Computer Forensic and Security or Applied Computing

HungryEmperor

Hi I have read through both courses and both seem similar in terms of the first year modules. I was wondering is the Maths the same in both courses and does it maybe ease off a bit. Any experience's in either course would be helpful too.

Thanks

Digital Society

Maths is never as bad as you think. You can get a Pass mark handy enough through small tests throughout the semester.

You need 35 for a pass. You can get 35 in 1 subject in year 2 and on, once you pass all other subjects. (35 in 2 subjects in year 1 also)

You might have a couple of really easy tests worth 10% each at the start which you maybe get 8% each. Youll be up to 16% already and then you just need another 19% out of 80%. Even if you fail you get about 2 or 3 chances to repeat

Dont let the maths sway you away from whatever course you prefer. Its never as bad as you think. Honestly these are the things you just realise when you get into college.

Id imagine Maths is the same in both the course anyway. Seems that they might even share the class as they have the same modules in the same semesters.

Seriously though if theres one piece of advice id give is just put all effort into the first small tests that are worth a few % each. For example Statistics might be a Microsoft Excel exam thats really simple and worth 10%. Could be the easiest 10 you ever got if you just learn to use Excel quickly.

Doylers

Your right in your assumption that both similar in first year there nearly identical expect for one or 2 modules its the same in second year they share a good few modules again. As for as the maths in both first and second year its the same so you will all be in the same classes. For forensics theres no maths after 2nd year I'm not sure about applied Id guess maths stays with them(don't quote me).I know they do physics in first year I think.

The maths all in all isn't that hard(I failed it 4 times in first year), the thing you need to know about it from day one is stick with it and what the chap above me said is bang on. You will have CA during the year these might be worth 15% each, you need to be passing these and getting about 60% which is totally doable. It took me a while to cop on but the CA is your saving grace in maths and other subjects depending on your strengths. You don't need to have done higher level to be able for it or a big maths head either, the lecture I good in first year IMO, second year ehhhh not so much.

Digital Society

Doylers wrote: »

Your right in your assumption that both similar in first year there nearly identical expect for one or 2 modules its the same in second year they share a good few modules again. As for as the maths in both first and second year its the same so you will all be in the same classes. For forensics theres no maths after 2nd year I'm not sure about applied Id guess maths stays with them(don't quote me).I know they do physics in first year I think.

The maths all in all isn't that hard(I failed it 4 times in first year), the thing you need to know about it from day one is stick with it and what the chap above me said is bang on. You will have CA during the year these might be worth 15% each, you need to be passing these and getting about 60% which is totally doable. It took me a while to cop on but the CA is your saving grace in maths and other subjects depending on your strengths. You don't need to have done higher level to be able for it or a big maths head either, the lecture I good in first year IMO, second year ehhhh not so much.

2 Questions.

What did you get in LC maths and how many people failed maths in first year in your course?

Doylers

Digital Society wrote: »

2 Questions.

What did you get in LC maths and how many people failed maths in first year in your course?

About 400 points, I was very good in maths and physics in those days. No idea really id guess around 50%. I think cop on is really important I was a stupid 17 year old at the time :pac:

Digital Society

50% of people failed Maths? Are you sure? Seems incredibly high.

Doylers

Digital Society wrote: »

50% of people failed Maths? Are you sure? Seems incredibly high.

I know it is very high, you should see the programming results if you thought maths was bad :pac: Thats first year though tend to lose a good few anyway in the first year like every course.

Fate Amenable To Change

HungryEmperor wrote: »

Hi I have read through both courses and both seem similar in terms of the first year modules. I was wondering is the Maths the same in both courses and does it maybe ease off a bit. Any experience's in either course would be helpful too.

Thanks

Hey, partway through the Applied the modules for maths are exactly the same for both but I'll talk about Applied because that is what I know.
If you check out WIT Applied course and click on modules it will give the full modules for Applied

The maths modules would be
Discrete Mathematics(semester 1)
Applied Calculus(semester 2)
Mathematical Methods(semester 3)
Statistics & Probability(semester 4)


After second year there are no pure maths modules...


As far as the Maths modules go they are all fairly straight forward if you put in the time. Most people still in the course passed either because they found it manageable or they put in the work to compensate. The exams are relatively predictable for maths if you turn up and take notes. Much of the maths is the exact same as in the LC and you probably have seen most of it before. Khan academy would help you cover the material a second time as you are going through it in class. The important thing is to turn up, take notes and listen for the dropped hints as every exam I've had for maths so far has been full of hints or very predictable. Skip class and you may have a painful time trying to piece together what the notes mean as they aren't always the best.

The lecturers aren't out to get anyone in first year or later so as long as you show up and put in a bit of work you should be fine. Ensure you work hard at programming from day one though and remember if you can't write a bit of code down on paper without looking it up the you can't write it in an exam/ you don't know it. Try an get max in everything related to programming as it is something that starts very slowly in the first week or 2 but gathers momentum very quickly. Everyone who is still in the course and enjoying programming worked hard/spent a fair amount of time at it for the first few months.

If you or anyone else wants to know more about the Applied Course, choices/modules/hours throw it up here - I desperately wanted to know all about it at one point as well so theres no worry about asking.

HungryEmperor

I'd like to thank ye all for the replies, really have put my mind at ease .

Digital Society

Maybe throw up a few past papers if you have access to Moodle or anyone for that matter.