Course Confusion

AirsoftAndy

Hey
Im intrested in doing a computer science course in maynooth but dont know whats the difference between these two
http://www.nuim.ie/courses/?TARGET=QUALIFICATION&MODE=VIEW&QUALIFICATION_CODE=CSEA&SUBJECT_CODE=&OFFERING_CODE=U_HONS_DEGREES
and
http://www.nuim.ie/courses/?TARGET=QUALIFICATION&MODE=VIEW&QUALIFICATION_CODE=CSEN&SUBJECT_CODE=&OFFERING_CODE=U_HONS_DEGREES

When Im done the course do I leave with the same Degree ? Qualifications ? is one superior to the other ?

Alt_Grrr

The difference is a little confusing,

One is a four year Bachelor of Science Degree where you start out in a common science degree. After the first year you specialize in Computer Science and Maths.

The other is basically the same, but its a four year arts degree.
You start out as an arts student and after the first year you specialize.

So you take CS and Maths in the first year of both, but if you go for the BSc one you take 2 other science subjects (Physics, Math Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc) and if you take the BA one you take arts subjects (Latin, Law, Philosophy, etc).

But after the first year their doesn't seem to be a difference.

The reason for this is that CS isn't really for everyone, some people start CSSE and discover they don't like it. In the past they would drop out of the university, (CS had one of the highest drop out rates in the past) Now they have the option of moving to switching to another science degree. and with the Arts one now people have another option.

Of the reverse is also true, there are people every year who discover that they love CS and really want to do CSSE, so now they can.

The traditional difference between a BA and a BSc was that for a BA you had to study latin and a BSc means you didn't. Nowadays its not so clear, a BA usually means that you'll have a career as a heroine addict or worse a school teacher. A BSc is usually more employable by virtue of the fact you studied something useful.

But jobs in IT are plentiful at the minute and of course you have plenty of places you can go if you want to get out of Ireland. Hell I got sent a job listing for a system administrator in a research station at the south pole.

AirsoftAndy

Alt_Grrr wrote: »

The difference is a little confusing,

One is a four year Bachelor of Science Degree where you start out in a common science degree. After the first year you specialize in Computer Science and Maths.

The other is basically the same, but its a four year arts degree.
You start out as an arts student and after the first year you specialize.

So you take CS and Maths in the first year of both, but if you go for the BSc one you take 2 other science subjects (Physics, Math Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc) and if you take the BA one you take arts subjects (Latin, Law, Philosophy, etc).

But after the first year their doesn't seem to be a difference.

The reason for this is that CS isn't really for everyone, some people start CSSE and discover they don't like it. In the past they would drop out of the university, (CS had one of the highest drop out rates in the past) Now they have the option of moving to switching to another science degree. and with the Arts one now people have another option.

Of the reverse is also true, there are people every year who discover that they love CS and really want to do CSSE, so now they can.

The traditional difference between a BA and a BSc was that for a BA you had to study latin and a BSc means you didn't. Nowadays its not so clear, a BA usually means that you'll have a career as a heroine addict or worse a school teacher. A BSc is usually more employable by virtue of the fact you studied something useful.

But jobs in IT are plentiful at the minute and of course you have plenty of places you can go if you want to get out of Ireland. Hell I got sent a job listing for a system administrator in a research station at the south pole.

Thanks for the Reply
So what your saying Is I would be better off doing the BSc ?

Thanks
Andy

XxMCRxBabyxX

Alt_Grrr wrote: »

The traditional difference between a BA and a BSc was that for a BA you had to study latin and a BSc means you didn't. Nowadays its not so clear, a BA usually means that you'll have a career as a heroine addict or worse a school teacher. A BSc is usually more employable by virtue of the fact you studied something useful.

Ah now... Lets not get into that... :P

Alt_Grrr

AirsoftAndy wrote: »

Thanks for the Reply
So what your saying Is I would be better off doing the BSc ?

Thanks
Andy

In this case it doesn't make much of a difference in the end,
But you have to ask yourself which would you prefer to do in first year along with Mathematics and Computer Science, one of the sciences or one of the liberal arts.

Maybe you'd like to do math physics and biology or maybe you'd prefer...whatever it is they do in the liberal arts... History or something.

Its up to you.

Doctor Strange

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

Ah now... Lets not get into that... :P

No need, BSc>BA, no question :pac:

How so Joe

Alt_Grrr wrote: »

In this case it doesn't make much of a difference in the end,
But you have to ask yourself which would you prefer to do in first year along with Mathematics and Computer Science, one of the sciences or one of the liberal arts.

Maybe you'd like to do math physics and biology or maybe you'd prefer...whatever it is they do in the liberal arts... History or something.

Its up to you.

You can actually do it with maths physics as a part of the arts-denominated degree.

And both courses are actually a BSc, so the questions of which qualification you would rather have and all the ramblings above about which qualification is better are moot.
Whichever course you take, as long as you finish with the computer science, you will have a bachelor of science, which is different to, say, psychology.

The straight science route means you take two of:
Biology, chemistry, engineering science, experimental physics and mathematical physics.

The arts route gives you the choice of two from:
Accounting, anthropology, business, Chinese, economics, French, finance, geography, German, Greek, Greek and Roman civilisation, history, Latin, law, maths physics, ancient Irish, modern Irish and philosophy.

Basically pick the course which lets you do two subjects which you'd like to do.
IF you decide CSSE isn't for you and transfer, then you'll end up with a BA, but if you stick with computer science for four years, your final qualification will be a BSc regardless.

koHd

How so Joe has it about the qualification. No matter which version of first year you do, you end up with the same qualification if you follow the CSSE degree to the end. It's basically just a difference in first year.

I'm currently doing CSSE BSc. I found out about the Arts version of CSSE for first year too late. Probably would have chosen that instead tbh.

First year science is quite difficult, with a heavy workload spread across varying disciplines that can really stretch you.

Whereas CSSE BA first year you do more CSSE related modules, plus one Arts subject.

I would imagine Philosophy would tie in quite well if you're interested in CSSE from the whole AI angle.