Higher Diploma in Applied Computing Technology

Luca1

Hi,

Am looking to study this course part-time. Anybody with any info on this??

Whats the general consensus on the course?

Thanks..........................

starlit

hiya I have just completed this course. I quiet liked the course and was very interesting and i learnt a lot from it. I was interested in computing and hoping to branch into the sector. Good variety of subjects, some of the subjects there is a bit of overlap between them. There is a mixture of design and programming in the course. First term was grand the second term was tougher. Some subjects got a rep because of the standard of lecturing was disorganised other subjects were well organised and well taught and suited our level while other subjects were not. Many part-timers did it but some changed over to full time as they ended up attending all the lectures anyway! some part-timers will probably not come back as they have found jobs eslewhere. I did it full time and I think you be better off despite the number of subjects but it is up to you if you want to do it part-time. If you wanted to do a masters in computing afterwards specifically in UCC you will have to do java (object orientated software development) as an option subject and get a pass mark of either 50%+ or 60%+ I am confused on that as in the marks and standards it said 50% and the lecturer said its 60% yet they both state that you need to get a second class honours in the subject to be eligible for the computing masters, software and mobile networking masters. If you want any more info and insight into the course you can PM me with any questions.

ditchdigger

Hi,

I've applied to do this course. Just wondering does the above poster or anyone else know what the rate of employment was after completion of this course? I don't want to dive into it if I won't get a job in the area afterwards.

Thanks

starlit

ditchdigger wrote: »

Hi,

I've applied to do this course. Just wondering does the above poster or anyone else know what the rate of employment was after completion of this course? I don't want to dive into it if I won't get a job in the area afterwards.

Thanks

Hi,
At the moment I am not sure of the rate of employment as some people from the class have decided to do a Masters afterwards. Some of which managed to get back to an old job of theres, one went abroad and found work, the rest were all part timers so the majority are going back to finish the course the coming year. I myself is still looking for a job, if that doesn't work out within the next few months to a year I'd consider doing a Masters and maybe a professional cert beforehand.
What was your degree if you don't mind me asking? As the Hdip can really help with your degree in many ways in finding a job when you combine the skills you'll learn. If you stay in the course afterwards when looking for a job best to start off small, looking to work your way up i.e. helpdesk/technical support.

ditchdigger

Snuggles,

My Degree is in Civil Engineering and I'm looking to move into a different field as things are brutal in that sector and will remain that way for the foreseeable future. I'm not sure this would help me regain employment in the Civil area but I can see how it would for other areas.

So most people on the programme were already in jobs or got their old jobs back?

I was hoping this might be a leg up into either web design or becoming software developer.

Thanks

starlit

ditchdigger wrote: »

Snuggles,

My Degree is in Civil Engineering and I'm looking to move into a different field as things are brutal in that sector and will remain that way for the foreseeable future. I'm not sure this would help me regain employment in the Civil area but I can see how it would for other areas.

So most people on the programme were already in jobs or got their old jobs back?

I was hoping this might be a leg up into either web design or becoming software developer.

Thanks

ditchdigger,
There was one classmate of mine who did civil engineering. I am unsure of what he is concidering now, think he was thinking about going to the US or the UK. You probably did a bit of circuit/logic design and AutoCAD? If you did they be a great help to you for both the course and if you wanted to go in the website and software development side of things. There is a good bit of content of both areas in the course. You would probably get a job in those areas if you market yourself well enough. Might consider doing a Professional cert or a masters after the course if you want to go into one of those areas? There is an Interactive Multimedia Masters and Software & Systems for Mobile Networks Masters aswell.

Some of those were working when doing it part time so they are still in those jobs. One of them went back to an old job she had a few years back, she was working in a different job while doing the course.

ditchdigger

Did a bit of AutoCAD alright, 24 hours in first year, but it was nothing hectic just how to draw a few things, so probably not of much use for this course i'd imagine. Didn't do any circuit/logic design (more elec eng i think). So i'm guessing unless someone is already working in this field they would require additional qualifications to definitely gain employment.

