Gourt Home::Gourt :: Centre for the Talented Youth of Ireland
The Centre for the Talented Youth of Ireland (CTYI) is a youth programme for students - between the ages of six and sixteen - of high academic ability in Ireland. There are also sibling projects around the world, most notably the CTY programme at Johns Hopkins University, the original model for CTYI.
CTYI was founded in 1992 and is based at Dublin City University in Glasnevin, Dublin 9. It offers correspondence courses and Saturday classes at universities and institutes of technology around Ireland, as well as the summer programme, which is based in DCU. Two sessions run each summer. Demand in recent years has meant that students who are eligible (12-16-year-olds who have been assessed via the SAT) may attend one session, not both. About 20% of students are from overseas (mostly from the United States) and many students are residential, living on campus for the three week duration.
In the summer programme, classes are held every weekday with study periods in the evening. Activities are arranged in the afternoon and on weekends. Outside of class, the RAs (residential assistants) are responsible for the students' welfare. Course subjects range from languages like Chinese, Japanese and Russian, to courses in the social, natural and computer sciences, creative arts, and humanities, like Electronic Engineering. Courses tend to cover material that is at first-year university level or its equivalent, and involve subjects not taught (or widely taught) for the Leaving Certificate.
Courses
Advertising
Archaeology A
Ireland possesses a remarkably rich and varied array of archaeological remains from it’s prehistoric past. Initiated by the first bands of hunter-gatherer people who arrived on these shores following the end of the Great Ice Age, successive cultural groups have left their indelible imprint on the landscape of Ireland. Among these are the Internationally renowned Neolithic passage graves of Newgrange and Knowth, the construction of which pre-dates the pyramids of Egypt by centuries and the prehistoric drystone field walls of Céide in Mayo which is regarded as the largest prehistoric monument in the World. This course will chart and examine in detail the fascinating sequence of prehistoric peoples who inhabited Ireland from circa 8,000 BC up to the arrival and establishment of Early Christianity in the fifth century AD. These include the hunter-gatherers of the Mesolithic Period who passively exploited seasonally available foods sources, the Neolithic people who were responsible for the introduction of agriculture and a more settled lifestyle sometime around 4,000 BC, the Bronze Age peoples who were Irelands first metal users and finally the Celts, a highly skilled, warlike people who dominated Ireland and much of Europe in the centuries on either side of the birth of Christ. A wide selection of relevant ancillary topics will also be explored including human and animal bone analysis, environmental archaeology, bog bodies, Pleistocene mammals, the archaeology of peatlands, shell middens, prehistoric flint mining and threats to heritage. Activities will include lectures, field trips and hands on examination of genuine archaeological artefacts and environmental remains including human and animal bones.Archaeology B
For almost 180,000 years Europe was in the grip of an Ice Age. To the south of the main glaciers Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon bands of hunter-gatherers lived a precarious lifestyle. Paintings on the walls of caves in France and Spain were skilfully created by Cro-Magnons and bear witness to the fascinating animals who shared their world and on which they depended as a source of food and clothing. Amelioration of the climate around 10,000 years ago brought this phase to an end and heralded in a dramatically changed landscape. A direct result of this was a corresponding human cultural change. This saw the ending of the Palaeolithic or Old Stone Age and the surfacing of the Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age. These bands of hunter-gatherers exploited much smaller animals compared to their forebears and inhabited a predominately forested landscape. Around 4,000 BC agriculture was introduced into Western Europe and the archaeological record indicates a settled lifestyle which we know as the Neolithic or New Stone Age. The course will examine in detail the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic peoples of Europe’s prehistory. This will include their tools and weapons, burials, art, habitations, hunting strategies, butchering techniques and trade. Special emphasis will be placed on the impact on the landscape of each successive human group from the Neanderthals to the early agriculturalists who cleared extensive tracts of forest in order to establish field systems. In addition a wide spectrum of related ancillary topics will also be studied including prehistoric cave art, ice mummies, osteoarchaeology, shell middens, environmental archaeology and European bog bodies.Biomedical Diagnostics
New to the CTYI programme for 2006, we are offering an exciting opportunity to participate in a practical course in Biomedical Diagnostics. Biomedical diagnostics refers to the science and technology which aids the screening, detection, diagnosis and monitoring of human disease.This course will be run in collaboration with the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI) at DCU. At the BDI, research is carried out into the development of miniaturised diagnostic devices that detect early markers of disease such as cancer,cardiovascular (heart) disease and diabetes.
