The 'What are these units like?' Thread- 2007 (2 Viewers)

[Luke!]

I spotted the 'Who's doing what?' thread, but no one was really talking about the actual units, and I know some people must be curious about the units they're doing this year.

So, if you need to know something about a unit- what the exams are like, how difficult or interesting or boring it is, if there's a sexy, busty lecturer with blonde hair, nice legs and tender lips, who responds to sexual advances from her students- then post your questions up here.

Personally, I'd like know what these units are like in terms of difficulty...
ACCG310
ACCG329
ACCG340
ACCG350

Has anyone done them? I think 310 sounds like a real bitch, but 329 sounds interesting.

 

[glitterfairy]

I'd like to know about these, too:

Cul 302 (genre writing)
Engl319 (creative writing)
Engl335 (writing project)
Arts300
MUS205 (Introduction to Vocal Studies) <-- particularly this one

 

[faintygirl83]

Good idea for a thread I'd like to know about...

ECH 214 Yng Child Lang, Lit & Litrcy
ECH 226 Infancy and Early Development
EDUC260 Language Literacy and Learning
ECH 215 Yng Child Math, Sc & Tech
ECH 228 Develop 3-8: Theory&Practice
ECH 229 Health in Early Childhood
ECHP222 EC Reflective Prac 2


Also, if you would like to know about the following units, let me know because I did them last year.
ECH 113 Curric Play EC:T&P
ECH 126 EC in Aust: Social Context
EDUC105 Education: The Psych Context
ECH 120 EC Teachers as Researchers
ECH 129 Young Children and the Arts 1
ECHL113 Children & Televisual Literacy
ECHP122 EC Reflective Prac 1

 

[xeuyrawp]

I always feel so left out in these kinds of threads.

 

[buddys]

anyone know what these are like:
ACST101
STAT170
MKTG101
SOC175

 

[Cyan_phoeniX]

anyone know what these are like:
ACST101
STAT170
MKTG101
SOC175

Finally, a unit i've done!
Hmm. This is going to be very, very general (and probably not very helpful), but... What stat170 is about. Pretty much, it involves basic maths, but is the sort of subject where you don't have to be good at maths to go well in it. You learn heaps of new concepts that it is less about maths and more about developing problem solving skills and memorising formulas. You buy a folder beforehand with very in-depth lecture notes and a statbook (which is quite handy - if youve already got it, read the intro). The content that it covered in stat170 isnt too hard but it is easy to fall behind.

What i remember, the assessments consist of:

-You do 3 small group assessments worth 5% each
-You do a weekly internet quiz worth something like 1-2% each

-You do a mid-semester (multi-choice) exam worth about 15%
-You do a final exam worth 45% (or 60% and the midsemester doesnt count - whatever works out best).

 

[marchetta]

Good idea for a thread I'd like to know about...
EDUC260 Language Literacy and Learning

I haven't done this unit, but somebody I know who has told me that the unit is all about English grammar and stuff, so be prepared!

 

[CieL]

anyone know what these are like:
ACST101
STAT170
MKTG101
SOC175

ACST101
Finance.. involves Techniques (all the maths) and Elements (all the theory).. You begin learning learning the basics, like how interest in calculated (I=Prt).. then you learn how to calculate them backwards and forwards in time.. You learn Annuities which are pretty repetitive, then you need to concentrate from wk10 onwards as that's the hard stuff.. With the formulas, they're easy to remember, but if your memory is terrible, never fear.. during exams, they have the formula sheet on the overhead, or attached to the back of the exam booklet.. you just need to pick out which is the right one to use, and substitute the numbers in =]
The theory might be a bitch to remember, but in the lectures, they give you something which looks like an open-cloze.. so you just fill in the blanks, and in the exam you just fill in blanks and join the dots and stuff like that..
As long as you do your tutorial homework, you're fine..
Umm.. as for assignments, in a semester, you have 3 assignments to do, and they're in the lectures.. From my memory (which is shit) I think each assignment is worth 10 marks (forgot percentage) - 8 in techniques, 2 in elements.. I survived on HDs in each assignment from cramming the night before.. it is possible, but no recommended..
And oh, btw.. even tho the assignments are held in the lecture, it's almost impossible to cheat.. it's blue, yellow, blue, yellow.. and sometimes the answers are scrambled up so dont try copy the person in front either.. heh, good luck
Btw, I have the 06 textbook for ACST101.. it's silver, also attached is a maroon book.. if you want it, I can sell it to you lolollol =] I also have the elements.. and they're the same every year.. so there's one less lecture you can go to.. i'll chuck 'em in for you..

STAT170
Hmm.. buy the lecture notes.. it's from the co-op bookshop, worth about $50.. it'll include all the formulas and some little quizzes to help you understand.. also has rundowns on GNATS and WASPS (answers included) which you'll be required to do via webct..
Um.. attend all tutorials - they're bloody useful to understand the formulas.. you'll have like 100 to remember.. and they all look alike.. ummm.. buy a calculator if you dont already have one..
Stuff buying the textbook if you cant afford it tho.. the only use for it is during the group assignments (three assignments in total).. and even then you only use about three paragraphs in the whole book.. I just borrowed it from the library.. it's a waste of $70 for a few lines..
Oh, and you dont have to memorise formulae either.. they're on overhead and attached to booklets =]

MKTG101
ARE YOU DOING MKTG101 AS WELL???
I'm doing that in sem1 too =]
*prepares to stalk*

 

[Luke!]

