Compulsory extra subjects at Scottish Universities (Computer Science)
Morning all
Wanted to ask if its absolutely compulsory for students to attend "extra subjects" in the 1st 1/2 years at a Scottish University?
I am 28 years old and I am studying towards doing Computer Science at Glasgow University. My agenda is to do as much online education as I can while in employment so I can enter into the degree at the highest level (which I believe is 2nd year entry).
This said, it seems Scotland has this ridiculous set up where they make you take extra subjects alongside the main subject you've decided to go to university for. Quite simply, I don't want to do this as I know what I want to study - Computer Science.
Is it possible to request exemption from studying extra subjects? Is there any penalty for just "failing" the extra subjects (I believe that in Scotland the first 2 years of Uni education doesn't contribute to your overall degree grade - its marked as pass or fail.
Appreciate any perspectives on this or indeed on how one can build a serious foundation of computer science credentials.
T
Wanted to ask if its absolutely compulsory for students to attend "extra subjects" in the 1st 1/2 years at a Scottish University?
I am 28 years old and I am studying towards doing Computer Science at Glasgow University. My agenda is to do as much online education as I can while in employment so I can enter into the degree at the highest level (which I believe is 2nd year entry).
This said, it seems Scotland has this ridiculous set up where they make you take extra subjects alongside the main subject you've decided to go to university for. Quite simply, I don't want to do this as I know what I want to study - Computer Science.
Is it possible to request exemption from studying extra subjects? Is there any penalty for just "failing" the extra subjects (I believe that in Scotland the first 2 years of Uni education doesn't contribute to your overall degree grade - its marked as pass or fail.
Appreciate any perspectives on this or indeed on how one can build a serious foundation of computer science credentials.
T
Have you looked at the course specification and module options at Glasgow?
It sounds like you might be better suited to studying an Open University CS degree.
It sounds like you might be better suited to studying an Open University CS degree.
Original post by 13tfiles
Morning all
Wanted to ask if its absolutely compulsory for students to attend "extra subjects" in the 1st 1/2 years at a Scottish University?
I am 28 years old and I am studying towards doing Computer Science at Glasgow University. My agenda is to do as much online education as I can while in employment so I can enter into the degree at the highest level (which I believe is 2nd year entry).
This said, it seems Scotland has this ridiculous set up where they make you take extra subjects alongside the main subject you've decided to go to university for. Quite simply, I don't want to do this as I know what I want to study - Computer Science.
Is it possible to request exemption from studying extra subjects? Is there any penalty for just "failing" the extra subjects (I believe that in Scotland the first 2 years of Uni education doesn't contribute to your overall degree grade - its marked as pass or fail.
Appreciate any perspectives on this or indeed on how one can build a serious foundation of computer science credentials.
T
Wanted to ask if its absolutely compulsory for students to attend "extra subjects" in the 1st 1/2 years at a Scottish University?
I am 28 years old and I am studying towards doing Computer Science at Glasgow University. My agenda is to do as much online education as I can while in employment so I can enter into the degree at the highest level (which I believe is 2nd year entry).
This said, it seems Scotland has this ridiculous set up where they make you take extra subjects alongside the main subject you've decided to go to university for. Quite simply, I don't want to do this as I know what I want to study - Computer Science.
Is it possible to request exemption from studying extra subjects? Is there any penalty for just "failing" the extra subjects (I believe that in Scotland the first 2 years of Uni education doesn't contribute to your overall degree grade - its marked as pass or fail.
Appreciate any perspectives on this or indeed on how one can build a serious foundation of computer science credentials.
T
With respect I think you are being short sighted. Yes Computer Science is a thing but in the real world it rarely stands on its own and is more likely to be an enabler within an infinite number of subject specific domains from commerce to education, healthcare to manufacturing.
If I were you I would look to study the lines of business and or management so that you not only have skills to monetise your computing skills but perhaps get a glimpse into how your skills might for example streamline a business and improve productivity.
Original post by hotpud
With respect I think you are being short sighted. Yes Computer Science is a thing but in the real world it rarely stands on its own and is more likely to be an enabler within an infinite number of subject specific domains from commerce to education, healthcare to manufacturing.
If I were you I would look to study the lines of business and or management so that you not only have skills to monetise your computing skills but perhaps get a glimpse into how your skills might for example streamline a business and improve productivity.
If I were you I would look to study the lines of business and or management so that you not only have skills to monetise your computing skills but perhaps get a glimpse into how your skills might for example streamline a business and improve productivity.
