DCU Oscail / Diploma in IT - is module registration working now?

quarck

Hi everyone,

I have applied for DCU Oscail IT course this year, now trying to register and select my modules (I'm going to take C1 and CT1 this year).
When trying to select modules (step 6 according to the step-by-step pdf guide) I'm getting the message:

No subjects are currently loaded for registration, either you have completed your registration or no qualification registration has taken place.

So just curious, is it only not working for me or it is not working for everyone at the moment? Just don't want to bother people at DCU with silly questions if it is not working for everyone at the moment.

Thanks,
Sergey

jsabina

Hi Quarck,
sorry to post here even if I don't have an answer.
I am still fighting for the application (as international student.. even if living and working in Ireland for 3 years).

Are you in the first year?
I am trying to understand how many modules and which should I take.

quarck

Hi Jsabina,

Yes, I'm the first year student. This year I'm going to take only C1 and CT1 modules. But basically it is up to you how many modules you would like to take, depending on your finance and free time availability.

My plan is to take C1 and CT1 for the first year, then C2, MS001 and HS1 on the second and CT2, MS002, HS2 on the third year. If you have enough time and finances you could take all the 4 modules each year, - C1,CT1,MS001,HS1 on the first year and C2,CT2,MS002,HS2 on the second year.

P.S. As for me problem - I rang DCU and they have helped with registering for the modules, so my problems is solved for now

Thanks,
Sergey

jsabina

Hi Sergey,
thanks a lot for your answer.
I would like to take the degree, but I think that 4 modules would be too much, so I'll try with 3.

My problem is that I don't have the english certification required and nobody can answer me if I am allowed to enroll and maybe take the exam later (with a letter from my manager at work).
Anyway.. hopefully I will have an answer!

I was thinking to C1, HS1 and maybe CT1, let's see

quarck

Hi Jsabina,

To be honest, English is not my first language either. I live and work in Ireland for a bit longer than 2 years. I don't have any formal confirmations of my English level, on the online application form I've just selected "Other" on the "English exams" page and just typed text "I'm working in Ireland for 2 yrs", and that's was enough, - no one questioned me about my English level. I would suggest you just doing the same way as I did, - it worked for me

Thanks,
Sergey

jsabina

Oh really?
Not to scare you but I called them and they told me NOOO don't pay the deposit because maybe they won't accept you...
I have called 4 offices now, I'll wait few days and maybe I will proceed with the payment!

quarck

I think these people just didn't wanted to take any responsibility if they are not quite sure that this would work. But as I said - it worked for me, I have received the post with username / password for registration yesterday, and now I have already registered for C1/CT1. (Also I have a friend of mine, who is a DKIT student for 3 years now, he is also not a native English speaker and he also did the similar way when they asked for English exams / level confirmation).

Hope that will work for you also.

P.S. The initial deposit you have to pay when accepting the course is just €500, all the remaining "deposit" is paid after you registered and selected your modules. So it is not such a terrible big risk anyway.

Thanks,
Sergey

jsabina

I even went there and no answer to my question, it's really crazy..

Anyway I paid the deposit now.

Will I receive user and password via email?

So you registered for the two modules.. when are you paying that?

thanks!

quarck

Hi Jsabina,

You'll receive the username and password with the regular post, not via email. They normally post it on the same / next day, so within a few days you should have the letter with the credentials.

As for the fees payment, I'm not sure if your case would be different, you might be qualified for EU Status and then things are easier for you. For me it was actually the case that fees must be paid before registering for the modules, you could phone them to double check the amount to pay, but basically that should be price of the single module multiplied by the number of modules (minus 500 deposit you've already paid).

When I've received the post with credentials I've proceed with the instructions supplied with that credentials, these instructions are saying to do the online registration following the step-by-step guide ( https://www4.dcu.ie/sites/default/files/oscail/pdfs/Step_by_Step_guide_to_online_registration_14Aug2013.pdf ), and this guide says students should first enter all the details, select modules and only after that - pay the fees. This is actually incorrect at least for non EU Status students, - student should decide how many modules he is going to take, pay the fee in advance, and only after - he will be able to select modules.
Not sure if it applies to you, but I would suggest calling the fees office to clarify / double check, contact details could be found here: http://www4.dcu.ie/registry/pac/queries.shtml .

