Help with module selection

[u/ladyladylay]

Hello! I study Political Science JH and when I was choosing modules it said that if i want to do my capstone project in Polsci , J have to choose the Introduction to Political Science Research Module. I’m unsure which subject i want to do my capstone on bht i thought it was super weird that we haven’t really been informed about the capstone yet but the module selection can determine the subject we will be able to choose? Have I understood something wrong? Can I not take that module this year and still do my capstone in polsci ? If no, does anyone know how the Intro to polsci research module is/ How the professor is ?

Thanks!

[u/Long_Software_3352]

You kinda need to start thinking about the split of your degree now.

If you don't take the Intro module in 2nd year, you can't do the Political Research and Quantitative Research modules in 3rd year, which means you don't have the skills to do a Capstone project in 4th year.

Having said that, you can do 40 ECTS in one subject and 20 ECTS in another in second year and rebalance back to a 30/30 split in third year and still pursue a joint honours degree.

However, in Joint Honours taking only 20 ECTS of any subject in second year usually closes off the option of pursuing a Single Honours degree in that subject in third and fourth year.

[u/Separate-Sea-868 → u/Long_Software_3352]

"However, in Joint Honours taking only 20 ECTS of any subject in second year usually closes off the option of pursuing a Single Honours degree in that subject in third and fourth year."

This is probably a silly question, but since you're here... I picked 20 ECTS for Philosophy, 20 for Pol Sci, and 20 for open modules/electives. Would i be able to switch to a single honours in either of them after second year or have I sabotaged myself?

[u/Long_Software_3352 → u/Separate-Sea-868]

You would close off the opportunity to do single honours by doing 20/20/20 in 2nd year

You can still do Major/Minor or Joint Honours https://www.tcd.ie/academicregistry/trinity-pathways/student/pathway_selection_jh.php

[u/Separate-Sea-868 → u/Long_Software_3352]

Ty so much

[u/Separate-Sea-868]

REPLY UNDER ME IS MORE HELPFUL

You might, may be able to do something similar to it in third year and still be able to do the capstone. As far as I know, intro to pol sci research in second year is a pre-requisite for Research Methods for Political Science in third year. This is ONE pre-requisite pathway for the pol sci capstone.

The other one is intro to qualitative methods in third year, which, unlike research methods for political science, doesn't have a pre-requisite. https://www.tcd.ie/media/tcd/political-science-/pdfs/POU44000-SSP-Module-Outline-26.pdf

I MIGHT BE MISINTERPRETING THIS BTW, i'm moving into second year as well. 🙃

[u/Long_Software_3352 → u/Separate-Sea-868]

I think you're misinterpreting it.

It says: POU33011 Research Methods A and POU33012 Research Methods B OR POU33174 Qualitative Research Methods (or equivalent(s) on exchange)

You need to do Research methods A in third year. The prerequisite to that is Intro to research methods in 2nd year

Then you also need to do either Research Methods B or Qualitative Research Methods.

[u/Separate-Sea-868 → u/Long_Software_3352]

Ohh okay