Maynooth Computer Science Question

Beau x1

Here's the deal:

In 2009 I'll most likely have the option of UCD CS or Maynooth CS.

However, I cannot dorm if I go to UCD due to being in Bray (I would probably be declined accommodation), but I certainly can if I go to Maynooth.

My parents are expressing their thoughts that it would be stupid for me to choose Maynooth over UCD for the sole reason of dorming due to the fact that UCD has a better reputation, and they basically don't think Maynooth would have good lecturers etc.

Living away from home would be a great opportunity from me to just get out there and experience a new form of independence. Their argument, which is fair enough I guess is that I can live by myself anytime in my life after I graduate.

Basically what I'm asking here is for those who are currently in or have graduated from CS in Maynooth could you answer a few questions for me as follows:

i) Is the Maynooth campus well kept? (as in, not a complete kip).
ii) What is Maynooth's reputation like as a University?
iii) What are the lecturers like for the CS course?
iv) What are the job opportunities like for CS graduates? Is the course held in high regard in an employers eyes etc.

What do you think of my situation? I'll be showing my parents the thread, so educated replies will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

eamoss

Beau x1 wrote: »

i) Is the Maynooth campus well kept? (as in, not a complete kip).
ii) What is Maynooth's reputation like as a University?
iii) What are the lecturers like for the CS course?
iv) What are the job opportunities like for CS graduates? Is the course held in high regard in an employers eyes etc.

If you haven't looked already take a look at the CS Dep. website

i) Some aerial views of the campus. There is two campuses North (new) and South (old) which are separated by a footbridge but they are both very nice, I personally love the South campus. I'd take Maynooth campus over UCD campus any day always got a cold feeling off the UCD campus.

ii) Maynooth is known for being a party University but that is down to them pesky Art studnets :P Joking a side Maynooth has the highest drop out rate of any other Uni (im open to correction here) that is why the points are so low. Like take my course CSSE we had 30 odd at the start of 1st year then by the end of year it was 26, last year it was 20 and this year it looks like there will only be 14 going into 3rd year. General Science went from 460 to 250 when I was in 1st year so I was told anyway.

ii) Most of them are crap and some go out of their way to fúck you over but that was only the 1st two year and hopefully next year we will have better lectures. But Dr. Charles Markham is a legend with no doubt the best lecture I've ever had, everyone who had him loves him and he was miles ahead of the Architecture lecture I had in 1st year.

iv) CSSE is a brilliant course for getting a job after you finished Uni for the simple reason in 3rd year you go on a 6 or 18 month placement in the 2nd semester.

1st CSSE is now just the same as General Science course, you have to do CS, Maths and two other Science course's this only came in last year so you don't do as much CS as I did but you are not missing out on much and they have made CS harder for students who just picked as a 4th subject as they have to learn Java in 1st year but when I was in 1st year general CS students didn't to it till 2nd year.

CSSE is no stole in the park, very hard course and you have to be half decent at maths to do it.

I had the choice of going to Edinburgh, Cardiff, Maynooth and Dundalk (all CS btw) and I was all set for going to Edinburgh but then I found out they didnt offer a placement and that is the only reason I picked Maynooth. Like lots of students can come out with a degree and not having a clue how to do anything and find it hard to get job but if you can say you have experience you will get the job over someone who doesn't.

Maybe the other CSSE's around here will able to give you their views like scott.s(2nd yr), touching virus(4th yr) and mp3 guy(1st yr).

mp3guy

Yeah, I did 1st Year CSSE last year with the changes to the course. You're basically in 1st Science for the year, but you're obligated to do Maths and CS. You do get a lot of pizza however. I'll only be starting the "pure" CSSE course this year.

I don't really like how some colleges as a whole have a "better reputation" than others, since when it comes down to it the individual modules and their content are what really matter.

I suppose the advantage of doing the maynooth course is that you get to touch on 2 other science subjects (out of biology, chemistry, experimental physics and mathematical physics) in your first year, which can come as a benefit in future. Also, if it turns out university computer science isn't what you like, you can opt to keep your science subjects and just do a general science degree.

There's also a third option. If you study computer science and experimental physics in first year, you can take a new route which was only started this year, where you begin a special CS and EP degree. It ends up lasting 5 years (You do a year's work placement for it), and you get a double degree in CS and EP, which would be quite valuable I'd imagine.

Overall I found my first year in CSSE (albeit actually 1st science) very enjoyable, some of the lecturers have hilarious characters (Neil Trappe and Anthony O' Farrell anyone :P?), and you'll get on grand once you do the work. I always found the CS lectures and labs enjoyable.

I was a bit annoyed at the way it's just general science in first year, but at the end of it I see the choices it offers you are much greater, and you get some valuable basic knowledge of other fields of science.

Rozabeez

I can't answer any CS questions, as a "pesky arts student" myself, but the campus is really lovely, you'll meet some very friendly and helpful people, and its really nice to be just the right distance from Dublin!

Beau

As regards your parents, dont mind them! They'll have you living at home for as long as they can keep you. Living away from home in maynooth is amazing. Its like an all winter summer camp. The village is taken over by students.

Campus is fine, very simmaler to ones I've seen in DCU and UCD. Personally I'd recommmend getting a house.

I do CS as a stream in my Finance and VM course. Its not for me but if you're into CS its perfect.

You'll be well able to get a job out of Maynooth especially wiith the experience aspect of it. Our CS student shave produced winners and runners up in the worldwide imagine Cup, thats pretty good goin!

cian1500ww

Can anyone tell me what the abbreviations on the timetable for first year CSSE mean: http://www.maths.may.ie/staff/dredmond/timetable/1SCIENCE.html

Like what does Multi mean and DBLMaths etc. ?

castie

Did the Hdip in IT there last year and am doing the Msc in Soft Eng this year.

Id highly recommend the CS dept.

http://www.enn.ie/story/show/10124608
Team from maynooth came 2nd in the world for embedded design.

http://www.anyintelligentfool.org/blog/post/Irish-Imagine-Cup-2008.aspx
3rd place in Software Design Category 2008 (i was involved with this team)

http://www.microsoft.com/ireland/imaginecup/final.mspx
Winners for Software Design 2007 in ireland and 6th in the world.

So as you can see NUIM performs pretty well in comparison to other Universities in Ireland.

mp3guy

cian1500ww wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what the abbreviations on the timetable for first year CSSE mean: http://www.maths.may.ie/staff/dredmond/timetable/1SCIENCE.html

Like what does Multi mean and DBLMaths etc. ?

Multi is multimedia so only for multimedia students and DblMaths and DblMaPhys are for people doing theoretical physics, you don't need to worry about them.

DingChavez

Maynooth is the best in the country for CS, obviously.

scott.s

eamoss wrote: »

this year it looks like there will only be 14 going into 3rd year

We're just some of the hardcore few Eamonn Scraping a pass every year :rolleyes: