[Dmon1Unlimited]

Can anyone show me where i can get information on first and second year modules please? all i can find is the module names

I was planning on doing two 10 credit modules (one for each semester), and for those in second year, are there any modules you consider to be linked to first year? i.e. a first year module that is needed to understand a second year module?


ideally i was hoping to do a first year module in the first semester and a second year module in the second. I want to learn programming, especially the various C's and sadly I cant tell what i will learn from the module names alone.


im a little pressed for time, would appreciate any help

[alex-hs]

(Original post by Dmon1Unlimited)
Can anyone show me where i can get information on first and second year modules please? all i can find is the module names

I was planning on doing two 10 credit modules (one for each semester), and for those in second year, are there any modules you consider to be linked to first year? i.e. a first year module that is needed to understand a second year module?


ideally i was hoping to do a first year module in the first semester and a second year module in the second. I want to learn programming, especially the various C's and sadly I cant tell what i will learn from the module names alone.


im a little pressed for time, would appreciate any help

Here you go:

http://modulecatalogue.nottingham.ac...ain_search.asp

They all include lists of prerequisites and corequisites, if applicable.

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
Here you go:

http://modulecatalogue.nottingham.ac...ain_search.asp

They all include lists of prerequisites and corequisites, if applicable.

thank you

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
Here you go:

http://modulecatalogue.nottingham.ac...ain_search.asp

They all include lists of prerequisites and corequisites, if applicable.

is it possible to find time tabling information for modules?

[alex-hs]

(Original post by Dmon1Unlimited)
is it possible to find time tabling information for modules?

You can get timetables from here:

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academic...imetables.aspx

I don't think next year's is done yet though.

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
You can get timetables from here:

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academic...imetables.aspx

I don't think next year's is done yet though.

thank you

hopefully, i can manage to get some computing modules in to my second year physics course... though based on some professors, this may be unlikely...

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
x

sorry
just wondering if you did computer science/software engineering or the like?

my modules are now sorted, if all goes well, ill be doing "G51PRG Introduction to programming" (level 1) and "G5100P introduction to object orientated programming" (level 1) for my second year, then perhaps choose "G52CPP C++ programming" (level 2) for my third year option....

im interested in general programming, and being able to use these modules to, if not make applications, then use them as a stepping stone to build my own applications... ideally, id like to learn to an advanced level, to the point where i may get career opportunities if im lucky

the modules are prerequisites of each other so theyre linked, but do you think those modules are ideal for what i want to achieve from them? i.e. the bold above? of should i change a module? the module conveners agree but i just wanted confirmation in case there was a misunderstanding...


everythings been signed and handed in but i can always change at the start of next year

[alex-hs]

(Original post by Dmon1Unlimited)
sorry
just wondering if you did computer science/software engineering or the like?

my modules are now sorted, if all goes well, ill be doing "G51PRG Introduction to programming" (level 1) and "G5100P introduction to object orientated programming" (level 1) for my second year, then perhaps choose "G52CPP C++ programming" (level 2) for my third year option....

im interested in general programming, and being able to use these modules to, if not make applications, then use them as a stepping stone to build my own applications... ideally, id like to learn to an advanced level, to the point where i may get career opportunities if im lucky

the modules are prerequisites of each other so theyre linked, but do you think those modules are ideal for what i want to achieve from them? i.e. the bold above? of should i change a module? the module conveners agree but i just wanted confirmation in case there was a misunderstanding...


everythings been signed and handed in but i can always change at the start of next year

I was a CS undergrad a few years ago; now I'm a PhD student.

Don't expect to come away from PRG and OOP (or even CPP) with the ability to program beautiful iphone apps. Most of what is covered in these modules will be the bricks and mortar of programming. In particular neither PRG nor OOP cover GUIs; the vast majority of programs you will write will be command-line based. CPP has changed a bit since I took it, but I believe one of the courseworks this year was pretty much just "make a game", and people were producing things like PacMan.

If your heart is really set on programming, another module you may find useful is G52ADS (Algorithms and Data Structures) which covers complexity of algorithms and computational efficiency. It's a core second year module for all CS degrees, and I'd consider it to be very important.

Eventually you may work your way towards modules such as G54MDP (Mobile Device Programming) which covers the essentials of programming for Android and iOS (and general things specific to mobile devices).

