UP vs. UCT: Best course in Computer Eng.

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Dolce&Banana

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What are the similarities and differences between the courses that UCT and UP offer in regards to Computer Eng. (undergrad only)?

How do the modules and content differ?

What knowledge areas receive the greatest attention?

What knowledge areas are not emphasised or completely left out?

Can a person with a degree from UP work the same jobs as the UCT graduate?
 
Fader4 said:
UCT degree > UP degree

end of story.
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+1

I'm doing a Comp Eng degree at UCT now. Besides for the Engineering departments odd way of doing things, they are brilliant.
 
UP's engineering department has recently had an injection of funding. As such, various new facilities are going to be available. In particular, if you are interested in following an image processing, computer vision, robotics or artificial intelligence route, you'll find that Tuks is making great strides, with more and more interest.

I'll take Tuks for B.Eng (Computer) over UCT any day.
 
The degree at Tuks may be as good, or even better. But a degree from UCT will stand you in better stead, especially overseas.
 
Sysem said:
+1

I'm doing a Comp Eng degree at UCT now. Besides for the Engineering departments odd way of doing things, they are brilliant.
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I'm the TA for one of your subjects if you're 2nd year ;)

sn3rd said:
UP's engineering department has recently had an injection of funding. As such, various new facilities are going to be available. In particular, if you are interested in following an image processing, computer vision, robotics or artificial intelligence route, you'll find that Tuks is making great strides, with more and more interest.

I'll take Tuks for B.Eng (Computer) over UCT any day.
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Truth indeed, some very good researchers in those fields there (e.g. Prof J Olivier).

Overall, undergrad really makes no difference, I did my undergrad in comp. engineering at UP and doing postgrad at UCT. You'll get a good education with both and much better admin at UP than UCT (though it's not as bad as it sounds).

In terms of international recognition, they're both ECSA (and therefore washington accord) degrees so they both mean the same. If however you want to work with electronics when you're done studying, go to Pretoria as the electronic design jobs here are minimal.
 
Bwahahaha, any of the main universities are great. Lets face it...the UCT guys will say UCT, and the UP guys will cry UP.

I've worked with guys from both (as well as Stellies), and its all the same in the end, no one has come through with any noticeable advantage.

Although, isn't UCT more expensive?!
 
Either one is great IMO. Depends which one is convinient to you. I've never been to CPT and I'm based in PTA so I would say go for TUKS.
Even Stellies and Wits great.
 
While on the topic, what about masters? Masters in Wireless Telecoms to be precise.
 
markface said:
Bwahahaha, any of the main universities are great. Lets face it...the UCT guys will say UCT, and the UP guys will cry UP.

I've worked with guys from both (as well as Stellies), and its all the same in the end, no one has come through with any noticeable advantage.

Although, isn't UCT more expensive?!
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Thank you! Finally a real perspective on things.
 
UnUnOctium said:
I'm the TA for one of your subjects if you're 2nd year ;)
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Haha I am ;) TA for which course? I'm doing the degree through Science Faculty.

I'll agree, we all praise the university we go to. Never wanted to do the degree at Tuks (originally from PTA). Just to clear things up, I'm doing a BSc in Computer Science, but I'm doing some Electrical Engineering courses 2nd and 3rd year.

Not sure about the BEng degree though.
 
Thank you for all your responses. I read both the content list for the courses at UP and UCT. It seems to me that the UCT course does not have Software Development and Software Engineering. Why is this? Isn't it important? I have an interest in the software aspects of computers. Can I study this part-time separately after graduation?
 
I did my Comp Eng. from Tuks (UP)... Tuks was the first varsity in SA to start an independent Comp Eng. degree stream (in 1999, first grads were at the end of 2002)... don't know about now but it used to be that UCT used to have choice in cirriculum to specialise come 3rd year level...

Although it still remains part of the EEC (Electric, Electronic and Comp Eng) faculty there was no Chemistry (not even in 1st year) in the Tuks curriculum... There is a strong Electronics (Signals, Comms) component in the degree... its not as people ask 'so do you do hardware or software or both!!! psshhh'... like other Eng degrees Math goes up to 3rd year level... I believe the curriculum has been watered down a bit in the last 4 years or so...
At the time I did it the corporates didn't really know what Comp Eng meant... (confused with BSc Comp Sci... IT)... so bursary opportunities weren't as freely available...

So which is better UCT or UP... Well according to interational rankings (not specific to Eng.)... UCT (and Wits) feature higher than UP ... they have more recognition (for historical reasons)... As someone earlier said the eng degrees are all recognised by ECSA under the washington accord and are internationally recognised... I have heard that UCT eng isn't all that (as compared to their other faculties e.g. Bus. Sci)... one thing I did notice was that the course content on the web (notes, slides, assignments etc etc) on tuks used to be far better than UCT's... Tuks utilised course websites far better than UCT (that was >5 years back... don't know about now), tuks is decent... We had some decent/awesome lecturers (although some have left :( ) and some super pathetic ones (no names mentioned)... some departments are more structured than others (e.g. Maths is good, IT/programming was not)... Comp Eng Facilities at UP are very good, certainly second to none in SA... Tuks is very well administered... there are never disruptions/strikes on campus, it is well managed... it is cheaper than UCT (slightly) in general...