STAT170
Um.. attend all tutorials - they're bloody useful to understand the formulas.. you'll have like 100 to remember..

Hahaha, I only ever went to one tutorial/lecture for STAT170- the one before the final exam, and I didn't really study anything until the final week and only did half the GNATS and WASPS. The tutor even commented that she thought I "must've dropped out".

And I got a distinction, haha. Proof that cramming does work! On another note, good write down...
Looks like no one has done my 300-level units. I go into semester one like a blind woman walking towards a firing squad. Stupid blind people.

PS: Sorry for stealing this thread without your permission, glitterfairy. I spotted your 2006 thread in my searches and thought it'd be a good idea to fire it up again.

 

[glitterfairy]

Review: MKTG101

One of the easiest subjects I have ever done, hands down. Even with zero business background I got D's and HD's for all my assessments... ended up with a high credit. (I totally didn't study for the case study... lol oops)

The lectures seem long and scary but with fun lecturers (Julian Marsh and FABIO!) the two hours go reasonably fast and you do a mass 'tute' together. Most of the lectures simply are a summary of the chapter you're supposed to read for that week, so you can skip them pretty easily. Do print out the lecture notes though - your mid-semester and end-of-semester exams are basically a multiple-choice "what's the definition of this term?" type questions. All the definitions they ask for are in the textbook, very easy to find. A friend and I made palmcards and would sit outside the library testing each other on definitions for about two or three hours prior to the assessments and we both ended up doing pretty well, awesomely well for last-minute rote-learning. There is a written assessment (pretty easy, got a D or HD for it) and an icky case study part to the end of semester exam as well.

Good course, pretty easy, pretty fun

 

[Kegs]

If anyone wants to know anything about these, ask away:

JPN110,111,112,221,222
MATH135,136,235
STAT171
GEOS118,216,237,301
HIST115

 

[buddys]

Thanks Cyan, CieL and Glitter

 

[havy]

Looks like no one has done my 300-level units. I go into semester one like a blind woman walking towards a firing squad. Stupid blind people.

well be reminded that all the 3rd yr students have already graduated...

but from wat I heard of, doing 4 300lvl accg units = alot of pain

where did all ur elective go? I mean ppl suppose to save them up for 3rd and 4th yr.
or did u follow everything on the "recommended program of study"?

 

[hello2004]

Anyone know anything about:

ACST300
ACST356
ACST354

ACST357
ACST305
ACST355?


... even a short line or two would be cool.

As a return or service does anyone want to know about first or second year ACST units?

 

[Luke!]

Yeah, I did realise that students who've done those 300-level units have, most likely, already graduated, but I was hoping maybe someone did them in third year as I'm doing, or maybe there's graduates who still lurk the forum. As for electives, I'm doing one per semester until I graduate at the end of fourth year.

Problem is- the electives I've chosen aren't easy units anyway. I plan to do a Masters of Applied Finance and Investment at Finsia, so I've chosen my electives based on what will be useful for the Masters degree, unlike my friends who are just doing bullshit no-effort electives.

So, here's my electives...
ACCG350
ACCG353
ECON335
ECON361
STAT270

So even with my electives, I'm still doing mostly straight 300-level units every semester anyway. Man, this degree is a real bitch. Still, I've been smashing it in the face since I began it and I don't plan on stopping until my arms are worn down to bloody, useless nubs.

PS: ACST356 sounds really interesting. Too bad I won't meet the prerequisites for it. :'(

 

[havy]

well I heard that econ335 and stat270 are not hard, and accg353 is sorta a core (since ppl say 352 is alot harder).

so do u hav any more information about master at Finsia? I thought they dont hav that much prequisites...do they really require accg350 and econ361?

besides, I thought that we cant get subject exemptions unless we are CFA charter holder or have similar master degrees.

 

[Luke!]

You only need your bachelors degree to enter the Grad.Dip of App.Fin and Inv., and once you complete the grad.dip, you may then enter the masters degree.

http://www.finsia.edu.au/Education/Courses/Courses_Offered/MAFI

So there are no formal requirements for you to undertake any particular units in your bachelors degree, but I've chosen my electives based on what I've been told by others who have gone to Finsia or done similar post.grad courses.

I've just chosen units that will introduce me to topics that I will encounter later down the track in the masters degree.

Some subjects which I would have considered helpful are:
ACCG350 - For C2; you spend about 3 of the 9 topics on Ratio Analysis.
MATH135/136 - For M01; you need basic knowledge of matrix algebra and differential calculus.
STAT270 - For M01; you need basic concepts of statistical concepts and test.
ACST201 - Helpful to have a good idea of some of the quantitative stuff.

