Questions relating to UCC Science courses.

Captain-America

Hey there,

I'm a fifth year student at the moment, but I've been looking at a few UCC courses lately. I've sort of narrowed it down to three at the moment.

CK401 Computer Science
CK402 Biological and Chemical Sciences
CK404 Environmental and Earth System Sciences

Of course, I'm only in fifth year at the moment so I'm not thinking too seriously about any of these courses yet, but I was wondering could anybody doing these courses perhaps give me some insight as to what the course is like.

I have been advised that Biological and Chemical Sciences would be a more direct route to a secure job than Environmental and Earth System Sciences, but the idea of working exclusively in a lab wouldn't interest me too much. I'm aware both courses do overlap a bit, but how do they differ in terms of workload and hours? If anybody knows what its like to do either course first hand a bit of insight would be much appreciated.

I terms of Computer Science, my interest stems from the fact I like Computers. I have no idea what the course is like, or what it involves. I have heard however that it's a 40 hour week, and that it has a very high drop out rate. So any information on that would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!
Aaron.

taram

I'm from the CK404 stream so can answer any questions you have on that, and yeah, people in biochem have all ended up in labs, and my 3 friends in computers all dropped out.

Captain-America

Was the workload the reason they dropped out?

What's the workload and hours like with CK404 could you tell me?

Thanks.

deRanged

A large problem with the drop out and failure rates in Computer Science is simply down to the points being too low. You can pretty much scrape a pass in the leaving and walk in. You can't just doss and expect to pass - you need to learn new skills, attend lectures *and* do assignments. Do that and you'll pass easily.
The workload isn't that stressful, for a lot of it you can work in your own time. You will have assigned lab hours, but you can work in your own time too.

The department is moving to a lovely new building next year and the course is being re-structured, both very good things.

overexcitedaj

I am a drop out of computer science. the hours were not bad at all and well the course work is ok once you put effort into it AND attend lectures regularly.
That was where i went wrong. Took to the other part of college life a bit too much and well i learned a harsh lesson. It does go deep into your programming and you really have to have a goood interest in computers and to be honest a good previous knoledge( even thought they saay no knoledge required) .
It dis seem to be a good course. Nice lecturers, nice people in the course and it was a small group so you would know everyone

taram

deRanged hit the nail on the head there: they aren't trying to overwhelm you with knowledge, it's just you can't skip a week and expect to follow what's going on, and that counts for any module. And like computer sci, in ck404 I had a lot of people who only put it down because it was science with low points, not because of a love of science.

Workload of CK404 seemed slightly higher than my biochem friends in first year, because I had the occasional field trip, and slightly more labs, but our hours were the same. In first year you take so many different modules you can get a taste of what you like, and in 2nd year you get a lot of leeway with picking electives (I took plant science, but also studied cities and people for example) which is great for broadning your knowledge, or if you're good at something else, getting easy marks

Captain-America

Cheers for the info on the Computer Science there lads, makes alot of sense. I was very much under the impression it was an insanely hard course, with no time for anything else.

Could anyone give some insight as to what kind of job you'd get out of any of these? Particularly CK404. I'm aware that's probably a bit of a broad question, but college prospectus never really answer these questions for me.

RoosterIllusion

I'm in environmental science.

After first year you choose one of 9 degree programs. First year is just a general year, biology, chemistry, physics, maths, geography, geology and some other subjects that I can't remember.

I chose environmental science after first year so I'm doing a mainly chemistry degree with bits of ecology and plant science thrown in. It's challenging but I like it and if you try and go to your lectures and get notes it makes it very manageable.

I spent a couple of years doing computer science and I have to say I thought it was a disgrace. The lecturers were ****, the facilities were ****, the hours were long and because the points were so low it attracted a year full of idiots who shouldn't have been near a science degree of any sort. I believe the year I left had a 70% failure rate, with 50% of those failing the repeats. Also, the degree is next to useless unless you get a good grade at the end. Computer science uses your results from 2nd, 3rd and 4th year for your final marks, so if you do end up doing it, don't **** around after first year.

