Science related degrees

lemansky

So how many new first years like myself are going to be studying any of the science-type degrees in NUIM come September? I'm going to be doing MH201 general science myself.

It's just that with all the talk these days about not enough people doing science at college it would be interesting to see how many will be starting this year and in what areas they will getting their degrees.

I know that people will have posted what they want to do in the leaving cert forum, but I though that to have them all together here would give a better indication of numbers, and also for those who don't no anybody else going to Maynooth, it may give them a chance to get to know some like minded people who might even be doing the same course as them so as they won't be starting college out on their own.

moggins

yep im doin the same course as yourself. aiming towards the physics side of things... should be fun weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :P

LeixlipRed

You picked the wrong year to do it if you don't excel at Maths. The QM (or pass maths) course has been cut so anyone entering in first year will have to do Maths up to and beyond Honours LC standard. Hard luck guys Of course if you passed honours maths in the LC you'll have no probs

Hairspray

Im doing MH208 and struggled a lot with ordinary level maths and yet somehow got a B3 in leavin ...............i can now say im royally buggerd!Are there any support systems for people who dont know their natural numbers from their intergers?(im deadly serious!)

eamoss

In Maynooth most students do Arts as you well know but there is also a lot of people doing Science courses. I'd say 45% do Arts, 30% do Science and 25% doing other courses.

I find with doing a Science course you have to understand a lot of what you are doing while with Arts you can just learn stuff off without understanding it and you will be ok.

Also for anyone doing Computer Science all your assignments(h/w) will get done in your labs. It means its not as time consuming but it isnt easy but in saying that in 1st year CS is really easy but that is just me looking back on it at the time I found it shít hard.


As for the Maths. I found it very hard in the 1st semester but then in the 2nd semester I found it easy but think that was mainly down to me doing a a bit of work.

For anyone who is doing Computer Science & Software Engineering ALL your subjects involve Maths which I was unaware of. Everthing you do is higher than Honours LC standard.

LeixlipRed

Hairspray wrote:

Im doing MH208 and struggled a lot with ordinary level maths and yet somehow got a B3 in leavin ...............i can now say im royally buggerd!Are there any support systems for people who dont know their natural numbers from their intergers?(im deadly serious!)

There's a new support system for student's who are struggling with Maths this year. Basically, if you have a problem, you can go free of charge to someone qualified (and not a lecturer) to help you out. My advice though is to attend all your lectures and tutorials in Maths. The tutorials are where 80% of your CA marks are earned and it's vitally important you go to these. If you're struggling then you'll probably need a huge dose of CA to pass the year.

eamoss

LeixlipRed wrote:

There's a new support system for student's who are struggling with Maths this year. Basically, if you have a problem, you can go free of charge to someone qualified (and not a lecturer) to help you out. My advice though is to attend all your lectures and tutorials in Maths. The tutorials are where 80% of your CA marks are earned and it's vitally important you go to these. If you're struggling then you'll probably need a huge dose of CA to pass the year.

Ah if I had of known this when I 1st started I would have went to all of them but in saying that I missed alot in the 2nd semester mainly because it was a Thursday morning at 9am over in logic house, I was living in River Apartments (20 min walk) and that fact I was out every single Wednesday night didn’t help.
Think that is the reason why I only got 60 odd % when I thought I got alot more.


But freshers CA is your friend, Like one of the lads in my class didnt bother coming in for an class test becasue he was too hungover but what he didnt know was that class test was worth 15% towards his final grade and he had to work very hard to pass that subject.

One thing is for sure (if I pass my repeats) that I am going to work hard for my CA becasue when you have to do your exams and you have a good CA it makes it so much easier to pass. As I know it hard to pass when you are lost in a subject and have very little CA.


EDIT:
The extra Maths thing is that CALMAT?

lemansky

moggins wrote:

yep im doin the same course as yourself. aiming towards the physics side of things... should be fun weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :P

I'm leaning towards physics as well. Can't wait for college really.:D


I would agree with the learning off versus understanding point that was made.
Beyond the things that obviously had to be learned off like lists etc, I always chose to take the understamding approach with maths, physics and chemistry. If you don't do that you'll find yourself getting stuck in say maths and physics as with the sheer amount of material you will get confused. I maths it would get even worse because you'd be there scratching your head saying, "right, this is a type 3 trig question...how do you do them again?"*, instead of just understanding what was involved and working it out.

On another note, 30% isn't a bad figure overall for numbers taking science. You an only hope that it increases with time.






*Sadly I've heard people say that. These were people who were potentialy very good at maths but just were taught the wrong approcah by teachers.

LeixlipRed

eamoss wrote:

EDIT:
The extra Maths thing is that CALMAT?

No, Calmat is for any student who has a lack of knowledge or recent practice in the basics of maths. ie if you've been out of the education system for a while. The new support system will be there to replace the "help-desk" which became defunct either last year or the year before. It has it's own seperate budget and Ciaran Mac an Bhaird will be heading that up. should help those who struggle a good bit. Though might hit me in the pocket as i clean up with grinds

Horsefumbler

I'm in my final year of that general science degree you guys are doing. doing just chemistry. So fucking glad i'm not taking any maths course this year. did Statistics last year but that was just a maths course with 2 stats course thrown in. Calculus was rough

lemansky

Horsefumbler wrote:

Calculus was rough

I'm already shaking with excitement at the mere though of all this new calculus:D

I am looking forward to starting the science degree. I guess that you've had a good experience with it so far then horsefumbler?

LeixlipRed

Horsefumbler wrote:

I'm in my final year of that general science degree you guys are doing. doing just chemistry. So fucking glad i'm not taking any maths course this year. did Statistics last year but that was just a maths course with 2 stats course thrown in. Calculus was rough

Which Calculus course was that? ODEs?

eamoss

IF I get into 2nd year I have the joy of doing:
MT101s - Differential Calculus
MT102s - Integral Calculus
MT214 - Linear Algebra for Finance
MT322 - Cryptography

All on top of my Computer Science subjects which are basically Maths.

I just cant wait

LeixlipRed

None of those courses are particularly difficult. MT101, 102 are LC Honours Standard and the other two would be below or on par with that standard. Crypotgraphy is piss easy

eamoss

LeixlipRed wrote:

None of those courses are particularly difficult. MT101, 102 are LC Honours Standard and the other two would be below or on par with that standard. Crypotgraphy is piss easy

I hope you are right!

prof_darkins

I am entering into Biotechnology this year. Aiming for the biopharmaceutical end, and planning to do well. I hope no modules throw me off, as they may do.