Appreciate the thought - I actually have managerial/leadership experience from my employment and so I am looking (as part of my online studying) completing my CMI Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management. This said, I do believe that if one is to attend University, then its best they choose a subject that truly requires peer review, specialisation and depth of analysis, hence I am choosing to take Computer Science at Uni and qualify all my other experience online.
With this in mind, unless you are deliberately choosing a joint degree e.g. "Computer Science and Business", I think these subsidiary subjects that you have to study alongside are truly not necessary.
Original post by PQ
Have you looked at the course specification and module options at Glasgow?
It sounds like you might be better suited to studying an Open University CS degree.
It sounds like you might be better suited to studying an Open University CS degree.
I checked with Open Uni - they do a "Computing and IT" degree but not a specific "Computer Science" degree. I am looking at doing their online certificate in Software Engineering however.
This said, looking at jobs in Fintech and wider computer engineering, a specific Computer Science degree is in demand.
Original post by 13tfiles
With this in mind, unless you are deliberately choosing a joint degree e.g. "Computer Science and Business", I think these subsidiary subjects that you have to study alongside are truly not necessary.
In a world where everyone has a 1st class honours degree in (Enter Subject here), it is the small stuff that makes you stand out from the crowd that see you get the interview and potentially the job. Any company wanting to recruit you isn't looking for the finished article but they are looking for people who are open minded and in these fast changing times, someone who has a love of learning for learning's sake rather than it simply being a transactional means to an end. I took that approach and it didn't end well.
This was very much bought home to me when I attended an event put on my GCHQ about Cyber Security. Turns out that most of their hires don't have computing backgrounds but come from all walks of learning from English. Philosophy and Law. Why? Because people from different backgrounds think differently and in a fast changing world that gives you the competitive edge.
You are focusing purely on the "stuff" you need to learn to complete your degree. But computing isn't about stuff. Half the stuff you are learning now will be obsolete in 10 years time. What the best companies are interested in is how you think and go about solving problems. And how do you obtain those skills? By widening your circle of influence as wide as possible. Universities get it. That is why they are putting on these extras.
And if you don't believe me, listen to Elon Musk - he gets it
https://www.facebook.com/AbolishGovernmentSchools/videos/2390723434392000/
Original post by 13tfiles
Your being deliberately unhelpful, via faux-empathy and implicitly negating the rationale behind my question which in its originality is not "wild". Please only offer responses that contribute to the answer of the original OP.
here's a "wild" suggestion - ask Glasgow or read the program/course specification for the course.
Original post by PQ
here's a "wild" suggestion - ask Glasgow or read the program/course specification for the course.
You really are of no use to this thread.
Original post by 13tfiles
You really are of no use to this thread.
That's because you're asking a question that no one on TSR can answer with any authority.
If you want to know the answer ask Glasgow - their regulations and degree specification are what will answer your question. Getting aggressive with anyone who tries to point you in the right direction or emphasise the value of wider study isn't answering your question.
I've just read the regulations for Glasgow and their progspec for the CS degree. I know the answer to your OP.
But given you think I'm "no use" to your thread I'll let you do your own homework.
Original post by PQ
That's because you're asking a question that no one on TSR can answer with any authority.
If you want to know the answer ask Glasgow - their regulations and degree specification are what will answer your question. Getting aggressive with anyone who tries to point you in the right direction or emphasise the value of wider study isn't answering your question.
I've just read the regulations for Glasgow and their progspec for the CS degree. I know the answer to your OP.
But given you think I'm "no use" to your thread I'll let you do your own homework.
If you want to know the answer ask Glasgow - their regulations and degree specification are what will answer your question. Getting aggressive with anyone who tries to point you in the right direction or emphasise the value of wider study isn't answering your question.
I've just read the regulations for Glasgow and their progspec for the CS degree. I know the answer to your OP.
But given you think I'm "no use" to your thread I'll let you do your own homework.
Nothing wrong with being aggressive, so long its directed at passive aggressive/faux empathetic people. Why answer or engage with a thread when you don't know the answer? Keep racking those TSR stats buddy, you'll get to the big top one day XD.
Soft skills really being used to great effect here.
Hotpud’s advice is cracking btw, (as is PQ’s regarding seeking out the uni regs rather than relying on hearsay).
Hotpud’s advice is cracking btw, (as is PQ’s regarding seeking out the uni regs rather than relying on hearsay).
Original post by Admit-One
Soft skills really being used to great effect here.
Hotpud’s advice is cracking btw, (as is PQ’s regarding seeking out the uni regs rather than relying on hearsay).