When I started uni I actually did Physics, but I switched from Physics to Computer Science at the end of my second year, as by about halfway through second year, I was finding Physics really boring, apart from the computing bits (matlab etc) which I enjoyed, and importantly was good at. I don't regret it at all; I graduated with a 2:1, and got offered a PhD. Which I took. Now nearing the end of my third year of PhD.

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
I was a CS undergrad a few years ago; now I'm a PhD student.

Don't expect to come away from PRG and OOP (or even CPP) with the ability to program beautiful iphone apps. Most of what is covered in these modules will be the bricks and mortar of programming. In particular neither PRG nor OOP cover GUIs; the vast majority of programs you will write will be command-line based. CPP has changed a bit since I took it, but I believe one of the courseworks this year was pretty much just "make a game", and people were producing things like PacMan.

If your heart is really set on programming, another module you may find useful is G52ADS (Algorithms and Data Structures) which covers complexity of algorithms and computational efficiency. It's a core second year module for all CS degrees, and I'd consider it to be very important.

Eventually you may work your way towards modules such as G54MDP (Mobile Device Programming) which covers the essentials of programming for Android and iOS (and general things specific to mobile devices).

When I started uni I actually did Physics, but I switched from Physics to Computer Science at the end of my second year, as by about halfway through second year, I was finding Physics really boring, apart from the computing bits (matlab etc) which I enjoyed, and importantly was good at. I don't regret it at all; I graduated with a 2:1, and got offered a PhD. Which I took. Now nearing the end of my third year of PhD.

thanks for the information, ill try and remember to consider G52ADS and G54MDP in a years time when i start worrying about 3rd year modules
hopefully i can do at least 3 optional modules then

by the end of the second year, i should be able to know whether my 'heart' really is set on it, so that i can dedicate all my options to CS

switching to computer science sounds like less hassle than choosing CS modules for physics, atleast you dont have to (potentially) worry about travelling between campuses between lectures and be 10 minutes late haha

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
Don't expect to come away from PRG and OOP (or even CPP) with the ability to program beautiful iphone apps. Most of what is covered in these modules will be the bricks and mortar of programming. In particular neither PRG nor OOP cover GUIs; the vast majority of programs you will write will be command-line based. CPP has changed a bit since I took it, but I believe one of the courseworks this year was pretty much just "make a game", and people were producing things like PacMan.

regarding the bricks and mortar, would my options be the main ones i.e. the backbone of the first year of the degree?(i assume the other modules will also be regarded as bricks and mortar) or have i just picked random modules?

[alex-hs]

(Original post by Dmon1Unlimited)
regarding the bricks and mortar, would my options be the main ones i.e. the backbone of the first year of the degree?(i assume the other modules will also be regarded as bricks and mortar) or have i just picked random modules?

PRG and OOP are the core first year programming modules. You will come away from these with the ability to program to some extent, but there are various other modules (that are compulsory for first year CS students) which may not explicitly teach you programming, but will give you a good grounding of the theory you need to be able to program competently.

Most people in first year will do all the modules highlighted on the module catalogue in turquoise (ie all the level 1 ones).


G51APS Algorithmic Problem Solving
G51CSA Computer Systems Architecture
G51MCS Mathematics for Computer Scientists
G51PRG Introduction to Programming
G51REQ Introduction to Requirements Engineering
G51UST Unix and Software Tools

G51DBS Database Systems
G51FSE Introduction to Software Engineering
G51FUN Introduction to Functional Programming
G51IAI Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
G51OOP Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming
G51WPS Web Programming and Scripting


Of these, I'd say:

• PRG and OOP are essential.
• CSA is technically a co-requisite of PRG and is very useful, but isn't totally essential. There will be some ties between CSA and PRG; in particular labs and tutorials are shared, so content from both will be covered during these sessions.
• IAI is useful as it gives you a basic introduction into data structures.
• UST is very useful if you've never used unix/linux before, as you'll find yourself needing to use it a lot.
• APS and MCS are more theoretical than practical, but probably are useful, even if perhaps they don't seem it at the time.
• FUN teaches you a completely different programming paradigm from what you learn in all other modules; it uses a functional language (Haskell) as opposed to an imperative language (eg C/Java etc). People with a strong mathematical background tend to excel in functional languages.
• DBS and WPS are fairly useful (DBS moreso) though not totally essential.
• REQ and FSE are a bit more wishy-washy than other modules; they take you through the production of a software project from inception, through the planning stages, into production. For FSE you will have to plan and produce some sort of program, I believe using Python. It's changed a lot since I took it, so I'm not 100% sure on the details.

