Botany (TR060)

If you are interested in the future of the planet and life on it then Botany is for you. The course offers you the unique opportunity to study the natural, living world in the field and laboratory. With climate and biodiversity taking centre stage in most sectors, there is a global shortage of plant scientists and our graduates can find employment in a large range of careers.

See more details in the Undergraduate Prospectus

Year 1: Junior Fresh & Year 2: Senior Fresh

The first two years of the degree are part of the Biological and Biomedical Stream (TR060) where students study the core concepts underlying all biological systems. These will be presented in core modules during the first two years and will include: cell structure and composition, genetics and evolution, molecular biology, metabolism, anatomy and physiology of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals, ecosystems and environmental biology. Students will also acquire mathematical, statistical and computational skills that are relevant for the analysis of biological systems. In addition, students have the opportunity both to expand their scientific knowledge and to pursue their individual interests by choosing from many open modules modules on topics such as foundation physics, geoscience, history and philosophy of science, cancer, infection and immunity, and behaviour.

At the end of the 2nd year (Senior Fresh) students choose one of 11 moderatorships for the last two years of their study, where they specialise in their chosen branch of Biological Sciences, including Botany. Moderatorship places are allocated based on preference and academic achievement.

Years 3 and 4, the sophister years:

The sophister years in the Botany moderatorship consist of a diverse programme of lectures, laboratory practicals, computer practicals, field trips, tutorials and seminars. In addition to core Botany modules, students also take Trinity Electives (modules with a broad perspective taught across the college) and can choose from multiple open modules based on their interests. In the Senior Sophister year, students are required to undertake a 20 credit research project which culminates in the submission of a dissertation.

Year 3 core modules

· BOU33100 Plant Physiology

· BOU33107 Plant Molecular Biology

· BOU33108 Plants and the Irish Environment – week long non-residential field course exploring a range of Irish ecosystems

· BOU33112 Diversity & Systematics of Land Plants

· BOU33121 Field Skills in Plant and Environmental Science – week long Canary Islands

· ESU33004 Scientific Writing and

· ZOU33010 Fundamentals of Ecology

· ZOU33070 Experimental Design and Analysis

Year 3 open modules:

· BOU33105: Global Environmental Change

· BOU33114 Conservation Horticulture

· BOU33122 Entomology

· BOU33123 Soil Science

Year 4 core modules:

· FBU44000 Research Project

· BOU44103 Plant Conservation and Biodiversity

· BOU44108 Plant-Environment Interactions

· BOU44109 Vegetation Description and Analysis

· BOU44110 The Evolution of Plants and Plant-Atmosphere Interaction

· BOU44112 Plants and the Planet (research tutorials)

· ZOU44030 Data Handling

Year 4 open modules:

· BOU44060 Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

· BOU44107 Plant-Animal Interactions

· BOU44111 Restoration Ecology and Re-wilding

Field skills are an integral part of the study of plants and there is a high demand for graduates with field experience. There are two field modules during the sophister years, as well as shorter day or half-day trips as part of other modules. The first is the Autumn Field trip which is based in and around Dublin during the first week of the autumn term of 3rd year and involves field and laboratory studies of woodlands, bogs and grasslands. The second field trip, based in an ecologically and biodiverse area of Europe (Canary Islands), takes place during the study week in the spring of 3rd year. The field skills include plant identification, assessing plant-environment interactions, environment impact assessment and field study design.

Botany graduates have a wide range of career opportunities available to them in areas ranging from policy to industry to research. The combination of lab, field and computer skills as well as the in depth plant science and ecology knowledge makes our graduates highly competitive on a job market increasingly shaped by the joint planetary crises of food, biodiversity and climate.

Our graduates are working in environment policy and governance (e.g. Coillte, Department of the Environment) ; crop breeding and agritech (e.g. IFAD); botanic gardens (e.g. Kew); health and the pharmaceutical industry (e.g. HSE, Pfizer, AstraZeneca); consultancy & surveying (e.g. WSP, JBA Consulting, Pobal); data science (e.g. Compass Informatics, SAP, ICON) and climate & biodiversity research in universities and institutes around the world.

You can find more detailed information on plant sciences careers here.

In second year (Senior Fresh), Trinity students who want to take a moderatorship in Botany can apply to the International Exchange Programme to spend a semester during their 3rd year (Junior Sophister) abroad. Currently we have agreements with various Universities for the ERASMUS+ scheme and any College-wide non-EU exchange programmes.

The ERASMUS+ scheme has a bursary available to help support the exchange student. Only students who obtain a 2:1 average in their Senior Fresh year will be allowed to take up a place abroad. In the event of more candidate applications than places, exam results will be used to identify the successful applicant.

Admission requirements and application For general admission requirements please click here . All applications are through the TR060 Biological and Biomedical Sciences entry point.

For general admission requirements please click here . All applications are through the TR060 Biological and Biomedical Sciences entry point.