Help selecting final year options

Pelvis

Just wondering if you had to choose 4 out of the following, which would you choose?

• Security and Cryptography
  • Intro to security protocols, audit and compliance; network & application security issues
• Geographic Information Systems
  • Principles of GIS, practical techniques for GIS implementation and use of GIS for spatial analysis
• Bioinformatics
  • Intro to biological process associated with genetic and protein data; computation techniques required to elicit basic biological information
• Machine Learning for Predictive Analysis
  • self explanatory really
• Cloud Computing
  • I actually don't have a module description for this
• Speech and Audio Processing
  • (using languages such as Python, Octave or MATLAB) - Strong programming skills required according to module desc
• Information Security Services
  • Intro to information security and ethical hacking principles; provide knowledge of security protocols & strategies for finding vulnerabilities and securing systems
• Information Systems Project Management
  • Project planning and estimating techniques; project control, progress monitoring and reporting; team building and management; utilizing planning tools to estimate and track projects

The only thing is I can't choose both Cloud Computing and Speech/Audio processing as they are on the same night.

Just wondering if some of these would be more beneficial to do than others? Right now all I am 100% certain on is NOT doing Bioinformatics, as it seems fairly niche, and from what I see to get anywhere with it would require further education in the sciences.

Machine learning would appear to be an obvious choice, though it doesn't get the juices flowing being honest.

Any input is appreciated.

14ned

Pelvis wrote: »

Just wondering if some of these would be more beneficial to do than others? Right now all I am 100% certain on is NOT doing Bioinformatics, as it seems fairly niche, and from what I see to get anywhere with it would require further education in the sciences.

These would require an additional Masters or PhD to get you a silly salary job in them:

• Security and Cryptography
• Bioinformatics
• Machine Learning for Predictive Analysis
• Information Security Services

Now, as a taster to see if you could tolerate a Masters or PhD in them they're a good choice, but they'll gain you no immediate advantage in employment. They would help you get into a Masters or PhD in the same specialisation though. Once you do have a Masters or PhD in any of the above you'll find instant employment if you're willing to relocate outside of Ireland, and probably at a very strong starting salary. There is lots and lots of unfilled demand in those skills, but mostly outside of Ireland.

• Geographic Information Systems
• Cloud Computing
• Speech and Audio Processing
• Information Systems Project Management

These might cause some employers to give your CV a second look maybe. But to be honest anything you cover in a final year optional module isn't going to be deep enough to bring much value. They're taster courses to suggest what postgrad course you'd like to take next, and you definitely should be strongly considering adding on at least a Masters degree.

Note a Masters in any of the second list isn't worth a fraction of a Masters in any of the first list, jobs in the second list are pretty saturated nowadays, and more competition means lower pay and harder to find employment.

Niall

Pelvis

Very helpful Niall, thanks very much.

pauliebdub

I take it you're in DIT from the list of options you've given. As Niall said they are pretty much introductory courses which don't provide a great depth. The core modules had a lot more content and were harder. On saying that I particularly enjoyed Security and cryptography, it was a very interesting module.