Tell me about Uni! (1 Viewer)

[deyveed]

Tell me about Uni and how it works.
I want to know everything like...what are these 'units' people talk about?
When do you begin your majors and can you do a lot?
What are minors?
Is there any Uni (lectures and stuff) on the weekends or at night?
If attending lectures and tutorials isn't compulsory then why don't people just leave a tape recorder in a lecture and listen to it later?

Stuff like that...

 

[Sammmmmuel]

me too i wanna know about uni can someone please fill us in?

 

[deyveed]

Also, whats the point of doing Honours?
Can anyone do it?
Is it always an extra year or can it be integrated into the course?

 

[-X-]

I got a question too. When people say "Bachelor of science - major in physics" does that mean u got a degree in physics?
Another example.
"Bachelor of engineering-Major in computers".
lol

 

[Lexicographer]

HAHAHA

All questions and no answers

"Units" (credit points) are basically like HSC units - they determine the value and time spent on the subject. Unlike in the HSC, however, as you advance through Uni the subject are worth more points (ie more hours) and hence you study less subjects in semester 2 third year than you did in semester 1 first year. It's just the uni's way of keeping track of students, making sure they have the right workload.

Honours is for students with exceptional performance throughout a generic degree (ie distinction average usually), and can therefore not be integrated into a course. Often a place in Honours is by invitation only, though you sometimes have to apply (same thing really). It's usually an extra year of research which adds a number of options (as well as a load of prestige) to your degree.

A major is simply the area of your degree upon which you focused. BSc (Physics) means you did more physics subjects during your BSc than anything else, and therefore know lots of physics stuff. I'm not quite sure how to explain this one more clearly, but that's basically it.

And, if you don't attend lectures, you can't ask questions, and you're screwed. Also, people would swipe your tape recorder. There are lectures at wekends and at night, but most full time students have theirs during the week.

...anyone else?

 

[hipsta_jess]

lectures arnt compulsory, but you need to attend a certain % of tutorials...and if you dont attend the lectures, then your screwed for the tutes, coz you dont have the info you need.

 

[SoFTuaRiaL]

Originally posted by hipsta_jess
lectures arnt compulsory, but you need to attend a certain % of tutorials...and if you dont attend the lectures, then your screwed for the tutes, coz you dont have the info you need.

for most subjects, it is about 70-80% of tutes.
as to leaving tape recorders in lectures, u might wanna do that ... but dont blame me if its been nicked

 

[SoFTuaRiaL]

Originally posted by deyveed
Tell me about Uni and how it works.
I want to know everything like...what are these 'units' people talk about?
When do you begin your majors and can you do a lot?
What are minors?
Is there any Uni (lectures and stuff) on the weekends or at night?
If attending lectures and tutorials isn't compulsory then why don't people just leave a tape recorder in a lecture and listen to it later?

Stuff like that...

1. units is like units in hsc ... no difference ...
2. for engineering, u can do only one major. for comm, sci n arts, u can do 2 majors. but all that changes if ure doing a double degree ....
3. there are lectures at night for students who are part time ... they usually start at 5 pm. sorry, no lectures in the weekends. give the lecturers a break dude!
4. minors are a field of specialisation too ... but u cant do as many units / subjects for a minor as u can for a major ...5. tape recorder - refer to my previous post

 

[routemarker]

but most lecturers put their notes up on the net so theres no need to go now is there? If you opt to skip lectures try to keep up with the lecture by reading the text and doing tutorial questins (none of which i do anyways but the skipping part IS true )

with double majors in sci some courses contribute towards diffrent majors ie Microbiology 1A can be used for a major in med microbo & immunology/biochem/pharmacology/biotech/genetics... so in 2nd yr you can include 12 units (usually 2 subs) and 6units in 3rd yr that are shared between the two majors leaving room for other electives.

theres alot of mumbo jumbo like exclusions, prerequisites, co-requisites etc you have to consider when picking up courses so you have to becareful.

 

[Generator]

'Honours is for students with exceptional performance throughout a generic degree (ie distinction average usually), and can therefore not be integrated into a course. Often a place in Honours is by invitation only, though you sometimes have to apply (same thing really). It's usually an extra year of research which adds a number of options (as well as a load of prestige) to your degree.'

It depends on the degree, but it is largely after maintaining a credit average in that subject throughout the entire degree (or the final one or two years).

You begin studying for your major in first year, although that could only be the prerequisites rather than the actual subject.

 

[deyveed]

Thanks for that

Whats the difference between doing B Art (Psychology) and B Psychology?

So Honours is only for the prestige? Does it give you any extra privledges? I heard that you need to get Honours in Pharmacy to be able to open one.
Why don't people just go on doing their Masters instead of Honours?

 

[routemarker]

Originally posted by Generator
It depends on the degree, but it is largely after maintaining a credit average in that subject throughout the entire degree (or the final one or two years).

yea for ones which require an extra yr largely require a credit av but i think those taht get awarded on the basis of merit get them because of superior performance (ie dist av).

 

[Butterfly_Wings]

Originally posted by deyveed

If attending lectures and tutorials isn't compulsory then why don't people just leave a tape recorder in a lecture and listen to it later?

Also, most lecturers use powerpoint or put up slides with notes on it to copy out, so you just listen to them speak as you're writing. So it you just tape recorded the lecturer, you still wouldn't have all the notes. Also you'd miss any visual cues (eg-"see this thing I'm pointing at...") Though I guess you could photocopy someone elses notes...but shit, if you're already at UNI you may as well just go to the lecture cos it'd take just as long to listen to the recording it later!

 

[hipsta_jess]

Originally posted by routemarker
but most lecturers put their notes up on the net so theres no need to go now is there? If you opt to skip lectures try to keep up with the lecture by reading the text and doing tutorial questins (none of which i do anyways but the skipping part IS true )

yeah, you can get all the notes that way, but dont 4get that they also speak and give additional info in the lecs that wouldnt be in their notes..

 

[googy_1985]

Hey,
Not sure what goes on at other unis, but where I go to if you miss a lecture you can login to your student account and click 'online lecturers'. The computer system automatically records the video and sound of the lecture so you can watch the lecturers live at home or play them back.. it is REALLY good - especially in law subjects where there is a lot of cases to get down...

 

[routemarker]

i think UNSW records all lectures and you can get them from open reserve in the library for 2 hrs where you can listen to them at the listening stations.

 

[hipsta_jess]

Originally posted by googy_1985
Hey,
Not sure what goes on at other unis, but where I go to if you miss a lecture you can login to your student account and click 'online lecturers'. The computer system automatically records the video and sound of the lecture so you can watch the lecturers live at home or play them back.. it is REALLY good - especially in law subjects where there is a lot of cases to get down...

yeah, thats good and all...but i think wouldnt it just be there if ppl wanna go back over it at home after being in the lec? or if they were sick or something?
not for bludgers who coodnt b bothered to get outta bed?

 

[deyveed]

If you learn the same stuff in a shorter amount of time (no travelling), then why not?

 

[deyveed]

I still have a question that has yet to be answered.

Originally posted by deyveed

Whats the difference between doing B Art (Psychology) and B Psychology?

So Honours is only for the prestige? Does it give you any extra privledges? I heard that you need to get Honours in Pharmacy to be able to open one.
Why don't people just go on doing their Masters instead of Honours?

 

[routemarker]

i assume B Psych would be better as its more centred around the science of psych while you would have to do a minor in arts if you were to major in psych in BA.