Initially, students will be introduced to the area of diagnostics through fundamental biology, chemistry and physics courses dealing with general principles central to biomedical diagnostics. In subsequent weeks, students will cover areas such as immunology & immunoanalysis, biophotonics and genetics. An insight will be provided into cutting-edge concepts and technologies in the medical diagnostic field. Furthermore, students will be introduced to the ethical impact of medical diagnostics for society.
This course will include a mixture of theory and intensive laboratory practicals. A visit to the BDI research laboratories and lectures from Principal Investigators in the BDI will also form part of this course.
Celtic Studies
Brought back to replace Medicine in the Lab in 2006, Celtic Studies is a fun, suitable course for many of the Americans staying over to learn of Irish culture and heritage, and may also be beneficial to some of the natives. Ireland has been blessed with an abundance of famous Irish writers, musicians, playwrights who have documented Ireland’s fascinating history. The overall aim of this course is to explore life in Celtic Ireland through a study of the main pieces of literature associated with this time period. Topics to be examined will include the arrival of the Celtic people and their influence on life in Ireland. We will also investigate life and customs of the early Christian period. Ireland has a great culture of festivals and we will look at the history and folklore associated with these events. Have ever wondered if you were related to the High Kings of Ireland and would you like to trace your ancestry – then this is the course for you.Computer Applications
Computer Applications This course introduces the concept of problem solving. The course begins with a brief introduction to computers and programming. The programming language that will be studied as part of this course will be Java. Well-structured programming techniques are discussed through a number of examples and student exercises. General programming problems such as Sorting and Searching are addressed, in addition to tackling infamous problems e.g. `The Travelling Salesman’ and the `Eight Queen Problem’. Each student will undertake a project. Projects are usually completed on an individual or team basis and allow the student to understand and develop concepts discussed in class at their own pace while working on a suitable problem which they find intriguing. Previous projects have included: programming such games as `Connect 4’, `Xs and Os’, Text-graphic adventures, and also programmes to break codes.Corporate Business
Corporate Business is more varied today than ever before. Managers need to have the maximum relevant information available in order to succeed in a competitive business environment. This course will be offered in co-operation with Deloitte. During the course we will look at the internal workings of big business. This deals with how managers deal with their staff (Human Resources), the organisational behaviour of firms (internal psychology), and how firms develop a strategy to succeed against competitors. Also we will look at the external environment in which firms operate and examine the importance of the stock market for corporate businesses. This will involve analysing financial information to see how big firms perform on the various stock markets, and also managing your own portfolio of shares. Finally we will examine the international business environment in the new age of the Euro. If you're interested how business works, then this is the course for you. Guaranteed to challenge the entrepreneurs of the future!Criminology
What is crime? Who commits crime? Why do people commit crime? How is crime dealt with? The questions are endless and there are many answers and explanations. This course will delve into many areas in an attempt to explain crime and criminal behaviour. The focus of the course will be Irish Criminology. The following areas will be covered: the Irish crime rate; the criminal justice system; organised crime in Ireland and who is the Irish criminal? Criminology outside Ireland will also be covered - a variety of studies from all over the world will be read and discussed -ranging from studies of prisons in Israel to drive-by shootings in America. Films portraying crime will be watched and theories applied. All films used will be age-appropriate. This course is designed to be interesting yet challenging. A different way of thinking will be presented to the students which will prove beneficial in tackling abstract problems in the future.Drama
Drama combines elements of literary, historical and sociological studies with a practical understanding of various performing arts. This course aims to balance both the academic and practical elements of drama. Activities that allow students to understand the nature of acting will be central to the course. This will include the development of personal and physical awareness in areas such as gesture and vocal skills. Students will examine the techniques involved in writing a play, while writing their own piece of work. Meanwhile, the works of famous playwrights will be examined and studied as a platform for understanding dramatic action and character. This exploration of the relationship between the theory and practice of theatre will reveal how and why theatre works. Any students with an interest in theatre or considering a career in the arts should find this course invaluable.Electronic Engineering
