Quantity Surveying Course Opinions

mccubeical

Hi,

I'm currently in 2nd year in UCD studying Computer Science. I was thinking about switching to DIT to study Quantity Surveying and was wondering whether there is anyone doing the course and could tell me a bit about it in terms of difficulty, hours etc. Just generally what you think of the course.

Thanks a million,

Conor.

questionquick

Im finished with working as a quantity surveyor and looking at doing computer science.

Why are you leaving computer science? Is the maths hard?

The QS course will be hard in 3rd and 4th year. Not for the faint hearted quantity surveying. Long hours and the moneys not great for graduates anymore.... as in lots of people working for free !

But if you have a keen interest in construction go for it;

Dazzler88

questionquick wrote: »

The QS course will be hard in 3rd and 4th year. Not for the faint hearted quantity surveying. Long hours and the moneys not great for graduates anymore.... as in lots of people working for free !

But if you have a keen interest in construction go for it;

Is there not great opportunities abroad for QS.I am also thinking about going back to finish the QS course.I started it in 08/09 and passed first year and have applied to go back into 2nd year.Hope I have made the right decision.

I love construction and the built environment.All the lads that were in my course in 08/09 are all working in QS,sadly 90% of them are abroad,England or Oz..

mccubeical

Thanks so much for the feedback!

No the maths is okay. I got an A in Pass Maths for the LC and I've passed all the maths exams. It's more the coding and Data Structures that I have a problem with.

UCD gave us 4 weeks to learn Java and then we had to take two modules where you needed a good understanding of Java. I'm not blaming UCD but we are the first year of the new Comp Scn course and it has been quite messy.

I was fine with the language I learnt in first year(C), but four weeks was too fast for me to learn Java so I fell behind. At the same time I was gigging around Ireland and I didn't have time to learn it properly in my spare time.

People complained and they ran a few support classes but the entire class is divided in terms of Java knowledge. Some know Java well, some are struggling. You need to put the outside hours into this course. The course is 50/50 in terms of difficulty in my opinion. UCD know we are the first year and are taking our feedback seriously and they are improving the course.

I'm more of a practical hands on person and my father is in the construction industry both here and in the UK so I have a keen interest in it. The only reason I didn't pick it in the first place was because of the downturn.

Now don't get me wrong I could get by but I'd prefer to do a course I liked. Also I can't afford to be paying 265 ish euro to re-sit an exam ( UCD Computer Science don't allow repeats anymore ).

If you have an interest in programming this is the course for you.

nager

Well - I stated in Construction Economics in DIT 1993. That year one of the lecturers told us that we would be lucky to get jobs when we finished, because out of the entire year that had just graduated 1 person got a job.
To be honest the course is not really that hard - if you have an interest in construction. (I suppose its like all courses - an interest makes it much easier).

Can't say I've ever regretted it. I had some great years in Ireland earning seriously great money. Now in London - doing pretty well here.

If construction & the built enviroment is what interests you then you should consider it.
Choose your carreer because thats whant you want to do - things are always changing.
Its a long road - and we'll all hopefully see out a few more recessions before we're done.

IrishLad2012

nager wrote: »

Choose your career because thats whant you want to do - things are always changing.
Its a long road - and we'll all hopefully see out a few more recessions before we're done.

Thanks for your advice.One of the main reasons I have decided to go back and finish my QS course,there may not be work in Ireland but still loads of opportunities abroad from what I see online.