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Electives and GPA

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  • 26-08-2011 9:46pm
    #1
    ._.
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭


    I'm starting Science in a few weeks and I'm thinking about what electives to pick..
    I'd really like to do a computer science one (like C or something), but I don't plan on being good at it, I'd just like to try it.
    If I pick something like that and don't do well on it, will that take my whole GPA down?
    I need the highest GPA I can get so I'll be sure of getting into the course I want next year.


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    #2
    Conor108
    Registered Users Posts: 3,871 ✭✭✭Conor108


    Yep every module counts towards your GPA I think. I did this last year btw and I'd stay away from Intro to Programming, but thats just me:)


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yeah, intro to programming was awful when I did it, but you will need it, or proof of prior programming skills to do any other computer course, so if you plan on doing that, you should take that module.

    Electives count towards your GPA but judging by your question I'd say you're in 1st year so you should know that GPA doesn't count at all towards your degree in first year. So long as you pass every module, you'll be fine.


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    #4
    Fad
    Registered Users Posts: 7,231 ✭✭✭Fad


    Intro to Programming was C++ last year which is a damn sight better than it was when I did it....

    C++ is used in Physics labs in second year afaik, so I'd recommend doing it tbh.


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    #5
    ._.
    Registered Users Posts: 334 ✭✭._.


    Hmmm, C++ you say..
    I was hoping it'd be C or python tbh, because C is closer to Objective-C which is used to code mac apps and iOS apps, which I'd really like to do.

    Even if I did really badly in this one module, would that have a big impact on my overall GPA?

    I wish there was some way for me to just learn some of this with less pressure..

    And for people who've done it, what were the tests and all like? Did you have to write programs for them or something?


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    #6
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    ._. wrote: »
    And for people who've done it, what were the tests and all like? Did you have to write programs for them or something?

    I did it! We had assignments roughly every 2/3 weeks, and for that we'd have to write a program, then upload the source code and it would be corrected and graded. This part wasn't too hard.

    The exam itself was very difficult, at least in my opinion (as it turned out, the result I got was better than I expected, maybe it was marked easy!) - there's a good bit of theory on the paper (what is a variable? what is an integer? etc.) but then you have to write programs (in pen and paper :O ) and the ones that we got were harder than the examples we did in class - lots of arrays and pointers and bubblesorts etc.

    The lectures themselves weren't hugely interesting, and bizzarely there's no tutorials which you'd think would be important for a thing like programming.

    COMP10020 wasn't quite as bad (also C++), we didn't have as many assignments, but there was a lot more theory thrown in (nearly half the course was about computer architecture, Von Neumann architecture, memory, etc. and converting numbers between decimal/binary/hex [this part was simple]).

    Edit: here's a link to the past exam paper. https://sisweb.ucd.ie/usis/w_web_epms_display.p_paper?p_paper_id=60106

    I'm not sure that link will work though, so log into SIS, go to the Student Information tab, look at past exam papers, type COMP10010 into the box and pick Semester 1 10/11 - earlier years than this used a different language, called processing, which looks bizarre!


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    #7
    Fad
    Registered Users Posts: 7,231 ✭✭✭Fad


    ._. wrote: »
    Hmmm, C++ you say..
    I was hoping it'd be C or python tbh, because C is closer to Objective-C which is used to code mac apps and iOS apps, which I'd really like to do.

    Even if I did really badly in this one module, would that have a big impact on my overall GPA?

    I wish there was some way for me to just learn some of this with less pressure..

    And for people who've done it, what were the tests and all like? Did you have to write programs for them or something?

    Objective C is object orientated, C isn't, C++ is.....

    C and C++ are quite similar anyway.


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    #8
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    And when we were doing COMP10010 and COMP10020, we didn't do any object orientation that I was aware of, so what we were doing was very very close to C.


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I thought the tests for COMP10010 were fairly easy. Unless they've changed (from what Timbuk2 says, they probably haven't), they're almost essay-type questions.

