Comp Sci vs Software Engineering (1 Viewer)

[melissa92]

What are the pros and cons of each? I still can't make up my mind. I still have 3.5 hours to change my preferences only.

Thank you.

 

[lolwot]

I've also been looking and heres what I've found

http://community.boredofstudies.org/338/unsw-computing/compsci-vs-seng-vs-comp-eng-53497.html
http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/opencms/...undergraduate/downloads/programComparison.pdf

 

[ismeta]

There are numerous differences between the computer science and software engineering degrees.

pros of computer science:

• computer science has many more free electives. If you take software engineering, you have to take a number of courses that computer science doesn't have to do - COMP3141 (software systems design and implementation), COMP3311 (database systems), COMP3331 (computer networks & applications), ENGG1000 (engineering design), MATH2400 (finite mathematics), MATH2859 (probability, statistics and information), numerous software engineering workshops and a thesis.
• within seng you will have to complete 60 days of industrial training to complete your degree; this is not a requirement for the completion of the computer science degree.

depends on personal preference:

• for software engineering there are four software engineering workshop courses that you will have to do - these are project-oriented courses, where you work on a project in a group with other people (the handbook should have more information on these)
  as seng is an engineering degree, as mentioned, you'll have to complete a thesis - this is mostly why the degree is four years.
  within seng you will have to complete 60 days of industrial training to complete your degree; this is not a requirement for the completion of the computer science degree.
• as seng is an engineering degree, as mentioned, you'll have to complete a thesis - this is mostly why the degree is four years.

cons of computer science

• can't take SENG courses

note that your electives within software engineering are much more restricted: you get two free electives and the other electives are either gen ed or have to be chosen from a more restricted set of courses. computer science doesn't have this limitation; there are more free electives that you can take.

 

[melissa92]

Thank you ismeta.
hmm..looks like I'll pick Computer Science. =D

Thank you.

 

[freddiegibbs]

A student enrolled in the Computer Science program will be able to take any courses a student in the Software Engineering program will take, except for SENG courses. It's up to you to decide whether or not those will be worthwhile, but it's not a choice you need to make off the back of the words of internet strangers. The first semester for both programs is exactly the same, so you can just enrol in Software Engineering and switch out at the end of first semester if you don't want to take the SENG courses any more.

For what it's worth, I don't believe the extra courses in the SENG program have value.

 

[ComputingGuide]

It is easier to choose Software Engineering first then dropping to Computer Science compared to starting Computer Science and climbing to Software Engineering. You should decide on it before the end of your first semester because that is when they start a specalised course for Software Engineering. If you do not like Software Engineering, going to Computer Science is almost automatically approved.

Here is more information about UNSW Internal Program Transfer: https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/academiclife/program_transfer/InternalProgramTransfer.html

 

[stgeorge2]

What are the workshops like? Dont you guys like them?