Thanks

starlit

ditchdigger wrote: »

Did a bit of AutoCAD alright, 24 hours in first year, but it was nothing hectic just how to draw a few things, so probably not of much use for this course i'd imagine. Didn't do any circuit/logic design (more elec eng i think). So i'm guessing unless someone is already working in this field they would require additional qualifications to definitely gain employment.

Thanks

I'm not saying that you have to have additional qualifications to gain employment in IT but it would be a help and give you an advantage in the long run. I'd advise you to do the course, you'll gain enough from it to get you into employment in IT but you have to consider starting at the lowest level though. Its valuable work experience is what is more in important if you can gain it even if its not in IT! You can still get into website and software development jobs if you can get into an internship or graduate workplacement.

kob29

Does anyone know when offers for this HDip are out?

starlit

You should have gotten an offer by now. I say I got mine either the beginning of August or the end of it of last year can't remember which. You should definitely get one by September. Sometimes might take awhile for the decision of an offer to be made. Best of luck.

johnyhealy

hi lads,
Just wondering how many hours of lectures/labs a week there is for this course part time? I am looking to continue working while undertaking the course and need to find out if its viable to work around the course and work.
thanks

starlit

johnyhealy wrote: »

hi lads,
Just wondering how many hours of lectures/labs a week there is for this course part time? I am looking to continue working while undertaking the course and need to find out if its viable to work around the course and work.
thanks

Most of the lectures/labs are in the morning some are in the afternoon. For full time was about 18 hours a week, slightly more maybe 20 hours if lecturers added in more lab sessions. For part timers its a little all over the place quiet scattered in that some people who did it part time ended up coming in for most of the day! Some of those who were working part time and did the course part time seemed to be able to do both but think one of them was doing shift work so they could do both! One of the others did keep her job for a few months but had to give it up later in the year. They just gave her a couple of hours to work during the week but she eventually found it too hard to keep on with the study and work.

Its really a day course rather than an evening/night course so I don't know how it work out for you job wise. You will probably need to discuss it with your employer to sort out your hours. Depending what modules you be doing as a part timer will determine when you be in lectures/labs. The thing is the linked timetables I will add to this post will only show the lectures might not always show the labs. You won't be told details of the lab lectures until after three weeks after registration. You be in lectures for three weeks then they start adding on the lab lectures then. So your hours will go up a bit. You will need time do your assignments too I would imagine you be coming in at the weekends if you are trying to work as well.

There is a link here for the Part-time Timetable. It hasn't really changed since I did the course. I will give you the links to last years one, it will be valid until the 21st of August until they update 2011-2012's/2012-2013's one. This is last years one 2010-2011.

1st Year and 1st Term For Part-timers

http://timetable.ucc.ie:8010/reporting/individual?objectclass=programme+of+study&idtype=id&identifier=HDACT1%0D%0A&t=programme+of+study+individual&days=1-7&weeks=5-16&periods=1-20&template=programme+of+study+individual

1st Year and 2nd Term For Part-timers

http://timetable.ucc.ie:8010/reporting/individual?objectclass=programme+of+study&idtype=id&identifier=HDACT1%0D%0A&t=programme+of+study+individual&days=1-7&weeks=20-31&periods=1-20&template=programme+of+study+individual


2nd Year and 1st Term For Part-timers

http://timetable.ucc.ie:8010/reporting/individual?objectclass=programme+of+study&idtype=id&identifier=HDACT2%0D%0A&t=programme+of+study+individual&days=1-7&weeks=5-16&periods=1-20&template=programme+of+study+individual

2nd Year and 2nd Term For Part-timers

http://timetable.ucc.ie:8010/reporting/individual?objectclass=programme+of+study&idtype=id&identifier=HDACT2%0D%0A&t=programme+of+study+individual&days=1-7&weeks=20-31&periods=1-20&template=programme+of+study+individual

Roughly its 10-12 hours the first year between the 1st and 2nd term.
Roughly its 6 hours the second year between the 1st and 2nd term.
Remember that lecturers can chop and change the days/times or add in days/times/labs as well as extra lectures be aware of that.