Having said all of that ... although I did study at Tuks and have never been to UCT I wish I had gone to UCT... I didn't enjoy my time at Tuks... the nature of the varsity is different; there are two lectures (mostly) for the same class... one in Afrikaans and one in English and so even though you're doing the same course you don't really associate with the 'other' class unless you're doing pracs or something in your senior years... I just felt I'd have had a better time at UCT... oddly when I was in 1st year tuks was the only one which offered Comp Eng... (btw... on another note... comp eng. is not all that... in SA there aren't really many opportunities... we aren't really known for our software capabilities globally... only a couple of small-time/niche firms... almost none of those that I know who did computer eng are actually employed in 'comp eng.' they're all in telecoms/management/consulting... so unless you really love the field you should consider some of the other eng. fields with more of a scope in SA)...
 
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dont do comp eng in sa!its a waste of ur time, you will be treated as IT.so if u want work just do a faaar easier IT degree than struggle with a super difficult course for no reason.if you want engineering do the old school stuff, mech,chem,industrial or even electrical..there u will get proper engineering jobs and the ecsa registration will actually mean something
 
Dolce&Banana said:
Thank you for all your responses. I read both the content list for the courses at UP and UCT. It seems to me that the UCT course does not have Software Development and Software Engineering. Why is this? Isn't it important? I have an interest in the software aspects of computers. Can I study this part-time separately after graduation?
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So heres the thing.

UCT have recently done a huge revamp of its computer science courses, and it looks like my year (im in 3rd year) will be the last of the years to follow the previous course outline

So as I understand It

In first year you do Python, you learn the basics of programming (arrays, functions, recursion, event handling) . its the same as my first year but you arent doing it in Java anymore

In second year you use Java but you learn the more advanced aspects of programming (datastructures, common algorithms etc) you learn about concurrent programming (threads) and mobile application development (new module) . theres an optional module in C++ (not optional for games students) and a module in Information Systems which covers software engineering (and some .NET stuff, im not sure though). your other compulsory modules/courses will include EE basics, simple circuit analysis, ac circuits, digital systems, microprocessors, analogue electronics.

In third year you will have a choice of doing two or three of embedded systems, digital systems II, fuzzy logic/sets and evolving/adaptive systems. You will do this ontop of your computer science courses which at this point im not sure of what it entails but it may include a module on computer architecture.

Im not sure if the science faculty handbook has been updated to reflect these changes but yeah you get the jist of it. you will do Software Eng and Software Dev, your practicals are basically mini Software Dev excersises untill you get to 3rd year, they wont seem so "mini" any more.

good luck, and to answer your question, UCT all the way baby :D
 
poorestguy said:
dont do comp eng in sa!its a waste of ur time, you will be treated as IT.so if u want work just do a faaar easier IT degree than struggle with a super difficult course for no reason.if you want engineering do the old school stuff, mech,chem,industrial or even electrical..there u will get proper engineering jobs and the ecsa registration will actually mean something
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True, in UCT if you have a CE degree you can do a 2 year conversion course and get an EE degree. Well the thing is my lecturers (advocates of the CE programme) maintain that a programmer who knows alot about hardware in mind, can code accordingly and optimise code accordingly. so especially when it comes to mobile applications you at least should be wary of the fact that some algorithms are more hungry than other algorithms in terms of time, battery, memory etc.

despite that, if you did CE and did your honours in Computer Science/IT/Information Systems. it would overshadow your CE degree no doubt anyways
 
poorestguy said:
dont do comp eng in sa!its a waste of ur time, you will be treated as IT.so if u want work just do a faaar easier IT degree than struggle with a super difficult course for no reason.if you want engineering do the old school stuff, mech,chem,industrial or even electrical..there u will get proper engineering jobs and the ecsa registration will actually mean something
Click to expand...
Yeah, fair enough. But do not do industrial...thats not in the same league as the others (mech, civil, chem, elec).

I think its not too bad now with comp eng, most companies understand where it all fits in... Unfortunately they usually get shoved in software development with compSci guys - not that thats a really bad thing (however, to me a compEng has done 4years to a compSci 3years so they shouldn't be on a par).

Anyway, I'm not sure what the OP's reasoning is that he chose comp eng, but but maybe electronic eng is the way to go? That opens the way for all routes...hardware, firmware, software...whatever. A comp eng doesn't have a great hardware/PCB background so doesn't really have the hardware option after graduation.

That being said, the best coders I've come across are CompSci hands down. Unfortunately they get taken for a ride salary wise until they have quite a few years XP under their belts.

I dunno, my 2cents.
 
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