Hotpud’s advice is cracking btw, (as is PQ’s regarding seeking out the uni regs rather than relying on hearsay).
The degree of ignorance laden assumptiveness by the people in this thread is hilarious, let alone the subtle negation against the question itself which is a perfectly reasonable question. I'm sure you will all notch an impressive post count. Next step is a Life Coaching diploma.
"Soft skills" when performed as poorly as in this thread, are as obvious as marks on a toilet.
(edited 1 month ago)
Original post by 13tfiles
The degree of ignorance laden assumptiveness by the people in this thread is hilarious, let alone the subtle negation against the question itself which is a perfectly reasonable question. I'm sure you will all notch an impressive post count. Next step is a Life Coaching diploma.
"Soft skills" when performed as poorly as in this thread, are as obvious as marks on a toilet.
"Soft skills" when performed as poorly as in this thread, are as obvious as marks on a toilet.
With the greatest respect, you asked a question and requested advice. That advice was given. If you already know what you want and what you want to do why on earth did you ask for advice?
Good luck. You clearly know more than everyone else and their collective experiences so will be just fine.
13tfiles, you've asked a question on an internet message board and people have taken time to respond with their advice.
The answer to your main question is that you need to check Glasgow's policy on how the additional subjects are graded, universities will have different policies and approaches here - you need to confirm with Glasgow & call up/email and ask if the policy isn't clear.
On the wider point about the use of wider education and learning outside of your core degree topic... it's really important. For almost any career. I completely echo hotpuds advice above - cross disciplinary skills and thinking are important, add value and are likely to only keep adding *more* value as time marches on. You may view them as unnecessary and you've absolutely entitled to your view of course, but that's not what employers and business think - and that's what matters because they are the people we have to impress to advance in our careers.
You're triviliaising the importance of soft skills but it's hard to think of a career path where they arn't very important. In my career (law), those soft skills are vital to smooth negotiations, get support from your colleagues when you need it, get to work on the best/most interesting areas where you work, etc... Don't dismiss them.
The journalist & author David Epstein's has written pretty extensively on how important a wide skill set is - the books called "Range" and there's a good TED talk on this too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6lBtiQZSho (the section from 3:00 to 5:00 is *very* relevant to this thread...)
If you want to approach this from a strictly "career benefit" perspective then the following subjects from the Glasgow subjects list would all be solid general subjects with strong business/commercial applicability I would look at:
Business
Management
Economics
Accounting and Finance
Data Science (for Comp Sci perhaps?)
Alternately, you could pick subjects for something completely different or pure interest - a couple of Urban Studies modules on city regeneration and planning look interesting to me in a personal capacity.
We didn't have this system in when I was at university in England, but looking back now as a tolerably successful legal professional I would recommend anyone at university takes full advantage of it, whether for supplementary career development, or personal enjoyment.
The answer to your main question is that you need to check Glasgow's policy on how the additional subjects are graded, universities will have different policies and approaches here - you need to confirm with Glasgow & call up/email and ask if the policy isn't clear.
On the wider point about the use of wider education and learning outside of your core degree topic... it's really important. For almost any career. I completely echo hotpuds advice above - cross disciplinary skills and thinking are important, add value and are likely to only keep adding *more* value as time marches on. You may view them as unnecessary and you've absolutely entitled to your view of course, but that's not what employers and business think - and that's what matters because they are the people we have to impress to advance in our careers.
You're triviliaising the importance of soft skills but it's hard to think of a career path where they arn't very important. In my career (law), those soft skills are vital to smooth negotiations, get support from your colleagues when you need it, get to work on the best/most interesting areas where you work, etc... Don't dismiss them.
The journalist & author David Epstein's has written pretty extensively on how important a wide skill set is - the books called "Range" and there's a good TED talk on this too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6lBtiQZSho (the section from 3:00 to 5:00 is *very* relevant to this thread...)
If you want to approach this from a strictly "career benefit" perspective then the following subjects from the Glasgow subjects list would all be solid general subjects with strong business/commercial applicability I would look at:
Business
Management
Economics
Accounting and Finance
Data Science (for Comp Sci perhaps?)
Alternately, you could pick subjects for something completely different or pure interest - a couple of Urban Studies modules on city regeneration and planning look interesting to me in a personal capacity.
We didn't have this system in when I was at university in England, but looking back now as a tolerably successful legal professional I would recommend anyone at university takes full advantage of it, whether for supplementary career development, or personal enjoyment.
(edited 1 month ago)
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