Unisa - General & Informatics Assistance

[CluelessDot]

I need some assistance (more like a Unisa guide for dummies).



I have an opportunity to study part time that I can take advantage of. I am already working full-time in the IT software field with some overtime & set-in-stone standby that’s a week a month at this point.



I was looking at Bsc Informatics as that seems like it would be the best for me with not as much math - is this correct?



My questions are as follows:

1. How does Unisa work? I think you pay per module? But is there other fees like textbooks and do you source textbooks yourself? Are there other costs?
2. Do you get all your assignments for the semester at the same time?
3. Do you submit assignments online?
4. Is the end of year exams in person?
5. How should I space out the modules per semester in order to not sink the titanic again - I know that I won’t have much free time with this but that doesn’t really bother me if the degree will help in the future.

 

[Stonemason]

Unisa degrees are no longer what they were in the past and many employers frown upon Unisa graduates. There are other off-campus studying universities available that will look much better on your CV

 

[Sinbad]

I need some assistance (more like a Unisa guide for dummies).



I have an opportunity to study part time that I can take advantage of. I am already working full-time in the IT software field with some overtime & set-in-stone standby that’s a week a month at this point.



I was looking at Bsc Informatics as that seems like it would be the best for me with not as much math - is this correct?



My questions are as follows:

1. How does Unisa work? I think you pay per module? But is there other fees like textbooks and do you source textbooks yourself? Are there other costs?
2. Do you get all your assignments for the semester at the same time?
3. Do you submit assignments online?
4. Is the end of year exams in person?
5. How should I space out the modules per semester in order to not sink the titanic again - I know that I won’t have much free time with this but that doesn’t really bother me if the degree will help in the future.

1 pay per module. You buy your own textbooks. Some of them are poe5 expensive.
2 yes
3 yes
4 yes
5 depends on your workload and the difficulty of the module. 3 per semester is probably the sweet spot. Bear in mind there are minimum credits you need to achieve each year, so you can't space it out too much.

 

[NR7]

I need some assistance (more like a Unisa guide for dummies).



I have an opportunity to study part time that I can take advantage of. I am already working full-time in the IT software field with some overtime & set-in-stone standby that’s a week a month at this point.



I was looking at Bsc Informatics as that seems like it would be the best for me with not as much math - is this correct?

1. How does Unisa work? I think you pay per module? But is there other fees like textbooks and do you source textbooks yourself? Are there other costs?
2. Do you get all your assignments for the semester at the same time?
3. Do you submit assignments online?
4. Is the end of year exams in person?
5. How should I space out the modules per semester in order to not sink the titanic again - I know that I won’t have much free time with this but that doesn’t really bother me if the degree will help in the future.

Yes, BSc Infomatics has much less math. BSc Computing has more Computer Science modules. The BSC Computing and Mathematics/Applied Mathematics degree has the most math.

1. You pay per module. You buy the textbooks yourself from a bookshop or online. Other costs are optional, such as paying for a supplementary/aegrotat exam if you miss an exam due to illness.
2. You get assignments as the lecturers release them. Some are organized and have them up at the beginning of the year, most not. Some are multiple choice, some are written, some require you to do a practical program and submit the code.
3. You submit assignments online, either as multiple choice where you select the options online, or they have you submit a PDF, or a zipped file with code.
4. The exams are all at the end of the year (no semester modules for the CSET degrees anymore) and fully online - you require a computer with a microphone and webcam (laptop ticks these boxes) and the better your internet connection, the better as online invigilation is compulsory for every module in these BSc degrees.
5. You have to do a minimum of 4 modules per year. You may find that some easier modules allow you to do quite a few per year, especially first and second level.


You have to be disciplined and use many online resources (Youtube videos, additional study notes etc) to complete a Unisa degree as I will warn you, some of these lecturers are pretty useless.

 

[Pegging]

There is also a BComm in Informatics

Bachelor of Commerce in Business Informatics (98300 - BIS)

 

[CluelessDot]

Yes, BSc Infomatics has much less math. BSc Computing has more Computer Science modules. The BSC Computing and Mathematics/Applied Mathematics degree has the most math.

1. You pay per module. You buy the textbooks yourself from a bookshop or online. Other costs are optional, such as paying for a supplementary/aegrotat exam if you miss an exam due to illness.
2. You get assignments as the lecturers release them. Some are organized and have them up at the beginning of the year, most not. Some are multiple choice, some are written, some require you to do a practical program and submit the code.
3. You submit assignments online, either as multiple choice where you select the options online, or they have you submit a PDF, or a zipped file with code.
4. The exams are all at the end of the year (no semester modules for the CSET degrees anymore) and fully online - you require a computer with a microphone and webcam (laptop ticks these boxes) and the better your internet connection, the better as online invigilation is compulsory for every module in these BSc degrees.
5. You have to do a minimum of 4 modules per year. You may find that some easier modules allow you to do quite a few per year, especially first and second level.


You have to be disciplined and use many online resources (Youtube videos, additional study notes etc) to complete a Unisa degree as I will warn you, some of these lecturers are pretty useless.

Thank you, this helps a lot & it feels like everything is laid out nicely now.
Thanks for the lecturer heads up too!