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
PRG and OOP are the core first year programming modules. You will come away from these with the ability to program to some extent, but there are various other modules (that are compulsory for first year CS students) which may not explicitly teach you programming, but will give you a good grounding of the theory you need to be able to program competently.

Most people in first year will do all the modules highlighted on the module catalogue in turquoise (ie all the level 1 ones).


G51APS Algorithmic Problem Solving
G51CSA Computer Systems Architecture
G51MCS Mathematics for Computer Scientists
G51PRG Introduction to Programming
G51REQ Introduction to Requirements Engineering
G51UST Unix and Software Tools

G51DBS Database Systems
G51FSE Introduction to Software Engineering
G51FUN Introduction to Functional Programming
G51IAI Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
G51OOP Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming
G51WPS Web Programming and Scripting


Of these, I'd say:

• PRG and OOP are essential.
• CSA is technically a co-requisite of PRG and is very useful, but isn't totally essential. There will be some ties between CSA and PRG; in particular labs and tutorials are shared, so content from both will be covered during these sessions.
• IAI is useful as it gives you a basic introduction into data structures.
• UST is very useful if you've never used unix/linux before, as you'll find yourself needing to use it a lot.
• APS and MCS are more theoretical than practical, but probably are useful, even if perhaps they don't seem it at the time.
• FUN teaches you a completely different programming paradigm from what you learn in all other modules; it uses a functional language (Haskell) as opposed to an imperative language (eg C/Java etc). People with a strong mathematical background tend to excel in functional languages.
• DBS and WPS are fairly useful (DBS moreso) though not totally essential.
• REQ and FSE are a bit more wishy-washy than other modules; they take you through the production of a software project from inception, through the planning stages, into production. For FSE you will have to plan and produce some sort of program, I believe using Python. It's changed a lot since I took it, so I'm not 100% sure on the details.

i received an email saying that PRG (introduction to programming) is on the physics list of banned modules, so i wont be able to take it and need to replace it (i presume with some other autumn semester module)... i cannot take 3 modules instead of 2 sadly since i will have to pay for it, so i will leave C++ for 3rd year (and add some other modules with it).

putting this into consideration:
do you think CSA (Computer Systems Architecture) and the previous OOP (Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming) would make a good 'couple' for second year? given that your post makes it sound like CSA is the next best to take. i was able to get permission to do PRG (at the time) from the module convenor without doing the co-requisite CSA, so i dont see any problem in doing the same thing the other way round (and CSA isnt a banned module), will i be disadvantaged by this change? or should i go for UST? FUN? etc?

ill be talking to the module convenors again soon but it would be nice to know what to pick beforehand

even being lucky enough to fit computer science in my timetable, the last thing i would want is to learn very specific areas and not the main aspects of programming. A rudimentary example (with microsoft word) of what i mean is i would not want one module to teach me how to use the word find/replace function and another module to teach me how to insert a table when the main purpose of microsoft word would be to make a document and print/save it/open it.... if that makes sense. sorry

[alex-hs]

(Original post by Dmon1Unlimited)
i received an email saying that PRG (introduction to programming) is on the physics list of banned modules, so i wont be able to take it and need to replace it (i presume with some other autumn semester module)... i cannot take 3 modules instead of 2 sadly since i will have to pay for it, so i will leave C++ for 3rd year (and add some other modules with it).

putting this into consideration:
do you think CSA (Computer Systems Architecture) and the previous OOP (Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming) would make a good 'couple' for second year? given that your post makes it sound like CSA is the next best to take. i was able to get permission to do PRG (at the time) from the module convenor without doing the co-requisite CSA, so i dont see any problem in doing the same thing the other way round (and CSA isnt a banned module), will i be disadvantaged by this change? or should i go for UST? FUN? etc?

ill be talking to the module convenors again soon but it would be nice to know what to pick beforehand

even being lucky enough to fit computer science in my timetable, the last thing i would want is to learn very specific areas and not the main aspects of programming. A rudimentary example (with microsoft word) of what i mean is i would not want one module to teach me how to use the word find/replace function and another module to teach me how to insert a table when the main purpose of microsoft word would be to make a document and print/save it/open it.... if that makes sense. sorry

In CSA you'll learn to program in ARM assembly language. I guess this could be useful, but it's no replacement for PRG. (Again, it's a rather different paradigm to C.) Without PRG, you'll have to do a fair amount of self study in order to make sure you're up to scratch when you start OOP. It may be useful to note that there's nothing to stop you attending the lectures whether you're enrolled on the module or not.

