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Computer Science UCD or Computer Applications DCU?

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  • 09-05-2012 6:28pm
    #1
    Monkeyloops
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭


    I know there are a few posts like this, but anyway! I'm in 6th year and have narrowed my top CAO choice down between Computer science and Computer Applications.... any information on which is better in your opinion and why would be great! I'm starting to veer towards computer applications as it is... Will be posting this in the DCU forum also! Thanks
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    #2
    OneOfThem Stumbled
    Registered Users Posts: 934 ✭✭✭OneOfThem Stumbled


    Monkeyloops wrote: »
    I know there are a few posts like this, but anyway! I'm in 6th year and have narrowed my top CAO choice down between Computer science and Computer Applications.... any information on which is better in your opinion and why would be great! I'm starting to veer towards computer applications as it is... Will be posting this in the DCU forum also! Thanks

    Well first question: what the hell is computer applications? :p

    Is that programming in general, a specific software course, computer science calling itself something different? :confused:


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    #3
    Raphael
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,880 ✭✭✭Raphael


    Computers Applications is, iirc, what the CS course in DCU is called.


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    #4
    Fad
    Registered Users Posts: 7,231 ✭✭✭Fad


    CA in DCU is supposed to have a much higher emphasis on practical skills you come out with.

    UCD will probably teach you more actual 'computer science', ie the mathsy end of it, but you might be left short in terms of programming skills.


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    #5
    CrazyFish
    Registered Users Posts: 211 ✭✭CrazyFish


    We can't give an opinion on which one is better because none of us will have done the DCU course and also the fact we go to UCD means we are kind of biased in anything we say. Would recommend looking at the UCD and DCU websites and looking at the modules(subjects) available to computer science students and read the descriptions so you can form some sort of opinion on which you might prefer to do. The facilities in UCD are generally very good and the campus is quite good. One of my favorite points about comp sci in UCD is that each year have their own lab which is great because it helps you get to know your classmates which will really define how much you enjoy college in my opinion. Also you need to own a laptop to do computer science in UCD (not sure if that's the case in DCU) although apart from the expense I think its better because you do all your college work on your own machine.


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    #6
    OneOfThem Stumbled
    Registered Users Posts: 934 ✭✭✭OneOfThem Stumbled


    Had a look at the modules of each.

    They look remarkably similar. :pac:

    I would guess that UCD qualification would have slightly higher employment standing, but I'm not the highest authority on that aspect.


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    #7
    Monkeyloops
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭Monkeyloops


    Thanks for the help people! Where did you find the modules for computer science in UCD? I've seen the DCU ones but can't find these anywhere.... sorry for being a noob :D


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    #8
    bigred100
    Registered Users Posts: 496 ✭✭bigred100


    Monkeyloops wrote: »
    Thanks for the help people! Where did you find the modules for computer science in UCD? I've seen the DCU ones but can't find these anywhere.... sorry for being a noob :D

    This link hopefully works, 3rd year and probably 4th year are will be different by the time you get there. My year are the first ones going through the new course, so we've a slightly different 3rd year and I presume 4th year.

    https://sisweb.ucd.ie/usis/w_sm_web_inf_viewer_banner.show_major?p_term_code=201100&p_cao_code=DN201&p_major_code=CSS1&p_cao_code=DN201&p_website_mode=CONTINUING&p_show_prog_link=Y&p_crumb=%3CA%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fsisweb.ucd.ie%2Fusis%2Fw_sm_web_inf_viewer_banner.program_list%3Fp_website_mode%3DCONTINUING%22%3E%20Degrees%20by%20CAO%20Code%3C%2FA%3E


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    #9
    Monkeyloops
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭Monkeyloops


    bigred100 wrote: »
    This link hopefully works, 3rd year and probably 4th year are will be different by the time you get there. My year are the first ones going through the new course, so we've a slightly different 3rd year and I presume 4th year.

    https://sisweb.ucd.ie/usis/w_sm_web_inf_viewer_banner.show_major?p_term_code=201100&p_cao_code=DN201&p_major_code=CSS1&p_cao_code=DN201&p_website_mode=CONTINUING&p_show_prog_link=Y&p_crumb=%3CA%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fsisweb.ucd.ie%2Fusis%2Fw_sm_web_inf_viewer_banner.program_list%3Fp_website_mode%3DCONTINUING%22%3E%20Degrees%20by%20CAO%20Code%3C%2FA%3E

    Thanks, I really like the look of the course! It seems as though a lot of emphasis is put on continuous assessment rather than exams at the end of the year... is this the same for most courses in UCD or just computer science?


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    #10
    HavingCrack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,847 ✭✭✭HavingCrack


    Monkeyloops wrote: »
    Thanks, I really like the look of the course! It seems as though a lot of emphasis is put on continuous assessment rather than exams at the end of the year... is this the same for most courses in UCD or just computer science?

