Univeristy Of Wollongong (SIM) future/current/students come in!!!

Magnatrix

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I realised that the University of Wollongong also covers more content than UOL sia. For example, UoW's Data Structures and Algorithms module cover from sorting to dynamic programming whereas UOL takes 2 modules to cover those.

Is it true that most people in UoW take Cyber Security / DSS? Why is that so?

Problem solving csit113 is actually a misleading title because of the naming convention. It should really be called data structures and algorithms part 1 as it leads into data structures and algorithms part 2(at least in UoW, the same phenomenon will not necessarily exist in other universities)

This is a vast subject that cannot be taught in 1 module. if you want to cover a sufficiently large syllabus. at uow You are supposed to take a problem solving module(part 1) and then take data structure and algos(part 2) because they are both about they are two parts of the same thing.

The new syllabus for this module in UoW is not good IMO, but I am not entirely sure what the new module csit113 really teaches as I have not seen the slides. The new syllabus is a downgrade while the old one which I took covered a wider variety of topics.

Problem solving and algorithms(old CSCI103)
Problem solving(new CSIT113)
--
Algorithms and data structures(same CSCI203)

csci103 syllabus(I actually liked this a lot):
CSCI103 Algorithms and Problem Solving
This subject introduces the basic concepts of algorithms and their relationship to data structures and problem solving. This subject emphasises problem solving techniques leading to the development of algorithms rather than their implementation or a formal mathematical treatment of algorithms. Topics include sorting, searching and counting problems and the principal algorithms used in their solution. Common approaches to algorithm development and analysis will be examined.

Searching(linear/binary)
Sorting(bubble/selection/insertion)
Intro to complexity
Linked lists(at an in-depth level including doubly linked lists)
Stacks and Queues
Recursion
Trees part 1
Trees part 2
Graphs
Algorithmic strategies

csci203 syllabus:
Algorithms complexity analysis(maths)
Recursion maths
Data structures(recap of all 103 structures, heaps, associative tables)
Sorting(shell/heap/quick/merge)
Trees part 1
Trees part 2
Greedy algorithms part 1 (dynamic programming)
Greedy algorithms part 2 (dynamic programming)
Branch and Bound (dynamic programming)

As you can see the topics in 203 are quite advanced and it will only be possible to understand the class if you have already taken 103. The decision by UoW to remove them was god damn stupid. I don't know what the new 113 syllabus is like, but if it does not cover the data structures and algorithms from the old syllabus that is a bad thing.

I don't know the UoL DSA syllabus very well, but if it covers all these topics go for that one because it is unlikely UoW offers this range of topics anymore. One more thing to note, UoL's exam papers are mostly 2 hours long, this is not long enough to test an entire module's worth of content, most of the CS papers in UoW are 3 hours long(including both of the above modules) and I find that this is not enough to test knowledge of all the content.

If you go to uow and need the 103 slides just let me know.
 
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Astoach

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What to expect for 3rd year students?

Hi, I am current taking the DSS programme at UOW and will soon be in my 3rd year next month, I heard that there is a final year project that all 3rd year student have to complete and I just want to find out more information about it. How is the process like? What kind of projects are can we do? When does it start and end? Please let me know everything I should know about it so I can prepare in advance :)

(PS: I have just enrolled for my modules in sols and for one of my module under the 'Enrolment Record' for 'Status' it said 'Provisional', what does that mean? It usually always says 'Enrolled' or 'Complete')
 
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Loveless_80

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For FYP, it is usually over 2 semesters and usually at the later half of your 3rd year. There will be a list of topics that you can choose from. Grouping is random could be 3-5 persons per team. If you and friends choose the same topics, there will be a high percentage that you will be grouped together. But the module admin might mix part time and full time students together also.

For enrollment as long you register as per what SIM's admin told you, you will be fine. The status will change when the term starts. As long you can see the subject on moodle, then there shouldn't be any problems.
 

Astoach

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sorry, did you mean 1 semester or 2 terms instead? Because you said it starts at the later half of the 3rd year, which should mean 6 months.
 