But yes, given the choice, I'd do CSA and OOP, but try to keep an eye on what's going on in PRG too.

Here's the module websites if you're interested in having a look at the content:

http://g51prg.cs.nott.ac.uk/

http://g51csa.cs.nott.ac.uk/

Out of interest, did Physics say why PRG is on their banned list?

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
In CSA you'll learn to program in ARM assembly language. I guess this could be useful, but it's no replacement for PRG. (Again, it's a rather different paradigm to C.) Without PRG, you'll have to do a fair amount of self study in order to make sure you're up to scratch when you start OOP. It may be useful to note that there's nothing to stop you attending the lectures whether you're enrolled on the module or not.

But yes, given the choice, I'd do CSA and OOP, but try to keep an eye on what's going on in PRG too.

Here's the module websites if you're interested in having a look at the content:

http://g51prg.cs.nott.ac.uk/

http://g51csa.cs.nott.ac.uk/

Out of interest, did Physics say why PRG is on their banned list?

regarding CSA, i went to the module convenor to OOP, and he said CSA wasnt very useful for OOP and thought APS would be more suited (though not as good as PRG). Regarding OOP, i will have to learn the lectures in the summer and show him i am competent with self studying PRG for him to recommend OOP with no doubts...

i went to the module convenor to APS and while he said it wont help as much as PRG can, it is useful for programming in general...

regarding the ban list, i sent an email and this is their reply on the matter:

The Intro to Programming is very similar and runs almost parallel to one of our year 1 modules, and therefore the subject cannot be covered twice.

looking at the information in the module catalogue, i think they looked at the " debugging, elementary programming, conditionals, loops, functions and procedures, arrays and strings" and thought its too similar to matlab (despite it being used in a different language)

it seems now, the plan is: do APS (or perhaps CSA still) and OOP in 2nd year and learn PRG in the summer before uni starts... (im thinking of emailing to put down APS as the second module, but if it clashes then use CSA as the back up or something)

i would have been more comfortable if everyone agreed unanimously on which modules would be suitable though the slight contradictions are slightly worrisome
i stupidly, didnt go and get advice from the module convenor for CSA...

thank you for the websites

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)

http://g51prg.cs.nott.ac.uk/

http://g51csa.cs.nott.ac.uk/

do you happen to know where i can get the lecture resources for UST and OOP? ive tried going on each lectures homepage via this link and altering your sites, didnt find any :/

downloading all the resources for the modules, their prerequisites and their corequisites... and im just missing those two....at this rate, i get the feeling ill be learning the entire years worth of modules in the summer despite not getting any credit for them

[alex-hs]

(Original post by Dmon1Unlimited)
do you happen to know where i can get the lecture resources for UST and OOP? ive tried going on each lectures homepage via this link and altering your sites, didnt find any :/

downloading all the resources for the modules, their prerequisites and their corequisites... and im just missing those two....at this rate, i get the feeling ill be learning the entire years worth of modules in the summer despite not getting any credit for them

OOP is here: http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~cah/G51OOP/public_html/

I'm not sure about UST. I suspect most of the notes were/are on WebCT, though I have found this webpage, which gives an overview of the lectures (but no lecture notes) http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~pkl/ust/g51ust/

[Dmon1Unlimited]

(Original post by alex-hs)
OOP is here: http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~cah/G51OOP/public_html/

I'm not sure about UST. I suspect most of the notes were/are on WebCT, though I have found this webpage, which gives an overview of the lectures (but no lecture notes) http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~pkl/ust/g51ust/

i emailed him and he said he uploaded them to http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~pkl/g51ust/slides/
seems like a nice guy

though based on the slides, i think he either says most of the information orally, or theres yet another textbook :/