ChaaaAAaad...where are youuuu

(Chad the MacInsiders President is in CMST and MM...and should post back to you soon).

Originally Posted by gillybean

Hey!
I just got an offer of acceptance for McMaster's Humanities.
I am planning to go into the Combined honours communications & multimedia, and I was wondering if anyone could give me a little bit more info on the program, what to expect, etc. Any information is helpful!

Thanks!

Congrats Gillybean! I'm in my third year of CMST+MMEDIA. Can you give me more direction on what specifically you'd like to know?

A few points:
- Small class sizes, you become really close with your classmates
- Really great and approachable professors
- Once you get into 2nd year, you get access to a private computer lab just for MMEDIA students that has top of the line iMac's and PC's, green screen, audio stations, and a comfortable lounge.
- Communications has many interesting fields in public relations, advertising, broadcasting, and more. Combine this with the creativity and skills you'll learn from multimedia, and I think it's a good combination.

Note: In first year, you take general courses for both mmedia and cmst, and then fill the rest of your courses with other humanities classes, so you get to try out a whole bunch of interesting classes like Theater and Film, Peace Studies, English, Languages, etc. Once you get into 2nd year, things get more specialized and focused.

What are you most interested in for multimedia? Topics include graphic design, video production, programming, web design, 3D animation, game design, audio design, text analysis, etc.

Communications has some great classes that focus on a variety of topics listed here.

First year communication students usually have Dr. Sévigny, who I enjoyed as a professor.

I'd recommend taking Inquiry in first year as an elective course, since it lets you meet a whole bunch of other first year students so you'll be able to make new friends really quickly

Thanks!

yeah I think you basically answered everything. I am hoping to go into Advertising afterwards so I think this is an amazing program for me!

Thanks for everything!!! All of this information will come in handy with my future plans!

Your welcome Gillybean!

I have another question about the combined honours of communications and multimedia, how many people usually move on into that? What average do you usually need to get into it in second year? I enjoy doing media arts, photography, etc. so I assume the multimedia would be good for me. the communications is more theory based and whatnot.
Let me know anything bout it.

oh also, is there a specific type of computer/equipment/software that would be useful to have for the courses?

Hi again Gillybean!

I believe about 30-40 students are accepted each year.

Requirements for MULTIMEDIA:

Enrolment in this program is limited and highly competitive. Selection is based on academic achievement in Level I Multimedia courses but requires, as a minimum, completion of any Level I program and a Cumulative Average of at least 6.0 including a grade of at least B- in each of MMEDIA 1A03, 1B03.

COMMUNICATION COMBINED HONORS:

Completion of any Level I program and a Cumulative Average of at least 6.0 and a grade of at least B- in CMST 1A03.

So you're looking at getting a B- in both CMST1A and Multimedia first year courses. If you have that, then you have a good shot at getting in.

As for equipment, once you get into second year and are accepted into the program you gain access to a private multimedia computer wing which has top notch iMac's and PC's that you're able to use, as well as being able to take out video equipment, etc.

For home, I'd recommend an iMac or buying a MacBookPro, since it is what most students end up using in the multimedia program.

Software all depends on your classes. The program in first year uses photoshop, fireworks, dreamweaver, and final cut pro / Premier. However you do have access to a public iMac lab that first years can access on the 2nd floor of TSH if you need to access Photoshop ... but that lab is only open during the day, unlike the upper year mmedia wing which is 24/7.

Well right now I have a mac desktop, and my parents want to just get me a cheap pc laptop and have my mac desktop in my room at rez, which i disagree with because I would rather sell my desktop and get a nice new macbook pro and have a portable hard drive. Do you know any good laptops (non-mac) that would be good?

I'm pretty computer illiterate...but I got an HP and have had no qualms with it so far.

You can check out this thread on laptops from last summer: http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...ght=compute r

A lot of students in MMEDIA have Mac Book Pro's and use them as their laptop during class (lecture notes, etc) but then are able to take them back home and use them as a powerful desktop replacement. Having 1 computer for everything makes things a lot easier... but I think the decision should be up to you. If you feel you'd be more comfortable with a MacBook Pro to use as both your laptop and desktop in one, I say go for it.