Good luck johny healy

johnyhealy

Thanks for that. Doesn't seem viable to keep working full time and do this course part time. I might try to do one or two modules in each semester and go at it full time next year.

starlit

johnyhealy wrote: »

Thanks for that. Doesn't seem viable to keep working full time and do this course part time. I might try to do one or two modules in each semester and go at it full time next year.

No problem. Ya, I would suggest to do it full-time makes more sense based on the hours and timetable. But have a go anyway, see how you get on part-time at first. I recommend doing it full time! Even those who didn't work and did it part-time they ended up coming into most of the lectures! They didn't do all of the assignments but one did change over to full-time, he wasn't working so it suited him.

The only way it be viable for you to work is to work part-time or just work full-time but that your employer cuts down your hours to suit your timetable. For the most part most of the lectures are in the morning so you might be ok to work in the afternoon but between 1-5pm tended to be the finishing times some days. You could do shift work but all depends on your job hours. You'd have to discuss your hours with your employer might be the only way to be able to work and do the course.

Best of luck with it

johnyhealy

Hi again lads,

I have been accepted in to this course full time for the coming year. doe's anyone have books/notes that they wish to sell? :rolleyes:

johnyhealy

Hi lads,


Just wondering if ye found it difficult getting employment after completing the higher diploma?

starlit

Still looking since I finished that course! Have had a number of interviews at least though compared to my degree but still searching for work.

Hoping to complete an IT Professional Cert within the coming months in the hope of finding a job.

The rest of my former classmates either went back to their old jobs or onto a Masters. Some of which happened to get job offers in IT, Web and Software Programming while doing the course and left the course to go for the job but they happened to already have some work experience in that area before even though they didn't have any formal IT qualification until they went to complete the exams yet they didn't really take part in the course much.

Some were lucky to have been in IT anyway so was ok for them while with me I worked in IT before doing the course but hope to branch into IT again rather than business/BIS/Administration which would be my degree field.

How are you getting on with the course? Best of luck with it and in your job search. Best to start looking now as it could take months before you get interviews cause it took over eight months for me! Good luck with it OP!

mit9999

Just finished an arts degree...i am thinking about doing the h-dip in computer technology. just wondering before i spend the money can i get a job in i.t. once the year is complete.

mit9999

hi john just wondering what the computer tech course was like. Also if you had any job offers?

starlit

What was your Arts degree in if you don't mind me asking? It be handy to tie it in with the course. Loads of other threads on the course in this forum just do a search and you find the threads on the course.

You probably get into an IT company alright but an IT job would be far and in between really unless you already have work experience in it or get a professional IT cert to be honest along with the hdip depends what direction you want to go? If you did one of the Masters the Multimedia, BIS or one of the computer science ones you be in with a good chance of finding employment which I know a lot of those who did the hdip and went onto those Masters managed to find work! Otherwise the others just went back to their old jobs or jobs relevant from their degree and maybe some getting into an IT company alright.

The hdip be a good starting point to get in the door of IT but its a fairly standard course with the core computer science subjects from the CS degree. The hdip be a good foundation to start on though before doing a Masters gives you a taster of what you like and good at and what career you'd like to get into, might help make a better decision what to do.

It be worth your while getting a starting point yourself, self learning/distance learning maybe before considering the course or a night course in some of the modules you might be doing or just read up on books relevant to the modules. Just to test the waters to see that you like it before doing the course. It was different for me as I had done a bit of multimedia and some programming stuff from my Business and IT degree and worked in Technical Support.

You have to really sell your skills though. Its hard to break into IT at the moment without suitable degree qualifications and work experience and IT certs to be honest. Tech support is the usual starting point but at the moment its increasingly difficult to get into, programming be a better way to go to be honest depends what career path you want to go?

