The marks you need to study Computer Science

[Jamie McKane]

The marks you need to study Computer Science

Computer Science is an attractive career path for those who are interested in technology and computers, but it is also a challenging qualification that requires strong mathematical skills and a willingness to work hard.

Professor George Wells of Rhodes University previously told MyBroadband that matric results aren't always a good indication of whether a student will succeed in the field of Computer Science.

 

[jackshiels]

You'd have to do well in maths to even stand a chance at UCT - the majority of CS students do at least MAM1000, which isn't forgiving. Admittedly, it's a little higher than A-Level maths, but coming from Matric maths makes it seem impossible.

 

[Johnatan56]

I still believe that we should be having entrance examinations rather than using matric results. Then anyone can manage from any background even if they don't have a matric as long as their aptitude is good enough.

 

[#name?]

Entrance exams for each university you apply to?

 

[hj007]

Yeah most people bombed out on Maths1&2 back in the day, not CS.

 

[Jopie Fourie]

“There is evidence to suggest that ability to succeed in Computer Science is determined more by aptitude than by formal school preparations,” said Wells.

I see what they are trying to do. They are trying to get more and more people into the university irrelevant of school results. They want to flood the market with idiots and idiotic degrees.

 

[system32]

Does a BSc CS allow you continue to Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) so you can teach CS at school?

No.

Explains way CS is hardly taught at school.

 

[Johnatan56]

Entrance exams for each university you apply to?

No, the course is standardized across universities, just have an entrance exam per course level/department. E.g. all wanting to do CS must write one type of exam, and a lot of courses can/will have overlap, so you can decide all departments that have some form of linguistics have that exam, etc.

Just standardize entrance exams and you don't have an issue of someone having to e.g. rewrite physics at 30+ because they flunked out in high school, they can rather study in own time the type of thought required and can come to write the test as the chemistry content is not required yet we lump it in with physical science.

It will also help remove the issue of people having done different high school leaving certification, be it cambridge, NSC or IEB, e.g. IEB and NSC are considered the same level by universities, even though imho IEB is more difficult.

It should also help against people faking matric certificates, was a huge issue in my first year, and it was obvious who did once they got in, but they took someone else's place in the meantime.

 

[cguy]

Yeah most people bombed out on Maths1&2 back in the day, not CS.

So true. Maths 2 was a requirement in my day. Some really smart people I know took 3 tries to pass it.

 

[cguy]

Does a BSc CS allow you continue to Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) so you can teach CS at school?

No.

Explains way CS is hardly taught at school.

You can’t? Why not?

 

[Fuzzbox]

How are they going to pass the maths at University level when they can barely pass matric maths.
50% for maths will make it really difficult to pass.

 

[Pythonista]

So true. Maths 2 was a requirement in my day. Some really smart people I know took 3 tries to pass it.

I could have done it 100 times - and I would have failed all 100 times.

 

[system32]

You can’t? Why not?

A friend is in 3rd year BSc CS at TUKS - excellent faculty and looked to do PGCE.
To do a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) you need a major in English or Afrikaans or Maths or Accounting or History or Geography or Music or ... list does not include CS - yet STEM is a big drive world wide (except ZA)

 

[cheesus]

My reply to this thread would be... Matriek results you need for a UDEMY account... FOKKOL!

 

[cguy]

A friend is in 3rd year BSc CS at TUKS - excellent faculty and looked to do PGCE.
To do a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) you need a major in English or Afrikaans or Maths or Accounting or History or Geography or Music or ... list does not include CS - yet STEM is a big drive world wide (except ZA)

To do a PGCE at UCT, CS counts and so does maths. It also only needs to be done to 2nd year.

http://www.education.uct.ac.za/edu/downloadprospective

 

[krycor]

You'd have to do well in maths to even stand a chance at UCT - the majority of CS students do at least MAM1000, which isn't forgiving. Admittedly, it's a little higher than A-Level maths, but coming from Matric maths makes it seem impossible.

At UCT pure physics is only required for 1? Or the CS streams yet almost all students due pure physics and pure maths combo and then fail either or both.

