Questions-Computing Related

karma403

Hi there, I'm considering Sligo IT for 2009 entry. I have been looking specifically at the database management degree although my mind is not made up yet. Is there anybody out there who is doing that course and could give me an insight into it? Or just generally studying computer in Sligo.

Also I was wondering if there is a work placement option with computing courses? I haven't been able to find any information on the website. TBH, placement is a bit of a deal breaker for me and if Sligo IT doesn't offer it, I'll most likely be going elsewhere.

Thanks

Karma

AlmightyCushion

There is a placement option, it's part of the course. Third year is a short year (ends around end of march) and after that you are on placement until september. The placement is brilliant and you really do learn a lot from it.

I did software development a few years ago and I really enjoyed it (Haven't done fourth year yet but I plan on doing it in a year or so). Most of the lecturers are great and quite helpful. Worst thing about it was the business style subjects which annoy me.

JohnCleary

PM me if you want the truth about the computing courses in IT Sligo and the lecturers

karma403

It's strange that the IT doesn't advertise this more... I couldn't find any info on it at all... So 6 months placement. Uni's tend to do a year... Would there much choice in terms of placement companies?

AlmightyCushion

The IT has set up links with the companies. At the beggining of third year you all send a cv to the guy in charge of getting the placements and let him know if there is anywhere you'd prefer to work. He sends out the cvs to the relevant people and then they request whoever catches their eye for an interview. You don't really have much input on the whole thing bar specifying your prefered location.

karma403

Your description doesn't sound very tempting tbh.. sounds like there isn't much effort put into the placement part of the course. Any ideas about the types of companies people go into??

AlmightyCushion

karma403 wrote: »

Your description doesn't sound very tempting tbh.. sounds like there isn't much effort put into the placement part of the course. Any ideas about the types of companies people go into??

A lot probably goes on in the background that I don't know about but the above is the only part I seen. Can't remember many of the companies involved but there are quite a few county councils involved, Enterprise Ireland was were I ended up and it was great down there. A few people (about 5 I think) were in Lion bridge in Ballina and they had a great time. RBK in Athlone was another one.

JohnCleary

Good luck with placements over the next few years, almost all of the places that were previously hiring are not hiring this year (however thats a nationwide thing)

Oh, and if you get an interview for a certain place and are successful, you MUST take that placement :rolleyes: instead of having a bit of choice

I feel sorry for the 3rd years this year - doesn't look like they'll be getting placement

karma403

Ok thanks for that. I suppose what I really want to know is if the placement is relevant and would look good on a cv?

JohnCleary

karma403 wrote: »

Ok thanks for that. I suppose what I really want to know is if the placement is relevant and would look good on a cv?

Of course it does!

AlmightyCushion

JohnCleary wrote: »

Of course it does!

Or as the churchill dog would say. "oooooooooooooooooooo yeeeesssssss!"

karma403

Well I dont think the answer to that question is going to automatically yes. What if you're put into a rubbish placement....

AlmightyCushion

Any work relevant to the course looks better than nothing. Plus you could get a really good reference out of it.

JohnCleary

karma403 wrote: »

Well I dont think the answer to that question is going to automatically yes. What if you're put into a rubbish placement....

Tell ya what, ring the Head of Dept. Business & Humanaties at IT Sligo and arrange to come in for the day, mett eh lecturers etc.

karma403

Well I was thinking about coming to the open day next Thursday....

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

karma403 wrote: »

Your description doesn't sound very tempting tbh.. sounds like there isn't much effort put into the placement part of the course. Any ideas about the types of companies people go into??

there is a lot of effort put into the placement, however you are interviewed based on your results for first and second year, so the best placements usually go to the students with the best results, as it is in any course where placement places are competitive. You are allowed to try and get your own placement if you wish, as long as it is relevant to your course.

as for the course, (im graduating from the software dev. course in 2 weeks) its very good, all three courses (systems and networking, software dev and database) are thought with industry in mind. Im currently doing a masters course and i have to do placement, the company i got placed in was amazed with how advanced the course in sligo was. The course in sligo is a microsoft course, so it is VERY up to date, you use the latest software packages

you should go to the open day and talk to the lecturers, ask for padraig harte or john carter, they are the main database guys. ask them to email you on overview of the course.

