Skeptical of admission requirements.

Naikon

I am seriously considering this course as an option after the LC, as i have an interest in programming(limited at this stage) and computers in general.
There seems to be a difference in this course compared to dt211(programming wise) and i dont know which course i should go for with regards to which might be the better option.
I am reasonably comfortable with ordinary level maths, but i am skeptical as to why the maths requirment is a OC3.
Why would this grade be accepted if someone with that level of maths would struggle with the maths content.
Surely you would need a high grade in hons. maths in the LC to actually do well in the course as opposed to scraping a pass whereas someone who done honours would get a 2.1 , what with computer science being very maths based.
DIT is a handy location also with regards to transport.
Any opinions on the matter?
Am I wasting my time with dt288 or dt211 with regards to the maths element?
I dont mind hard work, but i am afraid i will be lost on the maths front.
I mean places like trinity require a hons C3 for computer science minimum.
Surely the course, being computer science would be unsuitable to people wit h ord maths?

grimm2005

Hey,
I've just started computer science in DIT (DT228). Theres about 60 in the course and only around 15 in DT211(computing). I'm not sure what the difference is tbh.
I got a C1 in pass maths for the lc so i'm not sure how i'm gonna do on the maths front but we'll see.
I can't tell you for sure what the level of maths is like as we don't have maths for the first semester (or algorithims for that matter, which is meant to be the bit everyone hates)
We have 4 hours of maths and 4 hours of algorithm design a week scheduled for second semester but thats all the info i know on it so far

Binomate

That maths is difficult if you're not too good at maths. It doesn't help if you've got a terrible lecturer either. I don't think that'll be the case with first year this year though. Just make sure you make maths a priority through out the year. Actually study it, and don't do what I did. I just went to the lectures and it all went in one ear and out the other. I scraped through to second year in the repeats with maths. All you need to do is pay attention in the class and ask questions if you don't understand.

Chucky the tree

I was **** at maths, but if you actually study for it, its easy enough. I got a c1 in ordinary. I failied it in first year at the summer because i didnt do a tap, but i passed the repeat with a bit of study a few days before it.

Once you do a bit of work for it, you will be fine.

Naikon

Thanks for the advice so far.
I reckon i could get a decent C or B grade with some work.
I hope it will prepare me.
Evidently yes. ***hopes***

Crash

Naikon wrote:

I mean places like trinity require a hons C3 for computer science minimum.
Surely the course, being computer science would be unsuitable to people wit h ord maths?

hey, just thought i'd put some perspective on this. I'm currently in trinity studying comp sci, and we do as you said require an hons c3.
however other colleges only require an ordinary level maths mark.

the simple difference is how its structured - basically the department structures the maths course, its difficulty and the number of hours based on previous experience. so with maths in your courses lifetime it may be more intense, as it has a larger gap to fill, or may be offset over four years. It makes little difference to the level of the degree. (for the record, this is a completely general opinion, not based on the DIT course itself, but generally how college's deal with the honours/ordinary level divide in mathematics.)

Naikon

So, the more maths content packed into smaller periods of time warrents higher requirments?
Makes sense I suppose.
I can understand the trinity requirment, because isnt that course much more like Electrical engineering which would contain alot more intensive engineering maths, hence the higher requirment?

Dunners

I'm in fourth year DT228 now and was doing school trips to promote the two courses (228 and 211) last year. Basically the difference is that 211 is alot more hardware orientated, ie how to build a computer from scratch (which is a module) and how microprocessors do this that and the other. 228 is alot more software focussed with programming and the like.

I found 228 to be grand and you can easily pass through the years as long as you get your finger out. Maths is a bit of a git and they do have some shockingly bad lecturers but it's not too hard to get through and once you hit second year you have Graph Theory with Brendan O'Shea which is quite frankly piss.

I'd easily recommend 228 as the course to do but beware some of the lecturers they will hone in on people they think to be thick and basically pick on them. Bonus points if anyone can guess the lecturer I mean...

kdouglas

hmmm i wonder....
could it be pk?

dt228 is a good course, im also in 4th yea now with dunners, maths isnt particularly difficult, if you go to the lectures and in particular the tutorials, youll do fine. The guy that did the tutorials in 1st year was pretty good at explaining things afair... the graph theory in 2nd year is probably the most relevant (and easiest) sort of maths for computing and brendan o'shea teaches it very well.