Best university for computer science

RomanNose said:
But it does really depend on the degree though. For example, if you are doing an engineering degree then the exams are usually regulated/ guided by IET. So the difference between the Universities is not that much compared to other subjects. Same sort of thing with medicine, where iirc all med schools pretty much sit the same exams.
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True, but from what I can gather, Oxford get around this by teaching a lot of extra content that's relevant, but not examinable, however, they still write their own exams (but as you say, have to abide by regulations); it doesn't mean the exams won't be harder though. Also, in regards to medicine, most Universities in the UK teach this as a PBL course (problem-based learning) whereas Oxford and Cambridge approach it from a much more scientific basis (I'm not saying PBL isn't scientific). It's not like exam-boards with GCSEs and A-Levels, where they set the exam throughout the country, and everyone sits the same. At Uni, these regulatory bodies are more-like OFSTED, in the sense that they ensure universities abide by certain guidelines, then they're free to set their own exams. I'm fairly sure this is how it works (but I do maths, so can't be 100% sure)
 
OpenToSuggestions said:
Staffordshire and Hertfordshire are IMECHE accredited for mechanical engineering degrees.
It doesn't mean they come close to Bristol/Bath/Birmingham (the proper one)/ Nottingham (the proper one)/Loughborough/Manchester (the proper one)/Lancaster etc.

Only the super turd Universities don't have the accreditation, such as Sunderland.
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Ahh K, but I imagine the regulation does tighten the gap quite a bit. Are the exams easier at the lesser Universities or do they just have lower grades?
 
OpenToSuggestions said:
The University is more important than the grade.
Getting a 2.1 at Derby just means you came 'well above average' in a class full of people with DEU at Alevel i.e. You did pretty well in a class who almost failed their Alevels - You are competing against people who are only at University because the government wants you to study to lower the unemployment numbers. The course won't have the breadth (not enough modules) or depth (they are finished by the end of April each year) of decent Unversities.

Get a 3rd at Camebridge and it means you did pretty badly at University that is in the top few in the world.

People say a 2.1 is what matters, but a 2.2 from somewhere decent is still going to be enough. Getting a 1st at Derby is like coming top of the remedial studies at school.
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Well, as someone who got a crappy degree from York University in Computer Science I can tell you the grade is indeed important and the above is ****.

Minimum you need is a 2.1 otherwise you get automatically rejected for graduate schemes.

Edit: Oh yeah, York is a nice place, good for CompSci too. Don't go if you hate C. I hate C.
 
Moses said:
Camebridge, eh? Lololol ;).



Great. Someone goes to some amazing private school, getting ridiculous levels of help, so they get good grades and can go to Oxbridge. They then go there and find out that they need to work to do that well, and the wheels come off. They're probably naturally brighter than the Derby grad, but I was saying about work ethic.

If someone's at Cambridge, scraping a 40%, they're just not trying - do you want an employee that just doesn't try, regardless of what their natural ability is? It's almost worse that they got A*A*A*A*, yet still only getting 40%.

If someone's at Derby, they're almost certainly not as naturally gifted, but if they're getting a starred first, they're at least putting in a good level of effort. They're never going to be Einstein, but at least they know how to get something done.

I'm not going to employ the Derby grad to get me to the moon, but who would you rather want managing your call centre staff, or looking after your supermarket? If you say the Cambridge grad... do you really want that zero work ethic guy in charge? Really?
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Urgh, this winds me up so much. I went to a college where most people didn't even go on to University. Everyone holds this view that Oxford is full of toffs with rich parents who paid £30,000 a year for private schooling and got spoon fed Oxbridge entrance exams and interviews. Only 50% of students went to a public school at Oxford, the %age is much higher at places like Durham (which is full of Oxford rejects).
 
To be fair though, you do wear gowns when you have exams :P.
I remember that letter that girl wrote, little did she realise that the University she was going to ( UCL ) was pretty much the same %age as Oxford.
 
Moses said:
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You are completely missing the point.

Even passing a degree at Camebridge is difficult - That is how it gets the reputation.
The grade of a degree means how much of the content you got correct in anything that was examined. You really need to understand that 40% in something incredibly hard is better than getting a good grade in something over half the country could get.
 
