DIT - Computer Science

irish life

I amstarting a degree in CS in DIT this year and I just want to know is it any good. The course is deferred for a year so I have forgotten every bit of Maths I knew, will this be a problem? What is DIT like? What are the hours like? etc, etc.

Ta.

wes

You doing FT228???

briano

I'm in FT228-4 (final year of computer science in DIT Kevin St.). Its an OK course, but there is a lot of work, especially in final year and the first half of third year.

If you get the option go on work experience. About half of my class went out to companies and nearly all of us enjoyed it. (two didn't, but what can you do). The subjects that you study if you stay in college seem to be pretty hard (and not wildly interesting).

On a side note, The food in the canteen is awful. And its worse in Aungier St. But the ahhh, "scenery" is much nicer...

jenpen

if you did honour maths for the leaving, then it should be no problem.

wes

Originally posted by briano
I'm in FT228-4 (final year of computer science in DIT Kevin St.). Its an OK course, but there is a lot of work, especially in final year and the first half of third year.

If you get the option go on work experience. About half of my class went out to companies and nearly all of us enjoyed it. (two didn't, but what can you do). The subjects that you study if you stay in college seem to be pretty hard (and not wildly interesting).

If your interested in Linux some of those subject are very interesting, and if your not then i wouldn't bother.

Originally posted by jenpen

if you did honour maths for the leaving, then it should be no problem.

You don't even need that. I failed honours Maths rather horribly and repeated the leaving and did Pass maths and i managed to get to 3rd with no real hassle at all.

jefinner

true, having honours maths is not completely necessary, but it is definitely advantageous as you would already know the basic concepts of differentiation, integration and calculus, and therefore would not need to spend as much time studying these as you did when you were first introduced to them.

briano

Still, I reckon I learned as much about linux on my work placement as the CSAA people did. Never mind about the other stuff like VAX and whatnot that aren't even mentioned anymore. Plus, I was getting paid for it. Not much mind you, but some.

I defered for a year as well before starting, and found it a bit of a kick in the unmentionables when I started first year, but you'll pick it up really fast. Second year maths was grand (all set theory and stuff like that. Lots of pretty pictures.), but they have changed the course every year since I started so I'm not to sure what It'll be like when you get into it.

Good Luck!

Vokes

My own course, FT225 Applied Science/Computing (im in 4th year), is finishing up for good in the next 2 years, and FT228 Computer Science seems to have been restructured to take its place, i.e C/C++ in the first two years (i think briano & co. did VB in first year) and lots and lots of lovely mathematics - abstract algebra, statistics, calculus, set theory, MINITAB, Derive - in just the first year!

I know a lot of my classmates (who did ordinary LC Maths) had difficulties with the maths, so, yeah, Honours maths is definitely a big plus.

Have a read of the course document - FT228

vinks

then again in the past it was traditonally the mathematicians who would usally take on computer science after a undergrad. in maths. and maths is always useful in almost all areas of science.

briano

Yes, we did do VB.

Ahhh, those were the days... turning up to labs drunk & dragging + dropping a few buttons here and there.

sigh. I think they do assembly now instead. Suckers.

jefinner

i am currently in FT228-3, i am on my work placement, if you re technically minded then you would probably be more suited to the CSAA route, if not, then do work experience. it is not that bad, as long as you are not left sitting there and you get paid.

my year was the last to do VB in 1st year, that has now been thrown out the window, you may touch on it in web development in 3rd with ASP, but that is it. i hear the 1st yrs are now doing c++.

i did honours in my leaving, and i will be the first to admit i was not the best at it, but i found it very beneficial for first year, without it i would have prob failed the exams. 2nd year maths is basically graphs and sets and "z" language, very boring but not too difficult, after 2nd there is no more maths, just formal methods, which sounds nasty!

wes

Originally posted by jefinner
i am currently in FT228-3, i am on my work placement, if you re technically minded then you would probably be more suited to the CSAA route, if not, then do work experience. it is not that bad, as long as you are not left sitting there and you get paid.

my year was the last to do VB in 1st year, that has now been thrown out the window, you may touch on it in web development in 3rd with ASP, but that is it. i hear the 1st yrs are now doing c++.

i did honours in my leaving, and i will be the first to admit i was not the best at it, but i found it very beneficial for first year, without it i would have prob failed the exams. 2nd year maths is basically graphs and sets and "z" language, very boring but not too difficult, after 2nd there is no more maths, just formal methods, which sounds nasty!

Well Formal Methods isn't too bad its basically Z and some other stuff.

agent_smith

DCU is the best place to go for degree in computer science. Not least because the facilities are unparalleled. Sadly the same cannot be said for DIT kevin street.

silverside

yeah if you have the points, i strongly recommend you reapply throgh the CAO for DCU, its a great course. There are some internal infighting and resource problems in DIT from what I have heard. Dont let me put you off though.

jefinner

A survey was carried out on all computer science courses across europe, by some collective body in china, the results were that the computer science course int DIT Kevin st was rated among the top ten, above TCD, UCD and DCU. dont let this put you off.