UVERtainment

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sorry, did you mean 1 semester or 2 terms instead? Because you said it starts at the later half of the 3rd year, which should mean 6 months.
fyp takes up the last 2 semester, which is 6 months.

the 1st half is gathering requirements, designing the architecture and coming up with a prototype demo.

2nd half is to fully build the product + testing and writing the full report.
 

jtmw1012

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Hey guys!

I just applied for UOW CS(big data). I took civil engineering in poly, so I have totally no background in IT or coding. Just wondering how difficult would it be for me to learn from scratch.

thanks in advance:s12:
 

Magnatrix

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This is my post from the previous page
Hi, I noticed several questions on this thread asking about what it is like studying for the Computer Science degree under UoW at SIM and whether it is worth enrolling in.
Having not seen any answers with enough depth about these question I want to answer the common questions people ask about whether they should enroll in this degree programme, what the experience is like and give some practical, down to earth advice to people concerned with starting university education. For reference, I took all 3 years and I am currently halfway through my third year and will graduate in 6 months with my major in Big Data.

What is university of wollongong?
University of Wollongong is a public university in the state of New South Wales in Australia established in 1975. They offer overseas degree programmes to countries around the world and SIM is one of the partner institutions that teaches the degree. UOW confers(awards) the degree so it will be identical to the the degree awarded by the University body in australia.

Their global ranking is something like in the top 200 universities in the world, compared to NUS and NTU in the top 20, which is not very high but it is the highest ranked university in singapore offering undergrad computer science degrees from a private university. University ranking and demonstrated ability are all important when starting your career, so you have to place importance on the ranking of the university you choose to go to as well as your grades and achievements after graduating. If you get an offer from NTU/NUS/SMU or one of the other local autonomous universities in a similar field, take that offer and don't go to SIM because life will be easier for you.

The degrees cost $33,000 for Singaporeans and foreigners for 3 full years of study assuming you don't fail any modules. Look at their website for the full details.

What is a career in CS and should I enroll in it?
First of all you need to ask yourself what do you want to work as in the future with a computer science degree. Computer science is a broad field of study(like applied physics) with multiple disciplines each one requiring specialized knowledge and practice to get a job in. There is no such job in the world called Computer Scientist and you will have to specialize in a field to start your career. Having an idea of what you want to work as is the first step in planning your future.

There are many careers you can enter with a CS degree, do you want to work as a Software engineer? IT specialist? Web developer? Cybersecurity analyst? Network engineer? Hardware Engineer? Database administrator? Game developer? The list is vast and each career is drastically different. You need to know the major career paths in IT and choose a few that you like or can see yourself doing for the rest of your working life. Start by doing research online about "computer science careers", understand the knowledge and skills that each one requires and the type of work they do. This article is a good start.
www(dot)thebalancecareers(dot)com/top-jobs-for-computer-science-majors-2059634

However, you also have to have to have a rudimentary understanding of the kind of technologies that each career involve so that you can make your judgement, and this is no easy task. It took me over a year of studying at SIM to have a basic understanding of the technologies involved in some the major career paths before I decided to choose my career in data science. You need to know about the relevant: Programming languages, frameworks, libraries, fields of study, software used and hardware(if applicable) in those career paths before you decide. Initially I wanted to be software engineer before starting at SIM. Software engineering is what most people in the world do with a CS degree and has cool sounding name. I spent nearly 1.5 years learning software engineering(in and out of school) and researching what a software engineer was before I decided that this wasn't the career for me. Different careers suit different people so find out what works for you.

Secondly, you have to be able to be able to program. Programming ability is a major requirement in CS and IT industries. No matter what job you enter you will have to know how to write code and be able to demonstrate your skills at it. It is common for internet advertisements to advertise something claiming that employers in the IT indjustry don't care about whether you can program or not, this is bull meant to lure people into buying their services, all my lecturers and the working people I know agree on this. If you cannot learn programming or don't have any potential at programming you will not be able to succeed in the tech industry. It is something you will be doing for the rest of your life so think about that before committing to a degree program.

