I just read through this thread

http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...77112& page=2

and it's pretty worrying. I was looking at software engineering but I really have no attachment to one particular stream, how does software compare to computer and electrical?

shit

Courses like 3X03 make it the biggest waste of tuition. It is the only course, that is not only bad, it is the only course I considered to ask my money back for.

and there are a lot of courses like that

Originally Posted by MrPlinkett

shit

Courses like 3X03 make it the biggest waste of tuition. It is the only course, that is not only bad, it is the only course I considered to ask my money back for.

and there are a lot of courses like that

Lol are you prepared for Saturdays killer final?

Originally Posted by Esoremada

I just read through this thread

http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...77112& page=2

and it's pretty worrying. I was looking at software engineering but I really have no attachment to one particular stream, how does software compare to computer and electrical?

You will program more in comp and ECE than you would in SE at mac. SE at mac is a CS program and not a SE program. It also has a lot worse reputation than ECE/Comp/Any other eng.

I mentioned this in the other stream: software is all about what you do on your own. Its more skill than most eng programs and actually requires practice. Ive heard most software eng ppl in industry say that a Jr Software Engineer (worth little) is basically one with less than 2000 hours of coding.

So if I chose computer engineering for the higher reputation would I still be able to apply for jobs that say "computer science degree or equivalent degree" and have a comparable skillset? I feel like I'd be happy in any stream without chemistry so I'd rather go in to the one with a better reputation and better professors/course distribution.

Originally Posted by Esoremada

So if I chose computer engineering for the higher reputation would I still be able to apply for jobs that say "computer science degree or equivalent degree" and have a comparable skillset? I feel like I'd be happy in any stream without chemistry so I'd rather go in to the one with a better reputation and better professors/course distribution.

For most engineering, particularly software, it experience they want, not school. For your first SE coop job try to put projects that you have worked on yourself. IF you have no projects then start working on them. Mobile Dev is very easy to start with. Android is the cheapest to develop for (free) but if you have a macbook and iphone/ipad you could pay the dev fee to develop for it too. Once you have your first job then that becomes the first thing on your resume with your degree tucked in at the end.

reputation of a stream really doesn't matter when you are trying to find a job. For example, if you go into ECE just cause it has a better reputation when the only thing you really enjoy is software, then you're gonna hate it! They only take like 1 or 2 actual programming courses and every other course is like circuits, physics and a bunch of insane math.
If your goal is to get a software job, why would you put yourself through that torture to end up getting the same job as a guy in software eng who just took courses related to programming (i say related, because even in SE theres very few actual programming courses. most courses are teaching you how to think like a software engineer and they expect you to practise programming on your own).

Originally Posted by Arka

reputation of a stream really doesn't matter when you are trying to find a job. For example, if you go into ECE just cause it has a better reputation when the only thing you really enjoy is software, then you're gonna hate it! They only take like 1 or 2 actual programming courses and every other course is like circuits, physics and a bunch of insane math.
If your goal is to get a software job, why would you put yourself through that torture to end up getting the same job as a guy in software eng who just took courses related to programming (i say related, because even in SE theres very few actual programming courses. most courses are teaching you how to think like a software engineer and they expect you to practise programming on your own).

If I thought I only enjoyed software I would have accepted Waterloo software engineering, the truth is that I probably won't know what I enjoy the most until I'm actually in the program

I'm busy studying for exams, but I'll take your advice and start learning mobile dev next semester.

Btw maybe I just suck at research, but I can't seem to find an outline of what you do in the software eng program. I got this for comp eng http://www.ece.mcmaster.ca/2comp.html#3dcam (and everything in the What Will You Study section sounds very cool) but all I can find for SE is this http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...nt/pg1232.html

Originally Posted by qwerty91

You will program more in comp and ECE than you would in SE at mac.

Originally Posted by Arka

They only take like 1 or 2 actual programming courses and every other course is like circuits, physics and a bunch of insane math.

Well which one is it

Pretty sure any comp sci/software they'll ask about what u programmed so make a portfolio.

Originally Posted by MrPlinkett

shit

Courses like 3X03 make it the biggest waste of tuition. It is the only course, that is not only bad, it is the only course I considered to ask my money back for.

and there are a lot of courses like that

I'm curious: which aspect of the course caused you such dismay? Was it the professor, the material covered, or just all of this stuff altogether? I remember taking the course last year - and I agree that it could have been better for what it was worth.

On that note, I've heard the professor is hanging the heads of the students he has slain after each test this term outside his door.

I'm curious: which aspect of the course caused you such dismay? Was it the professor, the material covered, or just all of this stuff altogether? I remember taking the course last year - and I agree that it could have been better for what it was worth.

On that note, I've heard the professor is hanging the heads of the students he has slain after each test this term outside his door.

Well, first of all I would like to ask, what was the course about?

We had no application, little examples, everything was too theoretical, the book we bought was incorrect one, the prof had no idea of our prior knowledge, the topics were not even connected to each other and were more like a collage of random topics other courses were too lazy to cover, the course had no system, halfway thru the term the prof had to change the style of how we do things...

should i continue? Worst 600 bucks I've spent....

This course is a mistake, it should not exist. It does not cover anything other courses wouldn't be able to cover, and the way it was cover, other courses (better ones) would be able to cover the whole thing in about a week or two. So we dont have to waste 3 months of our lives.

Is that your opinion on all the courses in Software Engineering or only 3X03? I'm interested in going into SE next year but this thread is worrying me.