Computer Science

Ramey,

I did computer science and I'm really glad I graduated with a degree with such a broad and useful skillset.

I'll go through the course year by year.

1st year : First year is handy, very handy. Your core programming module makes up 20 credits out of 60. If you stay on top of your assignments here it's a walk in the park. Make sure you go to at least one hour a week of labs for this module because you generally learn more here and in your half an hour tutorial than in any of the lectures! In fact you learn 80-90% of it in the pratical sessions! Maths starts and finishes in first year. Discrete Maths is a core module, and isn't too bad. If you are doing honours maths for your leaving cert then this will be a breeze. If you are doing pass maths you will still get on ok if you again keep on top of your continuos assessments and go to the once a week tutorials. I did higher maths, went to my tutorials and got a very high mark as a result. There's an Internet computing module and a Computer Architecture module. Internet computing is purely theory, maybe one or two handy assignments the whole year. You'd have to try to fail it. Computer architecture is a case of a bit of learning and again keeping on top of your CA,s which are very handy. Overall they ease you in and maintain your interest throughout. Not much effort required at all!

2nd year: Hardest year by far. You either sink or swim here. The core Software development module is a step up from the first year one. It's very interesting though and the CA's are challanging and rewarding. It's all about understanding the principles of OO programming in Java. It's the most useful module you'll do! Then there's Data Structures! Now this is tough! Requires serious work but if you get good at it and can do your assignments your programming will come on leaps and bounds. Networking is the other module. Lots of theory and the CA's a tough but again, a bit of work and you'll get through. There was a C Programming module when I was in 2nd year but by the time you'd get there i'd say that it'll be gone and replaced. This year will be tough, especially the first term but important to remember, if you get through, you WILL graduate with a CS degree!

3rd year : Placement year and a walk in the park, probably the easiest year. Only lectures for the first term, exams in late January. The exams are handy, they want everyone to pass comfortably as they want nobody to be repeating on placement as it refects badly on the department. Most of the modules are short and theory based except for E-Commerce programming but that's very interesting and you'll probably enjoy doing it. Half the class get a first class honours! There's a group project for the last 8-9 weeks before going on placement as well as a placement work shop! Both are good enough craic and not at all stressful.

4th year : This is a tail of two halves. You can get through the first term without doing a tap. There's very few CA but you have to produce a very substantial final year project which you should spend a few hours a week in the first term doing. I crammed it all into the 2nd term which isn't advisable. I can't give you much advise on modules here because they are all elective.

All and all I would reccommend it. It's a young industry so there will always be jobs when you come out the other end. You will build up a massive skill set unlike those in other faculties who just learn to memorises and plaguerise essays. Its a course where note taking is minimal and lecture attendance is not necessary, although it can help slightly. The lecturers keep a distance from the students, which I liked! To them you are only a number. You might think this is cold but I enjoyed this approach! That said if you had any questions they always had their office doors open. They seemed a bit unorganised at times but you would get over this. One or two lecturers were harsh and critical almost bitter but they always gave decent, predictable exams in the end!

Basically you'll get to drink, go clubbing, go to house parties, ride around etc and not have to worry about early mornings for the most of your time in Comp Sci. Just remember the assignments and tutorials and put in a solid enough study month and you'll be grand.

Hope this was helpfull!

I graduated a few years ago with a 1H and I do wish they did more .Net stuff, most of the jobs out there are .net based with sql a must.
I started at a stock brokers at first and the learning curve was immense. I'm now working in another .net based development role and feel more comfortable.

Still I notice that the other colleges are a bit more practically minded than the universities, but saying that, employers still look to the unis first.
I'm now programming silverlight in c# and find it pretty handy. I must say in my last year they dropped the security module and that was a loss also there wasn't enough programming based classes, mostly theory.

So what I'm saying is if you want to hit the ground running go with the cits if you want to sample different technologies, but master none then Uni is the way to go.

"1st year really is a joke," Just finished first year and the course was changed to more practical work in comparison to the previous first year courses. It was recognised by the older years to have been a much harder first year than their own. If first year was all programming based we would have even less graduating then we currently have. People who have a general interest in computers entering the course need to get a chance to learn how to program, there is no previous experience requirement therefore having an easier first year makes perfect sense.
"they try their best not to fail anyone." As regards trying their best not to fail anyone...perhaps the fail rate should be published because I find that statement to be incorrect. I know loads of people who failed and by as little as 3%.

deRanged wrote: »

The new building we're in is fantastic. It's a major upgrade in terms of facilities, so it's a good time to be in Computer Science. The labs should be streets ahead of the old ones, and the core infrastructure (server room, network etc) is a couple of generations ahead of the old stuff.

Computer Science is really a course you can make something out of.
As people have said above, you can skate through on easy modules and get a nice high mark, or you can choose the more complicated ones, learn lots, have things to talk about in interviews and useful skills.

The most important thing I can say to you is:
attend classes, attend labs and do the homework. It's also a *very* good idea to be known to your lecturers as a conscientious student, who's been trying all year.
If you turn up, do the labs and assignments you will not have a problem at the end of the year.

I think this is a decent summary of the course however it is not a good time to be in computer science to be perfectly honest. The IT industry is in trouble and has been for a long time and it's hard to find a job. It is a good time to be in college though as it beats worrying about your job security or in fact trying to find a job.

Computer science has had one of the lowest levels of funding in UCC for many years and it really showed when I did the course in 2004. Some of the lecturers are excellent and some are worthy of a slap they are so inept. I heard that they shook it up a bit and started actually trying to teach a decent degree so I respect that things have most likely changed since I was there.

Science courses in UCC have a lot of hours in comparison to many other courses in UCC, in my first year I believe I had over thirty hours a week of scheduled class/tutorials/labs etc and that's before I even took time to do assignments etc.

If you attend everything and stay up to date you cannot really fail. If you dont do this then you are in a bit of trouble. Computer science has one of the highest failure rates of any course in UCC (1st year as high as 70% when I started).

I have to add that any programmer I know speak highly and also speak more highly of CIT's software development degree, something well worth looking into. CIt has a history of teaching degrees with more work and practical orientated approaches than UCC high level of theoretical work. I have never gone to CIT so I can't say for myself, just said it'd be worth mentioning it.

Best of luck with your choice.