Computer Science

DeadBankClerk · 24-05-2002 09:43AM

Originally posted by RASKOLNIKOV
Just curious but why would i want to go to Trinity over UCD? UCD has a cool new building whereas Trinity has a crappy terraced house thingy

No, no, no!
In TCD computer science we have 3 prefabs and no fixed place for lectures. We have lectures in every building in the college from geography (GLT,M17) to arts block to science block (H5, H3) to the medicine block (MOYNE) to the physics building (basement) to the chemistry building (CHLLT) . And another arts block for good measure (AAP).

Bit of a nomad course. Apparently they are building a faculty in the near future.

jonno · 24-05-2002 10:05AM

I'm just finished my first year doing computer systems in UL. First year is tough but if you put the work in it's fine. I realise that now. It's a great course. Brilliant facilities down here as well.

When I was trying to decide what to do I was advised that UL, W.I.T and DCU were the best ones with the best records

El_Presidente · 29-05-2002 11:59AM

CA in DCU is indeed a very good course.

Its not so much tough, more time consuming. I'm on work placement at the moment in 3rd year and have to say its been a great experience from 1st year onwards.

Some of the lecturers suck but I'm sure its the same in any college. The course is very good as is the general college experience you get from the place.

Umm... I sound like an Ad for DCU.....

Jackoman · 29-05-2002 12:34PM

I went to UCD and lasted all of two months. Hated the place and most of the crowd - so far up their own a$$es. Went to DIT Kevin Street in 1998 where I did Computer Science Diploma. First year wasnt bad, the next two were pretty tough. Basically its lots of programmig, C, C++, Java, Cobol and Pascal. Although I think they are constantly changing the languages they do. Was annoying also that for two years we had to do a foreign language. You also study computer hardware down to the very basics, coding, OS's, Unix, and web design. Its a real good course and if you do a fourth year you can get a degree. The job prospects are'nt as good as they used to be, but in three years when you are finished I'd say they will be good again.

My mate did Computer Applications in DCU. Personally I think that is a much better college, and the course is a really good one. Similar enough, but is four years long.

Dont know anything about anywhere else.

Gorthaur · 29-05-2002 01:04PM

did ca in DCU by night and then masters ditto. Very good . nice facilities (at least by the time I finished). lecturers are some good some bad (like everywhere).

The concensus at the time was that DCU & UL had the edge, WIT is supposed to be good if a bit strict on deadlines.

DIT kevin street revamped theres a coupke of years back and got kudos for it , don't know how it panned out.

HTH

Synkronite · 07-06-2002 01:35AM

Ive just finished my first year of Computer Science in UCC- I have to say it's really good (although it could be better in that it doesnt deal all that much with web development and web based applications, but apprently thats going to change starting fall'02). Id say most courses are the same.. UCCs computer facilities are excellent, we all have Pentium 1Ghz workstations with Windows2k/Linux in Addition to 2 Power Mac labs- enough computers for everyone three times over. And the HEAnetwork is sweet

The language of instruction in the first year is Java, but it diversifies a lot.. we do a logic course which is crap (and they are getting rid of it next year) Computer Systems is probably the same all over.. Discrete Maths I hated.. The Economics was, well, an extra..

Looking forward to my second year =]

Illkillya · 07-06-2002 01:59AM

hey Synkronite I just finished 1st year comp science in UCC also, hopefully i'll see you in 2nd year but i'll have to get through these repeat exams first

eden_my_ass · 18-06-2002 04:59PM

Don't get too excited about 2nd year Synkronite. I've just finished it and its not that great. The java is okay (you'll get as far as doing a few GUI apps, and wait for Derek Bridge, he'll rock you're world), the C is a joke (you might get to write a calculator program if you're lucky) and don't even mention stats ( a complete waste of time. On that point whats the situation with stats subjects in other colleges, its seems like every course in UCC has to do it now. In summation I don't claim to be the best at this crap, so its even more insulting to a course if I can pass second year without going to a single lecture, buying a single book, making any effort at assignments and thats after skipping first year (and this is what we call education, just give me my piece of paper and let me TRY and get a real job)...:)

twanda · 27-06-2002 05:02PM

Hey there,
Do any of you know of a good web design or compter aided design course in or around dublin?

