Computing - Applied & Bus. Apps - book lists?

mrmac

Hoping to do either the Applied Computing, or Bus. Apps course, starting 2010, and just wondering if any of you have the course book list, or recommended reading list, for first years?

Cheers.

RoyalMarine

if you do applied computing, your first semester (september - janurary) will look like this.

Introduction to OO Programming I
Communications
Discrete Mathematics
Student Development
General Computing
Computer Applications

ive just completed this through computer security and digital forensics.

We needed no books, and any book's our lecturer's referenced were easily available from the library.
All notes from the lecturer's are available online or handed out in class.

sadly, i dont know anything about the business apps course.

If you decide to take the applied computing course, then i can suggest some things to read up on for the first semester.
Introduction to OO Programming I
Java.... just read the basics about java programming language.
this might be something you could read up on for now, and when you start college, your under no pressure for a few months. very handy!

General Computing
computer history. basically when they were invented, by who, what for etc.
but honestly, you learn it all in class fairly easy.

Discrete Mathematics
we covered a LOT of topics in the first semester. binary, octal, hex, matricies, and a lot more. but with a small amount of effort, you get through it very easy without needing to study too much.

Communications.
you probably wont bother turning up half the time so dont worry
it really was a joke of a course.

computer applications.
microsoft word, excel, powerpoint, access.
thats it. very very basic.

student development.
bowling, watching movies, and treasure hunts!
oh yes, we are still kids!
very fun topic, no exams....

as a first year student, you are assesed on 2 area's.
first, your CA. continuous assesment.
most subject's award a 60% overall mark for CA.
You get points for turning up to class, completing assignments, and completing exams throughout the semester.
Then your final exams will be worth the last 40%.

it is possible to pass all subjects before the final exam, but you still have to attend the exam to pass

hope anything i just ranted on about helps!

mrmac

Thanks for the info!
First semester for Bus. Apps is also the same.
Java - I need 5 cups of this to become human!
Haven't worked with Java before, thanks for the heads up. The rest sounds like a nice, gradual, transition.

Your semester two has some of the same modules as well:
Computer Architecture
Intro to OO prog. 2
Problem solving with Robotics

What are these like?

Sorry for all the questions, but applying as a mature student, who hasn't been to college in a LONG time, so feeling a bit anxious. I've had a chat with the H.o.D. Thomas Dowling, and he was very helpful.

ifelse

Computer architecture is a build on general computing, more of the same stuff but more in depth. No books required although the notes he gets are mostly from a book called computing: an overview i think.

Programming 2 is also a build on what you would have learned in the first semester. Main focus is on methods, creating your own and using them.

Robotics uses what you have learned in programming to be able to code robots made with the lego mindstorm kits. e.g. reverse() forward() turnleft() turnright() which are all methods. Not as exciting as it sounds might I add.

Maths is more maths bascially with more of a focus on angles lines and graphs. Co-ordinate stuff.

Tbh I havent bought a book yet, whatever you need to know is given out by the lecturers and the Internet covers the rest.

Oh and since your interested in the applied computing specifically, well, in the second semester you will be doing some web design, learning how to use HTML etc and make your own website, fairly simple stuff. Again you build onto that in semester 3 and 4 (second year) where you use photoshop and dreamweaver in conjunction with what you already know and build more complex sites.

The other subject you'll do is information systems. It basically looks at how computers can... enhance businesses etc. Very waffly and a lot of reading. But again all is given to you.

RoyalMarine

mrmac wrote: »

Thanks for the info!
First semester for Bus. Apps is also the same.
Java - I need 5 cups of this to become human!
Haven't worked with Java before, thanks for the heads up. The rest sounds like a nice, gradual, transition.

Your semester two has some of the same modules as well:
Computer Architecture
Intro to OO prog. 2
Problem solving with Robotics

What are these like?

Sorry for all the questions, but applying as a mature student, who hasn't been to college in a LONG time, so feeling a bit anxious. I've had a chat with the H.o.D. Thomas Dowling, and he was very helpful.

as ifelse mentioned, the programming II and computer architecture are just steps up from what we did in the first semester.

however, i havn't started them yet as were still on our holidays after doing our exams.

TPD

ifelse wrote: »

Robotics uses what you have learned in programming to be able to code robots made with the lego mindstorm kits. e.g. reverse() forward() turnleft() turnright() which are all methods. Not as exciting as it sounds might I add.

We had great fun in the robotics class! Had jousting matches on top of the divider between the two aisles of computers

holly 1

I am thinking of going to LYIT to study computing with business applications, but programming kinda scares me! can any1 tell me is this complicated? Is computing the best to study? I heard thats where the employment is going to be... I am a bit unsure if I should go for this course or not plesae help

mrmac

Hi holly 1, is this for next year, 2011? It's just that the CAO applications closed on Feb. 1st - so you'd be applying as a late application. I have no idea what the deadline is for those.

Programming scares me too! Haven't a baldy notion, but sure they're supposed to teach you that stuff, right???

I'm applying as a mature student, and having worked in industry for the last 20 years, my only advice is to study what you actually like doing, as opposed to what you think will be popular. If you enjoy your course, and career, you'll be happy, instead of doing something that doesn't interest or stimulate you.

RoyalMarine

the programming starts very very basic.

If you attend the lecturer's and the practcal's and dont waste your time surfing the web during class, its very very easy to pick up.

Plus, java is very popular and plenty of reading material available online and in the library.

as for the CAO closing on feb 1st, you can still make a late applicaiton.

Late Applications are those which are received after 5:15 pm on the 1st February 2010 and will be accepted up to 5:15 pm on the 1st May 2010