Electronics is the field of engineering that covers the study of electric current and the technology that uses it. The various areas range from consumer electronics, to telecommunications, and from hardware to software design. The aim of this module is to expose students to some of the various aspects associated with electronic engineering. First, the fundamentals of analogue (voltage, current, amplifiers) and digital (flip-flops, RAM, ROM) technology will be explained. Next, these basic principles will be built upon to allow some basic computer architecture (transistor logic, CMOS/NMOS technology) to be covered. Finally, the role that electronics plays in today’s society will be examined. This will include telecommunications engineering (radio, optical, satellite), computer technology (hard-drive, flat panel displays, laser printers) and consumer electronics (MP3 players, DVD, modems).Engineering
In reality, without engineers, the world would fall down around our ears. Yet, most of their work goes largely unnoticed. If we examine the world around us, practically everything man-made that we can see, an engineer has been involved in it. This course introduces the basics of the various fields of engineering. The class will work on developing the problem solving and communication skills that are essential for a career in Engineering. We are faced with basic needs in everyday life. It is these needs and providing for them that fuels the problems for which engineers must provide solutions in the most efficient, socially aware, aesthetic and cost effective manner. Civil Engineering: buildings and roads, Mechanical Engineering: machinery and manufacturing, Electronic Engineering: circuits and robotics, Computer Engineering: programming and hardware. As the Engineering umbrella covers so many areas, this should prove to be a demanding, interesting, challenging and extremely enjoyable course.Game Theory
Game theory is the study of strategic interactions. This course is about asking what happens when people or things with different incentives or motivations interact against one another to achieve their own best outcome. It has become the underpinning of evolutionary theory, economics, business processes, international relations and is the subject of major motion pictures, like ‘A Beautiful Mind’. In this course we will discover the laws underpinning every game and study specific examples of different types of games taken using examples from literature, the movies, board games, economics, molecular biology, international politics, business studies, dating, game shows, government funding opportunities and, of all things, fuel injection mechanisms in cars and the songs of the Dunes in the Sahel. Students will learn to develop their own games and study the development of others. No mathematical knowledge is needed to take the course, all concepts will be developed as we go in a fun and intuitive way, focusing on the ideas and their implications rather than the technical aspects of the theory. Students who care about understanding their world should enjoy this course.Innovation
This course is designed to introduce students to creativity and discovery and to develop their creative and thinking skills with a view to making them better learners in their area of expertise and leaders in their future careers Leaning heavily on the de Bono method of critical thinking skills this course allows for the development of students creative thinking skills, in particular in the context of learning, problem-solving and leadership. The module will adopt a highly interactive, innovative approach to learning and will encourage in students a sense of excitement and curiosity about learning and the wider world. The course explores the nature of creativity from four interacting viewpoints: person, process, product, and environment. Its goal is to develop students' awareness of their creative potential. Incorporating aspects of psychology, science, technology and business this course will be integral for students interested in finding out more about the way we think and will also be a useful tool in deciding on a future course at third level.International History
The course is a voyage through the 20th century, focusing on the great personalities and political figures who shaped the history of the century. Politicians and generals, dictators and democrats, ideologues and opportunists - the history of our century is richly endowed with famous - and infamous - individuals. Their contribution to the making of history, in Ireland, continental Europe and the international system, is crucial to our understanding of the 20th century. The course aims to explore the historical power and security relationships in the international system, through the analysis of the century's great individuals. Role playing, debates, field trips - all have their place in the International History course. So if you like the idea of playing the role of a famous historical figure, participating in a model League of Nations or debating recent events which have shaped our century, then this is the course for you.International Relations
The greater interdependence of states and the potential for conflict, both economic and political, highlights the role of International Relations in managing the trend towards Globalisation. Despite the absence of global warfare since 1945, there remain many challenges requiring solutions and involving the interaction of players on a multicoloured, multi-layered chessboard governed by a weak set of rules and procedures. This course examines the nature of International Relations and studies the role of International Organisations and hegemonic powers in determining the outcome of the challenges facing 21st Century Globalisation. The course aims to develop the student’s awareness of the players and rules governing International Relations. It examines the origin and resolution of conflict and assesses the probability of future conflicts based on the prevailing world order. The course involves intensive reading and discussion. Students should have a strong interest in politics and history. Students complete a primary research exercise and also a research project of their own choice. They are also introduced to the Internet as a research tool in International Relations.Japanese Language & Culture