If you are like I was and have never tried programming before, take some online courses that teach you the basics of programming to get an idea of what programming is about and see if you like it. There are 3 major general purpose programming languages C++, Java and Python all of which you will learn at SIM. I started learning Python(10 years ago people started learning Java or C++ first) on an online course at Coursera www(dot)coursera(dot)org/learn/learn-to-program
I enjoyed it very much, that was when I knew that I wanted to have a career that involved programming and it was something I had some chance of success at. The other websites you can check out are Udacity, Udemy or some other programming course at coursera.org

Thirdly, consider your other options in Singapore or overseas education. If you are considering SIM, you probably, like me were not accepted into the major autonomous universities in Singapore(NUS, NTU, SMU, STUD). I have done extensive research into the public and private university degree options for CS related degrees in Singapore by reviewing their syllabuses, duration, university rankings, cost and value and quality of education. Personally speaking, SIM is the only private university I would consider(The CS degree programs at Kaplan and PSB academy are sub-par and offer low educational value for what you pay). At SIM there are CS programs at UoW and UoL(London). As of today, the programs are quite different than they were 2 years ago, both universities are solid choices with UoL inclined to theory over application and UoW being inclined to application over theory(for data science go to UoL). UoL has a very heavy emphasis on theory and under emphasis on giving students practice with software(From what I have heard) while UoW in my experience has a heavy emphasis on practical work such as DIFFICULT assignments and lots of projects with an insufficient focus on theory. UoW does have theory, but just enough for a working knowledge of the technology being taught in the module, and almost no general CS theory. They both train you in different ways to think about what you prefer. As of the time of writing, I would only recommend UoW over UoL if you want to work with big data(Data engineer, database administrator), game development or work in Cyber/digital security, the new 2020 UoL CS degrees are generally better overall but does not have as good 3rd year options as UoW for these jobs.

The other option are the SIT degrees, they seem to have to most robust education for studying software engineering, so if you certain about being a software engineer you should enroll in this programme.

What is the curriculum in SIM and what is its quality like?
There are 4 intakes a year. Every student has a different progression based on when they enroll in the university and the number of exemptions they have. UoW follows a rolling syllabus so you might be in the same class as a year 2 student if you are year 1 and vice versa. Everyone has a different schedule that is assigned by the course manager and can be changed if you make requests via email.

For the full three years of study the first 2 years are foundational university level computer science classes and the third year is your major year. There are 4 majors in this programme offered at SIM. Digital Security(most popular), Cyber security, Big data and Gaming development. The first two years of studying at SIM are identical for all majors so the classes will get smaller as you enter the third year which also symbolizes that you are learning more specialized modules relevant to the field you want to enter. There are 4 core modules for the CS degree that the BBIS degree(The sister course that focuses on Business and IT) does not include. They are:
Mathematics for Computer Science
Algorithms & Data Structures
Advanced Programming
Database Systems

If you a local polytechnic graduate with a Diploma in an IT related course you will usually be exempted from 1.5 years of foundation and will only have to take advanced programming and database systems. My recommendation for people who want to get a good education in CS and develop a good set of professional skills is to take all 4 of the core modules as well as many other foundational modules that are relevant to the career you you are working towards. Also remember to read the whole list of elective modules. Ask the course manager to reorganise your schedule such that your 3 elective modules line up with when the modules you want to take are being offered. The common foundational modules taken as electives are: Python programming, mobile app development, front end web programming. Also remember to broaden your education, I took business communications and it was one of the best modules I have taken.


Tips to succeed in this programme
- Learn how to study for exams, you will not pass them without studying and they form a large percentage of your grade(50-60%)
- Learn to work in a team as there will be many group projects
- Learn how to network, peers are an invaluable source of help some of them even have assignment answers from senior batches
- Learn how to be resourceful, you will be looking for answers to assignments online very often. That is where the joke that half of the work in software engineering is googling things comes from. Use Stack Overflow and reddit
- Learn how to use a UNIX system as some modules are done in UNIX systems like Ubuntu/linux(data modules and advanced programming)
 

jtmw1012

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This is my post from the previous page
Thanks for the very informative read!

I'm still concern about the classes structure now due to Covid-19 situation. Since most classes would be online, would there even be chances to network with other students?