    They're nice - they don't expect you to be able to produce fully working programs in the middle of an exam because doing so requires proof-reading, debugging, testing and so on, so that's why they mark easily enough. The theory questions are bs-able to be honest.


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    #10
    Conor108
    Registered Users Posts: 3,871 ✭✭✭Conor108


    Deleted User wrote: »
    The theory questions are bs-able to be honest.

    Which is why I passed....


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    #11
    TimeToShine
    Registered Users Posts: 4,881 ✭✭✭TimeToShine


    your GPA in first year doesn't count so it's the perfect time to try weird electives you want to do.


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    #12
    monaghanman10
    Closed Accounts Posts: 176 ✭✭monaghanman10


    anyone ever do financial accounting 2 and/or economics and society.are they hard and how did you do


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    #13
    parker kent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,289 ✭✭✭parker kent


    TimeToShine wrote: »
    your GPA in first year doesn't count so it's the perfect time to try weird electives you want to do.

    Unless you need a high GPA to get into a subject in Stage 2. But yeah, for a lot of people it doesn't matter too much.


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    #14
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    You may also need a high 1st year GPA if you wish to do Erasmus, or at least I think so!

    Has anyone ever done Management Accounting (ACC20020)? Is it difficult, would you recommend it as an elective? Do you need to have done Financial Accounting 2 (ACC20010) to properly understand it?


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    #15
    Zephyr91
    Registered Users Posts: 256 ✭✭Zephyr91


    What would a high first year GPA be? High 2s?


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    #16
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    It depends on your definition of 'high'!

    Here's more information about GPA: http://www.ucd.ie/registry/assessment/student_info/modulargradesexplained.pdf

    Loosely, a high GPA might be considered to be a high 2:1, or even a first.

    A 2.1 is in the range 3.08-3.67
    A first is in the range 3.68 - 2.40


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    #17
    Zephyr91
    Registered Users Posts: 256 ✭✭Zephyr91


    I know it depends on one's own definition but you were the one who said "You may also need a high 1st year GPA" so I was hoping you'd elaborate and what you mean by "high". :p

    ..thanks for the link.


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    #18
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    Zephyr91 wrote: »
    I know it depends on one's own definition but you were the one who said "You may also need a high 1st year GPA" so I was hoping you'd elaborate and what you mean by "high". :p

    LOL, whoops :o Didn't notice the hypocrisy :pac:

    But yea, I think once you are in the range of a 2.1 that would be what I meant by 'high'.

    Very loosely speaking, a 2.1 is the same standard as a high C+ to a B+, whereas a first would be a B+ to an A+


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    #19
    Zephyr91
    Registered Users Posts: 256 ✭✭Zephyr91


    Haha, no problem.

    Thanks for elaborating for me :D Mine is 2.9 so hopefully it's enough.


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    #20
    rachums
    Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭rachums


    im going into stage two and thinking of doing german, any one know how your assessed ? or what it is like?! would really appreciate feedback :)


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    #21
    jenniem01
    Registered Users Posts: 86 ✭✭jenniem01


    Steer clear of economics and society - VERY BORING the lecturer should be employed to put insomniac's to sleep!!!!

    Shocking module!


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    #22
    Muir
    Registered Users Posts: 948 ✭✭✭Muir


    I do Engineering and my module in C programming brought my GPA up, so if it's something you have an interest in I think you'll get on okay with it.


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    #23
    jenniem01
    Registered Users Posts: 86 ✭✭jenniem01


    rachums wrote: »
    im going into stage two and thinking of doing german, any one know how your assessed ? or what it is like?! would really appreciate feedback :)


    http://www.ucd.ie/sllf/Undergraduate/academic_year_20072008.html

    I'd say it hasn't changed much since then but you should click the modules your doing in SIS and there should be a tab that says how am I assessed!


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