This course will offer an insight in to the world of Japanese Culture and Language. Each day the class will learn new language techniques while incorporating various aspects of the amazing Eastern culture. The course will examine traditional and current cultural practices in Japan and promote intercultural awareness. It will provide an appreciation of the main celebrations and customs of Japan while demonstrating a broad understanding of how history shaped modern Japanese society. In this intensive course there will be an opportunity to learn the Japanese alphabet and language and we will concentrate on conversation skills while also examining some Japanese fairytales. Over the three weeks we will also look at Japanese food and the great Japanese art of oregami. By the end of the course students will have an opportunity to conduct a research project on some aspect of Japanese culture or language.Journalism
Journalism is a profession that is expanding all the time. This course will explore the different styles of writing appropriate to the different areas of the media. As well as everyday newspapers, including tabloid and broadsheet, this course will also look at on-line newspaper writing and feature writing for magazines. Various forms of media writing will be identified including sports journalism, news reporting and music and television reviews. Students will also get the chance to see how a newspaper is put together and will learn techniques in design and lay-out. Students will have on-going projects during the course and will be able to analyse the different ways in which a topic is reported in the various news media. This will also involve an analysis of the prevailing biases present in the media today and an examination of these agendas. This course is suited to students who enjoy writing and who may be interested in pursuing journalism as a career in the future.Legal Studies
Law is one of the most foremost influences on the way we live our lives, setting the rules which shape the way we behave towards each other, and towards the institutions of government in our country. The courts exercise enormous power in our society. Judges are however unelected, and some people have questioned how appropriate it is for them to have so much power in a democratic system of government – a theme which will underlie all aspects of this course. Although reference will be made to the European, Islamic and American legal systems, the course will primarily focus on the situation in Ireland. After briefly looking at the supposed purposes of law, and of the history of the development of the Irish legal system, the class will then examine the court structure and types of law which exist in Ireland. The hope is that students, at the end of the three weeks, will have a clearer idea of the part played by the courts in our political and constitutional framework, of the power of the courts over social policy, and of the way in which judges have to balance individual rights with the interests of the common good. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a mock trial, and to prepare a research project for presentation to the class. A trip to the Four Courts will also be organised.Marine Biology
This exciting course offers a comprehensive grounding in the fundamentals of marine biology, with many extra special topics and case studies also covered. Students learn about the classification of marine environments and organisms, from the deep sea bed to tropical coral reefs; from microscopic plankton to the great marine mammals and birds. Also covered are topics such as oceanography, fisheries biology, marine life identification, sampling techniques and marine conservation. Special topics include Arctic and Antarctic marine biology; sharks, dolphins and whales; the Galapagos Islands, concepts of SCUBA and many more. Case studies of oil spills and fishery management give an insight into the human impacts on the marine environment. Practical lab work gives students a hands-on knowledge of fisheries biology and inter-tidal ecology.Modern Mathematics
Mathematics is one of the oldest areas of human thought. It has developed into the common language of the sciences and an indispensable tool of engineers, architects and technologists. This course covers several important areas of pure and applied mathematics. The teaching of core topics like probability theory and cryptography/cryptanalysis will be underpinned by a study of functions, spaces and set theory. Later in the course, we will build on these ideas to learn about advanced topics like imaginary numbers, random walks, Brownian motion and graph theory. In recent times, computers and simulation have come to play an increasingly important role in mathematics. Weekly computer labs will allow students to use these powerful tools to explore further certain parts of the course. Students will be encouraged to place the material learned in class in a historical context, and to consider some of the wider questions surrounding mathematics. There will be discussion periods covering such diverse topics as the nature of mathematical proof, the existence of paradoxes in the underlying structure of mathematics, the philosophy of mathematics and the role of geometry in the development of renaissance art. These discussions will lead to group projects in the final week of the programme.Philosophy
Philosophy is possibly the most fundamental of subjects as it asks the question `What does it mean to be?' The aim of this course is to enable students to acquire the basic skills of philosophy i.e. analytic argument and essay writing. The course will cover some of the fundamental concerns of philosophy such as:- The History of Philosophy
- Metaphysics, Science and Technology
- Logic
- Ethics and Political Theory
- Critical Theory and the Philosophy of Literature
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that views human movement as central to the health and well being of individuals. Through health promotion, preventative healthcare and treatment, physiotherapy can relieve pain, aid recovery and restore functional independence. Physiotherapists treat people of all ages with a wide range of needs, helping and advising their carers and educating the public to help themselves. Physiotherapists use various skills including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise and treatments to relieve many conditions, illnesses and injuries. This course will introduce students to the world of physiotherapy. There will be a combination of theory and practice as students develop an understanding of the psychological, cultural and social factors which influence this profession.Psychology
This course is designed as an introduction to psychology which aims to examine the core concepts and specialisations in psychology today. The areas which will be studied include those of Emotion, Sensation & Perception, Memory, Intelligence, Social Psychology and the Biological basis of behaviour. This course will also have a practical basis. The study of Body Language, Non-verbal communication and Relaxation Techniques are an integral part of the course. Each student also researches, designs and presents his/her own project. All students will be instructed in the use of the Social Citation Index on the CD-Roms and will have full use of the Library.Speculative Fiction Writing
This course aims to give students instruction and experience in writing speculative fiction at an advanced, professional level. Speculative fiction (SF) covers a huge range of modern writing, from short stories, to novels, to screenplays, and allows the writer the more creative freedom than any other genre. Due to its popularity amongst all ages it manages to draw large audiences worldwide, making it a great and thriving area for the aspiring writer to get involved in and make their name! So, what do we mean by ‘speculative’ fiction? Think of any fantasy or science fiction you’ve ever read or watched and you’re well on the way to guessing what this course will involve. We’ll cover the practical aspects of good writing, common and useful to any fiction, and also aspects unique to speculative fiction. Ever wonder how the pros get their ideas, how they create impossible or alternate worlds with fantastic or futuristic technologies that somehow seem plausible? This course will answer those questions and help you go on to logically research, build, detail and populate your own believable worlds, be they set in 1000AD or 3000AD! By the end, you’ll aim to have completed one full story or chapter from which to work from and begin submitting for publication!Theoretical Physics
Theoretical physics is the mathematical face of physics. But as an isolated discipline it would tell us very little about the world. It relies upon experimental physics to provide it with its raw material of natural laws. These laws are then often used as the basis for the mathematical theories, or theories are developed which give these laws as an intermediate consequence. In return, theoretical physics goes on to make predictions from these theories which hopefully tell us more about the world, and may be tested by experiment as further proof or perhaps disproof of our theories. The course will cover the basics of a wide range of topics in physics, including mechanics, optics, electromagnetism and heat. These topics will be discussed qualitatively at first to explain the laws which determine the areas, and then the corresponding mathematical theories will be explained. In the later stages of the course, there will be discussions of some of the developments in physics over the past century which have challenged our innate views of the world, and in particular relativity and quantum mechanics. The course will be accompanied by computer labs, as well as problem solving sessions and classroom experimentation. Also, there may be juggling.21st Century Science
Writing for Life
This course is designed for young writers to improve their skills. The course will deal with various aspects of writing including short stories, novellas, and long narrative. A section of the course will be devoted to writing in verse, using metre and constructing poetry. We will look at the development of writing from the idea stage to the actual written word on the page. Works of established writers will be examined to help us with our craft. The class will be have a high practical element with groups of students forming their own writing workshops. Participants will be asked to submit extracts of work for evaluation, to read from their work, and to participate in writing exercises in class. The course is suitable for those with an interest in creative writing and who wish to learn new techniques to improve their work.Zoology
This course will look at the greatest scientific marvel of all -Life on Earth. We will explore the world of great beasts on earth both past and present. The course will document the great diversity of life on modern earth - from the mighty blue whale in the seas to the animals of the great plains. We will also look at the wild world of Ireland and show you that even at home, the more you know, the more you see. You will go on trips to the zoo and aquarium to link the theory you have learnt in class to today's species. You will observe the wildlife in their natural environment, record data that can be analysed back in the university and write up college style reports.CTYI traditions
The CTYI song is American Pie, by folk legend Don McLean, and it is sung at the end of every weekly disco. Everyone (all 200+) gets into a circle and put their arms around each others' shoulders to sing it. They also kick off their shoes at the correct moment. It is customary to shoulder anyone who screams (like the children in the song) in the second-last verse.
