Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations gkittelson on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Fewer students entering CompSci 6
- Thread starter chiph
- Start date
- Status
venkman, I haver to bring back the point that it depends on the school/program. Since I only went to one I have to use that as an example (yet afgain, sorry to drag you guys through my education).
Half to all of the 300-400 level classes had projects spanning anywhere from half of a semester to the full semester. In Software Engineering the project (2-4 people) was (supposed to be) a little lighter so you had the time to go through the entire process (all the documentation except the user manual, cost estimates, time estimates, testing schemes etc). In Database(3-4 people) the project was supposed to be based on a well structured database with limited documentation. Some group chose to write a point of sale system in java and you'll never guess who put in 460 hours on it, another group did an entire Job/Resume Finder site that still outrates the University provided one. AI had 1 robotics project every 3 weeks, 2 image recognition projects, and a few other misc projects. Any language you want, here is the theory, make it work.
Networking II had single person projects and group projects. Mostly hardware but a few software as well. Object Oriented Design took a hint from the groans of the AI class and did a 1 semester project (3 people per group) to write a dynamic Feed Forward Neural Network generator that allowed the user to create a network, provide test patterns, etc. Ours went a step further and had a really nice interface and had the ability to save the networks/test patterns/outputs as xml and load the network back from the save file.
I could keep going, there was the web class (1 project a week plus the semester long project), the ethics class (2 15 minute lectures), programming 1 (program every week and a half on avg), programming 2 (program/week), operating systems (program/2wks plus the simple OS by the end of the semester), etc.
So like was mentioned above, this is pretty dependant on schools. The incoming programm 1 class these days starts with about 200 to 250 students. The graduation rate is about 10 to 15 students per semester.
-Tarwn
01010100 01101001 01100101 01110010 01101110 01101111 01101011 00101110 01100011 01101111 01101101
29 3K 10 3D 3L 3J 3K 10 32 35 10 3E 39 33 35 10 3K 3F 10 38 31 3M 35 10 36 3I 35 35 10 3K 39 3D 35 10 1Q 19
Do you know how hot your computer is running at home? I do
Half to all of the 300-400 level classes had projects spanning anywhere from half of a semester to the full semester. In Software Engineering the project (2-4 people) was (supposed to be) a little lighter so you had the time to go through the entire process (all the documentation except the user manual, cost estimates, time estimates, testing schemes etc). In Database(3-4 people) the project was supposed to be based on a well structured database with limited documentation. Some group chose to write a point of sale system in java and you'll never guess who put in 460 hours on it, another group did an entire Job/Resume Finder site that still outrates the University provided one. AI had 1 robotics project every 3 weeks, 2 image recognition projects, and a few other misc projects. Any language you want, here is the theory, make it work.
Networking II had single person projects and group projects. Mostly hardware but a few software as well. Object Oriented Design took a hint from the groans of the AI class and did a 1 semester project (3 people per group) to write a dynamic Feed Forward Neural Network generator that allowed the user to create a network, provide test patterns, etc. Ours went a step further and had a really nice interface and had the ability to save the networks/test patterns/outputs as xml and load the network back from the save file.
I could keep going, there was the web class (1 project a week plus the semester long project), the ethics class (2 15 minute lectures), programming 1 (program every week and a half on avg), programming 2 (program/week), operating systems (program/2wks plus the simple OS by the end of the semester), etc.
So like was mentioned above, this is pretty dependant on schools. The incoming programm 1 class these days starts with about 200 to 250 students. The graduation rate is about 10 to 15 students per semester.
-Tarwn
01010100 01101001 01100101 01110010 01101110 01101111 01101011 00101110 01100011 01101111 01101101
29 3K 10 3D 3L 3J 3K 10 32 35 10 3E 39 33 35 10 3K 3F 10 38 31 3M 35 10 36 3I 35 35 10 3K 39 3D 35 10 1Q 19
Do you know how hot your computer is running at home? I do
CajunCenturion
Programmer
Although I know of no studies that have addressed this issue, but I wonder if there is a correllation between the quality of the undergraduate program and the existentence of a graduate school in computer science.