Myself, I'm doing what your parents are recommending... I have a Mac at home, and a PC laptop. Though the laptop isn't a cheap one, it's the same sort of idea. One of the advantages to this is that with multimedia you're doing a lot of graphic editing (photoshop), Adobe Flash, Dreamweaver, and video editing (final cut or premier). While I can do these on my laptop with a 17inch widescreen, I would MUCH prefer using these apps on a much larger screen to give me more canvas space and let me have enough room for all those cluttered panels lol. While a MacBook Pro is powerful enough to handle it, there's just no comparison between the screen on a laptop and having a 24inch iMac

Also remember that in class you're not going to be doing your video editing / graphics editing on your laptop. When you're in class you'll be using your laptop to take notes. And when you're in tutorial or class and working on a project... you have the multimedia lab with iMac's in it to do your work, and they have all the latest software on them. When it's time to actually do work outside of class, you can either go to the lab and work on it there and then use an external drive to store your files when you're done, or you can go home and work on it there on your big iMac screen.

So it's more of a preference decision you have to make. Do you mind working on projects on a smaller screen? If not, then go for the MacBook Pro and use it for everything. Or, buy a cheap laptop to take notes on (try to get the lightest weight one, and not worry about having a small screen) and then know that you can go back to Res to work on any projects you may have.

For good quality, low price laptops I'd look at MDG and Dell

Hey everyone, these question are probably going to seem quite silly to some of you, but I'm totally lost in the entire university experience. I've recently accepted my offer to Mac for Linguistic Cognitive Studies. It says that it's an honours program...what exactly does that mean? Also, am I able to take 4 courses per semester course load rather than 5 (is 5 the standard?). And lastly, if I wish to pursue French (as a minor), but I didn't take grade 12, is there a "lead in" type course I can take to catch up? Has anyone here ever taken French, and if so, is it difficult?
Thanks for your time!

An honours program is a four year program. The extra year means you will learn more specified content on your discipline, and the courses are much more difficult.

Technically, although you have been accepted into the program now, it is not your major (I know this sounds confusing...). You technically pick your major towards the end of second year.

To be considered a full time student, you only need to be registered in more than 18 units. A one term course is considered 3 units, and a full year class is 6 units (you do the math). Soo if you take only 24 units that is fine, but it will take you an extra year to complete your degree.

Yes, you can take French if you haven't taken it past ninth grade (or never). You would be taking French 1A06

Originally Posted by KaylaMarie

I wish to pursue French (as a minor), but I didn't take grade 12, is there a "lead in" type course I can take to catch up? Has anyone here ever taken French, and if so, is it difficult?
Thanks for your time!

There's FRENCH 1Z06 BEGINNER'S INTENSIVE FRENCH I

"This course is designed for students without Grade 12 French who are registered in Faculties other than Humanities or Social Sciences or the Arts & Science program"

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /calen...8/crs_1088.htm

If anyone has any questions about Honours English and/or Classical History feel free to shoot'em my way as those are my areas of focus!
In my first year I took the following:
ENGLISH 1C06
HISTORY 1AA3
HISTORY 1A03
HISTORY 1LL3
HISTORY 1L03
PHILOS 1A03
PHILOS 1B03
PHILOS 1E03
RELIG ST 1E03

So if you have any questions about those let me know!

Hey Chad I recently got accepted to Mac for Multimedia (Humanities) but when you said only 30-40 people get accepted into 2nd year has me scared a bit...Like, there must be a lot of people taking Multimedia, and only 30-40 move on? I hear that McMaster is making Multimedia a Single Honours program now starting in 2008. Does this mean that the amount of students accepted to 2nd year has increased?

Also I am thinking of possibly doing Communication Studies. Can you give some reflections on the first year classes? Did you enjoy it? Was it interesting? What kind of topics did you cover?

Thanks please let me know!

Originally Posted by Avneet

Hey Chad I recently got accepted to Mac for Multimedia (Humanities) but when you said only 30-40 people get accepted into 2nd year has me scared a bit...Like, there must be a lot of people taking Multimedia, and only 30-40 move on? I hear that McMaster is making Multimedia a Single Honours program now starting in 2008. Does this mean that the amount of students accepted to 2nd year has increased?

Also I am thinking of possibly doing Communication Studies. Can you give some reflections on the first year classes? Did you enjoy it? Was it interesting? What kind of topics did you cover?

Thanks please let me know!

Also, In addition to this. What do you think of the Dell XPS laptop for Multimedia? I was considering the Macbook/Macbook Pro but they are a bit out of my price range. Dell XPS is about 1300 so it is not as bad.