Best of luck with it.

Captain-America

RoosterIllusion wrote: »

I spent a couple of years doing computer science and I have to say I thought it was a disgrace. The lecturers were ****, the facilities were ****, the hours were long and because the points were so low it attracted a year full of idiots who shouldn't have been near a science degree of any sort. I believe the year I left had a 70% failure rate, with 50% of those failing the repeats. Also, the degree is next to useless unless you get a good grade at the end. Computer science uses your results from 2nd, 3rd and 4th year for your final marks, so if you do end up doing it, don't **** around after first year.

I hear this an awful lot when I go looking for information on Computer Science. It's a huge turn off, with the points being so low and the failure rate.

Environmental science is looking to be my favourite at the moment I'd say. Zoology particularly interests me. But from what I hear that's a go nowhere degree. On its own at least. Anybody doing it as a module?

taram

In terms of jobs... Wellll, I work in a shoe shop right now :mad: But am going to do a masters next year so don't mind too much. People in my classes are in places like Fota, various labs, one is in a national park in France, some are in masters, the problem of zoology/ecology/plant science is that it's broad, maybe too broad.

Captain-America

Yeah, I get that feeling alright. I was talking to my biology teacher about it the other day and he was leaning me towards Biological and Chemical Sciences over Environmental and Earth System Sciences, purely based on job prospects.

taram

At the end of the day it'll depend what you're more into, I hated chemistry with a passion, and loved geology/geography, so going to biochem would have made my head explode :P

filo87

I'm doing CK402 (Biological & Chemical).If you have any questions about it feel free to ask!Also, take a look at this for info: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055462244

deRanged

Speaking for Comp Sci again, don't let the failure rates influence you.
Unless you actually intend to fail, in which case, well you can do that in any course.
If you: turn up to lectures, turn up to practicals and do the assignments you will not have a problem. If you do not, you may have a problem.
You will be learning something new, something you have not done before.This will require work. You won't have to sweat blood or sacrifice goats outside the boole, you'll just have to do a bit of work.
(that last paragraph applies to every course in college)

Speaking more broadly - it's a great idea to try to decide what you'd like to do later in life. 9-5 for the next 40 years can be very boring if you chose a course because it's reputed to have short hours or a low failure rate.
I know it's next to impossible, but try to work out what you'd like to do. Then, see can you find the course that supports that.
College courses are not like FAS courses. They are more general, not targetted at a particular job. With Computer Science, for example, you can go into programming, software engineering, computer hardware, embedded systems, web stuff, consultancy, further education and many more options.
No matter which of these further options you might chose later on, a decent grade in your course will help. I've seen people womble through the course, do nothing, do crap projects, get a pass or a poor grade, and then blame the course when employers aren't running to give them a highly paid job.
I've seen people do the work, party hard all 4 years, and get a well paid job.
Same class, same group of people.
College is a place where you can make something of yourself. It's not there to make something out of you.

Captain-America

filo87 wrote: »

I'm doing CK402 (Biological & Chemical).If you have any questions about it feel free to ask!

Just any info you can give on what you actually do would be great. Bit of a broad ask maybe, but besides secondary school science I've not much of an idea as to what goes on in these courses. Like, how much would involve lectures, lab work, and field trips etc.


Also, as for Computer Science, one of the reasons I would not like to do it is because it does seem very much like a 9 to 5 job course. And I'm not sure I'd like to sit in front of a computer all day every day for the rest of my life. Science on the other hand doesn't seem too much like a straight nine to five job.
Though my perceptions on these could be greatly varied from the reality of course.

Raskolnikov

Computer Science graduate here. I found the course mostly crap when I did it to be honest. Organisation was terrible, labs were often a joke and material was poorly delivered. There were a few exceptions (Bridge, Tabirca, Manning were all excellent lecturers).

Career prospects for Computer Science are excellent (providing you get decent grades). Even with the recession biting, jobs are more easier to come by than a lot of other professions. With people still not enrolling into IT course, this trend will continue for a few years yet.