MSc Computer Science (Conversion)

adocholiday

DRose1 wrote: »

Hi, by year two, I presume you mean September to December to complete your masters?

Maybe just give a general overview of how you found the course and then we can maybe get into specific questions... any information would be appreciated.

Yes that's it. Ok the course itself is intense. I had plans to work part-time during the week and do the course but that swiftly went out the window. I work weekends and it's fine. Be prepared to do a lot of work at home. You will not be spoonfed in this course you are expected to put in quite a lot of work yourself.

If I could give some advice, I would say attend every class, especially in HTML/CSS and the programming modules. And do loads of practice. The only way to improve at programming is to practice everything they teach you.

The workload is intense. The HTML/CSS project involved a few late nights! The programming modules both have labs. You are given 5-10 programs (very short ones) in each lab to write and you have to submit them before a deadline, which can take up some time depending on your coding ability. The other modules are not too bad though so it tends to balance out overall.

Be prepared to work, I can't stress that enough, especially if you want to do well. You can't get through this course if you are not prepared to put in the effort. Don't get me wrong, I still was able to do sports and go out at the weekend etc. but there will be weeks that projects are due etc and you will need to sacrifice a lot of time in those weeks. There isn't a huge amount of class time but the self learning is nearly more important.

I don't really know what else to say without being given specific questions! I might have scared a few people here but I have really enjoyed the course so far and was well able for the workload. You will learn a lot and its very interesting. Our class was very supportive of each other and that helped a lot too.

Anonomuss

@adocholiday Thanks for the overview, certainly gives a better sense of what the course will be like. It's great to hear from someone who has done some the course.

What is the transition between the IPA and UCD like? Is the workload heavier in either place? Do they have similar focuses?

Are there any facilities in either place to do some work yourself before or after the lessons? If not, what kind of specs should we look for in a machine to do our work on?

adocholiday

The transition between the 2 places is fine. You spend 6 weeks in IPA, 6 weeks in UCD then back to IPA... It's fine though but when in the IPA you don't really feel like a UCD student that was the only noticeable thing. Also in UCD you tend to have an hour in class then 2 hours off then back in class where in the IPA you are there all morning with afternoon off and vice-versa. I preferred that myself, left you with the rest of the day off. UCD has more facilities though such as the gym, library, canteen

The workload was different between the 2 places. In the IPA, most of the work was covered in class and you do a bit yourself. In UCD you do a bit in class and a lot yourself. Also, the IPA modules were basically a 4 week set of lectures, a week to study for the exam, then 2 weeks to do an assignment. In UCD, depending on the module, you had labs, in class exams, final exams, and/or assignments. I found that the UCD modules also had a more intense workload than the IPA. In the IPA, the 4 weeks of lectures you just had to do a little bit of work in the evenings, but the exam/assignment weeks were all go. In UCD, you are pretty much continually working at a steady pace from day 1.

With regard to the facilities, the IPA has a library that we were allowed to use. In UCD, there is the library but that's a bugger to get a seat in. We had a study room in the science building across from the computer science building but they took that away from us unfortunately. It was a great room to go to. Quiet and not crowded. Also a socket for your laptop at each seat! Generally you can use the classrooms/labs in the computer science building. There's always one not being used and if you don't mind you can generally stay in a classroom when there is a class on unless it's a full house. You'll always have somewhere to go to study don't worry about that.

With regard to machine specs, first and foremost you need a laptop. You will need it for class because UCD do not have computers in the labs/rooms. You have to have your own. You don't need a powerful one at all. Programming is generally using a text editor like notepad++ it can be run on any machine. The most intense program you will be using is Adobe Dreamweaver but there are different versions depending on your specs. They will discuss that with you in the IPA.

garywilko

Anybody in the first group want to swap to be in the second group as it doesn't suit me with work? (ie morning class for afternoon class

garywilko

Btw was anything important mentioned in the induction today. Couldn't make it unfortunately

garywilko

anybody got any information from the induction they would like to share?

thegift06

garywilko wrote: »

anybody got any information from the induction they would like to share?

