BSC IT at UNISA

Have a look at the material on their website. Generally you can construct your own degree, picking whichever subjects you like, some of which are prescribed. You choose a major (or two) e.g. computer science and then most of your subjects come from those and the balance from whichever subjects are applicable (e.g. maths).At least this is how they operated when I was there.
 
stevenv said:
Have a look at the material on their website. Generally you can construct your own degree, picking whichever subjects you like, some of which are prescribed. You choose a major (or two) e.g. computer science and then most of your subjects come from those and the balance from whichever subjects are applicable (e.g. maths).At least this is how they operated when I was there.
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Yeah ... I was taking a look at the subjects for both, so far it seems the UJ one is better though ... with Physics included for example ... but I didn't see an electronic component in UJ's one that says electrical engineering ... and for some reason, their 2 3rd year major subjects are split over 2 years for electrical, but on the other 2 ... both major subjects are in one year, so I think maybe they have left out some stuff ... so it's hard to make a direct comparison ... I was hoping someone was in the know.

stoymigo said:
Isn't it only delphi and c++?
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On the Unisa website, they show some descriptions of the subjects, and yes Delphi is used ... but also Java. The UJ one doesn't mention Delphi at all.
Is Delphi still a thing these days :P ... I haven't seen it in like 10 years ...
 
eitai2001 said:
Or let me ask it this way, what did guys like Mark Z, Gates and Jobs study in terms of whatever the South African equivalent is called. (No, I'm not expecting to be the next one of them, but I want to study whatever it is that would allow me to create and or understand whatever they created)
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Unsure of what Jobs and Gates did, but Mark Z dropped out of Harvard. Not sure if he ever bothered finishing something thereafter.

stoymigo said:
Isn't it only delphi and c++?
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Delphi for 2 modules so you can get an idea of.... dunno wtf it would give you an idea of.
C++ for a crapload of modules.
Java applets are included in the Design Patterns module in second year.

eitai2001 said:
Does Unisa have something comparable to this:
http://www.uj.ac.za/EN/Faculties/sc...andprogrammes/undergraduate/Pages/BSIT03.aspx
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That's very similar to the BSc CS degree, and not IT (or rather Informatics, previously known as Information Science).
 
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Im doing my last 2 modules this semester at UNISA and will then be finished with my BCS Software Engineering degree. We did not do any Java, only Delphi and C++. The Delphi is only an introduction module. The c++ you will do into your 3rd year.
 
Japster said:
Im doing my last 2 modules this semester at UNISA and will then be finished with my BCS Software Engineering degree. We did not do any Java, only Delphi and C++. The Delphi is only an introduction module. The c++ you will do into your 3rd year.
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How would you compare it to, say, what your friends at other uni's have studied in terms of similar degrees?

What sort of stuff did you guys do there, any interesting projects ... or learning basic integration with electronics, etc?
 
eitai2001 said:
Heh ... aren't they one and the same :wtf: ... Eish!! ... Then yes, maybe I mean Computer Science :p
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Completely different in Potchefstroom university. All of the students who don't get into Engineering first year study Computer Science because it has almost all of the Mechanical Engineering subjets. It's a LOT harder than normal IT. You have Science/Maths(hard maths) and a lot more subjects that you don't have in IT.
 
I would also like to know how feasible it is to do Comp. Sci. honours part-time while working full-time. If anybody has experience with this then please let us know. Assuming one is fully-capable of self-study and reasonably disciplined, is there enough time to study during an 8-5 job?
 
lunch said:
I would also like to know how feasible it is to do Comp. Sci. honours part-time while working full-time. If anybody has experience with this then please let us know. Assuming one is fully-capable of self-study and reasonably disciplined, is there enough time to study during an 8-5 job?
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It's difficult. I completed a BCom and Honours on a part time basis from start to finish. Took me around 9 years for both. For the BCom I was really motivated, and averaged around 6 modules in a year (3 per semester). For Honours I was less motivated because i was mainly interested in getting the paper, and not the extra knowledge.