And if I'm eligible for the 0.5yrs exemption, since I have a non IT related local diploma, what classes would I be missing out on?
 

noobyy

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hello, I applied (and got accepted) for BBIS, would like to know more about the course and modules which I was offered exemption before taking up the offer offered.

anyone was from or still studying in BBIS able to provide me assistance via PM

Thank you!:)
 

spectral

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Thanks for the very informative read!

I'm still concern about the classes structure now due to Covid-19 situation. Since most classes would be online, would there even be chances to network with other students?

And if I'm eligible for the 0.5yrs exemption, since I have a non IT related local diploma, what classes would I be missing out on?

do ur best, I am from ece eng dip with not much knowledge on IT comm sci and I am also taking big data. I had 1 yr exemption and was doing a lot of catching up during the 1st term.
So far I had managed to score all d and above with remaining 2 modules and fyp to complete the whole course.
With big data, u will need a lot of databases sql skills in 3yr which is not taught but have to look elsewhere to learn.
cheer in picking this major with no future lol
 

ontodhcp

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do ur best, I am from ece eng dip with not much knowledge on IT comm sci and I am also taking big data. I had 1 yr exemption and was doing a lot of catching up during the 1st term.
So far I had managed to score all d and above with remaining 2 modules and fyp to complete the whole course.
With big data, u will need a lot of databases sql skills in 3yr which is not taught but have to look elsewhere to learn.
cheer in picking this major with no future lol

Why do you say this major got no future?
Hard to find job?
I thought big data is the "in" thing now.
 

Yoyoyo86

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do ur best, I am from ece eng dip with not much knowledge on IT comm sci and I am also taking big data. I had 1 yr exemption and was doing a lot of catching up during the 1st term.
So far I had managed to score all d and above with remaining 2 modules and fyp to complete the whole course.
With big data, u will need a lot of databases sql skills in 3yr which is not taught but have to look elsewhere to learn.
cheer in picking this major with no future lol

Yeah, why do u say this major has no future? care to further explain?
 

Aero_GT

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Btw currently the lectures are conducted in person or online? How the lecturers from Australia come over?

Hi for year 3 there is how many modules ? 4 modules for 6month and fyp for 6 month to grad ?

Cannot remember already, yes months fyp is correct. Number of modules don't remember is 4 or 6.
 
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Dansonzy

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I think Will be local lecturers teaching ..now every lesson is online only tutorial we go back school.... If 6 modules mean you have to take 2 modules on fyp concurrently? Because what I know is 4 modules will take around 6 month .4 modules for 4 month and close to 2 month break. Am I right ?
 

Aero_GT

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I think Will be local lecturers teaching ..now every lesson is online only tutorial we go back school.... If 6 modules mean you have to take 2 modules on fyp concurrently? Because what I know is 4 modules will take around 6 month .4 modules for 4 month and close to 2 month break. Am I right ?

I just checked the schedule, it's 6 modules + fyp for year 3.

Yes got 2 modules must take with fyp concurrently. fyp is split into 2 parts, the planning and execution, 3 months each. So that 2 modules will take in first part or second part of fyp is depending on what is being offered.
 

anderson666

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UOW is a liar uni. It has dishonesty problems in Down Under. Luke McAven, Casey Chow and Ian piper never did their works properly in SIM GE here. They only did the lectures here and they never make sure the students had enough info to do thier coursework. If they found out you passed the 3rd year, they will give all sort of excusse to fail you to make you give coffee money to pass the degree. Lee Kwok Cheong and Cham Tao Soon turned a blind eye to it as long as they make money bro. They even hire UOW evangelists to quell dissidence. Not to mention Goh Ai Yat from RMIT is another dishonest fella bro. The Unis when they set coursework, they must make sure its doable. Just because somebody mentioned about learning wanting to search engine, the UOW-SIM admin staff told George Zhou to give search engine project as coursework when its about software designing and writing process like Scrum and waterfall. George Zhou said, if you want to pass this course, gimme kopi money to pass.
 

morgan3204

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I am currently in CS big data program, i have failed two programming subjects csci 251 advanced programming and csit110 fundamental programming in python ,what should i do, please advice.
 
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