Software Development

jakedixon2004

What is the Software Development course like

Tough, very tough. Yet, like most courses, if you stick with it, put the effort in, then you're bound to succeed.

I did 2 years of this course before dropping out.

jakedixon2004

what type of math are we talking about

ARGINITE

From what I have been told the maths aren't to hard. But than again that was from a former student a few years ago.

If you want an example paper pm me you email address and I will send it on to you.

gd1987

If your willing to put in the work from day one then you'll do fine. I didn't bother doing much in first year and scraped a pass for the year. When second year began i was so far behind i never really had a hope and left after christmas.

The maths isn't that bad really, once you get your head around it your rocking.

Don't play counter strike if ya have work to do, damn game ruined me!

jakedixon2004

so what makes the course so hard if the maths are easy

jakedixon2004

jakedixon2004 wrote: »

so what makes the course so hard if the maths are easy

I dropped out myself aswell in first year. I don't care what anyone says it is a very hard course and you must ahve a great liking for computers and programming. Everything you do in programming is crunching numbers and creating a formulas. You have to go in every day, like it on lump it.

Mikosyko

I did the software development course for a few months and it nearly drove me insane! The maths was way too advanced for me, and despite starting eager and willing, it all crashed down around me in a horrible way.:(

So I took a year off, trying to get my life in order, then in September last year I took the Admin. Info Systems course and i've never been happier!

philboy

I finished this course approx 4 years ago. I know the structure has changed slightly since but most of the subjects and the core content is still the same. Yes, its a hard enough course alright. The lecturers are very good and approachable though and as long as you put the effort in you will be fine.

The course is very practical with lots of programming, which i found great. The maths isn't too hard. I only did pass maths in the L. Cert and i found the maths on the course to be fine.

Overall, id recommend the course no problem.

LightofDarkness

I'm in 4th year, and I can tell you that it's quite a difficult course. But put in the effort and you've got a valuable degree under your belt. The maths aren't terribly hard at all, in 1st year you'll encounter matrices and statistical maths as well as probability, all in leaving cert ordinary maths standards. Then later on you'll be doing graphics and differential calculus to solve business issues. The hard part is the workload (projects etc.), and the need for a lot of creative thinking. Programming requires practice and a lot of research. The lecturers are very nice and helpful, and often have a good in depth knowledge of the subjects. Hope that helps.

MrJones

jakedixon2004 wrote: »

so what makes the course so hard if the maths are easy

Its a hard course because you have to alot of practical and project work throughout each year (especially in 1st, 2nd and 4th year). You cover pretty much all aspects of computer science and programming in the projects.
The exams at the end of the year aren't that bad, just learning although its worth noting that the exams are worth alot more than the projects!!
2nd year the project load is a bit much but if you prioiritize you'll be fine. 4th year also is really intensive.
To be honest its about putting in a bit of hard work and if you love technology and software dev, stuff like that then its the course for you.
Highly recommended from someone who did the 4 years B.Sc.

Dellboy2007

My Housemate is doing this course and he's repeating 1st year. He never goes in and spends hours in his room on marathon hand shandy sessions. I'm very worried about him, i don't think he'll pass his summer exams.....

Shryke

Well I left in my second year. There is a massive drop out rate throught first year and that only carries on into second. It's a tough course to do but the maths and programming in first year is very easy. Second year is tough going compared, and the course had lost my interest and my attendance at that stage. But if it's what you're sure you want then it is a good course.

And Counter-Strike was great. Good memories.

BrokenArrows

I completed 3 years in this course. Did just enough work and scraped by but once i hit 4th year they take it to another level and i couldnt do it.

So if you put in even the smallest bit of effort then you will be fine.

The maths in the course are not difficult. This was the one thing i always did well on and im not great at maths.

jakedixon2004

What languages do u learn in the course and do many people apply for the course every year

Shryke

It was a choice between french and german. If you did alright in your LC in either you'll be grand. I did this course not that long ago. The class started out somewhere in the high thirties I believe. I don't think there are ten people left still there.
It's not that it's a bad course. You get people who didn't think of it as a first choice, others who think it's going to be a doss, and at least when I did it it wasn't as up to date as it should have been. Progress was far too slow for me also as far as programming goes. I believe they have now upgraded the course some. The whole thing seems to have shaped up from what I've heard.
For all my complaints it was still a good course for programming. I don't want to put you off it, I just think it's important that I'm honest here..

jakedixon2004

I was talkin about programming languages and if i get the course i will put in 100% effort so u wont have to worry about that

