Cant decide between Communications or Multimedia

nehpets5555

Hi, Im currently interested in applying for the Communications and multimedia courses, and was wondering what people think of them (mainly the multimedia- as ive seen the thread about Comm) Im not just out of 6th year, ive already done a course on media engineering and am doing a media production course elsewhere, but both of the dcu courses interest me.

Mabel

Can't speak for Communications but having done Multimedia, I can say it is a practical/projects-based course. You'll be doing projects based on what area of multimedia you specialize in (Programming, Audio, Video or Imaging.) There's a bit of communications theory thrown in, too.

You'll be treated as an absolute beginner in lectures at the start so don't worry if you are unfamiliar with the software. Alternatively, do your projects/don't show up to lectures if you are You'll have a lot of free time away from lectures to work on projects, but really it is good if you get involved with college societies and stuff. DCUFM is an excellent way of getting audio experience... I cheated a bit when I done it and considered it part of my college work. :P Overall it's a fun course, but some of the projects are pretty intimidating, quality-wise, so really the time away from lectures should be best put to use developing your skills, or getting experience. It's also fairly challenging if you are willing to go past the basic stuff in the lectures, but the lecturers for the most part are helpful and approachable once you have a game plan. Hope that wasn't patronising!

nehpets5555

No that was helpfull thank you!

thelastshadow

I'd recommend multimedia. But be prepared to work by yourself.

The course is a great introduction to graphic design, web design, video, audio, animation and basic programming. You specialise in second year and that gives you a more avanced experience of one of those subjects.

You can also do scriptwriting (mainly film) and writing for media (mainly web).

The course is 50% practical 50% theory, so you learn much of what the Comms students do anyway.

To really do well in the course you need to be able to write as well as do the practical stuff and you also need to be able to sit down and learn things by yourself. The tutorials alone aren't enough to get your projects up to scratch.

One last advantage of Multimedia is that depending on your module choices you can go the whole way through without an exam.

nehpets5555

thelastshadow wrote: »

I'd recommend multimedia. But be prepared to work by yourself.

The course is a great introduction to graphic design, web design, video, audio, animation and basic programming. You specialise in second year and that gives you a more avanced experience of one of those subjects.

You can also do scriptwriting (mainly film) and writing for media (mainly web).

The course is 50% practical 50% theory, so you learn much of what the Comms students do anyway.

To really do well in the course you need to be able to write as well as do the practical stuff and you also need to be able to sit down and learn things by yourself. The tutorials alone aren't enough to get your projects up to scratch.

One last advantage of Multimedia is that depending on your module choices you can go the whole way through without an exam.

Cheers, yeah im definitely leaning way more toward multimedia. It seems way more what id like to study.

Noodleworm

Hey,
I'm in first year multimedia. Im obviously gonna lean towards it cos i'm in it. While it does have some similarities with communications, and we do share some classes multimedia is the more...technical, detailed nerdy stuff. You should definitely enjoy working with computers, be creative and be good working in teams.

While Communications have a Media Tech class where they learn audio, photography, web etc we have individual classes for all of those.

Ill explain the subjects in first year for you.
-Semester 1

social studies (its like sociology)
Imaging (photoshop, photography and its history)
Audio (editing usinjg a program called Pro Tools, and learned to use the recording studios)
Multimedia Studies (Weekly lecture of ...LOTS of stuff, typography, comics, anime, advertising, film, photography were all covered)
Study Skills (kind of unpleasent weekly lecture about how to study, refrence, write essays etc. they never gave much work so wasn't too bad)
Authoring (Making animations/menus/programs using a program called Adobe Director)

-Semester 2
Video (so far lectures on video theory, shots, editing, using Final Cut Pro) were shown to use fancy expensive cameras but you don't really use them in first year)
-Analysing media content( Sort of like finding the meaning in photographs, video, film advertising, what they make people feel and what they are trying to say)
Communication theory (shared with some journalism and communications students, lectures on communication devices in history, the media, influences on public opinion.)
Web (Straight forward, making websites, little bit of dreamweaver but mainly straight up HTML and CSS.)
Writing for media - (Kinda like english class, writing articles and such for different media like the web or print, learning to write differently for each)
Team Dynamics - (like social psychology, focusing on teams, quiet usefull with all the group projects we have.)