Yeh you missed out on some nice sandwiches, that is all

Anonomuss

Pretty much. We were also told that the machine's we were going to need for the UCD portion should have at least 4GB of RAM and a 64 bit processor. But other than that we just got a runthrough of the timetable and had a chance to ask some questions and talk to people.

Tomorrow's class should be a more detailed intro that should be more helpful.

Couch Potatoette

Hey guys,

Just wondering does everyone go in at nine o clock tomorrow or do some people go in for the morning session and some for the afternoon session. If so, what time does the afternoon session start at?

I've applied and been accepted for this course but I haven't accepted the offer because I didn't really want to pay the fee without knowing if I'll be able to get a grant. So basically I'm not registered for the course and haven't got any information about it.

2 Hell and Back

Couch Potatoette wrote: »

Hey guys,

Just wondering does everyone go in at nine o clock tomorrow or do some people go in for the morning session and some for the afternoon session. If so, what time does the afternoon session start at?

Some go morning ..some go afternoon

Afternoon starts at 130 in the IPA

Laika1986

Well guys I have a copy of dreamweaver that runs off a USB, itl be handy for the first stage of the course. If you're interested pm me

Frank my Boy

I was accepted only last week and I'm staying with my brother at the moment. Does anyone need some one to share a house/flat with?

garywilko

anybody able to send me a pm to the fb group page?

sunnyday99

Thanks adocholiday for the info! Just in case anyone putting off joining the gym in ucd until we are there more often - it is free to join for students so no problem even if you only use it a couple of times. Its 100 for the year for the new 50m pool but you can pay as you go @4 euro a go - bargain!
Has anyone got a copy of the timetable for when we go over to UCD?

JayC5

Hey peops,

Been away travelling in Asia for the summer and unfortunately booked my flight home later than the course start date. Can you guys help me out with a few details about the course (I'd be very grateful!!) - cheers

• I'm in the 9.30-12.30 group but won't make it in until next week, has the tutor mentioned any software that we need to get etc?
  
• Anyone know the timetable for the course? - specifically holidays and exam times around the xmas period
  
• Do we need to bring laptops with us everyday at this stage or is that later?
  
• Any books mentioned that we need (not including The Essential Guide to CSS and HTML Web Design)?
  
• What's the class style, is it 3 hours straight through or do we get hourly breaks etc?
  
• Is there a canteen in the IPA?
  
• What have you guys covered so far? - anything difficult or has it just been introductory?
  
• Saw a post where someone mentioned a Facebook group, any info?

Sorry for all the questions folks, any insights or information would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance. Any thoughts so far on the course, class, workload also.


JC

bennyineire

The only software mentioned was dreamweaver ( which we haven't started to use.

The timetable is available on your UCD connect account

There is no need for a laptop for this module as we are sitting at computers in class

No other books

Class is straight thru 3 hours with a coffee break around 10.45

The canteen only serves tea/coffee (which is free)

We have just touched on a bit of networking and the fundementals of the internet, we just started on web browers today, fairly basic stuff so far, he has put up his slides on hos website, pm me and I will send you the link

https://www.facebook.com/groups/145770042229442/

Hope this helps, c u soon

JayC5

Thanks for that bennyineire,

Yeah I got the link to the notes emailed out to me, cheers. I can't figure out the timetable tho (in my UCDConnect account)?

It states: 'Semester 1:Week ranges 1-12, weeks commencing 10th September-2nd December 2012' - but the course started on the 3rd right? How long are we in the IPA?

Surely we are not off from the 2nd of December until the 21st of January...?


Thanks

JC

thegift06

JayC5 wrote: »

Thanks for that bennyineire,

Yeah I got the link to the notes emailed out to me, cheers. I can't figure out the timetable tho (in my UCDConnect account)?

