Software Engineering Q's (1 Viewer)

[Number7]

Hi! I'm currently doing my HSC and am probably going to be putting down soft. engineering as my 1st preference and I have a couple q's if anyone could please please answer them:

1. What do you actually "do"? I've been to the UTS and UNSW open days and still don't have much of a clue, so maybe a student's perspective would help me. The dude at UTS open day didn't seem like he had a clue what he even did as well
Specifically, how much is ACTUAL software programming on a computer?

2. How is the graduate pay and guarantee of a job etc?

3. Is it hard? I'll be getting a UAI of around 93 so yeah, guesstimate from there if that's possible please

4. 23 hours on site work. Do people find it hard to balance their lives like that?

5. UNSW v UTS for Soft. Engineering, who's better? I know you go to UNSW but yeah I didn't want to make a duplicate topic in another form

thanks for any replies

 

[sunny]

1. What do you actually "do"? I've been to the UTS and UNSW open days and still don't have much of a clue, so maybe a student's perspective would help me. The dude at UTS open day didn't seem like he had a clue what he even did as well

Specifically, how much is ACTUAL software programming on a computer?[/quote]
Seng studies more the management of software development, rather than the software development itself. There are a UNSW Computing subforum (http://community.boredofstudies.org/338/unsw-computing/) where you can read more about the different degrees (it gets asked lot). Also see http://www.computing.unsw.edu.au

3. Is it hard? I'll be getting a UAI of around 93 so yeah, guesstimate from there if that's possible please

Next to impossible to answer this question. I know people who have 90+ UAI and fail at uni, and vice versa. UAI is not really an indication of whether you will do well at uni at all.

4. 23 hours on site work. Do people find it hard to balance their lives like that?

If you manage your time right you should be fine. Most 1st year engineering students have 20+hpw

 

[Number7]

Ok I've read that topic now I'm even more confused than before...

I went onto seek.com.au and searched for "software engineer" jobs and they asked for both programming experience (which you don't learn doing the Seng course I believe?) and also Seng experience. Wtf? Do I have to do a double degree? The salaray packages look nice though

I was told that the code monkey field was saturated now and that Seng's were in huge demand due to their "conceptual" skills and not their programming skills.

 

[sunny]

Ok I've read that topic now I'm even more confused than before...

I went onto seek.com.au and searched for "software engineer" jobs and they asked for both programming experience (which you don't learn doing the Seng course I believe?) and also Seng experience. Wtf? Do I have to do a double degree? The salaray packages look nice though

I was told that the code monkey field was saturated now and that Seng's were in huge demand due to their "conceptual" skills and not their programming skills.

The software engineering degree has its focus in managing the development of software, but thats not to say you are not taught any programming whatsoever.

It would also be ridiculous to have a software engineer in charge of a team of programmers but him/herself doesn't know anything about programming.

 

[Number7]

Ah Excellend. That's a big help, I think I will be putting Seng as my 1st pref again now. But at which uni, UNSW or UTS?

 

[elfm]

as a general biased note, if transport doesn't worry you (sif you couldn't spare 15-20mins each way for a bus ride), then unsw > uts at everything

 

[Number7]

as a general biased note, if transport doesn't worry you (sif you couldn't spare 15-20mins each way for a bus ride), then unsw > uts at everything

Unbiased preferably but UNSW does look nice but UTS is in the city! :O

 

[jemsta]

in the end the degree is the same...you get your degree and you apply for whatevre software engineering job you want
think about the pros and cons of each uni such as transport etc and make your decision based from there

 

[Number7]

Hi I recieved this PM from some one who will remain anonymous, I'd like people's input on what they think about this person's opinion:

"hello, i remember when i was like you last yr when i was thinking of doing software engineering

i was thinking between, unsw, uts, uow

i did the questionnaire, i did MCE and i did early entry for all

and what i realized that uow and unsw was bragging themselves too much and i knew something wasn't right until i did my own research and is the result of it was that unsw has the worst job rates, and it turns out the ranking creatia is based on the following 5 things (check out times and they will tell you)

1. Research
2. University Admission Numbers
3. Difficulty of the course
4. Varieties of the course (majors)
5. Student satisfaction

UNSW kills the top four with no uni coming close to it however satisfaction numbers are awful ( check good uni guide 2006)

in picking the best uni, think of what best suits you and not what best suits the uni. Its best coming out a happy man in 4/5 yrs (whereva you go) rather then being a man who hate uni life and fails like 10% of their subjects and takes longer to finish. im not promoting or condoning any uni im just trying to ensure you dont fall or their tactics.

Oh btw, UNSW ranking of number one is research will be destroyed once VSU comes in and the uni wont tell you bcoz 2.2million from unsw and 2.1 mill from usyd are being poured into their unions to keep their survival however as uts is in the city and theres alot of shit you can do compared to Kingston and redfern (unless u wanna play spot the drunk in the block), their only giving away 200K and i know this bcoz uts union are bitching as a typical union.

But yea, its 4/5 yrs pick what makes you happy not what makes the uni happy. Btw there's a O Camp, it makes the best of the fear of the transition from school to uni, the friends ive made there are mostly the friends though out your uni life. Only uts does it and you get drunk 2nd night which is gold"

 

[sunny]

You should know to make your own mind up whether its another biased opinion or not.

 

[Number7]

You should know to make your own mind up whether its another biased opinion or not.

.........
Ignoring your crappy English, how the fuck do I do that smart ass? What information do I have to work with? I don't go to uni now do I? Hence I can only ask people who do go to uni and take what I can.

I've been nice this whole time. Stay out of my topic if you have nothing useful to add.

 

[sunny]

.........how the fuck do I do that smart ass?

Read all the posts so far in this thread. None of them have gone to say one uni is better than another in a serious fashion, or to say one uni is/will be bad for particular reasons, other than the PM you posted - without looking any further than that can you make your mind up on whether that was a biased opinion?

I've been nice this whole time.

So have I.

Stay out of my topic if you have nothing useful to add.

Stay out of my forum if you cannot be polite or don't like the way I post.



End of discussion.