Where you are doing something for the piece of paper, like i think most people who sign up to UNISA are doing ("I would love to be called a Mechanical Engineer! I'm going to study that now!"), the odds are strongly lined up towards failure. Its super tough to motivate yourself to do something that doesnt entirely interest you, after you've just finished a long day at work and your gf/wife wants your time.

Then there is also the question of aptitude. Like it or not, there are some things that you are going to have a knack for, and other things that will just baffle you. I too have alot of great ideas for websites etc. but I dont have the aptitude for in-depth development. I've tried. I could take care of the basics and it was quite enjoyable, but to deliver something amazing requires a certain attainment of mastery that despite my hearts desire, i just could not do. So the point here is, you have to be honest with yourself as well. As nice as the "idea" or "thought" might be, is it really for you?

You only have to have a quick look around the IT department of any reasonaly large company to see developers there who, frankly, suck - because they liked the "idea" (of making money in IT), but didnt have a true aptitude or appreciation for it, and ended up being somewhat middle of the road.

Be true to yourself, and you'll save years of your life - maybe even the rest of your life!
 
If doing computer science through unisa working and studying is tough because the maths is not a walk in the park and it requires you get extra lessons. So you need a lot more time to conqour a maths module! It will even bore you to such an extent that you will commit suicide :p . I changed to Informatics and am loving it! So much more practical. You need to enjoy what you are studying!!! Wasnt there enough maths in accounting?
 
Well just to show how tough it is to work, have a family and study, I just got my final exam results - only passed 1 of my 4 subjects !!!!
 
Patty said:
If doing computer science through unisa working and studying is tough because the maths is not a walk in the park and it requires you get extra lessons. So you need a lot more time to conqour a maths module! It will even bore you to such an extent that you will commit suicide :p . I changed to Informatics and am loving it! So much more practical. You need to enjoy what you are studying!!! Wasnt there enough maths in accounting?
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Accounting doesn't use maths, it uses arithmetic :erm:

And like anything else, maths isn't hard if it's your cup of tea :) I'd fail in doing a BCom because I find it boring.
 
That is true but you still need a whole lot more time to ace the maths modules. When working, studyin and doing life it isnt that easy. Also what i meant by maths and accounting is that accountants often complain the job is boring, like I find maths to be as well.
 
If doing computer science through unisa working and studying is tough because the maths is not a walk in the park and it requires you get extra lessons. So you need a lot more time to conqour a maths module! It will even bore you to such an extent that you will commit suicide . I changed to Informatics and am loving it! So much more practical. You need to enjoy what you are studying!!! Wasnt there enough maths in accounting?
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Patty said:
That is true but you still need a whole lot more time to ace the maths modules. When working, studyin and doing life it isnt that easy. Also what i meant by maths and accounting is that accountants often complain the job is boring, like I find maths to be as well.
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Shame fatty Patty ... you're just jealous of the people who can do maths :twisted:

But on a more serious note ... Accounting and Business Economics can bore me to such an extent that I want to commit suicide (Dunno why I studied it instead of Computer Science) ... at least I have to think in Maths.

It's great that you're doing something you love, but not all of us love Informatics (well at least the version which is IT as it was defined here coupled with business) ... and thus if I studied that, I wouldn't enjoy it ... and you say that we should enjoy what we study right? I enjoy the idea of studying the concepts discussed here as relating to Computer Science / Software Engineering.

But why is Informatics more practical than Software Engineering or Computer Science ... surely they are both just as practical in their own relative fields?
 
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cbrunsdonza said:
Well just to show how tough it is to work, have a family and study, I just got my final exam results - only passed 1 of my 4 subjects !!!!
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Sorry to hear that man ... what year are you in? Or rather, what level were these subjects (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, etc?)
Also, if I may ask ... which course are you on and is your job something that would support this type of degree (i.e. Something supportive in IT?).

Regards

Itai
 
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