Any Computer Science/BA Computer Science students?

Attol

Care to share your experiences with me? I'm scared that I'm going to be bored to death in my first year after doing A Level (Leaving Cert) computing. What are the good/bad aspects? Are the lecturers and facilities of reasonable standards? I really do think that I'll be doing BA CS (well if I get the grades) but I'm not 100% decided yet so just want to get some idea of what it's like to study there. Cheers!

zap

well i do BSc CS and love it, it will be alot better this year becuase you can choose some of your subjects, facilites are grand most of the labs are getting a refit over the summer. Alot of the lecturers are good and most are excellent. Ya won;t be bored. If ya wanna do CS don;t do the BA its just a BA degree with a small bit of cs chucked in.

blondie83

I'd have to agree with Zap here - if you're really into computing you dont want to do a BA, you want to do a Bsc in computer science. I don't know much about the course (engineer here!) but I've been over in the computer science building a few times, and the facilities are excellent. I certainly wouldnt imagine you'd be bored doing it as a course

Attol

I was thinking of the BA option because I could do Spanish alongside the computer science part. The BSc scares the hell out of me as I amn't the best at maths. University standard maths seems like possibly the most terrifying thing I could be faced with after only getting a B at ordinary level maths in the Junior Cert(2003). Is it as scary as I think? I'd be fine with the programming and most other aspects of the course as we have to program in VB at the moment.

jellie

just finished BSc CS in ucd. If your sure you wanna do CS do the denominated entry CS because entry through science & arts do less computer subjects for first 2 years especially, and then get put in with the denominated entry & are expected to be at the same level.
At the same time if your not 100% sure you want to do it do the BA because you can leave after your 3 years arts if you dont like it & get a general CS degree with your hons arts, but can stay the extra year for an honours degree. (you can leave after the 3 years with science as well for a general degree)
As with everywhere theres some excellent lecturers & some not so good, and therell be some subjects you love & some you cant stand!
good luck with decision

jellie

LadyLotts wrote:

I was thinking of the BA option because I could do Spanish alongside the computer science part. The BSc scares the hell out of me as I amn't the best at maths. University standard maths seems like possibly the most terrifying thing I could be faced with after only getting a B at ordinary level maths in the Junior Cert(2003). Is it as scary as I think? I'd be fine with the programming and most other aspects of the course as we have to program in VB at the moment.

isnt honours maths in lc an entry requirement? you have to do 2 years of maths, as well as logic & things like that which need some maths type reasoning

zap

no ordinary b3, you can probably still do spanish with BSc now with modulisation you can pick it as an option, as programming in Java is alot different to VB why would you want to know VB is beyond me.

Attol

I'm entering through A Levels. http://www.ucd.ie/horizons/ni.htm My entry requirements are English, another language and a lab science at GCSE (grade C) and maths at GCSE (grade , plus other matriculation requirements (3 A Levels at grade CCC or equivalent(eg. ACE) with a minimum of 6 subjects at A Level(GCE) or GCSE altogether). A Levels are like the leaving cert but there is only one level. You can take a subject for A Level for one year and that is an AS Level. A Level would be like a higher level, AS an ordinary. GCSEs are equivalent to Junior Cert higher level. It's weird.

So basically I can get in with a Junior cert higher level equivalent in maths. I'm not sure if I could keep up or catch up with people who had been studying Higher level for the Leaving. What sorts of things are covered in the maths course?

In the computing course I'm doing at school atm we program with VB. It's the only language we're allowed use. I think it's handy to have some knowledge of programming, even if it isn't the correct language, if doing programming of any kind. Good to know that we'll be using another language though as I wouldn't want to have to do the basics of it again.

jellie

cant remember much of the maths now, but i remember it being similiar to leaving cert honours. i know there was calculas & algebra. i found it alright cause id been ok with the leaving cert course but you might find it hard if maths isnt your thing.
as for the programming, i dont see how VB would help you with java etc

zap

vb is a microsoft language and when i think of comp sci i never think of microsoft in the same sentence, vb is no help for java you won't only be using java in the course well for first year you will. Also with horizons you cna pick wwhat partsof math you want to do.

jellie

zap what yr u in? science or denominated?

Attol

I just meant I've some experience with some kind of programming so it won't be too daunting. Before I started the course I'm currently on I was really worried about programming as it seemed really complex as I wasn't too aware of how things like that worked.

Thanks for all the help. Hopefully I'll manage to avoid the scarier maths things and get my super straight A boyfriend to tutor me for the unavoidable parts.

kasintahan

I'm your token BA Comp Sci allievo.

I've just finished 1st year and it was class!*

Here's the score:

1. Computers for years 1 to 3 is treated like another arts subject - but you're in with the BSc people, just not all their "other stuff" like maths. I hate maths so this suits me , like a fox :cool: .