P.S. Also, I was hoping to pay the 60% deposit now and the remaining balance - in Jan 2014, but actually this option is also not available for non EU Status students.

Hope this helps,

Sergey

jsabina

Hi Sergey,
thanks a lot for all the explanations!
I hate the idea to call them again as I think I have been on the phone with them almost 10 times :P
and I lost 3 hours of work today to go there :P
Not a great start!!

Anyway I will wait the username and password and then proceed.

A friend is scaring me a lot about the online learning, I really hope everything will go well!!

Thanks again!

jsabina

Hi quark,
just back from a week out of dublin I've received the letter with username and password.
I've registered for 3 modules (sigh) and paid the full amount (sigh).

Now should I wait 24 hours before being able to access my email and the portal right?
Have you started something already?

thanks

quarck

Hi Jsabina,

That's right, that usually takes up to 24 hours to get access to all that stuff. If will not get all such access (mail, students portal, moodle system (moodle.dcu.ie)), I would suggest calling them again to ask help with resolving this.

The course is already started on 30th of September, so students already have access to the module texts, discussion forums related to the modules on moodle.dcu.ie, etc, but there were no tutorials yet, at least on C1 and CT1.

I've started yesterday from ordering some books and reading CT1 module text. (As for the books - there are some mandatory books on C1 module, you could find the "pirate" pdf online, but I've decided to buy used onces on amazon). Today I'm going to refresh some math skills that might be necessary for CT1

Hopefully you'll get it all sorted out soon

Thanks,
Sergey

jsabina

Oh thanks!
Maybe you could tell me the books for CT1?
As soon as I will have access I will stop bothering you here eheheh

quarck

CT1 has no mandatory books, optional books are:

• James F. Kurose and Keith W Ross Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (5th Edition) Pearson
• Freeman, R.L. (2005) Fundamentals of Telecommunications Wiley, New York, 2005.
• Beyda, W.J. (2004) Data Communications: From Basics to Broadband 4th Edition Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
• Gibilisco, S. (2001) Teach Yourself Electricity and Electronics (TAB Electronics), Tab Books.
• Duncan, T. (1999) Basic Skills: Electronics for Today and Tomorrow John Murray
• Floyd, T. L. (2003) Introduction to Digital Electronics Prentice Hall.

(Course Handbook says that if you want to get a high scores it is better to read as much as possible of the optional books also).



If you will be studying C1 this year, it has some mandatory books:

• Rainer, R.K. and Cegielski, C.G. Introduction to Information Systems
International Student Version (4th Edition) Wiley ISBN 9781118092309

• Kurose, F. J. and Ross, K. W. Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (5th Edition) Pearson ISBN: 978-0131365483
OR
• Kurose, F. J. and Ross, K. W. Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (6th Edition) Pearson (This book has only recently become available but you can use either version.)

• Mills, C. The Web Standards Curriculum, Opera 2010 *this book available free http://dev.opera.com/articles/view/1-introduction-to-the-web-standards-cur/#toc, A newer version of the above is now available from: http://www.webplatform.org/


as well as optional books for C1:

• Chapman N., Fundamentals of Multimedia. (2009) Wiley
• Goer E. The Pocket HTML Tutorial (2010) *this book available free: http://www.goer.org/HTML/
• Nixon, R. Learning PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Dynamic Websites (2009) O Reilly Media
• Chapman, N. & Chapman, J. Digital Multimedia Wiley (3rd Edition)
• Deitel, H. M.; Deitel, P. J. & Nieto, T. R. Internet and World Wide Web: How to Program Prentice Hall (4th Edition)
• Pilgrim, M. Dive into HTML5 *this book available free http://diveintohtml5.org/ - also as print version: Pilgrim, M. HTML5: Up and Running O Reilly Media, 2010
• Goodman, D., Morrison, M., Novitski, P. and Gustaff-Rayl, C. JavaScript Bible, 7th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2010
• Lurig, M. PHP Reference: Beginner To Intermediate PHP5 (2008), published by *this book available free http://www.phpreferencebook.com/pdf/download/


