CompScience/Commerce or Software/Commerce? (1 Viewer)

[Joeno]

Can someone tell me, in general, which is better to study @ unsw?

I'm leaning a bit towards CompScience/Commerce, because Comp Science has more flexibility and allows you to apply for co-op... but i'm really not sure.

 

[sunny]

Though keep in mind coop does not let you have a combined degree.

 

[ace]

Software Engineering is harder, though that should be seen as a positive.

It really depends where your interests lie. Software engineering is more specialised, computer science is broad due the numerous elective choices you have.

Just out of curiosity, why did you ask Comp Sci vs Software Eng but left out Comp Eng?

Well, in keeping with self promoting my degree, my final words are
Choose Software Engineering / Commerce

 

[underthesun]

Well, if you choose seng, you'll later be learning c++, but you can always do so with compsci (if you choose some particular elective). I think most courses are shifting to teaching students using java (and higher level OO languages later on), but I digress..

With that said, compsci gives you more choices (though I'd argue it's not that much of a difference) while seng also gives you the upside of more teamwork experience (.. and maybe politics ) in the end.

To be honest, apart from that I don't really see much difference with seng and compsci, because compsci students are later forced to take a "seng lite" subject. These two courses overlap quite a bit.

But.. how about a naruto parallel.. in seng we have teams of 4 or 5 (just like in naruto) , so if naruto is your thing, seng could be your thing as well oh and the teams have mentors as well.

 

[§eraphim]

Software Engineering is harder, though that should be seen as a positive.

It really depends where your interests lie. Software engineering is more specialised, computer science is broad due the numerous elective choices you have.

Just out of curiosity, why did you ask Comp Sci vs Software Eng but left out Comp Eng?

Well, in keeping with self promoting my degree, my final words are
Choose Software Engineering / Commerce

If you can't get into co-op, you should also consider how it will affect your Commerce degree. My friend has a problem in completing his Accounting major and getting CA accreditation by doing BCom/BE (Software Engineering) as there simply isn't enough space. He is overloading and doing summer school.

 

[§eraphim]

Well, if you choose seng, you'll later be learning c++, but you can always do so with compsci (if you choose some particular elective). I think most courses are shifting to teaching students using java (and higher level OO languages later on), but I digress..

With that said, compsci gives you more choices (though I'd argue it's not that much of a difference) while seng also gives you the upside of more teamwork experience (.. and maybe politics ) in the end.

To be honest, apart from that I don't really see much difference with seng and compsci, because compsci students are later forced to take a "seng lite" subject. These two courses overlap quite a bit.

But.. how about a naruto parallel.. in seng we have teams of 4 or 5 (just like in naruto) , so if naruto is your thing, seng could be your thing as well oh and the teams have mentors as well.

Why is there is a shift from C++ to Java? Is Java easier?

I think BCom/BSc (Computer Science) is a better choice because it's more flexible and computer science has some really interesting electives like Pattern Recognition.

 

[Joeno]

Would it be a wise choice to do Software/Commerce for the first year, to see whether the program really suits me. And if not, transfer to Computer Science/Commerce for the following year?

What's troubling me, is that those Software Engineering workshop courses and INFS courses would be wasted if I transfer.

 

[underthesun]

Yeah, you'd get less headache doing something in java compared to say, c or c++. Debugging is easier, and you also have to code less to achieve the same thing. (as far as assignments go)

btw I think from this year, INFS is out of the picture for seng (at least that's what I heard from one of the academics). I'm thinking that means, for the first year, or at least the first semester, seng students will be doing identical stuff with compsci students, unless they plan to change it?

I think it's a welcome change except you will miss this infs course called "requirements engineering", which although many would have said was boring, is probably the most useful infs course there is (that I've had so far).

 

[Joeno]

Just a question, why are Software double degree programs 5 years with a major AND a minor in the combined program... when Computer Science double degree programs are 5.5 years with only a major in the combined program?

 

[ace]

Yeah, you'd get less headache doing something in java compared to say, c or c++. Debugging is easier, and you also have to code less to achieve the same thing. (as far as assignments go)

btw I think from this year, INFS is out of the picture for seng (at least that's what I heard from one of the academics). I'm thinking that means, for the first year, or at least the first semester, seng students will be doing identical stuff with compsci students, unless they plan to change it?

I think it's a welcome change except you will miss this infs course called "requirements engineering", which although many would have said was boring, is probably the most useful infs course there is (that I've had so far).

First semester is still SENG as we know it, uts. Req Eng was a S2 subject. Who knows what will happen, whatever happens though, SENG is still SENG, when it consists of B and workshops.

 

[chris_c28]

Requirements Engineering is very useful and should have been better taught imho. I really like to see this course integrated into CSE.

 

[underthesun]

Oh come on, spare the anti-masochism taglines

 

[ace]

If you can't get into co-op, you should also consider how it will affect your Commerce degree. My friend has a problem in completing his Accounting major and getting CA accreditation by doing BCom/BE (Software Engineering) as there simply isn't enough space. He is overloading and doing summer school.

That will be the case for software/commerce, since it's been squished into 5 years. Make sure to tell your friend, to delay a core subject until hes done the CA subjects he wants to do, otherwise he might find he's completed all requirements of the degree and still missing a subject or too for CA accrediation and they'll of put him/her on graduand status.

Hmm, considering most people do their engineering thesis in the last year, your friend should probably be alright. I think there is only about 4-5 subjects to overload in order for the CA requirements anyways.

 

[elfish]

Program Campus Admit Term Status

00351444/0 3715 - Engineering/Commerce KENS Semester 1 2008

I received the offer，just wonder after I accepted this，will i
receive another offer in the second round？
i'm not sure about my decision after reading all these posts

By the way the UAC code for
Comp Eng/Com
S Eng/Com
Eng/Com
is acturally the same 425015(csp), So dose it mean in those courses we study about the same thing?

 

[Vylen]

in the first year, most courses are the same between the degrees with some differences (e.g. Software Engineers to Software Engineer Workshops and Comp Eng does Physics courses)... in the end though they completely split off to different discplines...

as for the offer thing, im unsure as to whether ot not you'll receive a second one, but i suggest you keep with Engineering/Commerce..

Give it a year, and you'll probably like the course...

if you dont, in the end, you're free to drop down to CompSci from your Engineering degree, there's nothing wrong with that (it happens every now and then each year)