RomanNose said:
To be fair though, you do wear gowns when you have exams :P.
I remember that letter that girl wrote, little did she realise that the University she was going to ( UCL ) was pretty much the same %age as Oxford.
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Unfortunately we do have to wear gowns. Are you referring to the moron who didn't want to study in a "formal grand setting" yet wanted to study Law?
 
The guidelines Universities have to adhere to refer to minimum standards. Universities can (and do) present material at a level that is well beyond this lower bound.
 
Pudney said:
Well, as someone who got a crappy degree from York University in Computer Science I can tell you the grade is indeed important and the above is ****.

Minimum you need is a 2.1 otherwise you get automatically rejected for graduate schemes.

Edit: Oh yeah, York is a nice place, good for CompSci too. Don't go if you hate C. I hate C.
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Well there must be a huge amount of computer science graduates for the number of jobs available. The grade is still very important, but where you did it is too. Can we at least agree they are equally as important? :).
 
OpenToSuggestions said:
You are completely missing the point.

Even passing a degree at Camebridge is difficult - That is how it gets the reputation.

The grade of a degree means how much of the content you got correct in anything that was examined. You really need to understand that 40% in something incredibly hard is better than getting a good grade in something over half the country could get.
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Your grade is important, stop talking rubbish.

Oh, and the derivation of "Cambridge" is that it was situated with a bridge over the river "Cam". I know it's pronounced "Came", but it's CAMBridge. If in doubt, bridge over Cam.
 
OpenToSuggestions said:
Well there must be a huge amount of computer science graduates for the number of jobs available. The grade is still very important, but where you did it is too. Can we at least agree they are equally as important? :).
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No because they're not :confused:

When I did my course York was top 3 for Computer Science in the UK. Top 3. Did that help despite me not having a 2.1? No. Not at all.
 
Pudney said:
Your grade is important, stop talking rubbish.

Oh, and the derivation of "Cambridge" is that it was situated with a bridge over the river "Cam". I know it's pronounced "Came", but it's CAMBridge. If in doubt, bridge over Cam.
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I didn't go to CAMBRIDGE. It was an example :).

I have never said the grade is not important, I just stated that where you do it is at least as equally important. Read my posts before talking out of your ass please.

Pudney said:
No because they're not :confused:

When I did my course York was top 3 for Computer Science in the UK. Top 3. Did that help despite me not having a 2.1? No. Not at all.
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Then you are doing something else wrong. As you crap at interviews or have no work experience?
 
OpenToSuggestions said:
I didn't go to CAMBRIDGE. It was an example :).
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Ta. Don't write "Stanstead" either, that's another bugbear of mine. No idea why :p

I have never said the grade is not important, I just stated that where you do is at least as equally important. Read my posts before talking out of your ass please.

Then you are doing something else wrong. As you crap at interviews or have no work experience?
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No, what you said is University is more important than grade. It's not.

Then you are doing something else wrong. As you crap at interviews or have no work experience?
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Nope, plenty of work experience, and nope, didn't even get to interview stage. The reason why? Because I was automatically rejected for not having a 2.1.
 
Moses said:
I seem to recall you actually work at Oxford or Cambridge? Possibly maths? I could be very wrong, with me confusing you with someone else :o. Anyway, is it possible for one of your (admittedly bright) students to coast through, doing far less than they should, ending up with a bare pass? (40%)
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Apologies for the spelling mistakes. I am usually pretty good with them but I am dyslexic (oh yeah he is playing that card :p).

Nope I am doing a PhD but not at Oxbridge.
 
Pudney said:
No, what you said is University is more important than grade. It's not.
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It is just as important then.
You went somewhere good but got a naff grade. Asking for a 2.1 on a job advert doesn't mean they accept any 2.1s and above. They will still be very picky about the Universities that the applicants come from. Why? Because there are 1000s of graduates in every subject each year - Far more than the country needs.
May be the area I know (mechanical engineering) people get away with 2.2s as there are more jobs than graduates (James Dyson said this on an article a while ago on Tech Radar).

Moses said:
The second part was directed at w11tho, hence why I quoted him!
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I did spell it wrong a few times though and I deserve to be abused for it :p.
 
w11tho said:
The guidelines Universities have to adhere to refer to minimum standards. Universities can (and do) present material at a level that is well beyond this lower bound.
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And external examiners/accrediting bodies can and do tell universities to reduce the difficulty of their exams too.
 
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