Gerry · 27-06-2002 05:20PM

NUI Maynooth is a good course, with good lecturers, which has been seriously marred by some crappy decisions from on high. However, the lecturers are extremely good for the most part, better than dcu I would say. If you are enthusiastic, you will find the lecturers extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Don't go if you don't like computers / programming though. I say this because about half of CSSE has a deep hate for anything computer related, and no-one else should be making this mistake.
I'm sick of all the moaning which goes something like this:

"I shouldn't have picked this course, I have no interest in it, therefore I'll call the course crap, and divert attention away from my own stupidity".

JJSolutions · 15-07-2002 11:49AM

There may also be a cost of living issue - im glad i didnt go to college in Dublin, Comp Sys UL is a good course - it seems to be better now since when i was there, i was down a few months ago - feck the women are getting better every year

Whatever course you do -make sure you get involved in the Students union from the start - i left it till 3rd year when it came to the crunch and we werent happy with the way a few things were being run

(Hope you dont mind rain if you're thinkin of goin to Limerick)

Quigs Snr · 15-07-2002 12:17PM

Speaking to one of the girls in HR here, apparently as far as they are concerned the degrees go like this in order best to worst.

1. DCU - Bsc Computer Applications
2. UL - Bsc Computer Systems
3. WIT - Bsc Applied Computing

I would tend to agree with this as this correlates with a survey I read in 1993 from IT employers before deciding to go to DCU. I'm glad I did because since I got out in 1997 the DCU tag on my Bsc seems to be worth a bit of mileage with employers and has opened lots of doors for me(of course after a while, experience alone counts and degrees become unimportant).

Ul is excellent, and my bro did the WIT one, which in terms of course structure and content is almost identical to the DCU course, so don't rule that one out. The points are also very low, so it's easy to get in, but hard to stay in mind, none of these courses is exactley a doddle.

If you need to know more specifics of these courses let me know.

Quigs Snr · 15-07-2002 12:18PM

WIT is good from a cost of living point too by the way. Waterford is a nice town to go to college. I used to come down from DCU every spring for their rag week.

spuddy · 29-07-2002 06:49PM

wouldnt knock ucd - just finished my first year and had no probs

lectures are fine - good facilities - ok some parts of the course are tough but u'll find that in most courses.
there are lots of good points - there arent too many hours, only bout 50 ppl do it so u get 2 know most of ur class - design a game in groups of 3 which goes towards ur final mark - not too fast paced

other ppl have said different but i didnt meet ne assh***s - most ppl were grand - u get used to the size of the place - theres plenty of space - 3 pubs, restaurants, large student centre, gym + loads of other sports facilities - theres a good atmosphere in the place (not too mention one or two fine lookin women!)

if ya dont mind the fact that some of the buildings are a bit ugly!, that ya might run into some ag students in wellies (thou i didnt see any) and ur not a boring anti-social bas***d u'll enjoy urself.

tcd has a 30% drop out rate for cs in first year, ucd's is 15%
- facts speak for themselves

rob1891 · 31-07-2002 02:51PM

I think you'll find the faculty quite frustrating at times in UCD. Also, if you're any good at the subject, you'll start to notice great exceptions being made for less adept students. After a while you begin to wonder what kind of standards are being set, your grade doesn't mean much when you see other people passing their summer exams ... without actually passing. (Well it's not that bad, but there are definitely rules being bent to get student's into their final year.)

I have also noticed the course material is pruned almost ever year, you'll see past exam papers with questions you've never covered, and notice an odd comment or two from a lecturer "we don't cover that anymore" , why not?? (class sizes apparently, though I think we're just not up to it).

I think the root of the problem is they are not getting enough high quality and interested students. I don't know if this is because there isn't as much interest in the computer industry after the tech crash or if this bad reputation that I've seen here is having an effect (certainly, if I had known DCU was top of HR's list I'd not have UCD top of my CAO) <ungrounded speculation> If they're going to keep their government grants they have to fill the places (what with that new shiny building and all) and the standards are being let slip.</ungrounded speculation>
Well, that's the opinion of a 3rd year UCD CS student (now deferring in Sun, you'll need the break from them after 3 years!!).

Hopefully with the new course that's being given to denominated CS students (i.e. non general science people) things will get better.

rob.