I'm also planning to undertake some kind of maths course before I leave uni. Maybe just a non-award unit or something to help me brush up on my number-skills. Finance tends to be very maths orientated, so having good quantitative abilities always helps too.

 

[jake2.0]

Could anybody tell me about the structure of these subjects?
ACST200
STAT272
ACCG253
COMP115

I just want to know do they have weekly assignments, major assignments, tests during the semester...?

Well its only fair that i contribute as well.

ECON110 - have to answer the tutorial questions as a presentation in class at least once during the semester in the tutorial, you get a mark out of 5 for it and it counts 5% for your final mark. Also has a major assignment. Lecturers aren't that good but textbook is good as its written specifically for the unit. The textbook is all that is required.

STAT171 - has 3 assignments (i think) during the semester, all of which are just a series of questions covering material covered in class during the past few weeks, all up they count about 20% of the final mark. Tutorials are collected about 3 times during the semester and marked, all in all this counts for 5 or 10% of the final mark. The lecturer for the first half of the semester (Suzanne Curtis) is pretty good, though it may not seem that way, but the lecturer in the second half was quite bad. Lecture notes are a must (cost $10 or so) and the textbook can be helpful if your struggling but is not a necessity.

ACST151 - probably the best subject in acst 1st year. Has 8 or 9 online assignments during the semester which count for about 10%of the final mark. There are also 2 class tests during the semester counting 7.5% each. The lecturers are awesome, both Shepherd and Pollard, they both keep you interested in the material and that goes along way in getting good grades. Need to buy an $80 book which also allows access to the online quiz, so has to be bought new not second hand.

MATH132 - pretty straight forward if you've done 4unit maths as material isn't that complex. Has 5 assignments throughout the semester adding up to 15 or 20% of the final mark. There are also 2 class tests but you get given a "practice" tests which are the same as the actual tests but with different numbers so getting close to full marks in those isn't very hard. Lecturers are quite good and provide you with notes required so a textbook isn't required.

 

[hello2004]

ACST200

Online quizzes: 10%. Final Exam: 90%!!!

After completing ACST255 I realised that ACST200 was nowhere near as hard as I thought it was. Make sure you have practiced doing 17+ mark questions before entering the exam (obvious tip: do the past papers from an external website which Jim gives out). I screwed up a really long question which prevented me from getting a D.

Overall, most people get their exemptions.

STAT272

- Four assignments that are "officially" worth 20%. In reality 90% of them are copied meaning the assignments are worth near zero.
- Final exam worth 80% (in reality it's close to 100)

Overall, our year did extremely poor in this subject. I heard that only 39% of candidates got a credit or higher. The final exam was really really tough most likely due to the fact that it was set by Jun Ma. You guys might get Barry though.

It would be a big help if you remembered the stuff from ACST211. Also don't get cocky if you find the first couple of weeks easy. The last four weeks are quite strenuous. My tip: reading the lecture notes is not enough, make sure you've done plenty of exercises.

ACCG253

- I think the final exam is worth 65%
- There's also an online quiz, tutorial participation and handing in as well as a mid-semester test which (depending on your tutor) is marked very very leniently.

This subject is ridiculously easy. 90+% of actuarial students will get a D or higher.

COMP115

- Assignments (which are usually copied off someone else)
- Final exam (worth around 75% I think)

If you know any programming you will have a massive advantage over the other student. If not, it depends on how you take to learning it. Some students find the learning curve quite steep.

 

[Supra]

Yeah, I did realise that students who've done those 300-level units have, most likely, already graduated, but I was hoping maybe someone did them in third year as I'm doing, or maybe there's graduates who still lurk the forum. As for electives, I'm doing one per semester until I graduate at the end of fourth year.

Problem is- the electives I've chosen aren't easy units anyway. I plan to do a Masters of Applied Finance and Investment at Finsia, so I've chosen my electives based on what will be useful for the Masters degree, unlike my friends who are just doing bullshit no-effort electives.

So, here's my electives...
ACCG350
ACCG353
ECON335
ECON361
STAT270

So even with my electives, I'm still doing mostly straight 300-level units every semester anyway. Man, this degree is a real bitch. Still, I've been smashing it in the face since I began it and I don't plan on stopping until my arms are worn down to bloody, useless nubs.

PS: ACST356 sounds really interesting. Too bad I won't meet the prerequisites for it. :'(

I assume your looking to get into some sort of IB related field, or even the Corp Fin division at a Big 4 firm?

I want to do the Grad Dip. App. Fin. and Inv. straight after uni too (i think thats the only way ill get into masters - cr average in the Dip)

I was also considering the MAppFin @ Mq (which doesnt seem to have any requirements except a degree) or a Grad Dip. in Corporate, Securities and Finance Law (because it might be more useful for M&A, Valuations, Capital Raising etc.)

Can you tell me what ECON361 is like?

In regards to this thread, I'd like to know a bit more about ECON350 (in particular, the media assignment thingy) and the importance of attending lectures in BUSL301.