    In a lot of departments there has been a gradual shift away from 100% end of term examinations and towards a more continuous assessment/essay/project etc. form over the past 4-5 years. This is probably to do with the change to modularisation in the college.

    Whether that's a positive or negative depends on what sort of person you are. As someone who actually prefers exams to continuous assessment it's a bit of a pain but most people prefer it.


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    #11
    Monkeyloops
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭Monkeyloops


    Really grateful for all the help everyone! One more thing though, I've heard in a few places (well boards.ie really) that students who do computer applications in DCU are much better prepared for the working world than those who do computer science in UCD or Trinity. In Computer science are you simply taught the theory and left for the rest to figure out yourself? Someone noted that they knew a few UCD CS students who left after 4 years barely able to programme! I'd say this is a huge exaggeration but still......


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    #12
    CrazyFish
    Registered Users Posts: 211 ✭✭CrazyFish


    Monkeyloops wrote: »
    Really grateful for all the help everyone! One more thing though, I've heard in a few places (well boards.ie really) that students who do computer applications in DCU are much better prepared for the working world than those who do computer science in UCD or Trinity. In Computer science are you simply taught the theory and left for the rest to figure out yourself? Someone noted that they knew a few UCD CS students who left after 4 years barely able to programme! I'd say this is a huge exaggeration but still......

    You can't learn everything in college you are only there four years and to me how well somebody comes out with different skills depends a lot on the individuals attitude. If you go to UCD and do the bare minimum then don't expect to come out as an amazing programmer. You need to be able motivate yourself to do work outside of college on side projects etc. Also which ever course you do pick do my best advice would be to do an internship during the summer sometime during your course. It really helps when looking for jobs because if its a decent one you should get some good experience and it also shows that you have some interest in the field because you are doing it during your free time.


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    #13
    Monkeyloops
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭Monkeyloops


    OSI wrote: »
    When I was doing CS in UCD, I was told several times by various employers that the DCU course is held in much higher regard than the UCD one. Make of that what you will. In saying that, Computer Science in Ireland isn't well rated among international employers at all.

    Really? The DCU course does seem to have better links with the computer science industry.... Yeah I've heard that the standard in Ireland isn't near as high as other countries. What did you think of CS in UCD in it's entirety?


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    #14
    Fad
    Registered Users Posts: 7,231 ✭✭✭Fad


    I knew someone doing the DCU course and it definitely seemed a lot more hands on, they'd have much more programming work.

    That said, the UCD course is improving considerably! There's a new course being introduced and it seems to be a lot more hands on.


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    #15
    Monkeyloops
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭Monkeyloops


    Fad wrote: »
    I knew someone doing the DCU course and it definitely seemed a lot more hands on, they'd have much more programming work.

    That said, the UCD course is improving considerably! There's a new course being introduced and it seems to be a lot more hands on.

    Thanks for the feedback! I think I've decided on DCU. Anyone know if there's much group work involved? As in during projects and stuff? Because that would be cool... :D


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    #16
    Fad
    Registered Users Posts: 7,231 ✭✭✭Fad


    Monkeyloops wrote: »
    Thanks for the feedback! I think I've decided on DCU. Anyone know if there's much group work involved? As in during projects and stuff? Because that would be cool... :D

    You will learn that group work in college is the stuff of nightmares for the most part :/

    I'm sorry to have to break that to you :(


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    #17
    JonB
    Registered Users Posts: 144 ✭✭JonB


    Group stuff shouldn't be done in the first two years. You just end up with wasters in your team. It gets much better in 3rd and 4th year; the group stuff is better since you can rely on the most part for people to do some actual work!


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    #18
    OneOfThem Stumbled
    Registered Users Posts: 934 ✭✭✭OneOfThem Stumbled


    JonB wrote: »
    Group stuff shouldn't be done in the first two years. You just end up with wasters in your team. It gets much better in 3rd and 4th year; the group stuff is better since you can rely on the most part for people to do some actual work!

    Wasters are fine! Jesus, give me wasters any day of the week - you can just do the work for them. :D

    It's the would-be leaders who jealously guard all information and resources, unwilling to let others do work unless they get 'permission', and those who have fragile egos preventing others from doing necessary work that would make me rather take a rusty pliers to one of my eyeballs than deal with again. :pac:


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    #19
    Monkeyloops
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭Monkeyloops


    Group work doesn't sound fun at all :P Now I'm still faced with a problem... I prefer the sound of the DCU course, but I think I would prefer the actual college of UCD better :/ What with the UCD course changing maybe it will be more like the DCU one also... decisions. Also the accommodation seems much nicer in UCD :D


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