[H-GEN] Uni Courses

[Raymond Smith]

(Note reply-to: being general at humbug.org.au vs Raymond Smith <raymonds at uq.net.au>)

This is somewhat of a holy war issue on the HUMBUG lists -- hence the
deafening silence. But you do deserve an answer. My background: UQ
BSc(CompSci) student been working for CiTR for two years now. I entered
CiTR along with a QUT graduate so I have some basis for comparison.

Summary: either is fine. 

UQ has more of a research focus, and a theory feel to its subjects. It
also has had poorer equipment, but better Internet access. It has a much
better library, and a nicer campus than Gardens Point. It also has many
more electives, especially if you go the BSc/BA path. If you want a well
rounded education, and want to study many different things, UQ is great.

QUT is the university for the real world. Its subjects tend to be more
practical. You will learn about ow TCP/IP stacks work. You do get much
more hands on experience. QUT also offers an industry experience for
credit points program. If you like hands on, practice QUT is great. Its
courses are also more structured than UQ qith much more specialisation.

Each university has speacialist areas of research. So if you are
interested in security, you might want to check out QUT. If you are more
interested in signals processing you might want to look at UQ. THen again,
if you are interested in Cryptography you should be at UQ in its Maths
Department.

What about employment? On paper UQ graduates are employed at a faster rate
than QUT graduates, but anecdotal evidence suggests that many small
software firms tend to hire first from QUT for your 'hands on value'. In
practice, you learn as much in your first year of work as you do in three
years of undergrad and a degree is really only a right of passage to your
first job.

My QUT friend and I have noticed no long term effect from choosing QUT or
UQ. He was a little faster coding starting off, and I knew a little more
about businsess process and design. That was aboput it. These days we are
equivalent.

The choice between UQ or QUT depends on what _you_ want from an education.
The two universities do have different academic cultures and lifestyles
and you need to choose the one that best matches you.

(Apologies to Griffith Uni students and Alumni, I can't comment on your
university although it does seem to be a cross between QUT's personality
and UQ's campuse setting.)

Someone who'd studied at QUT and UQ once told me that you went to UQ to be
at University, while you went to QUT to get a degree. I'm not sure if that
bit of pith is of any worth or not.

Good luck with your studies,

Raymond

On Mon, 12 Jul 1999, oPiate wrote:

> (Note reply-to: being general at humbug.org.au vs oPiate <cunningham at uq.net.au>)
> 
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Gidday Folks,
> 
> Well, tis that time of year when folks like myself have to fill in those
> QTAC forms. I was wondering if anyone who goes/has been to UQ or QUT
> studying IT associated subjects would be prepared to give me their
> oppinion on course and which UNI they think is best. If you could please
> reply to me directly at cunningham at uq.net.au as to avoid clogging up the
> list with info people probably dont wont to see
> 
> Cheeries
> --
> Regards,
> 
> Conor Cunningham
> (oPiate)
> 
> 'These are the cries of the carrots...tomorrow is harvest day, but for
> them,
> it is the Holocaust' (Disgustipated, TooL.)
> ================================
>  oPiate Industries Inc.
>  cunningham at uq.net.au
>  http://www.uq.net.au/~zzmcunni
> ================================
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: PGPfreeware 6.0 for non-commercial use <http://www.pgp.com>
> 
> iQA/AwUBNhVEs6aSHNlTYFLzEQIbSQCfZiHbW8H/H668WPWKivBE2ANWns8AoIsd
> 9rTRfwE7GLE563f6/fiDKNs9
> =4jQm
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
> 
> 
> 
> --
> This is list (humbug) general handled by majordomo at lists.humbug.org.au .
> Postings only from subscribed addresses of lists general or general-post.
> 

---
raymond at humbug.org.au              The early bird catches the worm, 
                                       but the second mouse eats the cheese


--
This is list (humbug) general handled by majordomo at lists.humbug.org.au .
Postings only from subscribed addresses of lists general or general-post.