Best of luck with it!

fod91

Hi,

I am currently in my 4th year in Graphic Design and hoping to do this Hdip next year, I'm just wondering is the course hard, would I need to be good at maths?, and just wondering if you found a job or did you go back and do a masters?

Thanks,

Francis

starlit

No the course isn't very hard but second term be busier and maybe few hard subjects most of them are fine. You coming from a good background. No maths very little regarding cloud and logic. Mainly logic maths really different to ordinary maths.

fod91

Thanks for the fast reply, Yeah when I'm looking at job listings a lot of the graphic design jobs are requiring the ability to code, and I thought this could be really helpful. Thats ok so, just want to make sure I won't feel totally lost since I have no coding abilities. After completing this course what area of IT would I be looking at?, there seems to be a fair few web development jobs, just wondering if thats something I would be able to apply for?

closeline

Would you have to have done computers in your arts degree to apply for this course?

deRanged

closeline wrote: »

Would you have to have done computers in your arts degree to apply for this course?

no. it'd probably help, but plenty of people come in without any prior computer science knowledge.

The most important thing is to know that it takes a lot of time and work in the labs, by yourself, outside of the core lectures and practicals. If you can put that time in, you'll be fine.

clansman

deRanged wrote: »

no. it'd probably help, but plenty of people come in without any prior computer science knowledge.

The most important thing is to know that it takes a lot of time and work in the labs, by yourself, outside of the core lectures and practicals. If you can put that time in, you'll be fine.

totally agree with deRanged. If you have very little knowledge in computers you will have to put a lot of time in. Basically its like doing 1st,2nd and maybe 3rd(depending on now well you do) of the BSc in computer science in one year..

You want to have very keen interest in computers and computer technology if you want to enter the IT sector. Some people thought by doing this course that they will learn every thing about computer and walk into a job!
Look at the HDip as a foundation block as you probably wont get an excellent job from it. I did the course last year from what I know less than 10 ppl got jobs(most had previous IT knowledge) rough fully 10 -15 wanted to do the masters(you need to get 60+%) and the rest failed or passed(not sure of the %) and didn't want to do a masters. There was 40 in the class.

So what I would suggest(ie if you want to enter IT) is go and do some free online courses. check out https://www.coursera.org/ and search for Computer Science 101. Do that course and see what you think.
Then branch out and lean the some basic programming languages eg php, java, scripting, CSS, Html. Then study a bit about networking and the protocols used. And finally learn the architecture of a basic computer eg RAM, CPU, Storage etc.. and know at a high level how the components work.

Also as most people know, technology changes every few months. So keep informed. I listen to about 5-8 different podcast's per week from the US and the UK. Some are daily and some are weekly, some are videos and some are live.
Then you have some very good tech news/reviews websites/blogs/fourms that are just full of up to date information.

I8A4RE

clansman wrote: »

So what I would suggest(ie if you want to enter IT) is go and do some free online courses. check out https://www.coursera.org/ and search for Computer Science 101. Do that course and see what you think.
Then branch out and lean the some basic programming languages eg php, java, scripting, CSS, Html. Then study a bit about networking and the protocols used. And finally learn the architecture of a basic computer eg RAM, CPU, Storage etc.. and know at a high level how the components work.

Also as most people know, technology changes every few months. So keep informed. I listen to about 5-8 different podcast's per week from the US and the UK. Some are daily and some are weekly, some are videos and some are live.
Then you have some very good tech news/reviews websites/blogs/fourms that are just full of up to date information.

Could you list a couple of the podcasts blogs that you use please? I've a general interest in IT and would like to do some basic programming or online courses.

Cheers

fod91

Just wondering if there is anyone on here who has done the Hdip and continued to do the masters? It's something I'm considering but just wondering if its really difficult? Seems crazy to go into a masters with only one year in computer science compared to the majority of people having 4 years done.