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University of Warwick

Coventry

Discrete mathematics

Hat anyone recently graduated or currently on the discrete maths course because the only posts I could find where from around 2010/11 where they say the course is terrible! Anyone got any input because that's worrying haha

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Reply 1

acontium

*Has

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University of Warwick

Coventry

Reply 2

TheIrrational

Do you have any specific questions about the course? I'm a straight maths student and personally the course looks good to me because I like computer science and maths. I don't have experience being on the course, I know people on it though and can give rough details about it.

Reply 3

acontium

It was mainly a general question as the only conversations I can see about it are from 2011. Which all state that the departments don't work well together and don't treat the students well haha! It was more just to address that really!

Reply 4

ImNormal

Original post by acontium

From what I've heard (from speaking to people on the course), it seems like it's improved from the old posts. Did you apply to do disc math?

Reply 5

acontium

No actually straight CompSci, but asked to changed and they said I'd be allowed. But I thought I'd retract that if it was the same as what I'd heard. It just all seems to crazy with tutorials and stuff! Haha

Reply 6

ImNormal

Original post by acontium

Yeah I applied for Comp Sci too and I've changed to discrete math.

Reply 7

acontium

Interesting. Haha! We need to find people on the course!

Reply 8

ImNormal

Original post by acontium

Interesting. Haha! We need to find people on the course!

Just a question, Did you do further maths or computing at A-Level?

I've done neither, so I'm feeling a little ill-prepared for the course but I assume others will be in a similar position.

Reply 9

acontium

Both actually haha! And don't be silly! You just have to make extra good friends with us guys and we will help you out and you can steal my notes :tongue:

Reply 10

TheIrrational

I think it has probably improved since the old posts.

However the support for the maths based modules is FAR less than for discrete maths students than for the straight maths students. For example, in my first year, which was admittedly 2 years ago now, we studied analysis I (which you will study on discrete maths) and as a straight maths student we got 4 hours of small support classes and 1 hour of lectures a week whereas I believe discrete maths only got 3 hours of lectures and no small class help for the module. As a result of this discrete maths students did a lot worse in the exam (I am yet to meet one who passed, although 2 years on no one cares about first year modules so I haven't asked many people!).

The above may not be true any more, and when you will start it will have been 3 years since my experience with this, so there will more than likely be more support.

Other than that module, the discrete maths course does look good to me, and I do in some way wish I did it.

Reply 11

acontium

That's what worries me is that for a course like that the support needs to be good! Well this is worrying. Haha!

Reply 12

TheIrrational

The support is there, I think you just need to ask for it a little more! If you don't like the maths side once you start the course from second year you don't have to do any maths.

It's going to be a lot of independent study anyway, so in the end you'll probably have to study independently as much as straight maths students (I currently do about 20 hours a week of independent work).

Reply 13

acontium

Ah that is very true! I assume you are final year straight math?

Reply 14

TheIrrational

I am, I was originally going to do the 4 year course, but was offered a job in September last year and decided to take it rather than study another year. I can highly recommend both Warwick and any of the maths based courses.

I'm doing open day tours this year too, so if you come along you may have me showing you around.

Reply 15

acontium

I applied for computernscience but had the option to change to discrete or pure which is like to do just not 100% haha!

Reply 16

TheIrrational

Original post by acontium

I applied for computernscience but had the option to change to discrete or pure which is like to do just not 100% haha!

Any of computer science, discrete or pure maths are good courses I imagine. Do what you think you'd enjoy most. If you want a great level of computer science in your degree I recommend not pure maths. :smile: