what's ucd science like?

Goosewad

the title kind of says it all really... just want some feedback from some 1st science students (who are doing the modularisation thing) on what it's like.

how many electives do you get to do?

i'm not liking the course i'm doing at the moment and i'm thinking maybe i'd like to do science in ucd next year. but, i could be horribly wrong! what's the workload like?

also, if you pick maths as one of your subjects in pure science is it the same maths class for the theoretical physicists/people doing mathematical sciene aswell?

oh, and what's algorithmic problem solving like?

Waltons

Can't speak for science but I'm doing BA Comp Sci and Algorithmic Prob Solving is one of our subs.
You'll probably get an idea of the general opinion by reading the algorithmic thread that's up at the moment. I like it and I find it interesting but I'm not looking forward to the end of term exam. The lecturer's a great guy and will do anything to help you if you've a problem and he explains things very well in the lectures (obviously it helps if you go to the lectures).

It's not VERY mathsy - obviously there are elements though. It's more trying to learn a way of thinking.

PaulDoh

I'm doing BSc Computer Science but maybe I can answer yor query a bit.
I think plain ole Science students have to do 2 maths classes minimum.

There's an advanced string of classes (which I don't do, but which sound hard), and there's an ordinary string (which are at about L.C level for the most part). You can do proper mathematical physics and stuff like that as another subject too but if you want to do that I'm afraid of you. Maths isn't fun.:(

Algorithmic problem solving is interesting but at times is pretty hard.

You can do two electives.

Hope this helps.

rainbow kirby

The maths course that TP/Mathematical Science people do is different to the one you have to do in general science, but you can choose to do the harder one.

I don't know about algorithmic problem solving... It's a long time since I was in 1st year CS (2002/03...)! Actually, one observation that I've made this year is that from the looks of things the lecturer 1st years have for Java doesn't cover enough material to do some of the most basic things in 2nd year. Talking to some people in my year and in 3rd year, it seems like we had to do much more back in the day...

And I did the scary maths stuff back in the day... it's not fun

Waltons

Guh?! *is frightened at the prospect of second year now*

rainbow kirby

Just means you'll have to really understand your Java this year. Your lecturer is probably only going to barely get up as far as class inheritance and that sort of thing... you'll have to do that pretty much from day one in 2nd year and be comfortable with it. However, your 2nd year Data Structures lecturer (Aaron Quigley) is pretty good.

Waltons

Well everything up until this point has been an absolute cakewalk. I guess I can work hard over the summer (heh heh heh :v:) and pick up anything I didn't really get.
Good to hear about the Data Structures lecturer being good ! Question though: What the hell is Data Structures??

You'll help me though, right RK?
(Once again for good measure - :v: )

rainbow kirby

Data Structures and Algorithms is a lot more Java programming! It's working with stuff like arrays, stacks, lists, queues and all of that. It's more interesting than it sounds.

And yeah I'll help you if you ask! Actually the lecturer is planning on testing everyone's level of Java at the start of term next year and seeing who needs extra help then, and then roping in the stronger people in the class and some 3rd years to work with the weaker people.