For UNSW Engineering Students (1 Viewer)

[Life'sHard]

So I was wondering in the first year of engineering at UNSW does all engineering majors complete the same body of work? In terms of the subjects completed and what not? I've heard that you complete bits and pieces of different majors in the first year? I'm still quite undecided on what major to do.

Also I'm stuck between choosing Electrical, Civil and Software as my majors. If anyone with more knowledge than myself could provide their own understanding and ratings of each major based on enjoyability, employability and overall which is better I'd be grateful. Thanks

 

[jazz519]

Mostly speaking during first year there are quite a lot of similarities between engineering degrees. All the engineering degrees need to complete MATH1131, ENGG1000 which most people do during the first term. Some of the degrees also need to do PHYS1121 like electrical and civil. However, during that first year there are some subjects that are specific to the major like computer science students do COMP1511 and have to do discrete maths (MATH1081). So about half the subjects are similar and the other half aren't.

 

[vishnay]

Mostly speaking during first year there are quite a lot of similarities between engineering degrees. All the engineering degrees need to complete MATH1131, ENGG1000 which most people do during the first term. Some of the degrees also need to do PHYS1121 like electrical and civil. However, during that first year there are some subjects that are specific to the major like computer science students do COMP1511 and have to do discrete maths (MATH1081). So about half the subjects are similar and the other half aren't.

is there anything u dont recommend doing in general? (classes wise)

doing actuarial/comp sci btw

 

[jazz519]

is there anything u dont recommend doing in general? (classes wise)

doing actuarial/comp sci btw

Can't really comment on that particularly for that degree combination because I did an advanced science degree in chem (major) and maths (minor). I just know about the engineering stuff because I've done some of those first year subjects (MATH1131, MATH1231, PHYS1121, PHYS1221) that are common and originally I was planning to do adv sci / eng double degree but changed later when my scholarship only allowed single degrees.

I can comment on the maths part though since I did a minor in it, unless you are doing a math major or your degree requires you to do the higher level of the maths subjects, it's a better idea to do the MATH1131 as opposed to MATH1141. The content is easier and you can still get like a D or HD with less work. There's some scaling in the MATH1141 since it's the higher level one but unless it is a requirement to do it or you are someone very curious in maths like you got high marks in extension 1 / 2, the difficulty vs scaling benefit is not worth it. It's not like HSC where you are versing people for an ATAR so you should stick with what is best for your ability and take into account during uni other things like getting a job and participating in societies are also important so you can use that extra time saved doing the normal version in those areas.

 

[vishnay]

Can't really comment on that particularly for that degree combination because I did an advanced science degree in chem (major) and maths (minor). I just know about the engineering stuff because I've done some of those first year subjects (MATH1131, MATH1231, PHYS1121, PHYS1221) that are common and originally I was planning to do adv sci / eng double degree but changed later when my scholarship only allowed single degrees.

I can comment on the maths part though since I did a minor in it, unless you are doing a math major or your degree requires you to do the higher level of the maths subjects, it's a better idea to do the MATH1131 as opposed to MATH1141. The content is easier and you can still get like a D or HD with less work. There's some scaling in the MATH1141 since it's the higher level one but unless it is a requirement to do it or you are someone very curious in maths like you got high marks in extension 1 / 2, the difficulty vs scaling benefit is not worth it. It's not like HSC where you are versing people for an ATAR so you should stick with what is best for your ability and take into account during uni other things like getting a job and participating in societies are also important so you can use that extra time saved doing the normal version in those areas.

my course requires math1151

this is so confusing lol

also i wanna do comp1511 with marc chee but thats in term 2 and its a pre-req for every other part of comp sci

damn this is so weird to navigate

 

[Life'sHard]

Can't really comment on that particularly for that degree combination because I did an advanced science degree in chem (major) and maths (minor). I just know about the engineering stuff because I've done some of those first year subjects (MATH1131, MATH1231, PHYS1121, PHYS1221) that are common and originally I was planning to do adv sci / eng double degree but changed later when my scholarship only allowed single degrees.

I can comment on the maths part though since I did a minor in it, unless you are doing a math major or your degree requires you to do the higher level of the maths subjects, it's a better idea to do the MATH1131 as opposed to MATH1141. The content is easier and you can still get like a D or HD with less work. There's some scaling in the MATH1141 since it's the higher level one but unless it is a requirement to do it or you are someone very curious in maths like you got high marks in extension 1 / 2, the difficulty vs scaling benefit is not worth it. It's not like HSC where you are versing people for an ATAR so you should stick with what is best for your ability and take into account during uni other things like getting a job and participating in societies are also important so you can use that extra time saved doing the normal version in those areas.

Also once you choose a major for engineering. Say mechanical are you able to change it before uni actually starts?

 

[jazz519]

Also once you choose a major for engineering. Say mechanical are you able to change it before uni actually starts?

Yeah you can change it

 

[jazz519]

my course requires math1151

this is so confusing lol

also i wanna do comp1511 with marc chee but thats in term 2 and its a pre-req for every other part of comp sci

damn this is so weird to navigate

What part are you talking about in terms of navigating it?

For the comp1511 in term 2, that shouldn't be too much of a problem to plan out since you are just starting out and doing a double degree so you will have a lot of courses to choose from and the first year ones are often in like most sems. First sem you probably can just do like math1151 and then 2 courses from your actuarial part of the double degree like econ1101 or one course from the actuarial side + math1151 + math1081

 

[vishnay]

What part are you talking about in terms of navigating it?

For the comp1511 in term 2, that shouldn't be too much of a problem to plan out since you are just starting out and doing a double degree so you will have a lot of courses to choose from and the first year ones are often in like most sems. First sem you probably can just do like math1151 and then 2 courses from your actuarial part of the double degree like econ1101 or one course from the actuarial side + math1151 + math1081

yeah i decided on econ1101 + math 1151 + math 1081

co-reqs and pre-reqs just flew over my head initially

i was just doing random stuff lol