Is this a good computer science course?
-
Anyone computer science student?
Is this a good university?
What happens if you go to a university for computer science and all they ask you to do are programming assignments. Nothing but programming assignments. So, not only in the "Learning how to write programmes" subject will you have assignments, but also in Databases, Expert System, Computer Networks, Operating Systems, Internet and Computer Hardware subjects. All their subjects are only programming subjects and no more. This means in Expert System or Computer Networks, your assignments are also only programming assignments and not any others.
And you must pass all the assignments given or else you fail the subject.
Is this a good university?
-
So after all the lectures given to you for a subject, you must do an assignment, ie, a programming assignment for it. And you must make sure your programming works or else you fail the subject.
-
you could probably elaborate on your opinion of a ''good computer course'' -
I was a comp Sc graduate (long time ago) but moved on to other areas but maybe I can say something about Comp Sc (at least about my time in uni).......
There are three pathways (or four if you include info system).
1) Comp Sc - mathematical, programming discipline, computer framwork.
2) Databases mgt - database, business framework, data manipulation.
3) Computer hardware, network and communication - speaks for itself.
4) Information system - managing, large information and system eg library system.Some uni requires you to choose one area to specialize, some requires you to major and minor, some requires you to learn all 1-3 (only thru honour program, if you good enough).
Programming at each individual module teaches you the requirements of each sub- discipline. The learning outcome is not the programming but certain key concepts which can only be imparted thru programming concepts.
Say, a network module. You get learn to the protocols and the languages of networking But this just the basic knowledge. A uni will attempt to will show you the key concepts. Understanding concepts is already challenging enough.
A good uni or rather a good Comp Sc pathway will attempt to bring you to the challenges, the constraints, the critical issues pertaining to that sub-module or that sub-discipline. This is learning at higher level ie “seeing the entire forest”.
Of all the above pathways, Comp Sc is the most engineering/science based discipline pathway. Therefore, the heavy emphasis on mathematics, methodologies and conventions.
Learning the basic of programming is just the basic. Anyone even a child prodigy, can do this on his own. A good Comp Sc pathway will cover something more with structures and algorithms of data. To use an analogy - the basic programming only shows you "this is a book" but at higher level of teaching "the range of books in a library".
When I did my post-grad (another area), I was very taken aback by the Indian students. The India Prof explained to me that in India, all children are taught to do mental arithmetic/mathematic (no calculator). This explains why they are so superb in regurgitating and mimicking.
When you graduate, you probably start as a junior programmer (already in a stiff competition from these foreigners). Later, if you beat the competition and move up to management level, you boss hires you to solve problems. Don’t tell your boss you can only write program blindfolded, you are required to see the entire systemic framework and come out with solutions or better solutions ie “see the trees from the forest top”.
Be mindful that a good uni will not only teach you how to focus on "a individual tree" but also "how to focus on the entire forest". This is true for all science/engineering disciplines. Young graduate often fails to see the importance of this.