P.S. Don't bother contacting me about the course, students should help each other

jsabina

Thanks a lot!
I can login now but in moodle there are not my modules.. I have chosen 3 (well, I hope to survive... I will try anyway)
C1 - CT1 and human science

For the math someone told me there is a support lab in DCU?
I have to study math as well, I don't remember anything :S

quarck

Hi Jsabina,

As for moodle - initally when I just got access into the system, I have had no courses under "My couses". Then first the "2014_Oscail_IT" appeared in that list, then on 30th of Sep - I've got "2014_CT1" and "2014_C1", and yesterday there is a new one appeared - "Prep_maths_2013". I think you should wait for a while to get access to all the course materials.

So, basically, "2014_CT1" and "2014_C1" are the main modules with all the discussion groups and module texts, etc. "2014_Oscail_IT" - has generic information about the course (like timetables, general anouncements). And under "Prep_maths_2013" there are just about 8-10 pdf-s with math tutorials to refresh math skills. Not sure if there are any other labs / materials. If you will ever get stuck with math - you could contact me, I'll try providing some help (you could contact me directly via email, it is my username on this forum + @gmail.com ).

Thanks,
Sergey

jsabina

Ok I have 2 of the 3 modules now!
Trying to understand where to start!

Anyway I found this info

7. You can also make use of a special drop-in centre on the DCU campus called the Maths Learning Centre. : http://www.dcu.ie/maths/mlc/. Please bring all relevant materials with you and read the centre’s guidelines and open hours before attending.

quarck

I would suggest starting from the Course Handbook, it should be available in the 2014_Oscail_IT somewhere (I think it was a post in the announcements forum), and then - each module has it's own Study Guide, it make sense to read them after the course handbook

Kai123

I got accepted a bit late on this course, and find the DCU moodle format a bit convoluted.

I plan on phoning on Monday to clarify (I couldn't get to the welcome day) Do you learn at your own speed and resources up 4 weeks before each assignment?

jsabina

Hi Kai,
there are virtual classrooms and face to face tutorials.
In moodle you will see your modules and you will be able to interact on the forum and download the guides and books.
Which modules are you taking?
I started studying for CT1 and HS1

Kai123

jsabina wrote: »

Hi Kai,
there are virtual classrooms and face to face tutorials.
In moodle you will see your modules and you will be able to interact on the forum and download the guides and books.
Which modules are you taking?
I started studying for CT1 and HS1

CT1, CTS1 and HS1. I have all 3 activated which is a mistake on my part (on the registration part when your asked what modules you want to take, I didn't think you could pick and choose another at a later date).

So, the course has started for the modules right? We are to learn via our own resources and recommended books, and then apply it to the assignments when the time comes?

jsabina

No there has been only the welcome day.
If you look at the timetables next week will start the virtual tutorial and the face to face tutorials.
You should have been assigned to a group for each module.

The first face to face to HS1 for example is next saturday.

I suppose we will know more during the tutorials.

Anyway yes you have the guide and text books, you will have to follow the forums and your dcu email and complete the assignments.

Kai123

I am used to self-studying, and I know once I get this figured out I can crack on. Its great to know its not started yet, although I know some people are getting a heads-start reading and researching the material already.

I am used to learning certs but not anything from a college or university. Cant wait till it clicks

Thanks Jsabina!

jsabina

Hey Kai,
I hope your moodle will work soon for you.
I started already to order the books and printed out the available pdf books / guides.
I am a bit studying already, also because I work full time so I need to start as soon as possible!
Let me know if you have questions I can try to help :P