TA312

phishcakes

Starting TA312 as a mature student in September, anyone got any tips or advice, what are class sizes like etc?

also ive just finished a Fetac Level 6 course in Networks & Software systems which i found handy enough, I covered communications, web dev, java, some c, maths, operating systems, networks and some vb.

Cheers!

Gavin "shels"

Class sizes start off fairly large, but will decrease day by day.:D

http://www.it-tallaght.ie/FullTimeCourses/Computing/Name,17461,en.html

The subjects for each semester are listed at the bottom of this page.

Systems Analysis 1 isn't too bad, practical stuff involves using Visual Basic and the likes to plan for projects, etc...

Software Development 1 is an intro to Java, Pseudo Code and problem solving.

Discrete Maths 1 is ok, but can be a lot of theory depending on your lecturer, some lecturers hand out notes whereas some write pages upon pages on the white boards.

Business and Info Systems, don't think I done that subject so can't comment.

Computer Architecture can be tough, looks at the physical aspect of how computers function, etc...

Web and Database is handy enough, especially as you've done Web before.

phishcakes

Cheers lads,

One other quick question...coming in as a mature student at 27 i wont be the oldest in the class against all they lads coming direct from the leaving cert?

Cheers again

TheReverend

phishcakes wrote: »

Cheers lads,

One other quick question...coming in as a mature student at 27 i wont be the oldest in the class against all they lads coming direct from the leaving cert?

Cheers again

Hello there, I will be going into the second year of this source next semester the oldest in the class was around 40 and some were in there 30's so you should be ok in that respect :P.

i found the first year pretty handy, since you did communications you might be able to get out of it in the second semester so if you can, DO! Its a terrible module and such a waste of time.

Class sizes start off huge but before xmas 1/4 or so will be gone and a lot of others will only show up once in a while so you are left with those who want to be there, better for everyone.

Other modules are pretty good;

Software Development 1 + 2; The most advanced stuff you will be doing is classes and inheritance, lecturer is really good so just go to the lectures and you should be fine.

Systems Analysis 1 + 2; I found it a bit boring but its a handy thing to have, again go to the lectures and take notes.

Computer Architecture + Operating Systems; Two similar subjects, CA has lots of theory so takes notes and ask questions, you will be learning about how processors work, how computers work and doing some assembly code and DOS. OS again lots of theory but you get to do some interesting stuff like Unix.

Maths; First semester you will be doing discrete maths, this is maths for computing, I found it very interesting, depending on the lectuer you might get two in class open book exams before the end of semester exams, big tip is do well on these, like 90%+, they are open book so write good notes with examples and its a cake walk. Statistics was even easier than discrete maths, same thing notes and practice.

Business; Boring but bearable, mainly theory but you might get a CA or 2 depending on lecturer, for group CA's find out who in your class can be trusted to do work, this goes for all CA's.

Web and Database: Very easy subject, first two CA's are design a website and do a design document, so if you have any work from your FETAC course, recycle it. for the other half of this module you do database stuff like SQL, very easy just notes and practice.

Visual Design; Interesting if you like designing GUI's easy enough as its based more on design than programming. The theory part is really boring so take notes.

Communications; Do you best to get out of this, report writing and CV writing, I think I only went to the first class and presentation for this, easy to pass but also easy to fail.

Hope this helped in some way, most lecturers put up really good notes on moodle so you wont need to buy any books.

-Rev

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phishcakes wrote: »

Cheers lads,

One other quick question...coming in as a mature student at 27 i wont be the oldest in the class against all they lads coming direct from the leaving cert?

Cheers again

When I wasin Tallaght, the oldest in my class was in his late 40's if I remember correctly, and he wasn't the only student who hadn't just done the leaving cert, so I wouldn't be worrying

The_B_Man

I started this course last year. I went straight into 3rd year though. I was 27 in september and 28 now going into 4th year. I think I might have been the oldest, or maybe there was one or two who might have had a year or two on me. But ye, i wouldnt worry about age.

I'd also try get into 2nd year if i was you. You'll get bored of first year coz it'll be starting with "Hello World" and moving on to there. IF you've done it already, no point doing it again, especially if it means u get ur degree a year earlier!

phishcakes

Do ya have to do many presentations on the course?

Gavin "shels"

phishcakes wrote: »

Do ya have to do many presentations on the course?

There's a few iirc in 1st year.

phishcakes

whats iirc? i hate public speaking

TheReverend

phishcakes wrote: »

whats iirc? i hate public speaking

IIRC = If I recall Correctly

Yes there are a few, you do one for business, communications and systems analysis and depending on the lecturer one for visual design

phishcakes

TheReverend wrote: »

IIRC = If I recall Correctly

Yes there are a few, you do one for business, communications and systems analysis and depending on the lecturer one for visual design

Hopefully il be exempted from communications cause ive already done level 5 & 6 communications. I had to do my first ever presentation for the level 6 last year and it was terrifying, think i messed it up aswell, i just kept waffling and not making sense.

TheReverend

phishcakes wrote: »

Hopefully il be exempted from communications cause ive already done level 5 & 6 communications. I had to do my first ever presentation for the level 6 last year and it was terrifying, think i messed it up aswell, i just kept waffling and not making sense.

Presentations suck but you get used to doing em

Gavin "shels"

TheReverend wrote: »

IIRC = If I recall Correctly

Yes there are a few, you do one for business, communications and systems analysis and depending on the lecturer one for visual design

They still do communications in First Year!? What a crap subject, but what easy marks!:D

TheReverend

Gavin shels wrote: »

They still do communications in First Year!? What a crap subject, but what easy marks!:D

Easy marks if you get a good group, our entire group got docked because one guy only wrote two paragraphs or really bad English and no citations