KStaford

JohnCleary wrote: »

Good luck with placements over the next few years, almost all of the places that were previously hiring are not hiring this year (however thats a nationwide thing)

Oh, and if you get an interview for a certain place and are successful, you MUST take that placement :rolleyes: instead of having a bit of choice

I feel sorry for the 3rd years this year - doesn't look like they'll be getting placement

Not necessarily so. Software houses and IT in general in not being that badly hit by the current downturn. I'm doing masters at NUIG and we are being placed next year, there are several companies currently posting positions on the Uni's placement website.
Also, IT job agencies have plenty of work out there at present, I keep getting calls all the time from them.

karma403

Khari Straight Cheddar wrote: »

there is a lot of effort put into the placement, however you are interviewed based on your results for first and second year, so the best placements usually go to the students with the best results, as it is in any course where placement places are competitive. You are allowed to try and get your own placement if you wish, as long as it is relevant to your course.

as for the course, (im graduating from the software dev. course in 2 weeks) its very good, all three courses (systems and networking, software dev and database) are thought with industry in mind. Im currently doing a masters course and i have to do placement, the company i got placed in was amazed with how advanced the course in sligo was. The course in sligo is a microsoft course, so it is VERY up to date, you use the latest software packages

you should go to the open day and talk to the lecturers, ask for padraig harte or john carter, they are the main database guys. ask them to email you on overview of the course.

Thanks.. It's nice to hear a positive opinion. I'll be going down to the open day if I'm free. Going to Sligo IT/Letterkenny IT would be the cheapest option for me next year. Next on my list is Magee.

Any opinions on the web development course??

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

karma403 wrote: »

Any opinions on the web development course??

its very similar to the software dev course. In the software dev course there are two types of programing subjects thought (the student must do both), windows programming and web programming. The web course doesnt do any windows programming, they do some design subjects like flash instead. two very good courses, but if you wanted to do a programming course id do the software dev one, but then again i would say that, as im a graduate of that course:D if you want info on those courses talk to tom mc cormack and john kelleher

karma403

Thanks Frank!

Unfortunately my programming skills are weak to say the least so software development is not looking likely. I'm doing VB at the moment...

AlmightyCushion

karma403 wrote: »

Thanks Frank!

Unfortunately my programming skills are weak to say the least so software development is not looking likely. I'm doing VB at the moment...

Your programming skills are more than likely a lot better than the majority of people who would be starting the course so then.

karma403

Possibly. I'm still crap though. I can follow the concepts in class but when it comes to doing anything by myself when I haven't got the code in front of me I'm totally stuck.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

karma403 wrote: »

Thanks Frank!

Unfortunately my programming skills are weak to say the least so software development is not looking likely. I'm doing VB at the moment...

well already you are at a huge advantage!!! when i started there, i never seen code before!! the first year of the course is common between all the streams on computing so you get a taste of everything. First year programming is pretty basic, (pun not intended!) with previous programming experience you should fly through it. in second year you decide which stream to specialise in. If you go to the open day and talk to the lecturers it will be made clear!!

YeatsCounty

Khari Straight Cheddar wrote: »

well already you are at a huge advantage!!! when i started there, i never seen code before!! the first year of the course is common between all the streams on computing so you get a taste of everything. First year programming is pretty basic, (pun not intended!) with previous programming experience you should fly through it. in second year you decide which stream to specialise in. If you go to the open day and talk to the lecturers it will be made clear!!

This man speaks the truth. When I went into first year of the old Cert. in Computing course, I had never read (never mind write) a line of code before. I found it tough going at the start but I got into the swing of things. I've got a very good job out of the BSc. in Software Development, so it certainly helped me.

Anyway, I digress. You are at far more of an advantage than most other first years will be. Trust us on this point. It will be baby steps for the first while, so you will be fine to start off.

karma403

*Update*

I was at the open day yesterday. Managed to get parked because they opened up the car park at the bar place... I spoke to Padraig Harte, one of the programming lecturers and a woman who said she was involved with student mentoring. Everyone was very enthusiastic and quite confident that sorting out my programming problems would be a piece of cake. Padraig gave me the course overview, some info on the types of jobs people are getting and info on the placement of course. I gave them a bit of an interrogation but in the nicest possible way. :cool: I'm forwarding on my HNC details and they are going to see if I would be entitled to any exemptions. I dont think I'd mind starting off from scratch because it would give me a chance to settle in but in saying that being in a database class and hearing the q? "Has anyone used Access before?" may make me groan inside.

