NUS Computing (Information Systems) Sem 1

[xClementx]

has anybody taken Unix programming or/and CS3103 Computer networking?

I'd like to have lecture, tutorial, practical notes as I would like to see what is the content like before taking either one to satisfy my UE. Please drop me a PM!

 

[lvestige]

Thanks guys! Btw, may I know what is the gender ratio in IS?

 

[fzhfzh]

Thanks guys! Btw, may I know what is the gender ratio in IS?

much more balanced than CS.

 

[MoxLotus]

Thanks guys! Btw, may I know what is the gender ratio in IS?

u come here to study, not for girls. why bother about the gender ratio sia lol.

 

[lvestige]

u come here to study, not for girls. why bother about the gender ratio sia lol.

LOL i am actually a girl, and it's just out of curiosity. thanks.

 

[napsterz]

Beginning C: From Novice to Professional by Ivor Horton, Published by Apress.

C: How to program(7th edition) or
C++: How to program(8th edition) or
Java: How to program(9th edition) by Deitel & Deitel.

Any of the above mentioned books are suitable for beginners. Especially the How to series with lots of exercise to practice on at the end each chapter.

Here is one more textbook recommended for computing maths module:

Discrete Mathematics with its applications(4th Edition) by Susanna S. Epp

This book is very clear and concise which makes self-studying possible just by reading the text. Exercises are given at the back of each section of a chapter to test your understanding of the concepts taught in that particular section.

Do not buy the 3rd edition as the chapters are not as well arranged compared to the 4th edition.

You don't really have to read C++. C is at most for 1 or 2 modules that requires it. Java is basically for the OO concept.

It's good to read the discrete math book though.

For IS, it's more about the technologies rather than the programming aspect after year 1.

 

[napsterz]

Thanks guys! Btw, may I know what is the gender ratio in IS?

Why don't you choose EC? There's only 1 math module MA1301 and they have the least programming requirements. Most of their modules are just business concepts in IT.

 

[MoxLotus]

LOL i am actually a girl, and it's just out of curiosity. thanks.

Oops....

 

[MoxLotus]

Why don't you choose EC? There's only 1 math module MA1301 and they have the least programming requirements. Most of their modules are just business concepts in IT.

she havent choose her major yet. IS is just the name of the programme. they only choose their major in year 2. either IS or EC.

 

[lvestige]

she havent choose her major yet. IS is just the name of the programme. they only choose their major in year 2. either IS or EC.

Yea that's correct haha. Actually which is more sought after? IS or EC? My friend's sister was in EC and she told her that IS is better, but I am not sure why she has such an opinion.

 

[mgx-alander]

IS more general

EC is like focus towards electronic commerce only meaning web..

 

[Buaya_Hunter]

Yea that's correct haha. Actually which is more sought after? IS or EC? My friend's sister was in EC and she told her that IS is better, but I am not sure why she has such an opinion.

Depends on what your career goals is...

IS is in the sense precieved to be more prestigous (in term of reputation, course intensity, etc) but I can safely saw that anything IS is considered second class in SOC (After all, CS students/staffs are still the majority)

At the risk of generalizing things (we all know that generalization is always some % not accurate), the IS course prepare as custodian/brick layers/fieldworkers of IS/IT functions.

At the lower spectrum of such career (up to project manager), what you do depends on whether you want to go the technical or consultant route (There is a third emerging route, data analyst, but i profess not to know much about this route and it would requires you to have solid quantitative skills, maybe something at the level of what we expect of a maths major)

For the technical route, yes, you either be the custodian of IT system or the developers (where the majority who chose to strike it out in IT goes).

For the consultant route, mostly likely you will act as a presales/post sales field professorional of ur wares and act as a middle man between the customers and ur company (Of course, there are more layers in more complex projects, but i am just simplifying things for the sake of explanation)

Oh yah, there is also this hidden route known as compliance (I know is more of an accounting/auditing thing, but there is also compliance in IS system). There is many ways to go into this, but chances are if you don't get into Big4 or uniformed services, very hard to break into it. One of the forum member here, dskw, is currently in this job position and maybe he can advise you better.

As you progress, your paths might diverge. You could go becoming a technical specialist (e.g a system architect involved in the decision behind technical details), or be a manager overseeing the IS functions of the organization (E.g maybe a director overseeing a few projects with a few project manager reporting to you) or roping in as a staff in charge of strategy in the CTO office, etc.

 

[mgx-alander]

for the compliance route, its the information system IT audit route... Prof Keong pretty much gave an overview in his IS3230 class (u will need to take the Infosec route of Information system to learn more about it)

 

[Buaya_Hunter]

For the ec, it is like wat mgx say. They are more geared to preparing people for a people fronting career.

So, you might be heavily involved in web projects involving e-portal design or could be consultant in matters like search engine optimization, social marketing, customer relations, content management, etc. Yes, you could be an entrepreneur (but seriously, anyone can also be one as well)

Also, you could abandon IT and go back to do the traditional business function (maybe with the exception of hardcore accounting/finance unless you have done at least a full second major in such areas or a course like acca). A popular route for such people would be in the marcom field (that's where the excitment is, thought whether that's where the money is)

 

[Buaya_Hunter]

for the compliance route, its the information system IT audit route... Prof Keong pretty much gave an overview in his IS3230 class (u will need to take the Infosec route of Information system to learn more about it)

And I think he scared a lot of people away from Infosec through his class...

 

[mgx-alander]

And I think he scared a lot of people away from Infosec through his class...

 

[wadz.up]

hi anybody here can help me with my NUS SOC IS interview this week.. damn nervous nowwwww

 

[MoxLotus]

Yea that's correct haha. Actually which is more sought after? IS or EC? My friend's sister was in EC and she told her that IS is better, but I am not sure why she has such an opinion.

grass is always greener on the other side~

 

[napsterz]

IS is of course more sought after in the IT sector, compared to EC. Just that they have to take more math modules: basic -> discrete -> calculus -> statistics. EC only takes 1 basic and no more.

Business wise, there're econs, accounting, etc.

For IS, there are modules that require you to approach industry companies and help them with audit checks, risk assessment, propose a project using social media or whatever technologies, etc.

It's more like the poly style. Basically if you studied IT in poly, most of IS modules you have already covered, other than the audit / risk assessment or maybe econs.

The only main bulk of programming is IS3102 that resembles that of poly FYP. Nothing much to worry about too. It's quite simple, just tedious. The technologies are pretty straightforward using APIs. Depending on how you and your team of 6-7 people distribute roles, you can choose to be hard coder or just report writer + some simple code write up.

 

[napsterz]

she havent choose her major yet. IS is just the name of the programme. they only choose their major in year 2. either IS or EC.

So now you have to choose the programme first? In the past, it was all under computing degree, didn't even have to choose which department's programme.