The first year in university is a major adjustment for any student. Students take up new subjects, or approach familiar subjects in a completely new way. Students have to adapt to higher academic expectation, to take responsibility for their own learning, to develop their analytical and critical skills to a new level, and to gain confidence in communicating complex ideas clearly. Our first year programme is designed to help students in this transition. The structure of our programmes allows students to decide whether to specialise from the start, or to take up to four subjects in the first year and focus later.
It also includes the option to take Critical Skills, a 15 credit first year subject, for those who want to develop and hone their skills of critical thinking and analysis. This is intended to help students to think and communicate in the way we expect of graduates, and is a valuable preparation for study in any subject.
The Critical Skills courses are designed to help first year students to learn, experience, practice and develop various essential skills that will support their learning. At third level it is expected that students will develop skills that will enable them to successfully negotiate their university experience. These critical skills include:
Analytical thinking,
Evaluating evidence
Making balanced judgments
Communicating ideas clearly.
The Critical Skills subject aims to develop these skills early in the University experience. Discover more information about the Maynooth University Critical Skills courses on the Critical Skills webpage: www.maynoothuniversity.ie/critical-skills
Some students want to specialise in one subject; others want a double major in their degree. Some know exactly what they want; others are less certain and want to explore. Our curriculum structure is designed to allow students the maximum possible flexibility to customise the programme to their own needs.
The first year structure allows students to choose to two, three or four subjects, depending on their preferences. After first year, students can decide to progress to a double major, taking two of their subjects to degree level, or to specialise in a single major.
This principle of progressive specialisation is also reflected in our entry routes. Wherever we can, we offer entry to a broad programme where students can make choices after entry. In our BA and BSc degrees, students can switch subjects at any time in the first month of first year. There are further options to switch at the end of the first semester, and the final choice of degree subjects is not made until the end of first year.
Maynooth will offer the following types of honours degree:
- Double major –taking two subjects equally to degree level
- Major with minor – specialising in one subject, while continuing a second subject
- Single major – specialising in only one subject to degree level
We are very excited to offer Electives to our second year students as part of the new Maynooth Education. An Elective is a great way to enhance your degree by enabling you to develop new skills that will compliment your chosen programme. Students taking Electives will be introduced to the diverse fields of research underway at Maynooth as well as the excellent lecturing staff throughout the University.
Electives allow students to broaden their perspective by studying across disciplines thus learning how to think differently and appreciate different viewpoints. We know employers want graduates who can look at the world in different ways and find creative solutions to challenging problems. Students may also choose to take an Elective because they are intrigued by the topic.
For examples of our Electives, and details about how an Elective could fit into your programme, see: Electives.
The routes available to Maynooth students to experience more from their degree programme are diverse, enabling the development of rich learning experiences that connect classroom content with real-world experience. The Experiential Learning Office connects Maynooth students to a range of opportunities in the following areas.
Professional Development and Employability
Experiential learning professional development and employability modules are available to eligible second year students. The key purpose of these modules, involving a number of employers, is to facilitate students in their academic, personal and professional career development, so that they will be well equipped to secure internships and to successfully enter the graduate labour market.
MU SPUR (Summer Programme for Undergraduate Research)
An active research based and paid experiential learning programme for successful undergraduate pre-final year student applicants who wish to learn more about the postgraduate experience, by working closely with faculty mentors on research projects across a range of disciplines.
Community Based Service Learning
Community Based Service Learning presents a credit-bearing academic experience that empowers students to engage with their surrounding communities, which often results in enhancing student’s academic, civic, social and personal development, whilst they contribute to the common good. The experiential learning office facilitates academic staff in offering community based service learning experiences with their students.
Maynooth University Student Experience (MUSE) Award (Forthcoming January 2018)
This is a new award, which recognises and rewards student engagement in extracurricular and co-curricular activities beyond their degree programme such as volunteering, student ambassadorial roles, professional engagement, club and society involvement among others. Whilst recognising the value of such activity, this award also promotes student confidence, employability and career readiness as students step through a simulated recruitment process to attain the award.
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For further information, refer to:
Website: www.maynoothuniversity.ie/experiential-learning-office
Email: Aisling.Flynn@mu.ie
Tel: + 353 1 474 7760
Cabhraíonn Oideachas Mhá Nuad le mic léinn a bheith rannpháirteach go gníomhach i ndearadh a gcuid oideachais agus cabhraíonn sé leo na caighdeáin arda a mbítear ag súil leo ó chéimí de chuid Mhá Nuad a bhaint amach. Is trí athstruchtúrú agus laghdú, go pointe áirithe, ar ár mbealaí iontrála CAO ó 50 go thart ar 20, a cheadaítear an tsolúbthacht bhreise seo, a fhágann ar chumas na mac léinn dul le speisialtacht láithreach nó thar thréimhse ama, chun go ndéanfaidh siad an rogha is fearr don saol rompu amach.
- Modheolaíochtaí nua teagaisc agus measúnaithe a chothóidh sna mic léinn na cumais seo a leanas: dul i mbun anailíse, smaointeoireacht chriticiúil, chumarsáid shoiléir agus obair bhuíne
- Clár uathúil chéad bhliana ina mbeidh léachtaí agus foghlaim I ngrúpaí beaga araon ar fáil chun tacú le haistriú na mac léinn ón scoile go dtí an ollscoil.
- Slite iontrála níos simplí sa chóras CAO agus laghdú ar an líon atá ann anois, ionas go mbeidh sé níos fusa ar mhic léinn speisialtacht a roghnú láithreach nó níos déanaí
- Breis solúbthachta agus rogha idir mórábhair agus mionábhair i bhformhór na gcúrsaí céime.
- Comhcheangail shuimiúla nua idir na hábhair, agus deiseanna breise ábhair ealaíon agus eolaíochta a chomhcheangal le chéile.
- An cumas nua-theanga a fhoghlaim le cois ábhair chéim ar bith.
- Roghanna lasmuigh de phríomhdhisciplín an mhic léinn
- Iliomad deiseanna foghlama lasmuigh den seomra ranga, trí ghníomhaíochtaí comhchuraclaim mar thaithí oibre, obair dheonach, nó staidéar thar lear.
- Punainn leictreonacha a ghabhfaidh gnóthachtáil iomlán an mhic léinn ó cheann ceann an chúrsa céime
Today’s globally connected societies and workplaces mean there is tremendous benefit to students in studying a foreign language as part of their university education. Whether it’s to attain fluency or a more basic introduction to culture, conversation and custom, Maynooth will offer students the ability to pursue a language to various degrees of competency.
The spectrum of choice ranges from studying a language as a full degree subject, to a language skills option which can be taken as part of any degree programme.
The options:
- Take a language as a degree subject.
- Take a language as a minor, and major in another subject.
- Take a language in first year, and continue with an Elective in the language in second year.
- Take a language skills course as part of the university language programme, along with any specialism.
September 2015 Entrants
- Greater flexibility and choice, major –minor options
- Pilot of Electives in second year
- Expanded language options
- Pilot of new first year critical skills courses as an option
September 2016 Entrants
- New first year
- Arts and Sciences combinations
- Language with any degree
- Critical Skills offered as a first year subject on most programmes
- Electives available on most second year programmes
- Summer Programme of Undergraduate Research (SPUR) relaunched
- Programme Advisory Office established to assist students with their programme choices
September 2017 Entrants
- New interdisciplinary Electives offered to second year students
- Expanded experiential learning opportunities