One of the students gave me a tour of the buildings so I got to have a wee look around. So basically I got good vibes off everyone and that's really important to me. If a uni/IT can't make the effort on the open day then I wouldn't be optimistic that they are going to give a crap all year round. So Sligo is looking very likely for me

Today I was at the Letterkenny IT open day. I would be more familiar with Letterkenny as a town because I live closer to there. They are doing a digital forensics course which had caught my eye. I spoke to a few people there.. well interrogated would be a better description tbh and said I've been to Sligo yesterday... If you were to try and get me to come here instead what would you say.. I didn't get any amazing answers. Letterkenny doesn't do placement at all :eek: I wasn't really getting the vibes from them.. there just wasn't the same enthusiasm as Sligo (or Magee) So I have to decide which course I want to do.. database or forensics. I'm not totally sure yet. All I do know is that I like Sligo town and IT more than Letterkenny.

BCawley

Surprised you got parking! The IT is notoriously bad for that!
I'm in the 1st year of Sofware Development ( first year is common in all 3 streams) Believe me, if you put that much effort into research I'd be confident you'll find the course very easy at the start, I know I did.
Our programming lecturer started us out on Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/), its a nice intro to programming but i woulda prefered to launch straight into c#
As for databases, were doing microsoft access, and learning SQL when were not in the labs
Any other questions about my limited knowledge of the course let me know!

karma403

For your databases, I presume you are normalising your data at this stage aswell? What sort of programs are you creating at this stage of the course?

BCawley

karma403 wrote: »

For your databases, I presume you are normalising your data at this stage aswell? What sort of programs are you creating at this stage of the course?

Ehh... about that
After a googling yeah we are normailizing our databases, creating many tables and using relationships relevant details in another table. Once again, I think you'll be one of the best prepared students for this course should you go.

We just started C# This week, but in scratch our first assignment was just to animate our name, then we made an animation on our first few weeks in the IT (very much open to your own interpretation) then an educational game for children using variable to keep scores, and finally we made a payslip.

As for system and networking, we've taken apart a P2 system, converted to and from binary,hex, deciamal, and octal, learned logic gates and had questions regarding ram, processors, and expansion slots.

karma403

Americans use Z's Europeans tend to use S's Neither is wrong, just different. The programs sound quite nice for beginners and very graphical. The systems and networking aspect is probably what I know least about. I am familiar with the terminology you have mentioned but nothing more than that. You mentioned earlier that you are "learning SQL when not in the labs" Does this mean you haven't had the opportunity to create any queries for yourself yet using SQL?

thanks for all your info so far

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

karma403 wrote: »

You mentioned earlier that you are "learning SQL when not in the labs" Does this mean you haven't had the opportunity to create any queries for yourself yet using SQL?

we didnt do any SQL in frist year, but it was changed the next year, you will be doing loads of SQL in 2nd and 3rd year, and in great detail!! i hated it as all i wanted to do was code c#!! (found 3rd year database very easy though, it was my highest mark in 3rd year!!)

which version of SQL is being used now, is it 2000 or 2005? they were supposed to set a server with SQL 2005 for the 2006/7 year as myself and another guy needed it for our projects but it never came!! we had SQL 2005 running on our laptops so there was never a big push to get it

BCawley

karma403 wrote: »

Americans use Z's Europeans tend to use S's Neither is wrong, just different.

Pfft You come and fix my firefox spell check then Ah no

karma403 wrote: »

The systems and networking aspect is probably what I know least about. I am familiar with the terminology you have mentioned but nothing more than that.

Dont worry at all about that, I had plenty of time to understand it. Continuous assesment is 70% iirc and so far the 2 test we have had only totalled 10%. Plus im not sure how relevant logic gates are to databases

karma403 wrote: »

You mentioned earlier that you are "learning SQL when not in the labs" Does this mean you haven't had the opportunity to create any queries for yourself yet using SQL?

No, We just started using SQL in Access about a week ago, but we've pretty much been learning it for the past month in the lecture classes ( 2 classes a week, an hour each)
Firstly we went over relationships, drew out tables on paper and we chose one to one, one to many etc. Then we moved on to SQL. We have one lab class a week, which lasts 2 hours.
Like Frank, I'm mad to get into C# so databases arent the most terribly interesting to me atm



@Frank Carty........I'd guess its 2005 but i have databases tomorrow so if i see anything to suggest it isnt i shall post it here.

karma403

I just realised I overlooked something

Continuous assesment is 70%

Do you know is that percentage for first year only or does it carry through to year 2 & 3? In the course I'm doing now, it's all continuous assesment, I definately prefer it to exams.