You should probably get a second opinion too, just letting you know what we're learning now.

It is a good course, no exams in first year, I think theirs only a few in the whole course. few hours a week, lots of practical work with other people. Ive never heard anyone in the class actually say they hate the course, they might complain when they have a lot of work but they admit theres nothing else they'd rather do.

Daysha

Noodleworm wrote: »

Study Skills (kind of unpleasent weekly lecture about how to study, refrence, write essays etc. they never gave much work so wasn't too bad)

Yup, less said about this one the better! It's a core module in both courses though so you're going to have to get through it no matter what you choose.

Video (so far lectures on video theory, shots, editing, using Final Cut Pro) were shown to use fancy expensive cameras but you don't really use them in first year)

Just to expand on that a bit, if you do choose video for your production module in either 2nd year CS or MMA you get to use these little beautys. The school got a bunch of them in last year I think and they really are brilliant. From what I hear they're upgrading the TV studios to make the desk fully compatible with the EX3's as well, so assuming that goes ahead it should be in place for you by the time you're in 2nd year.

nehpets5555

Noodleworm wrote: »

Hey,
I'm in first year multimedia. Im obviously gonna lean towards it cos i'm in it. While it does have some similarities with communications, and we do share some classes multimedia is the more...technical, detailed nerdy stuff. You should definitely enjoy working with computers, be creative and be good working in teams.

While Communications have a Media Tech class where they learn audio, photography, web etc we have individual classes for all of those.

Ill explain the subjects in first year for you.
-Semester 1

social studies (its like sociology)
Imaging (photoshop, photography and its history)
Audio (editing usinjg a program called Pro Tools, and learned to use the recording studios)
Multimedia Studies (Weekly lecture of ...LOTS of stuff, typography, comics, anime, advertising, film, photography were all covered)
Study Skills (kind of unpleasent weekly lecture about how to study, refrence, write essays etc. they never gave much work so wasn't too bad)
Authoring (Making animations/menus/programs using a program called Adobe Director)

-Semester 2
Video (so far lectures on video theory, shots, editing, using Final Cut Pro) were shown to use fancy expensive cameras but you don't really use them in first year)
-Analysing media content( Sort of like finding the meaning in photographs, video, film advertising, what they make people feel and what they are trying to say)
Communication theory (shared with some journalism and communications students, lectures on communication devices in history, the media, influences on public opinion.)
Web (Straight forward, making websites, little bit of dreamweaver but mainly straight up HTML and CSS.)
Writing for media - (Kinda like english class, writing articles and such for different media like the web or print, learning to write differently for each)
Team Dynamics - (like social psychology, focusing on teams, quiet usefull with all the group projects we have.)


You should probably get a second opinion too, just letting you know what we're learning now.

It is a good course, no exams in first year, I think theirs only a few in the whole course. few hours a week, lots of practical work with other people. Ive never heard anyone in the class actually say they hate the course, they might complain when they have a lot of work but they admit theres nothing else they'd rather do.

Cheers, that was extreamely helpful.
Yeah this definitely sounds right down my alley. As in previous courses ive studied, comm, sociology, sound production/radio production(trained in Protools and Adobe Audition, and have used various other DAW's), media analysis, image processing(Photoshop,indesign etc), video production (Final Cut ) and photography.
And the others you've mentioned which i havent done, sound really interesting.

thanks again.

Lizzy_Twist

Im a second yearin multimedia and i must say that i am very happy with my choice. tho if you are very serious in education and you have goals in your life ( not just want to have an awesome drunk college memories) you better of doing multimedia as masters instead of wasting 3 years of your life when you can learn same stuff in a year

Nekro Man

I'm a second year multimedia student and I'm happy out with the course.

I chose to do audio in 2nd year and i'm loving it. It was the least popular choice but that means more focused time with the lecturer.

i'm not going to BS you, there are a lot of time filler modules that seem pointless (comm theory, analysing advertising etc etc) but the overall feeling of the course is excellent.

I personally love only having one exam in 3 years

If you want to talk to someone doing the course drop me a PM or something

Josef Fritzl

Lots of lectures overlap between the two courses. If you have previously done Media Engineering it sounds like Multimedia would suit you better than Communication Studies, IMO.