Shryke

You can tell I'm out of the loop a little bit. C++ mainly with some Unix and Java. First year will be pretty much C++.

jakedixon2004

Did u find that learning C++ was harder or easier than learning Java

Shryke

I found C++ very easy. It gets more complicated as you progress (obviously) but if you don't skip out on programming lectures you'll keep on top of it all no bother. I have to stress the not skipping out part.
C++ is the main stay of the course so you'll be far better at that. I found Java a bit more difficult. Not because it's a difficult language, it's not. Rather, we weren't thought it. We were shown some code and said there it is now go and do it. And of course we were all terrible at it. It was only something on the side though and we did improve with a bit of time. The resources are there but you'll have to put in more effort to be proficient with Java. If you're serious about programming then I'd say go for it. C++ is still widely used but Java is only going to get more widespread.
The course has changed a little since I left as I've said so there may be more of a focus on it.
To sum up in answer to your question, C++ is piss easy. Java is also fairly intuitive. That's if you don't already know Java. Hope I helped some.

minik

Is it Dr. Bob who teaches it?

Elfman

Hi there,

Just finished up in GMIT last year
Here’s a bit about the courses:

- The maths aren’t to bad at all and the maths course are taught
at a fairly slow pace
- The Languages taught were: c++, Java as the main ones, lots of other stuff
as well to a lesser extent. I think they've moved to .net over java now.
TBH it really doesn't matter as long as the concepts are there.
- Wide range of important technology covered. Strong emphasis on
Design (development lifecycle) and E-Commerce .
- Couple of really good lectures notably Sean Duignan, John Healy,and Damien Costello are all really good and very good at getting students interested in the material

In my experience if you give the course the time it needs you'll be fine.
PM me if you have any questions

yop

Did that course a looooooong time ago. Cant say we have ever used 1/2 of what we were taught, but as long as you stick to it you will be fine.

You have to have a liking and interest in programming though, which is an obvious statement, 56 started 1st year, 8 finished the final year.

Good luck with it anyway folks

KStaford

Couple of really good lectures notably Sean Duignan, John Healy,and Damien Costello are all really good and very good at getting students interested in the material

I met Damien Costello there in GMIT in May. He was telling me that he teaches AI. Does this mean that you study AI on the Software dev course? If so its probably worth mentioning as a tricky subject, does Damien teach anything else?

Shryke

You wouldn't be tackling AI until fourth year.

deadbloke

I did two years of software dev before I got lazy and dropped out. Like others have said if you go into your lectures and labs you'll do fine.

After a couple of years I realised the mistake I made when I dropped out, so I went back to GMIT, but I did electronic engineering instead. The way electronics has moved it's mostly software on this course. I'm now in my final year doing Digital and Software Systems (the add-on degree course), and I'm very happy I did this course instead of going back to software development. It's very tough, but I now have a much better basis for any software job.

If you have no interest in hardware, and want to know more business-type stuff, then software development is probably for you. If you want to know a nice bit about hardware and a lot of software too, then go for electronics.

Elfman

Damien teaches quite a few courses
through the duration of the course (in fact 4 subjects in 4th year alone)

AI is not particularly tricky at all in fact Damien gets students to do
a project with Lego robots (program them to demonstrate AI) which
is a lot of work but a fun project. In terms of what I would mention as
tricky I'd say the assembly module is tricky but noting to worry about, Truth is everyone will find different subjects hard.

Also a lot of people ask about Maths in relation to computer courses.
I'd say if your prepared to ask about what you don't know most of the maths
in the course is just about remembering a process and repeating it. There's no assumptions made about your current level of maths.

In if your the kind of persons who's not afraid to ask questions you'll do well
in this course and the lecture's will appreciate the effort

Pygmie

Having completed the Software Development course, I must advise that it IS difficult. However, some of the lecturers are the best you'll find and really know their stuff. We had one lecturer in our first two years of the course who taught us programming and she really went that extra yard to make a tough subject seem relatively easy and set us up for a good understanding of programming concepts in general. Finding someone like that in any course is a huge advantage.

leex

I did this course a long time ago and there was a drop out of about 50% per year from 1st to 4th year when I was there. A lot of people took on the course expecting a doss.

From my time there being good at programming alone would not get you distinction overall. There was a lot of theory subjects also. Generally speaking there were some people who were only so/so at programming but swotted big time for the theory subjects and these did very well overall.

There was lots of coding projects to be done also which was hard work but enjoyable.