Best hack advice I ever got in life when at UCT was to do the “easier” basic physics which gave same credit but took way, way less time and allowed me to focus on pure maths, applied maths and stats which was awesome!

(I did cs for 1yr before swinging over to eng.. almost all course need a basic as physics prerequisite, but very few need pure physics.. it’s good to map your course out).

I see what they are trying to do. They are trying to get more and more people into the university irrelevant of school results. They want to flood the market with idiots and idiotic degrees.

They doing what industry does? So what’s the issue? Sorry you will get no sympathy from me as industry is notorious for using semi & unskilled labour where possible and then charging full professional rates to customers.

If industry implemented a no cs related degree wipe on dev you’d lose about 70-80% of workforce?

2ndly from what I recall in the early to mid 2000s, the drop off at university after the 1st two years is ridiculous, I’m tempted to say 45+% or so. So no.. flooding the market? They won’t pass basic pure maths, applied maths & stats which is still a requirement.

Lastly.. even if they flooded the market.. will it make a difference? In IT most people get their jobs via a pal or have managed to get through the screening process. If the latter it doesn’t matter does it.. but for the networking connections type does it change anything? I think not except that it makes it harder not to ask for a degree thus at least formalizing the industry or making it harder to by pass.

No, the course is standardized across universities, just have an entrance exam per course level/department. E.g. all wanting to do CS must write one type of exam, and a lot of courses can/will have overlap, so you can decide all departments that have some form of linguistics have that exam, etc.

Just standardize entrance exams and you don't have an issue of someone having to e.g. rewrite physics at 30+ because they flunked out in high school, they can rather study in own time the type of thought required and can come to write the test as the chemistry content is not required yet we lump it in with physical science.

It will also help remove the issue of people having done different high school leaving certification, be it cambridge, NSC or IEB, e.g. IEB and NSC are considered the same level by universities, even though imho IEB is more difficult.

It should also help against people faking matric certificates, was a huge issue in my first year, and it was obvious who did once they got in, but they took someone else's place in the meantime.

Uhm.. people already game the system.. back 2000 I was annoyed with the fact that I was at a standard school so had to do standard subjects like geography, biology compared to others in university who did “easier” things like cs, art, economics etc which, if you enjoy it.. can be a nice pad for overall score via the UCT admission system. They do weight the subjects but back then you’d look at course others did and realize that it was all about gaming it. I guess that’s a life lesson on its own.

 

[cguy]

At UCT pure physics is only required for 1? Or the CS streams yet almost all students due pure physics and pure maths combo and then fail either or both.

Best hack advice I ever got in life when at UCT was to do the “easier” basic physics which gave same credit but took way, way less time and allowed me to focus on pure maths, applied maths and stats which was awesome!

(I did cs for 1yr before swinging over to eng.. almost all course need a basic as physics prerequisite, but very few need pure physics.. it’s good to map your course out).



They doing what industry does? So what’s the issue? Sorry you will get no sympathy from me as industry is notorious for using semi & unskilled labour where possible and then charging full professional rates to customers.

If industry implemented a no cs related degree wipe on dev you’d lose about 70-80% of workforce?

2ndly from what I recall in the early to mid 2000s, the drop off at university after the 1st two years is ridiculous, I’m tempted to say 45+% or so. So no.. flooding the market? They won’t pass basic pure maths, applied maths & stats which is still a requirement.

Lastly.. even if they flooded the market.. will it make a difference? In IT most people get their jobs via a pal or have managed to get through the screening process. If the latter it doesn’t matter does it.. but for the networking connections type does it change anything? I think not except that it makes it harder not to ask for a degree thus at least formalizing the industry or making it harder to by pass.



Uhm.. people already game the system.. back 2000 I was annoyed with the fact that I was at a standard school so had to do standard subjects like geography, biology compared to others in university who did “easier” things like cs, art, economics etc which, if you enjoy it.. can be a nice pad for overall score via the UCT admission system. They do weight the subjects but back then you’d look at course others did and realize that it was all about gaming it. I guess that’s a life lesson on its own.

I didn’t do university physics at all. Made some applied maths courses a bit tricky, but I worked it out.