It states: 'Semester 1:Week ranges 1-12, weeks commencing 10th September-2nd December 2012' - but the course started on the 3rd right? How long are we in the IPA?

Surely we are not off from the 2nd of December until the 21st of January...?


Thanks

JC

Forget that timetable. It's last years timetable but they just changed the date at the top. Here is a link to our IPA timetable:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l0yw6zzd3ytxo7o/2012-09-09%2016.23.06.jpg

JayC5

Cheers for that, I appreciate it!

JC

OneOfThem Stumbled

The fb group can be found at http://www.facebook.com/groups/145770042229442/

and the fb page at http://www.facebook.com/ucdcompsciconv2012

ramblingcelt

DRose1 wrote: »

Got offered a place on Friday. Looking forward to it.


IPA is in a great location in many ways as well; literally get off the dart and its a minutes walk away.

Am starting it myself. Heard good things about the lPA based course. Looking forward to some hands on upskilling.

MrMatisse

Hi,

Does anyone know how people fared in the jobs market after completing this?

Thanks!

Laika1986

MrMatisse wrote: »

Hi,

Does anyone know how people fared in the jobs market after completing this?

Thanks!

I only know a couple who have done this course and they have faired well. I was looking for IT work for the last few months with just a bit of programming experience with no luck. Id be very confident after completing this we will be in a very strong position when it comes to seeking work

lynch1989

hi i am interested in doing the Msc computer science conversion
in 2013/2014 and i am wondering what are the requirements to get
into the course i have degree in marketing 2.2 and cert in computer
science . i have exp in java but not much and done a bit of college
maths. is the course hard to get into to? do i need a 2.1 and when is the
earliest time i can apply to do the course:)???

Laika1986

Strangely enough I have the exact same qualifications as you before i started this. Marketing and Computer science. Not sure when it's open to to apply but I would imagine you would be accepted no problem. I would suggest providing a short portfolio of java programs(I supplied a portfolio of about twenty C programs). Best of luck

kevinmcinerney

Hey everyone. Wondering is there any placement or internships available over the summer months between semester 2 and 3? I intend to apply for Msc in September. Curious about job prospects too, but most of you guys prob don't know about that yet..

OneOfThem Stumbled

kevinmcinerney wrote: »

Hey everyone. Wondering is there any placement or internships available over the summer months between semester 2 and 3? I intend to apply for Msc in September. Curious about job prospects too, but most of you guys prob don't know about that yet..

Internships and work placement for the summer is not particularly practical unfortunately as we only have about 3-4 weeks off (there is a large project that has to be done May-July).

Job prospects seem quite healthy. With languages like C, C++, SQL, Java, internet markups, and a solid basis in relational databases, hardware, android development, networking, and both individual and group-based projects, that is a fairly healthy resume.

Caezar

Hi, I am a prospective candidate to the Msc Computer Science conversion program. Unfortunately, the program's website is not updated and I cannot find any information about the course contents, the application process, the deadlines, etc. From last year's experience, could you please enlighten me on the following?

What are the core modules? Do they include courses on computers architecture, operating systems? Which language is taught (C, Java, etc)?
Which electives are available?

When will I be able to apply?
When will I know the outcome of my application at the earliest?

Finally, do you think this program is suitable for a mature student (40 years old)?

Thank you!

Caezar

thegift06

Caezar wrote: »

Hi, I am a prospective candidate to the Msc Computer Science conversion program. Unfortunately, the program's website is not updated and I cannot find any information about the course contents, the application process, the deadlines, etc. From last year's experience, could you please enlighten me on the following?

What are the core modules? Do they include courses on computers architecture, operating systems? Which language is taught (C, Java, etc)?
Which electives are available?

When will I be able to apply?
When will I know the outcome of my application at the earliest?

Finally, do you think this program is suitable for a mature student (40 years old)?

Thank you!

Caezar

http://archive.org/web/web.php

StephenR123

Is the math manageable? I did ordinary level math for the leaving cert, and haven't really done any math related modules since then (4 years)