Higher Diploma in Software Development - University of Limerick

digitalsystem

I am thinking about applying for the H.Dip in Software Development in UL (LM710) starting in September but I am curious to get feedback from anyone that has done this course before.

Is there anyone out there that has done the course and what career options did it open up to you?

D _what

Hmm, no replies to this yet. I'll step in. First though, a preface: I'm definitely not one of the H.Dips (as they are colloquially known!) Rather I'm in the 4-year BSc Computer Systems and I've just finished 2nd year, so I'm not in a position to tell you everything you need to know. HOWEVER, last year the HDips shared two or three of our five modules in a given semester so I've some experience with them.
A few things: I have no idea what they career prospects are like, but I know they're really, REALLY good - in terms of quantity at least. One guy quit the course 2/3rds of the way through because of a job offer he got just for doing it! To be honest it makes us CS students a bit jealous - we're here for four years!
In terms of demographics, I would estimate somewhere between 20-30 people did it last year, with a wide range of ages - 28-55 perhaps, with some outliers. More or less they're a friendly folk. Almost certainly more friendly than the rest of us! The workload for the courses I've shared with them is... well, tough. Very practical, it'll require long hours after lectures, and many of the HDips won't have had a CS background so it can be a rough start, but there's plenty of support both in the course itself and outside it. Plus there's nothing stopping you from doing learning on the side to help level the difficulty curve.

Go in with the right attitude, though. Most of the friction I've seen to do with the HDips (take this with a grain of salt please, I only have an outsider's perspective) is down to some of them thinking that they have the right to argue with the lecturers, or to not do the work, or to claim ignorance in the face of a lack of work done. It doesn't fly with anyone, you are there to learn, and learn fast - excuses are noticed, moreso because you don't get them with the post-leaving cert students (who have learned better at this stage. Sadly, it seems to be a lesson that is forgotten with age sometimes.) But give everyone a bit of due respect and credit and CSIS is a lovely place to upskill, with great help on offer (I HIGHLY recommend the use of the ICT learning center. It had a small number of HDips visiting regularly and I have to say their final projects were astounding. Mine looked downright shoddy in comparison).

I wish I could find someone else that could speak with you with more personal info but the nature of the course means people are in and out pretty quickly, I only vaguely know some of last year's graduates first names and after that I couldn't tell you where they've gone.

MooShop

Just thought I'd bump this up, as I'm looking to apply for the April intake of this course.

My question, if anybody can help, is that I come from a Computing background, having done my BSc in Computing; graduating back in 2005.

However, I only have a level 7 certification. As per the specs of this course, it states applicants must have a level 8 degree, though unrelated to IT.

Does anybody know if I qualify for this, although I don't have a level 8 degree I have relevant experience, though it was a long time ago!

frankston

MooShop wrote: »

Just thought I'd bump this up, as I'm looking to apply for the April intake of this course.

My question, if anybody can help, is that I come from a Computing background, having done my BSc in Computing; graduating back in 2005.

However, I only have a level 7 certification. As per the specs of this course, it states applicants must have a level 8 degree, though unrelated to IT.

Does anybody know if I qualify for this, although I don't have a level 8 degree I have relevant experience, though it was a long time ago!

Contact the course director

MooShop

frankston wrote: »

Contact the course director

Yeah, I have but I haven't heard anything back yet.

kdog123

Hi for anyone there who applied for and did this course and did it just 2 questions.
How long does the application take to be processed and what kind of jobs have people gone into since?

Thanks

CaoimH_in

Bump.

Anyone else apply?

Muloney

Yeah, was hoping to have heard back about my application by now, any idea as to when they'll be offering places?

CaoimH_in

The week after the 13th when applications close. My application for LIT has been accepted. No idea if I'll be going to UL. It's nonsense that they've not told us yet.

Muloney

So, we're looking at probably the middle of next week before we hear anything, doesn't give us a lot of time to prepare. I was considering calling them up I I hadn't heard anything this week.

CaoimH_in

It's fine for me, I'm local, but if you've to set up a place in Limerick it's madness.

That's only an indicator though, the email actually says: "I appreciate your comment, However please note that as the application closing date has now been moved to the 13th August it will be early the next week when the Course leader has reviewed all the applications and made their decisions."

So .. draw from that what you will.

Muloney

Gotcha, well best of luck anyways, let us know if you get an offer.

CaoimH_in

Applications officially closed. Best of luck all!

kdog123

Has anyone heard anything yet its stupid how long it is taking well have no time to get set up in Limerick if we get it.

CaoimH_in

This week, it should be.

CaoimH_in

Offered a place today. Hopefully there are no hold-ups!

kdog123

Ya me too starting monday 2 weeks will be hard to find decent accomodation near enough to the university

Muloney

Got an offer too, been looking at some places to live, most have filled up and the rest are filling up fast.

W86indow

Hey I applied for this course too and was also accepted... looks like there will be a good crowd... I'm under no illusions as its a tough year... I do know people who did this hdip and got successful jobs outside of it so looking forward to the opportunity. ..