In the middle of each weekly disco the song Street Spirit is played. Students then lie on the floor and wave their arms slowly in the air until it ends. In 2005 a busker named James Avery was requested by a large number of CTYI students at a reunion to play the song. He did so in front of Fusiliers arch (an entrance to St Stephen's Green, Dublin) and the students lay down, waving their arms to the song. They were asked whether they were members of a cult and one old woman is said to have remarked "Those poor misguided souls".
Other traditions include sitting in doorways, stealing cutlery and constructing large buildings from plastic cups (or, where appropriate, from little jam containers - a Jamamid - or small cereal boxes).
Animosity is traditionally shown towards the 'Sportalians' (also known as 'Spit'alians),Spanish, Portuguese and Italian students who stay in DCU during the Summer sessions. The 'Sportalians' are known among CTYI students for loud behaviour, smoking, and wearing sunglasses indoors.
Another unusal custom was prevelent during the 2005 session when many students founded there own countries. The largest and most powerful was invernia ruled by The Dark Lord Kierannus Tyrannus(Kieran Duffy).
Several songs have had their lyrics altered to be about CTYI. Songs that have received this honour so far include YMCA, Hallelujah and Delirium Tremens.
Many CTYIzens celebrate The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy every Thursday, the day the Earth was destroyed in certain universes by Vogons, by carrying around a towel and wearing a dressing gown.
There have also been various "cults" formed, most notably "the Cult of the Spoon", which involved wearing a small plastic spoon behind your ear and recurs every few years, but its origins seem to lie in the sessions of 1999. 2006 is notable for "the Butter Cult".
Americans are discouraged from attempting Gaelic Football and the Irish are discouraged from playing dodgeball.
Another CTYI tradition involves the attachment of "Ultimate" onto activities in an effort to make them seem more interesting than they actually are. Examples of this are Ultimate Board Games, Ultimate Discussion, Ultimate Packing and Ultimate Dolphin Appreciation.
Students who are aged sixteen or older and so no longer eligible to attend are referred to as "Nevermores", and may often seem passively depressed. Those who are attending a CTYI programme for the first time are often referred to as 'newbies'.
CTYI humour
An emergent tradition at CTYI is the practice of themed puns. Practitioners agree theme (e.g. science, "let's go insul-in-side" , cookery, "not mush-room for improvement", dentistry, "we're making puns at b-listerine speed!" or ancient Rome "That sounds like a colossal task") and make puns related to these areas as often as they can. These often involve more or less torturous preables, such as "Oh, there's my friend Cal... See him?" (A play on the word "Calcium" which comes under the theme of science). The two students responsible for beginning this tradition in the summer of 2005, Declan Moran and Eoghan Quin, called themselves "The Punslingers" and claimed to have "The Fastest Puns in the West". They made their debeut co-hosting the talent show of that year and were known by their classmates and teaching assistant for constantly spouting puns of dubious quality (for example, on the theme of doors: "I'm sure we can get a handle on it."). They were also noted for their alter egos, Tom and Chad, two 1980s-style newsreaders. Other characters included two 19th-century scientists, Lord Chadley and Lord Handley Bar, who characteristically declared that scientific phenomena were caused by the movement of fluids, or listed the known periodic elements as including Azote, Gold, Copper Sulphate, and Fear. As a reward for their efforts, Moran and Quin were voted "Most Handsome Duo" at the conclusion of the session by the female students of CTYI.
Innuendo ("in-YOUR-end-oh!"), 'yer ma' jokes ("I'll 'joke' your Ma!"), and Chuck Norris jokes are prevalent. The traditional comebacks to the many playful insults are "Your Ma!", "That's not what she said!", "So's your face!" and "Bend over and I'll show you!".
Also, stating the phrase "old man" will instantly get a comeback of "gay porn".
"Centre for the Talented Youth of Ireland"