in English at TCD are rarely rewarding. My fiance did his PhD there, and never once got any encouragement or advice, either with his thesis or his career. I wouldn't recommend it. If you want to be in Dublin, UCD is better, though not as pretty to look at.'

The fiance I mention also did his undergraduate degree at TCD - in English and French. He hated it. He only stayed on for a PhD because none of his tutors advised him on postgrad degrees elsewhere - his tutors (all of whom still teach at TCD now) where the opposite of encouraging and engaged. They didn't care what happened to him, despite the fact that he was a brilliant scholarship student. This happened to other people too. I think TCD is a bad move, and this is based not on personal experiece, but on that of many of my closest friends. UCL would be a lot better. I'd definitely go there if I were you.

Reply 6

glitter_star12

I have the same problem. I've been accepted to UCL (for chemistry) on UCAS and i'm going to firm it on my UCAS application. However if I get an offer from Trinity (i'll only find out when I get my grades) I really won't know what to do.
My parents are irish and I love ireland and I went to the trinity open day and really liked it.
However I love London so much aswell! It's obviousley a really highly ranked uni, and so exciting to think of all the things I could do in Lonodn, but then I'm worried that since it's in the centre of the city that there won't be a campus feel like trinity has

Reply 7

StarsAreFixed

Weigh up the pros and cons.

Finance.

Fees are far cheaper, €2500 a year. You cannot get the grant though unless you are here for a few years first. You can't get a loan, they are unheard of, but you might be able to get an overdraft. The cost of living is better than it used to be, higher than the UK but probably on a par with London. Rent has dropped by a ****load since the recession. Minimum wage is a good bit higher, €8.65. Jobs are really hard to get though. You probably will not be financed by home institutions to study in another country.

Location.

Both are in city centres. As a city, Dublin is obviously a lot smaller. It is still vibrant with a huge variety of nightlife etc. but small enough that it's very friendly. It has a great atmosphere. London obviously has that on a larger scale. It depends on your preference. You are obviously further from home in Dublin, but flights are really cheap.

Rank

I know UCL is higher. Trinity has slipped out of the Top 50. It does not command anywhere near the funding that other unis it is competing with do, that is important to consider because that is where it's falling down. The shortfall is evident in things like reduced library staff etc. but not evident whatsoever in teaching standards.

Only you can decide which one appeals to you most! I did a degree in Trinity (I live in Ireland and commuted) and would recommend it to anyone. It is a top-class uni.

Reply 8

sundogs

Original post by glitter_star12

You dug up a 5 year old thread?!

Reply 9

glitter_star12

Original post by sundogs

You dug up a 5 year old thread?!

Yeah and I got a great answer from it, so what's your point?

Reply 10

sundogs

Original post by glitter_star12

Yeah and I got a great answer from it, so what's your point?

It's frustrating for people who comment to give advice to the OP only to later realise that its a very old thread and they've probably graduated now.
Makes more sense to start a new thread.
+ this thread is about English, not chemistry.

Reply 11

glitter_star12

Original post by sundogs

If you read my post I was clearly not trying to give advice to the OP, but trying to get advice myself which I got. I did try to start a thread, but i didn't figure out how to do it.

Reply 12

sundogs

Original post by glitter_star12

If you read my post I was clearly not trying to give advice to the OP, but trying to get advice myself which I got. I did try to start a thread, but i didn't figure out how to do it.

I did read your post. I was referring to other people who would be commenting on this, not you specifically.

Reply 13

glitter_star12

Original post by sundogs

I did read your post. I was referring to other people who would be commenting on this, not you specifically.

Well then I don't see why my post is a problem as you said its frustrating when people try to give advice to the OP only to realise its a really old thread

Reply 14

sundogs

Original post by glitter_star12

Well then I don't see why my post is a problem as you said its frustrating when people try to give advice to the OP only to realise its a really old thread

You've missed the point of what I'm saying and we're going round in circles.
You've already admitted that you couldn't work out how to create a thread and do things properly and then resorted to posting on here. Why not just let things go, admit that you were wrong and move on?
I came across the thread, thought I could offer the OP advice as I'm a UCL student and was just about to comment when I realised that any advice I gave the OP would be pointless as they have long graduated.
Your post is precisely the problem and the reason for the frustration that I felt.
I pointed it out and you took the defensive.

Reply 15

glitter_star12

I don't need to apologise to you, or admit I'm wrong for trying to find an answer to a question? Why do you even care? It is literally none of your business, so goodbye.

Reply 16

sundogs

Original post by glitter_star12

I don't need to apologise to you, or admit I'm wrong for trying to find an answer to a question? Why do you even care? It is literally none of your business, so goodbye.

Didn't ask for an apology.
It's a public forum - it's just as much my business as it is anybody else's.
Finally, I didn't care, not a bean until you took the offensive and turned this into a petty argument.

Reply 17

glitter_star12

Okay, well does 'I'm sorry, you were completely right, i should have made a new thread and saved the OP such hassle' work for you?
I'll think you find you're the one who started this pretty argument.

Reply 18

pentax67

Original post by glitter_star12

Okay, well does 'I'm sorry, you were completely right, i should have made a new thread and saved the OP such hassle' work for you?
I'll think you find you're the one who started this pretty argument.

Just want to say this argument made my day. Currently revising for my History A Level on Thursday, and some Student Room entertainment has been much appreciated. (Also - I recognise that I'm doing something similar in opening up a 10 year old thread, and it pleases me)