AlmightyCushion

It was the the same split for me in second and third year.

BCawley

karma403 wrote: »

Do you know is that percentage for first year only or does it carry through to year 2 & 3? In the course I'm doing now, it's all continuous assesment, I definately prefer it to exams.

Not 100% clear on what your asking so I'll say this:

I'm almost positive the 70% CA is just for this year, as our 2 database tests done so far have been 17.5% and 10%
As for the grading system in 2nd year on I'd Imagine its CA also

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

karma403 wrote: »

I just realised I overlooked something



Do you know is that percentage for first year only or does it carry through to year 2 & 3? In the course I'm doing now, it's all continuous assesment, I definately prefer it to exams.

first and second year are roughly 60%-70% CA, in third year its around 50%-60% CA and in fourth year its roughly 30%-50% CA. Its pretty low in fourth year for some subjects, its all to do with the external examiner, some of them want the final exam to be worth a lot, a lot has to do with the subject as well.

Thomas-G

Well I'm going doing the Web Development coarse should everything go smoothly in September 2009:D
If I do WD is there any way I could addon to it easily after the coarse is finished, like go into the final year of Software/Game development?

BCawley

Thomas-G wrote: »

Well I'm going doing the Web Development coarse should everything go smoothly in September 2009:D
If I do WD is there any way I could addon to it easily after the coarse is finished, like go into the final year of Software/Game development?

Dunno bout that, I could ask around I suppose. I applied for WD this year but there wasnt enough interest in the course and it didnt run, hopefully it wont be the same for you.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Thomas-G wrote: »

Well I'm going doing the Web Development coarse should everything go smoothly in September 2009:D
If I do WD is there any way I could addon to it easily after the coarse is finished, like go into the final year of Software/Game development?

I'm doubt that would be possible, and why would want to transfer? game development is very different to web development. game development would be using the programming language c++, the web course uses c#. It isnt that easy to move from c# to c++, espicealy if you learned to programm using c#, c# is very easy compared to c++ (c# does most of the memory management for you, c++ doesnt).

If you want to transfer into game programming after 4 years doing web, i would advise doing a masters in game development. It would probably be easier than joining the game development course at 4th year. If you join a course at 4th year, you only do 5-6 subjects. Some of these subjects may have been tought in the preivous years of the course, and at 4th year would be at a very high level, e.g. maths and probably AI. (you do maths in the web course, but at a much lower level that woud be required for a game development course, the maths in the web course is pretty eash thh).

I graduated 3 weeks ago from sligo from the software development course, one of my mates from the class is doing a masters in game development in dundee at the moment. He says its tough but he loves it. The web course is similar to the software course, they are 2 great courses in my opinion. Best of luck with the course and i would worry about the game development until you are in 3rd or 4th year!! enjoy the first 2 years of the course, they are by far the easiest!!:D

Thomas-G

BCawley wrote: »

Dunno bout that, I could ask around I suppose. I applied for WD this year but there wasnt enough interest in the course and it didnt run, hopefully it wont be the same for you.

Didn't know that, though ya went for SD as first choice!

Khari Straight Cheddar wrote: »

I'm doubt that would be possible, and why would want to transfer? game development is very different to web development. game development would be using the programming language c++, the web course uses c#. It isnt that easy to move from c# to c++, espicealy if you learned to programm using c#, c# is very easy compared to c++ (c# does most of the memory management for you, c++ doesnt).

If you want to transfer into game programming after 4 years doing web, i would advise doing a masters in game development. It would probably be easier than joining the game development course at 4th year. If you join a course at 4th year, you only do 5-6 subjects. Some of these subjects may have been tought in the preivous years of the course, and at 4th year would be at a very high level, e.g. maths and probably AI. (you do maths in the web course, but at a much lower level that woud be required for a game development course, the maths in the web course is pretty eash thh).

