MH203 - Computer Science & Software Engineering

davil

Anyone doing this course? Any thoughts?
or anyone doing any other programming courses?

I'm looking to do one of these courses next September as a mature student and I have an I.T. background and quite a bit of basic programming knowledge, such as Basic, VB, VBS, PHP, Javascript to name a few.

I have also heard good things about the games design / programming courses in UL and DKIT. Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts or can somebody point out the pitfalls of going and doing one of these courses vs doing professional qualifications like dot net or something similar?

eamoss

These are the subject you will be doing in 1st year
http://www.cs.nuim.ie/courses/modlist.php?coursecode=CSSE&year=1

Im in first year doing CSSE(Computer Science & Software Engineering) I have to say it is a hard course but what course isnt?

In semester one you will have 20 hours and in semester two you will have 23 hours. http://www.cs.nuim.ie/timetables/ also you can change them labs on a Friday to a different time just look at Computer Science(CS) timetable to see when they are on.

You will be doing Java in the 1st year and you will have assignments due every week. http://www.cs.nuim.ie/~jonathan/teaching.html - Look down the bottom for the assignments

I personally find the maths very hard and does most of my class but the lecturer is crap I often miss his lectures tho it is mostly down to soccer training.
http://www.maths.may.ie/staff/sbsachs/158.pdf - Homework
http://www.maths.may.ie/staff/sbsachs/158_LN.pdf - Lecture Notes

Note: Look at the link at the top to find out the names of the subjects
CS154 - about 120 people in the class - Labs are VERY easy!
CS156 - 120 people - Hard and very uninteresting subject
CS158 - 30 people - You will be doing Java programs which deal which do maths problems
CS101 - 100 people - CSSE are the only 1st years doing this subject rest of them are 2ed years - You will also be doing Java in the subject but if you can do the assignments from 158 this subject will be a walk in the park.

There are 3 mature students doing CSSE one is 28 and two are 31/32

Also there is a bus that goes every day from Drogheda to Maynooth http://www.finlaycoaches.com/services.htm

I have also heard good things about Games Development in DKIT but I dont know too much about the course!

Sean^DCT4

davil wrote:

Anyone doing this course? Any thoughts?
or anyone doing any other programming courses?

I'm looking to do one of these courses next September as a mature student and I have an I.T. background and quite a bit of basic programming knowledge, such as Basic, VB, VBS, PHP, Javascript to name a few.

I have also heard good things about the games design / programming courses in UL and DKIT. Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts or can somebody point out the pitfalls of going and doing one of these courses vs doing professional qualifications like dot net or something similar?

I'm in my final year doing this course. I could be wrong but as far as I am aware Java Programming has been removed from 1st year, obviously due to the very high failure rate/difficulty of the course.

The course is maths and programming intense (well at least when I started).
It covers very very in depth logical/mathematical reasoning towards Comp Science. Also, the Soft. Eng side too.

Small break down of the years:
1st Year: Software Engineering / Maths subjects
2nd Year: Progamming / Maths / SE subjects
3rd Year: Maths / SE subjects + (6-12 month work placement)
4th Year: 4 subjects 1st semester, 5 in the second. Also, a final year project.

3rd and 4th year are by far the most difficult. Although 1st and 2nd are not easy going either. You know the saying though.. "you get what you put...."

On a more positive note, I will say that when I finish the course I definitely will not be short of job offers

davil

ok well to put it simply maths homework like that just isn't for me. I want to write software not solve Fermat's last theorem. (Yes I quit easily). I think I'll find another course. Probably one of the professional exams. I need a fast track to learning languages. I'm self taught in the ones I know now so I may as well continue down that road. Of course if the mathematics starts at a more bearable level and builds up gradually then maybe I'll give it a go.

Simple (maybe stupid) question - Do you have to be uber at maths to be a bona fide developer??

Gone West

davil wrote:

Simple (maybe stupid) question - Do you have to be uber at maths to be a bona fide developer??

