Any tips on how to choose IT units for a BA? (1 Viewer)

[jaimebien]

I'm in my first year for BA (Media and Communications). For a time, I considered doing and IT degree because I love working with and around the Internet. Then, when I realised that the arts are my first love, I sort of abandoned that line of thought...until a friend suggested I could do an IT unit even in my arts degree. After smacking my head a few times, I realised I could--from Semester 2 onwards.

So...my question is, how do I go about choosing the best units for study? I'm reading the handbook (4. Undergraduate units of study - Engineering handbook - The University of Sydney) but most of it doesn't really make sense to me.

Basically, I'm very much into working on the front-end and back-end (PHP, the like) of websites. So...I guess what I would like to get out of studying any IT unit at tertiary level is to learn the principles of programming so that I can improve my work efficiency. It'd be nice of what I learn can be practically applied later. So...do you have any tips on how I should go about selecting my units of study?

(INFO1103 Introduction to Programming and INFO1003 Foundations of Information Technology sound OK, though it's hard to discern if they're really suitable...INFO1003 sounds very broad...)

 

[withoutaface]

Do INFO1103 and whatever the second semester programming one is. They'll give a taste for software development, and those principles can be fairly broadly applied. Keep in mind however you're not going to learn how to programme from one unit.

 

[jaimebien]

Thanks withoutaface. I'm doing only one IT unit as I can only one one non-arts unit in the semester.

I put in INFO1003 for next semester. I wonder if it's the right one for me though. The handbook says it cover internet systems and spreadsheets, which sounds a bit basic. Am I misreading it? On the other hand, if I don't do this unit, I might be putting myself at a disadvantage by skipping too far ahead.

As for INFO1103, I couldn't even get as far as putting it down in my course. Apparently, this unit is not part of my course? What does that mean? If it's because it's an IT unit, it doesn't make sense, because I put down INFO1003 successfully.

Also, how much time should I expect to put aside for either IT unit? Contact hours are about 4 or 5. Outside those times, what else should I be doing? I'm asking because I want to make sure that I'm assigning enough time to it, but at the same time, it isn't exactly a priority in my degree. I'm sorta treating it as my "fun" unit, after suffering through French the whole of Semester 1.

 

[withoutaface]

Thanks withoutaface. I'm doing only one IT unit as I can only one one non-arts unit in the semester.

I put in INFO1003 for next semester. I wonder if it's the right one for me though. The handbook says it cover internet systems and spreadsheets, which sounds a bit basic. Am I misreading it? On the other hand, if I don't do this unit, I might be putting myself at a disadvantage by skipping too far ahead.

As for INFO1103, I couldn't even get as far as putting it down in my course. Apparently, this unit is not part of my course? What does that mean? If it's because it's an IT unit, it doesn't make sense, because I put down INFO1003 successfully.

Also, how much time should I expect to put aside for either IT unit? Contact hours are about 4 or 5. Outside those times, what else should I be doing? I'm asking because I want to make sure that I'm assigning enough time to it, but at the same time, it isn't exactly a priority in my degree. I'm sorta treating it as my "fun" unit, after suffering through French the whole of Semester 1.

Go to your degree co-ordinator and ask for special permission to take 1103 as you'll get a lot more interesting stuff out of a programming unit than anything else. Time wise it's not a huge commitment, just make sure you turn up to the labs and are prepared to spend a couple of hours a week reading the text and writing code. When I did first year subjects there were two assignments which shouldn't take more than 25-30 hours of your time in total.

 

[jaimebien]

I've spoken to the IT and the MECO UG advisors, but they didn't know anything about it. Then, I spoke the the Arts faculty and was told to email the Arts UG coordinator and that did the trick. All this was done on phone, so it really saved me walking.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this. Thanks, withoutaface!