I graduated 3 weeks ago from sligo from the software development course, one of my mates from the class is doing a masters in game development in dundee at the moment. He says its tough but he loves it. The web course is similar to the software course, they are 2 great courses in my opinion. Best of luck with the course and i would worry about the game development until you are in 3rd or 4th year!! enjoy the first 2 years of the course, they are by far the easiest!!:D

I meant continue my education after completing WD. I just wanted to be flexible, I'm not too interested in Games Dev as sales are linked too much to the state of the economy, games being a luxury. I'd be happy enough with SD as it's level 7, I could easily manage WD afterwards as I already know a fair bit of php, css and ruby. So far WD is my first in L8 and SD is my first in LV, both in Sligo.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Thomas-G wrote: »

I meant continue my education after completing WD. I just wanted to be flexible, I'm not too interested in Games Dev as sales are linked too much to the state of the economy, games being a luxury. I'd be happy enough with SD as it's level 7, I could easily manage WD afterwards as I already know a fair bit of php, css and ruby. So far WD is my first in L8 and SD is my first in LV, both in Sligo.

Most software jobs at the moment involve web programming. the web development course and the software course are very similar. the main differences are the web course will do some graphic design for web pages like flash (and maby silverlight), and the software course will do more windows based programming. subjects like software engineering, AI, systems analysis, database, human computer interaction and web programming are done by both courses. However, when it comes to getting a job (assuming you want a web job), practicly all of the graphic end will be done by designers not programmers, the programming end could be done by a graduate of either the software or web course, They are that similar. Im supprised there even is a seperate web and software course, they should be combined!

The software course is a L7, but it is VERY easy to get into 4th year to get your L8, there isnt a limit on places. Really all you have to do is pass 3rd year and do a perform well at your work placement and you are grand. Only one of the students in my course didnt get into 4th year, he failed a subject in 3rd year and had to be compensated, saying that, he wasnt the best attender and i think they mey have held that against him.

Im may not be the best person to give you advise on the web and software course, as i did the L8 in software dev, I would prefer if you did that course!! However, i feel you would be a better overall programmer if you did the software course. If you want to ring the college and ask for the email of Tom Mc Cormack or John Kelleher. They are two lecturers in the web and software courses, they know their stuff and are pretty sound guys

With the game programming, doing one year of a game development course will be a wast of time. Very different course, and i doubt you would be let into 4th year, unless you have a done some L7 in game development before. As i said earlier the masters in games development would be a better option, as you would be starting the masters course from scratch, rather than entering the 4th year of another course. In the first 3 years of the course, the Maths would be a lot harder, and direct X would have been looked at in detail. anway, as i said earlier dont worry about games programming until you are in 3rd or 4th year, you will know exactly what i mean at that stage!

Thomas-G

Khari Straight Cheddar wrote: »

Most software jobs at the moment involve web programming. the web development course and the software course are very similar. the main differences are the web course will do some graphic design for web pages like flash (and maby silverlight), and the software course will do more windows based programming. subjects like software engineering, AI, systems analysis, database, human computer interaction and web programming are done by both courses. However, when it comes to getting a job (assuming you want a web job), practicly all of the graphic end will be done by designers not programmers, the programming end could be done by a graduate of either the software or web course, They are that similar. Im supprised there even is a seperate web and software course, they should be combined!

The software course is a L7, but it is VERY easy to get into 4th year to get your L8, there isnt a limit on places. Really all you have to do is pass 3rd year and do a perform well at your work placement and you are grand. Only one of the students in my course didnt get into 4th year, he failed a subject in 3rd year and had to be compensated, saying that, he wasnt the best attender and i think they mey have held that against him.

Im may not be the best person to give you advise on the web and software course, as i did the L8 in software dev, I would prefer if you did that course!! However, i feel you would be a better overall programmer if you did the software course. If you want to ring the college and ask for the email of Tom Mc Cormack or John Kelleher. They are two lecturers in the web and software courses, they know their stuff and are pretty sound guys

With the game programming, doing one year of a game development course will be a wast of time. Very different course, and i doubt you would be let into 4th year, unless you have a done some L7 in game development before. As i said earlier the masters in games development would be a better option, as you would be starting the masters course from scratch, rather than entering the 4th year of another course. In the first 3 years of the course, the Maths would be a lot harder, and direct X would have been looked at in detail. anway, as i said earlier dont worry about games programming until you are in 3rd or 4th year, you will know exactly what i mean at that stage!

Thanks very much, very helpful!