TJH Pathways
Students on the Trinity Joint Honours (TJH) programme have the option to pick pathways that will determine what they will study and how many ECTS they will take in each subject. In the first year of their programme, students will study their two subjects equally with 30 credits/ECTS taken across the year.
For the second year of their programme they will select one of three available pathways – and these pathways will influence what degree pathways are available for students to choose from at the end of their 2nd Year.
Please see the following information on TJH Pathways for students selecting their pathway for 2026/27:
TJH Pathways - Preparing for Year 2
In the 1st year of Trinity Joint Honours programmes, students study two subjects equally at 30 credits (ECTS) each. For the 2nd year of your programme you will select one of three available pathways:
- To continue studying both subjects at 20 credits (ECTS) each and to take up 20 credits (ECTS) of Trinity Electives and Open Modules. This is usually referred to as the SF Joint Honours Pathway and students who choose this pathway will proceed towards obtaining an award in both of their subjects.
- To continue studying both subjects, studying 40 credits (ECTS) in one of the subjects and 20 credits (ECTS) in the second subject. This is usually referred to as the SF Major with Minor Pathway.
- To only continue studying one of the subjects undertaken in 1st year and to take up 20 credits (ECTS) of Trinity Electives and Open Modules. This is usually referred to as the SF Single Honours Pathway and in this instance students will proceed towards a Single Honours award in one subject only.
It is important to note the following about pathway selection for Year 2:
- The pathway you choose can impact the award you will be able to graduate with, as per the image below.
- If doing Major/Minor in Year 2 but think you might like to consider a Single Honour in Year 3, you need to be doing 40 credits in your Major Subject.
- Not all subjects can offer all pathways and some subjects have special requirements should you choose them. The Senior Freshman Overview Document for 2024-25 will provide further details on this for each subject.
We have included a few frequently asked questions towards the bottom of this section. The Joint Honours Pathways Tool can also be helpful in exploring your options and seeing what impact they will have on your degree.
FAQ Year 2
Unfortunately, this is not possible. We would recommend that you either study one subject at 40 credits and the other at 20 credits or that you take 20 credits in each and then take up 20 credits of Open Modules and Trinity Electives.
Unfortunately it is not possible for students on Trinity Joint Honours programmes to change one of their subjects for a new one as part of pathway selection and modules choices. If you are interested in changing your subjects you will need to make a request to change your course through your College Tutor. You will find more details on Course Changes via the Senior Tutor's website
TJH Pathways - Preparing for Year 3
Students will be asked to select their pathway ahead of Year 3. You will follow this pathway for Year 3 and Year 4 of your study - it will not be possible to change your pathway in the Sophister years (Year 3 and Year 4).
Please note that the degree pathway available to you will depend upon the pathway you took in your Year 2. Students in Mathematics and Sociology should note that there are specific requirements that need to be fulfilled in order to achieve a Major or Single Honours award in either of these subjects - please contact them directly for further information.
The available degree pathways for rising Year 3 students are listed below. Please click into the Degree Pathway of interest to you for information on each pathway.
We have included a few frequently asked questions at the bottom of this section. You may also find the Joint Honours Pathway Tool helpful in navigating your options and please do not hesitate to contact us with any queries.
- This pathway is available to students on the Joint Honours Pathway or the Major with Minor Pathway in SF Year.
- There is only one pathway in the Sophister years to a Joint Honours degree.
- In this pathway you will take 30 ECTS in each of your Joint Honours subjects in Year 3.
- Then in Year 4 you will take 20 ECTS in each of your Joint Honours subjects and a 20 ECTS capstone project in one of your subjects.
- You should be aware that some subjects have module pre-requisites that you will be required to fulfil in order to complete a Capstone project in that subject
- These pathways are available to students who took the Joint Honours Pathway or the Major with Minor Pathway in SF Year.
- There are two pathways in the Sophister years to a Major with Minor degree.
- If you choose this pathway, you will need to indicate which subject is your Major subject and which subject is your Minor subject.
- You should be aware that some subjects have module pre-requisites that you will be required to fulfil in order to complete a Capstone project in that subject.
- Major with Minor Pathway – Continue studying your minor in Year 4 (Option A)
- On this pathway in Year 3 you will undertake 40 ECTS in your Major Subject and 20 ECTS in your Minor subject
- Then in Year 4 you will undertake 20 ECTS in each of your Major and Minor subject and complete your 20 ECTS Capstone in your Major subject.
- Major with Minor Pathway – Finish studying the Minor in Year 3 (Option B)
- On this pathway in Year 3 you will study 30 ECTS in both your Major and Minor subject in Year 3.
- Then in Year 4 you will undertake 40 ECTS in your Major subject and complete your 20 ECTS Capstone in your Major subject.
- This pathway is available to students that took the Single Honours Pathway or the Major with Minor Pathway in SF Year.
- You may only follow this pathway in the subject you completed 40 ECTS in Year 2.
- You should be aware that some subjects have module pre-requisites that you will be required to fulfil in order to complete a Capstone project in that subject.
- If you wish to proceed to a Single Honours award in any of the Languages, you may be required to spend the JS year abroad. Please contact your department for further information.
- There is only one pathway in the Sophister years to a Single Honours degree.
- In this pathway in Year 3 you will take 50 ECTS in your Single Honours subject and a further 10 ECTS in Open Modules and Trinity Electives or in your 2nd Subject where you had continued studies in this subject in Year 2.
- Then in Year 4 you will take 40 ECTS in modules in your Single Honours subject and complete the 20 ECTS capstone in your Single Honours subject.
FAQ – Year 3
Unfortunately it is not possible for students on Trinity Joint Honours programmes to change one of their subjects for a new one as part of pathway selection and modules choices. If you are interested in changing your subjects you will need to make a request to change your course through your College Tutor. You will find more details on Course Changes via the Senior Tutor's website.
Students may apply to request their pathway before Online Module Enrolment (OME) 02 - 15 June 2026 by emailing OME@tcd.ie.
Students may apply to request to change their JS pathway, following Online Module Enrolment (OME), from 01 September to 25 September 2026 provided they meet the eligibility requirements of the pathway they wish to change to. If you wish to request to change pathway for the 2026/27 academic year, you will need to request the appropriate form joint.honours@tcd.ie and discuss the matter with your tutor and academics in the relevant disciplines. Please note that it is not possible to change your pathway after this date.
Students participate in pathway selection for the final time after Year 2, it is not possible to change pathway between Year 3 and Year 4.