Pretty much, yeah.

davil

FuzzyLogic wrote:

Pretty much, yeah.

ok ok I get the picture. My initial reaction of "WOAH NOW" was just because I haven't look at an algebraic equation or similar in 6 years. I'll be grand. Maths was actually one of my strong points in second level so I'm sure I'll be ok. just looking for excuses to not further meself. Procastination is a big problem for me.

Anyway all that rant aside, I'd imagine I'll apply to Maynooth, Dundalk and UL at the very least. Does anyone have any experience of software / computer science courses in DCU or UCD?? any info is much appreciated. Thanks to all who have already posted also you've all been very helpful

mp3guy

This course has the highest drop out I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong. But a lot of people really don't know what they're in for when they pick computer science.

davil

Thanks but I'll be ok. ;-) this is why I'm doing research now rather than paying later. Yep I'll be applying to Maynooth as well as the other colleges / universities mentioned. Will probably take Dundalk though if I get offered it as it is closest and it works for me.

easy_beez

Hi Davil.

I graduated from the CSSE course in Maynooth in 2003. The course was quite new back then and i think they were playing around with different subjects (we had 16 in first year alone, all with exams but i know this is well down now).
I think with your experience in Programming and that you're a mature student, you've already experienced working in the IT Industry (i was straight out of secondary school with no experience), you should be fine. I think most of the lecturers are approachable and also maybe open to suggestions by the students as to what they would like to focus on within the modules. The work placement in 3rd year is also very beneficial (a nice break too).
I was no genius at Maths during the course but i got on fine throughout. Some Maths modules (calculus in my time) were harder than others.

I defintely think you should apply anyway. It's a great College.

If you've any other questions, just pm me and i'd be happy to answer them.

davil

Thanks for that. I feel a bit better about the Maths now. I should be grand.

DingChavez

Sean^DCT4 wrote:

I'm in my final year doing this course. I could be wrong but as far as I am aware Java Programming has been removed from 1st year, obviously due to the very high failure rate/difficulty of the course.

The course is maths and programming intense (well at least when I started).
It covers very very in depth logical/mathematical reasoning towards Comp Science. Also, the Soft. Eng side too.

Small break down of the years:
1st Year: Software Engineering / Maths subjects
2nd Year: Progamming / Maths / SE subjects
3rd Year: Maths / SE subjects + (6-12 month work placement)
4th Year: 4 subjects 1st semester, 5 in the second. Also, a final year project.

3rd and 4th year are by far the most difficult. Although 1st and 2nd are not easy going either. You know the saying though.. "you get what you put...."

On a more positive note, I will say that when I finish the course I definitely will not be short of job offers

Not from CSSE, only the the CS students. CSSE is still programming/maths intense.

eamoss

DingChavez wrote:

Not from CSSE, only the the CS students. CSSE is still programming/maths intense.

Yup 1st CSSE students are mixed in with 2ed CS for the Java programming(CS101) and CSSE have another class of Java Programming(CS158 - which is harder) which 2ed CS dont do!

Beau

eamoss wrote:

CSSE have another class of Java Programming(CS158 - which is harder) which 2ed CS dont do!

and thank god for that! I find that module hard enough

eamoss

Ok can people clear up a few RUMORS about this course for me?

1. Has the highest drop out rate in Maynooth.
2. Hardest Computer course in Ireland.
3. Hardest Computer course in Europe.

timmyotoole

In reality, as in when your working as a developer/programmer whatever, this idea that you need to be uber at maths is rubbish.

It depends on the job spec, and to be honest its only a small percentage of those that may need good maths or any maths for that matter.

I despised that course, hated the lecturers, and in the end learned f**k all. Anything i know ive learned myself, having said that, thats generally the same with a lot of courses.

It has a massive drop out rate. As someone allready pointed out there most people going into computer science have no idea what there getting themselves into. If ye really want to do a course in computer science then go ahead. If ye dont like it drop out and do something else. No big deal. But ye might want to try it somewhere else then in maynooth.

Of course this is just my opinion. You might find its great in the end there.