In other words, if the university that you are considering does offer graduate programs in computer science, then it's reasonable to expect that undergraduate program has a decent and timely curriculum? The faculty requirements and qualifications for a graduate program, would have a positive effect on the undergraduate program, or would it?
I'm basing this question of the premise that the undergraduate program would adequately address the pre-requisites for the graduate program.
On the reverse side, would the absence of a graduate program be a possible concern reflecting on the quality of the undergraduate program? I am not as comfortable with this hypothesis as I am with the former?
Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
In other words, if the university that you are considering does offer graduate programs in computer science, then it's reasonable to expect that undergraduate program has a decent and timely curriculum? The faculty requirements and qualifications for a graduate program, would have a positive effect on the undergraduate program, or would it?
I'm basing this question of the premise that the undergraduate program would adequately address the pre-requisites for the graduate program.
On the reverse side, would the absence of a graduate program be a possible concern reflecting on the quality of the undergraduate program? I am not as comfortable with this hypothesis as I am with the former?
Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
I don't think my experience supports you, though it may be the exception instead of the rule. We didn't have a graduate program (graduated in 02), there is one planned, but they have to merge with the IS dept to get aroubnd the fact that another state school already has a grad program for CS.
01010100 01101001 01100101 01110010 01101110 01101111 01101011 00101110 01100011 01101111 01101101
29 3K 10 3D 3L 3J 3K 10 32 35 10 3E 39 33 35 10 3K 3F 10 38 31 3M 35 10 36 3I 35 35 10 3K 39 3D 35 10 1Q 19
Do you know how hot your computer is running at home? I do
01010100 01101001 01100101 01110010 01101110 01101111 01101011 00101110 01100011 01101111 01101101
29 3K 10 3D 3L 3J 3K 10 32 35 10 3E 39 33 35 10 3K 3F 10 38 31 3M 35 10 36 3I 35 35 10 3K 39 3D 35 10 1Q 19
Do you know how hot your computer is running at home? I do
I think a graduate program would more likely indicate that the undergratuate program prepared you for graduate school, not for working in software development. I'm also very wary of judging undergraduate programs based on the quality of the graduate programs. The two programs have different needs and often professors who are great role models in the graduate program, are not good teachers for the undergraduate program.
-Venkman
-Venkman
CajunCenturion
Programmer
Your point is valid venkman, but on the flip side of the coin, CS departments that have both grad and undergrad programs also generally have more money. More money means can easily translate to better faculty (better salaries for starters) and possibly (but not necessarily) better equipment. If the curriculum is in fact for grad school prep, then you can count on the fact that the curriculum will be extensive and that subjects are well covered. After all, the requirments for the grad school require that.
I wonder if it really makes any difference if that the undergrad program is preparing your for grad school or not makes any difference about what we have both agree to as being one of the major advantages of the accredited degree programs: to learn how to learn, to learn the theory behind the technology, and further to apply that technology to solve real problems.
Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
I wonder if it really makes any difference if that the undergrad program is preparing your for grad school or not makes any difference about what we have both agree to as being one of the major advantages of the accredited degree programs: to learn how to learn, to learn the theory behind the technology, and further to apply that technology to solve real problems.
Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
Cajun, I agree with everything you said 100%. However, I'm not sure if cash is the only thing that makes a school great. I don't think that grad programs and undergrad programs interests overlap completely. The money may be great to improve the grad program, but that doesn't necessarily mean it helps the undergrad program. I'm not saying their interests are in opposition to each other, but they aren't neccessarily all the same either.
Oh on a tangential, personal, coincidental note, I've been thinking of getting my act together to apply for a PhD or Masters in CS. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated... and then criticized in my typical manner.
-Venkman
Oh on a tangential, personal, coincidental note, I've been thinking of getting my act together to apply for a PhD or Masters in CS. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated... and then criticized in my typical manner.
-Venkman
CajunCenturion
Programmer
Pick your school carefully.
Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
- Status
Similar threads