2. 4th year BA Comp Sci is all about the computers (baby).

3. You do 2 other arts subjects in 1st year from a restricted choice, so no philsophy (which I would have done) but still good choice (I did Psychology and Information Studies**). 2nd year you drop one arts subject, in my case this must be pshchology unless i chose to drop both of the others and do a psy degree - note: psy may not be open to you next year, i think we were the last:()

4. You do 12 hours of lectures a week (4 for each of the three arts subjects) + 2/3 hours tutorial (we were told not to go to the comp sci tutorials unless necessary! it wasn't and I didn't and still got a first class honours***) + 2 hours of practical computers.
TOTAL hours : 16/17!

5. It's a lazy assed degree, one that gives time for other activities - I had the points and grades for BSc Comp Sci - THEY WERE LOWER THAN THE BA! but I was sick of hard college work and wanted to to other things.

So what if the the BSc is probably a better degree - I regret nothing:)

* In terms of the course and content (not general UCD life, which sucks sweaty Brazilian donkey balls:()
** Do not ask me what Information Studies is; I asked the department and they couldn't tell me (seriously ). Just know it is the easiest course known to man.
***with no study (caveat: I did 3 years of hardcore C, ASM and Unix shell programing in my wasted youth - the content is actually mildly challenging, but not as tough as a DIT course. That, and I think like a machine... :eek: )

ps - you get to hang around the arts block, which is nice as it's the centre for most debates, meeting and has the best comfy benches in the concourse. That and you gain a minor qualifications in appreciation for make-up econonics, haute couture and insight into emergent perfume trends. There are soooo many girls (so what if most wouldn't give you the time of day:))

Red Alert

yes kas, i asked you at one of the ucd boards beers and you actually didn't know

rainbow kirby

LadyLotts wrote:

Thanks for all the help. Hopefully I'll manage to avoid the scarier maths things and get my super straight A boyfriend to tutor me for the unavoidable parts.

For the BSc CS, the first year maths isn't too scary at all. With a bit of work it's quite passable. And 1st CS is ridiculously easy... I only ever studied for a few days before the exam and managed to pull a first out of somewhere (still don't know where...:p)

*is now trying to re-learn all of 1st year java over the summer...*

Attol

I'm really torn at the moment. BSc would be more useful as it would be specialised in CS only, the BA would help me have more options and I could concentrate on languages and take up economics or something as well. I'm not sure whether it's better to specialise or have a bit of everything.

The BA is rather tempting as it seems like it would be a little less work for me and I really enjoy languages and being fluent in a 3rd one would be nice. The BSc may be taken more seriously by prospective employers and putting in those extra hours of study may end up in more pay in the long term...

*head explodes*

This is hard.

kasintahan

LadyLotts wrote:

The BA is rather tempting as it seems like it would be a little less work for me and I really enjoy languages and being fluent in a 3rd one would be nice. The BSc may be taken more seriously by prospective employers and putting in those extra hours of study may end up in more pay in the long term...

*head explodes*

This is hard.

That pretty much sums it up. I havene't bothered to look at the employment opp's for BA Comp Sci grads but I'd imagine they'd not be as attractive (guessing here).

I have 0 regrets doing it though, and can always do a masters if needs be, which would negate any disadvantage (I'm 24, if I do that I'll be 29 graduaing - cool)

/edit - Weren't final changes to the CAO due 2 days ago?

Töpher

Denominated is tough enough, with some stupid subjects in there, but enough interesting stuff to cancel it out.

I've just finished 3rd year denominated, and messed up my exams so am leaving if I pass 1 repeat exam, but a General Bsc in Computer Science still isn't half bad I take it? Lol, prob is tbh!

Its a strange course, you meet some of the soundest people and some of the utmost geekiest demons of doom that are afraid of natural light (moreso than in any other ocurse I'd think!).

If you did Bsc you'd be a novelty, no females do it!

jellie

Einst&#252 wrote: »

I've just finished 3rd year denominated, and messed up my exams so am leaving if I pass 1 repeat exam, but a General Bsc in Computer Science still isn't half bad I take it? Lol, prob is tbh!

if you want to go into 4th yr, check with the department if you can, cause a few ppl in my year failed some in summer & repeated & got into 4th yr. i think they said theyd been sick and used that as an excuse. there was 3 or 4 of them that did it. caused a bit of uproar though with people whod got the marks in the first sitting cause we'd been threatened so much that we wouldnt be able to go through without them.

Einst&#252 wrote: »

If you did Bsc you'd be a novelty, no females do it!

