Why are there so many courses?? (1 Viewer)

[Survivor39]

I want to know why are there so many courses at uni such as in UNSW when in fact, a number of the courses are exactly the same!

For example, B Psychology, B Med Sc, B Sport and health science, B Computing Science, B Environmental science, B food science, B Nanotech....ALL these so-called "named degrees" can simply be done by taking B Science and some with honours as the 4th addition year. Why go through all the trouble and divide B Science into so many restricted program when B Science allows you to major in so many thing? Would it be easier to give them a "recommanded plan" in working towards their major and field of specialisation.

I found this disturbing because year 12 people have no clue as to what undergrad programs are about. most of them probably thinks B medical science and B psychology are "special" (not putting down my degree or anyting), but when in fact, it is not THAT unqiue (only a few uoc difference). I have few friends who regretted choosing B Med Sc because they though it was special (like Optometry which have its special courses restricted to its program). And one travelled from Newcastle to UNSW everyday...For WHAT?? she is going to change to uni Newcastle next year because it is not worth it to do a B Science with all the travelling.

I think uni should really make things clear at the way they present their "Course descriptors" in the UAC guide. Most of the info are a load of crap and misleading. Maybe under all the named degree they can put down "Refer to B Sc" or "Same as B Sc".

what do you think? and is this only happening in the Science faculty or is this universal within the uni? I am very skeptical about all those B engineering degrees as well. lol. Maybe they should just have B E. LOL

 

[sunny]

This is probably a universal thing across most if not all unis.

You might be thinking of this slightly wrong way.

ALL these so-called "named degrees" can simply be done by taking B Science and some with honours as the 4th addition year.

Yes, that is true. But see next thing...

Why go through all the trouble and divide B Science into so many restricted program when B Science allows you to major in so many thing? Would it be easier to give them a "recommanded plan" in working towards their major and field of specialisation.

The main goal here is the piece of paper you get at the end, your degree. From a qualifications perspective, a B Med Sci graduate would definitely be seen as more qualified that a B Sci person who majored in medical science. Of course, both people might have done almost exactly the same subjects. But the truth is, they are in different programs, and what you get in the end is different.

The idea is that the specialisation is there if you are sure what field you want to study in - but the choice is also there in the more general programs if you are unsure of what field you want to specialise in just yet.

This kind of the case with Comp Sci/Comp Eng/Soft Eng. Comp Sci has the lowest cut off out of the three courses - and because of its flexibility, it can imitate the other two degrees quite easily (obvious question is why the difference in cut off when you can do the same subjects). If I did do all the same subjects as Comp Eng, what I get in the end is still a B Sci (Comp Sci) degree.


btw, there is no B Computer Science, only B Sci (Comp Sci).

 

[kewpid]

It's to pad out the UAC guidebook so they can justify charging $14 for it at newsagencies

 

[Waldo]

It's to pad out the UAC guidebook so they can justify charging $14 for it at newsagencies

haha its not $14 anymore, its $15 now

 

[RCMasterAA]

For a more superficial reason, if everyone said they did B Sci, it'd be pretty boring wouldn't it? I mean just saying the word 'nanotechnology' is cooler than saying 'science'

 

[Frigid]

I want to know why are there so many courses at uni such as in UNSW when in fact, a number of the courses are exactly the same!

well UTS has 6 arts in communication variants (info management, social inquiry, journalism, media arts and production, public communication, writing and contemporary cultures) plus 6 more if you combine law with each of them.

not that i know the difference

 

[redslert]

it all breaks down to the simple question of, "what is in a name?"

why do some people perfer USYD law compared to UNSW
it's all in the name and the piece of people you get at the end

 

[gman03]

Perspective

it's all in the name and the piece of (paper) you get at the end

that is from uni students' perspective.
from yr 12's perspective, it is still dominated by the cut-off e.g. software eng is "so much better" than a computer science degree; electrical eng is crapper than computer eng (it is just used as an example. ref: UAC 2004)

 

[asdf]

t electrical eng is crapper than computer eng

But it is!

 

[McLake]

software eng is "so much better" than a computer science degree

And this is also true ...

 

[redslert]

And this is also true ...

just keep telling yourself that
you'll feel better soon

 

[RCMasterAA]

lol, McLake knows he's outnumbered so he feels the need to fight back, it's natural since we're all around him

 

[gman03]

my sarcasm turned back on me

thou I'm a first year student, i might go to the unsw open day to see how good are comp & soft eng.

 

[|Axis_]

its all about the title u get. do u want to be an *engineer*? a *scientist*?

the engineering plans r somewhat like science plans with some set electives and a compulsory honours year. but i'm sorry, if youve got *engineer* written on your degree, that just aint good enough, is it? you just aint a *scientist*, are you? you just aint in *science*!

but u should take a look at estimates of graduate salaries and their degrees - then u can make ur own decision on whether the name of the degree has anything to do with the earnings. compare, for example, science graduates with engineering graduates of similar degrees (like computer science, computer engineering).

 

[withoutaface]

Engineer= a scientist who can actually do stuff.

 

[Survivor39]

withoutaface, what happened to the Calculon account?? lol
and I disagree with your statement.

 

[McLake]

lol, McLake knows he's outnumbered so he feels the need to fight back, it's natural since we're all around him

Help, they are all aroud me, noooo!

Engineering is good for "practicle" people, Science is good for those who like "research". They way I look at it is this: The Scientist will devise a funky new aglo for no particular application, just for interest. The Engineer will work out how and where to apply it ...

 

[Bobaryn]

Software Engineering > Comp Sci

Just thought i'll even the odds by backing mrla here

 

[McLake]

Software Engineering > Comp Sci

Just thought i'll even the odds by backing mrla here

Thanks for your support, but that isn't really what I am saying (even if it is what I am thinking). I am merly saying that the different courses are suited to different people.

 

[underthesun]

Well, with software engineering, you get good amount of practicality through playing with pain (cough*SENG1020*cough) and sometimes through psychological blackholes (cough*BDM*cough), and enough of the "research" aspects of computers (i.e the computing electives).

I for one didnt regret it, seeing how my current higher comp tutor said that seng is the best .

oh and btw the average UAI for people entering SENG is significantly higher than compsci, save for the co-op scholars