Draco · 31-07-2002 03:53PM

Originally posted by rob1891
I have also noticed the course material is pruned almost ever year, you'll see past exam papers with questions you've never covered, and notice an odd comment or two from a lecturer "we don't cover that anymore" , why not?? (class sizes apparently, though I think we're just not up to it).

Courses change over the years. You may not be noticing other material added after some was taken out.

Gerry · 04-08-2002 01:09PM

Nah, its completely correct. Plenty of stuff in second year CSSE was skipped over, or left out from the previous years. I fully agree with the rest of rob1891's post, and I can say that the same thing goes on in NUI Maynooth. Its a graduate factory mentality that most of the lecturers hate, but they are going along with it anyway. Money is being spent on getting more students in, instead of on the large classes that are already there. I know plenty of people who should not have made it past 2nd year, but the standards have been dropped for them. Its up to you to realise what sort of standard you should be at, and work to that by yourself.

Raskolnikov · 04-08-2002 08:44PM

In UCC they have removed the joint honours computer science + maths or stats. Another sign of dumbing things down methinks

Marlon · 25-08-2002 04:13PM

Have to agree that the CSSE course (NUIM) has cheapened a lot since it was introduced 4 years ago. There are too many people that shouldn't be there as a result.

The vast majority of the lecturers are very good though (with a few exceptions) and are very helpful if you need advice or help.
The CS dept. was told to pass more people by the college president, as the failure rate was too high

Pepe LeFrits · 16-09-2002 11:16PM

Originally posted by papashiv0
the library lookslike a big pill box.

ahahah

Man U babe · 17-09-2002 09:31PM

So it does. Ya could probably make a model of the UCD campus using kids blocks and a few drinking straws (for all the bridges).

Anyways, had my first CS lecture today (comp1001). How hard is 1st year CS in UCD? I only have to take it for 1 year, I'm denominated entry maths science. Is the fact that I've never programmed before gonna be a problem? Are the lecturers any good? Tell all.....

seamus · 18-09-2002 10:02AM

Originally posted by Man U babe
Anyways, had my first CS lecture today (comp1001). How hard is 1st year CS in UCD? I only have to take it for 1 year, I'm denominated entry maths science. Is the fact that I've never programmed before gonna be a problem? Are the lecturers any good? Tell all.....

1st year is a doddle. They teach you how to program, so don't worry. And they don't go into any serious detail. My only advice is, attend every practical, and give it a go. This wil give you an instant 30% for that module, and IMO, gives you an instant 30% in the written exam through experience.

/me consults CS website to check out lecturers....

Em....WTF? Is there just one section in first year CS now?

You're absolutely sorted so.......jesus, it's probably cos so many people have failed the Architecture over the last 2 years that they took it out

. It has to be the easiest course in the country now

So, yeah your lecturer, Fred, is a very very good lecturer. You're sorted.

That's ridiculous.........

If you need any help during the year, pop me a PM and I'll give you some pointers.

/me is still laughing

Kulgan · 18-09-2002 10:32AM

Hmmm afaik Architecture is still there and thats piss easy as well

MCQ and then couple of questions which are the same every year

Also i think ye get the 30% for practicals by simply attending in first year so no excuses!

Dermo · 19-09-2002 12:54AM

I'm starting Computer Science in TCD this year. After talking to lots of people who had done or are doing the Trinity course and the DCU course, I ended up choosing the Trinity one. I don't know why it's just the layout of the course and all that, that probably swung it in the end. But after doing the CTYI course in DCU I realised just how hard DCU was to get to from where I'm living (I had already decided to commute before hand and with the state of my cash I didn't have much choice)
From what I saw before hand I can easily say that DCU has the better facilities and stuff but I'll probably find out how good a choice I made in the next few months

seanhowley · 12-08-2011 04:06AM

hey im just wondering is there broad range of career opportunities from this course for instance could you eventually work ur way into design eng or electronic eng etc.

johnobosh · 18-08-2011 12:05AM

Anyone got any feedback on this college. Im starting the Higher Certificate in Science in Computing in Information Technology course this september and was just wondering has any else done(doing) this course, what its like, what you learn and will the 2 yrs the course takes give me enough to pursue a degree after

mamoonkay · 18-08-2011 10:06PM

UCD :rolleyes:

Computer Science

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