W86indow

Hey I applied for this course too and was also accepted... looks like there will be a good crowd... I'm under no illusions as its a tough year... I do know people who did this hdip and got successful jobs outside of it so looking forward to the opportunity. ..

W86indow

Hey I applied for this course too and was also accepted... looks like there will be a good crowd... I'm under no illusions as its a tough year... I do know people who did this hdip and got successful jobs outside of it so looking forward to the opportunity. ..

LilRedDorcha

I'm starting the graduate diploma in computing. Looks like we'll be sharing the Development of Information Systems and the Information Modelling and Specification modules.

W86indow

How do you know that do u have timetable access yet??

LilRedDorcha

W86indow wrote: »

How do you know that do u have timetable access yet??

If you go to the CSIS site and search for the course, it gives you a list of all the modules.

Nobody has timetable access yet but the course timetables are up. So if you go to http://www.timetable.ul.ie/ and put in your course code and year 1, the course timetable comes up. It'll show everything since it has all lab and tutorial groups so it's better to use the "first year lecture only" timetable.

W86indow

Im puttin in hdsd1 can't see anything

W86indow

Oh I got it LM710... ouch looks rough already I'm sure it will change again

LilRedDorcha

W86indow wrote: »

Oh I got it LM710... ouch looks rough already I'm sure it will change again

My suggestion is to take these module codes and put them in to the "module timetable" part:

CS4028 E-Business Architectures
CS5121 Development of Information Systems 1
CS5051 Programming A
CS5061 ICT Employability Skills and Workshop Series
CS4123 Information Modelling and Specification

If you put those in, you'll see what lectures you'll have as well as the labs and tutorials. You have to go to all lectures, then labs are the ones that are listed as 2a, 2b etc. Tutorials are 3a, 3b, etc. If there's just 3a and no 3b, it means there's just the one tutorial group so you have to go to that one. I spent a while doing this with my timetable since in 3 of the modules there's only the one lab and / or tutorial group so I HAVE to go to those, but the bigger ones have a few groups so I don't know what one I'll be in. It took a while but I was bored :P

And it also isn't exact since even the ones with just the one group might have to change by the time the semester actually starts, but it's good to do just to see how many hours you'll have since the full course timetable is a bit of a mess.

W86indow

Is there anyway to see how long we are off for xmass?

LilRedDorcha

Oh yeah, the academic calendar tells you that I mean, it depends on when your own exams finish but if you assume you'll be in until the last day, you have a good enough idea.

http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Services/Academic_Calendar/2014_-_15_Academic_Calendar

W86indow

Did you do your undergrad in ul? I did mine in lit... its all new to me.. will we just start on the 8th sept or will we have some mini induction do you think?

LilRedDorcha

W86indow wrote: »

Did you do your undergrad in ul? I did mine in lit... its all new to me.. will we just start on the 8th sept or will we have some mini induction do you think?

I did my undergrad in UL so ask me anything and feel free to PM me if there's anything else you want to know about UL We start on the 8th but there'll be some kind of orientation. I know mine is on the 5th. Did you get a letter from UL yet? I got all the orientation info in that letter.

W86indow

How did you get that so fast? I only accepted the course offer on Thursday

LilRedDorcha

W86indow wrote: »

How did you get that so fast? I only accepted the course offer on Thursday

Ah, that's the difference so. I got a conditional offer back in November, less than a week after I applied for the course. It said I had a place as long as I got the grades needed and then I got that confirmed when I phoned the post grad admissions in June when I got my results.

I got my letter then on CAO results day. So I guess your orientation information will all be there whenever you get the letter sent out. But orientation is the 2nd - 5th of September so I'd imagine you guys will get letters about it this week.

W86indow

Ha your like me so I wanted to do this hdip for the last two years if I could have applied earlier I would have!
super excited there is meant to be some great opportunities afterwards ..

LilRedDorcha

The careers fair is going to be unreal in October. It's on down in the arena and last year I was chatting to people and there were no jobs in my undergrad area (languages). I talked to some about the diploma I was thinking of doing this year and suddenly they were my best friends. So make sure you go to that. We'll get emails about it to remind us.

W86indow

I think you've made a very smart decision to be fair.. when I picked my undergrad there was french in the first yr and it was discontinued .. I think if your good at languages also you should be good at programming . I did vb.net in my last course.. but I want java which is taught on the hdip more options

LilRedDorcha

I do love my languages but it's too tough to get a job. I was always interested in computers so thought I might as well come back and try it out. I've been learning python over the summer so I'm not going in totally clueless since I've heard these types of courses are really intense. Mine is also a level 9, same as a masters, so I'm worried about how intense that'll be.

Just want to add that we don't learn python, I just wanted to learn something.

W86indow

Ah no point worryin just get it done .. ya hdip is lvl 8.but I think it will be just as hard... is there much difference between our courses?

LilRedDorcha

They're both intense since they're conversion courses and we seem to share two out of five modules. After that, I'm actually not sure.

W86indow

Hey did anyone who get the cd today is it working ?

PaulRyan17

Hey guys, don't know if any of ye are still subscribed to this thread but just want to ask how did ye get on with the course? I will be starting it in September