As for the facilities, computer science students are not only bound to the six computer labs, with the newest in computer equipment, but also have full access to all DIT facilities. This is very handy, as Aungier St is a 2 minute walk from Kevin Street, where the facilities are to say the least excellent.

agent_smith

To be honest I am not sure about that. Comp Science students are no longer allowed to access the computers in Aungier Street. Also the problem is that the labs in aungier street simply would not be equipped. Meaning they are not going to have the proper compilers installed that a software engineering student will need. And for obvious reasons there is no admin rights given to students (fair enough ). So ultimately a Kevin Steet Comp Science student is limited to what is provided in Kevin Street itself, and at best thats very bad.

Draupnir

Im a CA 3 in DCU, to be honest, the course is great crack and there is hardly any work needed to pass. If you want good grades you can break your balls, but who wants to break their balls?

I dont know much about the DIT course but I chose DCU over it purely because its a much nicer place with better facilities. Unfortunately, they dont teach a whole lot of programming in my course even though its a Software Engineering degree.

Sometimes its a little bit to general.

jefinner

there is a lab over in Aungier street, designated purely to kevin street students, and there are two labs in kevin street which can be used by 4th years and only 4th year. therefore there are 4/5 labs left for all other comp sci students, and spesking from experience throughout 1st, 2nd and 3rd there were never any major problms getting access to software or anything else for any assignments. if you are one of the lucky people who own a laptop, then there are ports which you can connect to both in Kevin st and Aungier st.

I am not saying that there is anything wrong with the DCU course, if anything i would probably prefer that as i hate programming with a passion! only problem id the distance!

Draupnir

Id actually prefer more programmin! wanna swap, you can live in my house

briano

Agent Smith:

4th years have limited admin rights to the computers in two labs, and I think they have "priviledges" in the other labs, but I'm not sure, as I never bother to use them.

Aungier Street has two (very nice) computer labs, and they are set up just fine for computer science students. And when you say the labs don't have the proper compilers installed, I assume you are talking about ms visual studio. Boo Hoo. Install eclipse, or even textpad and some freeware c++ compiler, and get over it. The DB + Unix servers are available from Aungier street so I don't really know what you are complaining about.

Also, All the labs in kevin street were re-fitted this year (except for A306, which was refitted in 2002), so there are pretty good computers available now, along with a wireless NW for laptops and a dedicated wireless network for final year projects.

As far as going to DCU is concerned, I met some lads from one of the computers courses there on my work experience (they were on theirs as well) and the courses seemed to be similar. DCU didn't seem to have the same level of interaction between the lecturers and students as DIT does. But I do hope DCU rocks as much as everyone says, as I am hopefully going there next year to do a M.Sc.

And Kevin St. Is good craic. Honest. Ohh who am I kidding:)

Draupnir

hate to break it to you pal, but unless you get some mates who are willing to have a laugh then DCU is about as fun as a kick in the ballls. Tis the most anonymous place on earth

briano

I'll only be there for 12 months anyway. I can live with that.

Of course, this is all providing I get in at all.

Draupnir

well if ya get in give me a shout. you can come on the piss with me and my mates if you want.

Which Masters you doing?

briano

Sweet.

Security and Forensics in Computing. I have to send in my exam results when I finish in DIT (28 days. Cant wait...) before I'll find out for definite

jefinner

I could have gotten my point about the computer science course in DIT Kevin street, across a lot better initially if i had of said what "Briano" said, but in essence we were fighting the same cause. Kevin Street appears to have a pretty bad image, but unitl you actually take a course in it, you cant possibly understand that it is in fact a very jocular place!


Daupnir, i have no problem letting you do my programming for me, call it a friendly favour, once my placement is over i will gladly do all your software engineering and the like!

Draupnir

Im a big fan of that idea jefinner, im on placement at the moment too, ill have loads of UML to be done come October though!!

Briano, thats a superb M.Sc, Ive read through the notes for a few modules and they are really interesting. The course work seems very practical too.

jefinner

where are you doing your placement? are you doing software engineering related stuff in the placement?

i am doing SQL, all day every day, but it beats the CSAA stream in my course, which is as boring as sh1te!!

briano

Yeah, That Msc Looks cool. One of the lads from DIT is doing it at the moment, and another guy is supervising some of their labs. They both said good things.

Yeah CSAA sucks compared to SDIS(work placement). But not nearly as much as 4th year does. Just so, you know, you have something to look forward to after you spend all summer working.

Draupnir

Im in an Accountants in Donnybrook doing SQL myself most of the time, and also fixing up the network some gimp put together.

I reckon they got Bubbles the Chimp to do it. Great fun altogether

Draupnir

http://polya.computing.dcu.ie/ca616/index.html

check that out Briano thats one of the modules course notes

jefinner

what are the subjects in 4th yr like? a lot of programming? are the hours long?
i am dreading going back, i have heard off several people that it is one of the worst years of their lives....and i suppose the fact that i dont have a clue what project i am going to "attempt" to do, doesnt help!!

fixing networks, at least is something different! i have become highly skilled in using an excel spreadsheet....and we cant forget the good old msn!!!!!