There was about 10 girls altogether in my year in 4th year out of 90 or so total

Repli

I'm doing BSc Computer Science in DIT, going into 4th year, and to be honest I thought 1st and 2nd year maths was easy! (Didn't have to do it in 3rd year)

Maybe I thought that because there were so many different areas covered (algebra, geometry, calculus, logic, set theory, number systems, etc) and you only had to do 2 or 3 questions in the exams so you can study what you're good at and ignore the rest.

zap

i've just finished first year BSc, in the BA you don;t do all the computer subjects that are in the BSc in first year.

Jonny Arson

kasintahan wrote:

** Do not ask me what Information Studies is; I asked the department and they couldn't tell me (seriously ). Just know it is the easiest course known to man.

I personally think the subject doesn't even exist. The department, students.... no none knows what it is, no one can tell you anything about it..... I think there is a cover up and I don't like it

rainbow kirby

Einst&#252 wrote: »

If you did Bsc you'd be a novelty, no females do it!

*cough*

Attol

kasintahan wrote:

- cool)

/edit - Weren't final changes to the CAO due 2 days ago?

#

Probably but it doesn't apply to me because I'm only a 5th year. I need to get everything sorted out during our first term back though as there will be about 850 students in my year whose UCAS(UK version of CAO) forms need to be completed and need references etc. plus I'm being really awkward and going to Ireland which requires a total different entry that none of the people in the college knows a thing about. Also I'm visiting unis in Dublin and I'm going over on Wednesday so want to know what questions to ask the department and things like that.

I wouldn't be too surprised if there weren't many girls in CS. I'm one of the two girls in my computing course out of 4 groups.

If anyone is interested this is A Level Computing. Units 1-3 are for the first year. Unit 3 is about our practical. Units 4-6 are for the second year and unit 6 is about the practical. We basically just design our own system in accordance to guidelines and a made up story in first year (always involves a database backend) and we do flatfiles in 2nd year. We have to make up our own scenario etc. It's pretty damn easy if you pay any attention at all.

Syth

I'm just finished 3rd year comp sci. 1st year is easy. Having done some programming before will be a great help to you. Remember that there is no computer science leaving cert course in Ireland, so most people in comp sci won't have done programming before and so need to be taught it.

If you are not sure about BA vs BSc denominated entry, there is a third option that I did. I went into general UCD science. I did not have to do comp sci, but I choose to. Now in 3rd year I am in with all the denominated entry people. In 1st and 2nd year you have more choice than in denom. It's like BA, but with science subjects.

Attol

Oooh, I did not know that. Can I end up avoiding maths if I do it through the science course? Good to know that there are more options available to me. Btw, what are level 8 and level 6/7 courses?

rainbow kirby

If you do the science course, you still have to do 2 years of maths.

Kevin_rc_ie

if you want to do CS and want to avoid maths, you should rethink doing CS.

tribulus

LadyLotts wrote:

Oooh, I did not know that. Can I end up avoiding maths if I do it through the science course? Good to know that there are more options available to me. Btw, what are level 8 and level 6/7 courses?

i think that's to do with the accreditation of courses by the Higher Education Authority, the higher the number the more "accredited" it is, as in a diploma might have a level 6 but an honours degree would probably be 7 or 8.

will look for a link

Attol

Kevin_rc_ie wrote:

if you want to do CS and want to avoid maths, you should rethink doing CS.

Meh. I'm pretty good at CS, at least the style we're doing now. I'm ok at maths if I work at it (managed to work my way up to a higher level Leaving Cert class in transition year) but I'm horrendously lazy when it comes to doing things I'm not interested in. If I put in the work and get some help in the beginning I'm sure I could catch up, but if there is any way of getting out of maths I will do what it takes as I'm really that lazy.

Thanks tribulus! Saw that on the CAO form and didn't have a clue what it was asking me to do. The handbook didn't help either.

kasintahan

Kevin_rc_ie wrote:

if you want to do CS and want to avoid maths, you should rethink doing CS.

Nah, you need some maths but none of that hairy assed stuff you need for 3rd level physics or chemistry.

An ability for logic and reasoning is required though, java requires a bit more abstract thought than the likes of C (because you use so much of other peoples code in java, you need to think like they did).

tribulus

hetac link

hopefully that's what you're looking for

Kevin_rc_ie

(managed to work my way up to a higher level Leaving Cert class in transition year)

sure

Syth

LadyLotts wrote:

Oooh, I did not know that. Can I end up avoiding maths if I do it through the science course? Good to know that there are more options available to me. Btw, what are level 8 and level 6/7 courses?

In UCD science you must do maths in first year. For denominated entry you may do honours or pass in first year.For denominated entry you must do pass maths in second year. I did honours maths in 1st and 2nd year. I'm not sure if you were to do 'general science' if you could skip maths in 2nd year. You may need 2nd year maths for 3rd year computer science.