Foxkehs

Noodleworm wrote: »

Study Skills (kind of unpleasent weekly lecture about how to study, refrence, write essays etc. they never gave much work so wasn't too bad)
Communication theory (shared with some journalism and communications students, lectures on communication devices in history, the
Team Dynamics - (like social psychology, focusing on teams, quiet usefull with all the group projects we have.)

Study Skills and Team Dynamics have been cancelled for next year and Communication Theory has been moved to third year as an optional module. Budget Cuts = :mad:

Nekro Man

Foxkehs wrote: »

Study Skills and Team Dynamics have been cancelled for next year and Communication Theory has been moved to third year as an optional module. Budget Cuts = :mad:

thats far from a bad thing, sorry but as a student i think they were pretty useless modules....

Foxkehs

Nekro Man wrote: »

thats far from a bad thing, sorry but as a student i think they were pretty useless modules....

Maybe not for Multimedia students but there was more cuts for Communications. Personally, I liked Communication Theory and Team Dynamics would have been a great way to get to know people if it was in the first semester. We lost Psychology and Media Technology too but it looks like Psychology might be on the cards again.

Nekro Man

Foxkehs wrote: »

Maybe not for Multimedia students but there was more cuts for Communications. Personally, I liked Communication Theory and Team Dynamics would have been a great way to get to know people if it was in the first semester. We lost Psychology and Media Technology too but it looks like Psychology might be on the cards again.

Fair point, dynamics was a great way of breaking the ice in the early days, imo comm theory should have been optional tho.

i'm unaware of any cuts affecting multimedia, can you fill me in?

Foxkehs

Nekro Man wrote: »

Fair point, dynamics was a great way of breaking the ice in the early days, imo comm theory should have been optional tho.

i'm unaware of any cuts affecting multimedia, can you fill me in?

Sorry, I only know of the ones that would have affected the joint modules with Communications and Multimedia because of the programme board meetings. I'll be finding out what exactly is happening to Multimedia next week

Nekro Man

Foxkehs wrote: »

Sorry, I only know of the ones that would have affected the joint modules with Communications and Multimedia because of the programme board meetings. I'll be finding out what exactly is happening to Multimedia next week

coola thankies

Foxkehs

Nekro Man wrote: »

coola thankies

I'm sure your class reps would be aware of the whole situation so you could probably ask them

Josef Fritzl

Foxkehs wrote: »

Study Skills and Team Dynamics have been cancelled for next year and Communication Theory has been moved to third year as an optional module. Budget Cuts = :mad:

No more Information and Study Skills?

OH NO, THE SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS IS DOOMED!!

phasers

Comm Theory is so pointless! As for Study skills, LOL! Does anyone even go to that lecture? It's good it's been scrapped, it was a waste.

Team Dynamics is stupid as well, eceryone just gangs up into the groups of friends they already made in semester one. None of them are any great loss.

Benny Lava

If these modules are being removed, what will they be replaced with?

Anyway, I'd like to give my two cents on the CS vs. MMA debate. Both are subjected to shite modules like Information & Study Skills and Team Dynamics, and are very light on hours and exams. CS have modules called Introduction to Media Practice and Digital Media Skills which cover audio, video and photo while MMA have seperate modules for each. If you really want to go deep into the technical aspects MMA will probably suit you better but if you want a broader mix of modules (including Language,Culture and International Communication and Psychology) then CS would probably suit you better.

Noodleworm

We get lots of similar modules to CS, just not the politics and the psychology as in depth.

I kinda like team dynamics, it has a lot of psychology in it and its about learning to work as productive teams, the majority of out assignments are in groups so it helps.

we share modules like Introduction to social studies, analysing media content, team dynamics, communication theory.

I think in second year we both have media studies and some others.

Really multimedia is just for if you want to work with technology., for example you could get a good job in Web design after multimedia but communications wouldn't give you the skills for that.

theres a survey of what some past graduates are doing on the DCU website.
Multimedia
Communications

faigs

I can't believe they've upgraded their cameras to the EX-3's, about time! They'll actually prepare you for the real world if getting into TV, when I did MMA we had really old cameras and learned how to use 'Director' for animation for the first two years when the industry standard was Flash.

Is seems the course is moving with the times for once - go for it, but you really need to be self motivated to get the best from it!