Disclaimer: The college is introducing 'modularisation', which is changing the course structure, with the goal of making it possible for people to do more varied subjects, so I don't know what the story will be for the next few years.

Attol

Kevin_rc_ie wrote:

sure

As in I managed to work my way up into a class that had done higher level maths for the JC and were going to do higher in the Leaving as well. You seem to have some problem with me. If you're going to get like that then I'd advise not replying to my posts. I am capable of doing this course and I do not need a total stranger from the internet trying to convince me otherwise.

Kevin_rc_ie

chill. i thought you were asking random strangers from the internet for advice. i think you should do arts.

jellie

Syth wrote:

I'm not sure if you were to do 'general science' if you could skip maths in 2nd year. You may need 2nd year maths for 3rd year computer science.

not 100% sure but im fairly sure to do CS u had to do maths in 2nd yr in general science. with that whole new horizons thing it might be different, dont know. i would presume maths is a requirement for CS. although at first maths might seem irrelevant to CS it does pop up later. thought id never see integration again after 2nd year but there it was in my 4th yr connectionist computing course.
i seriously think if you dont like maths, or arent good at it you shouldnt do CS. you need mathematical kinda thinking and reasoning for logic & things, not to mention the actual maths modules.
you also need to be good at problem solving etc for programming or itll wreck your head completely

Attol

If I don't do CS then I won't go to uni. There is nothing else that remotely interests me and that I can get the points for. With work I can get past the problems with maths. I am reasonably good at the programming I'm doing at the moment so I feel I would be capable of programming other languages with some work.

jellie

well theres no harm giving it a go. if its too much, at least ull have tried there is some tough stuff but work hard and you'll probably be fine. good luck with it

Attol

Thank you! I think I'll do the BA as I'm more likely to do well if there's a bit of variety. I'll consider the BSc but I'd rather do a slightly less relevant course and pass than do the perfect course and end up failing. Thanks everyone for helping me out. I want to skip 6th year and just go straight to uni and get back to Dublin!

kasintahan

Go Arts!

Syth

LadyLotts wrote:

If I don't do CS then I won't go to uni. There is nothing else that remotely interests me and that I can get the points for. With work I can get past the problems with maths. I am reasonably good at the programming I'm doing at the moment so I feel I would be capable of programming other languages with some work.

The thing is that Computer Science is university can be quite theoretical. I've done some logica/mathematical courses this year (eg: Mathematical Logic ), so you do need the maths. If you don't want to do a theoretical course, you could look at other, more practical courses.

Attol

Uni is my ticket back to Ireland. If I don't go then I don't get to come back. I don't have any other options that will be acceptable by my parents' standards and unfortunately without their help I can't afford to move out. So I'm going to uni in Ireland and CS is the only subject I want to do really. I really don't have the option of a more practical course.

Red Alert

if you come you must come to boards beers

Seriously tho', if you're as keen on programming as you say the course should be no problem for you.

kasintahan

I appear to have misjudged the number of hours of lectures in CS Arts, we had 3 + a two hour practical + optional tutorial:)

Bloody hell! I had to check my old timetable to confirm that, you'd think having spent a year going to class I'd have noticed the number of lectures a week!

All (?) the other arts have 4 lectures + mandatory tutorial.


It is quite practical in so far as nearly half the time you spend in the lab (2 out of 5 hours). :cool:

jellie

Red Alert wrote:

Seriously tho', if you're as keen on programming as you say the course should be no problem for you.

theres far far far more to it than programming. yeah u do a hell of a lot of it but thats not it. in 4th year, out of aboit 12 subject options, i think 3 of them had programming assignments. there is your 4th year proj but not all of them are programming. don't go into it for programming.
I think there are actually far better CS courses out there. I've heard DCU computer applications is very good, and by the sounds of it way more interesting.

kasintahan

Programming (Java) is about 80% of marks for Comp Sci Arts 1st year (1 MCQ, 1 written exam, continuous practicals).
Systems Analysis is about 20% (1 MCQ).

MCQ = multiple choice questions (1/4 negative marking, very easy)

jellie

kasintahan wrote:

Programming (Java) is about 80% of marks for Comp Sci Arts 1st year (1 MCQ, 1 written exam, continuous practicals).
Systems Analysis is about 20% (1 MCQ).

MCQ = multiple choice questions (1/4 negative marking, very easy)

yeah 1st year. 1st years easy.

Attol

If first year is easy I can start working on maths and stuff then and hopefully be up to a higher standard.

If there's a Boards Beers around the week of Halloween I'll be there.

Worst thing about UCD seems to be the TINY rooms in the accomodation. I have no idea what I'm going to do with all my stuff. Where will the shoes go?!?! WHERE?!?!?

kasintahan

Perhaps you could rent Newman House?


http://www.ucd.ie/jhnewman/about/newman_house.htm