BSc ITM - Advice Please

Hi Guys

I am a new student to Unisa and was hoping someone could give me some advice on a few questions I have.

I have been working as a internet programmer (and some desktop) for over 11 years now and have always wanted to get some sort of formal degree behind me (I have none). I am heading the way of becoming an IT Manager, but thought its best to get that all important degree behind me before I make that move.

The BSc IT Management stream (02089-ITM) looks like it fits with my plans and was wondering if anyone else is currently doing that programme?

I am based outside of SA, so the lady I spoke to suggested I take 5 modules per year to ensure that I can keep up with the schedule. However, I would have thought that if I had 11 years programming experience, this may help me cope better with some of the modules. Would it be possible to handle about 6 to 7 modules for the year, considering I have a full time job?
I suppose quite a lot of time is required on assignments too?

How many hours study time per module per week is recommended?

Is the management education offered in this course extendible to other managerial roles, or is it only aimed at IT management?

Lets say I register for 5 modules, but find that I am coping quite well with the course work/assignments, am I able to register for an additional 2 modules later in the year?

What is the best way to get in touch with student advisors for this programme?

I hope to hear from you soon and really appreciate your help and advice.
Regards,
Col

Hi Col,

Welcome! I'm doing the ITM stream and should finish this year. Unfortunately I on;y have about 2 months of "formal experience".
Anyway, it is possible to do way more than 6 modules in your first year. The first level modules are a breeze. You could try to get exemption for some of your modules since you have so much of experience.

The assignments are not too bad - very easy at times. The amount of hours needed differs from person-to-person and module-to-module. I recommend doing enough learning per module as needed to complete your assignments in time.

I think that management education offered is good and extendible to other areas other that IT. The "management" type modules provide good background to management in any field.

You can add on other modules in the year if those modules fall into the second semester. All the "management" modules are semesterly and the "IT" ones are yearly.

The best way to get in touch is in person but email and phone calls do work sometimes.

Hi Shauntir

Thanks so much for your help. You've given me some hope that this course is not going to take me over 6 years to complete!

Good to hear some of the modules are relatively simple. Do you mind me asking which ones you feel were easy? (are these the 101 courses?) This will help me make my choices for the first year.

Sorry if this is a daft question, but how do I know whether a module is "semesterly" or "yearly"? It does not indicate what each are on the brochure:
http://brochure.unisa.ac.za/brochure/data/pdf/02089ITM.pdf

You mention getting in touch directly with someone. Quite a few of the numbers I have tried just ring out or go to hold music forever. Is there a number you can recommend I use?

Just from your experience, how frequently are assignments due? (Once a week/month etc)

Thanks again for your help.
Col

One more thing...
You mention that I could possibly ask for an exemption on certain modules due to my experience. Would this be done at registration? Or do I still have to register for the module (pay up) and then ask the lecturer for an exemption evaluation?

All the first level modules were easy besides ACN102 - hated it.
All the INF modules - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd levels, were easy. The modules that give you a challenge were the COS 2nd and 3rd level modules. The COS modules are much more exciting though.

Almost all modules offered by the department of Science, Engineering and Technology are yearly. So all the INF and COS modules you see in that brochure are yearly. All the MNG ACN type modules are semesterly.

As for getting in touch, I don't have any number that would help you. Wish I knew someone in at the call center Keep trying the call center.

Usually assignments are around a month or so.

No you have to apply for exemption before hand. I'm not sure what the process is for that. But I'm sure when you are registering someone at UNISA would be able to help you.

Excellent! Thanks for all the info.
I'll keep calling.

Yeah, Im not sure I'm going to enjoy the Accounting module either.

You're welcome. Good luck with everything.

Shauntir, did you find that the prescribed books are definitely required to pass the modules? Or is the course work provided by UNISA sufficient?

While reading the information about each module on the osprey site, reference is made to a calendar on several occasions. (i.e. "Calendar Part 7 advises that you set aside about 3 hours per week per module"
Do you know where I can find this calendar?

Here's the calenders. Look at the right hand panel that says Calenders 2008.

The material provided by UNISA is not enough at all. You have to get the textbook to pass unless you already know the stuff thats in the module.

Hi Col

I'm also first year BSC.IT ITM, I've got 9 Years IT experience.

I've registered for 11 first modules (crazy......), I've had a quick look at the modules and the assignments and I believe I will coupe. cos111 cos112 and cos114 is introduction modules, I'm just a bit scared of AcN101 and STS105.

I'm planning to put in 3-4 hours everyday monday to friday (Weekends I set aside for a safety net).

I say be crazy like me and enroll for a few. If you havn't enrolled for CSS101 yet try and get exemption from it! really not that much in there...

Good luck!
Riaan

Hi Riaan

Thanks for your help. I like your idea... just be crazy!

I suppose it can't hurt registering for more than the recommended 5 modules. If I'm battling to cope, I can just not complete one or two of them and then take them again next year. We don't get any black marks against our names for not completing modules, do we?

If I pass 9 modules (for instance) in the first year, can I take a mixture of first level and second level modules next year? (i.e. there is no requirement to complete all of level 1 before starting level 2)

I'll try get the exemption for the module you mentioned but my English HG mark in matric might just be below the exmeption requirement. I got a D.
The programme seems to contain a few subjects which should be a breeze for the computer literate student. Did you manage to get any exemptions?

Cheers
Col

You can mix different level modules as long as lower level modules are not pre-requisites for any of the higher level modules. Do as many modules as you can right now.

Don't count on getting exemption based on experience. Unisa is quite tight on granting exemptions.

i applied for RPL with about 5 years experience.
they only allowed me 5 subjects to write.
it was as hard as the original subjects, so if you do write exams on RPL , make sure you get the tuts for that year from Osprey / Friend. You'll also need all the books. i've been through it, just trying to help.
RPL is great and saved me a lot of time.

Thanks for the link. I now have the number of the person that deals with the RPL evaluations. I'll keep trying to get hold of him.

There are only two modules which I could potentially apply for the RPL for. Those being "CSS101H - Comprehension Skills for Science" and "CEM101A - End-user computing". But, by the sounds of your message, the RPL exams are tough, so it might just be worth actually doing the modules for these two instead of the RPL route. What do you think?

I did CSS101 and it was dead easy. I managed to get out of doing CEM101.

Col, where do you live?

Hi Tracey.
I'm in Dubai. What about you?
Did you get out of CEM101 by applying for RPL, or just went down the route of begging and pleading with the lecturers?

I'm in South Africa, are you SA'n?

Apparently because I had registered for all my 1st level modules, I didn't have to do it.
My argument was that it was only made compulsory after I had already registered. I don't think that actually made any difference.

Yip, I'm from Joburg.

Sounds like you got lucky with the module exclusion.

oh yes, very!

what happened with me was that i got tut material, e.g. COS111,
but then the exam that i wrote had a subject code of RCO111.
I didn't know of this, the lady at the front of the exam room said "Computer Science 111", i then wrote the wrong exams so i can definitely tell you that they are very very similar and they cut absolutely no slack.
it was however, better than studying for a whole year and doing all the assignments.
i'm kinda proud i did RPL.

So I spoke to a gentleman about applying for the RPL for the CEM101 and COS111. He reckons I need the following:

3 years work experience, which is based on the module content.
I need to supply proof of this by means of short course certificates etc.
Have to be over 23 years old.

So, I'll try my luck.

Sorry guys... another question.

I'm not 100% clear on how to go about studying for certain modules.
E.g. Logically, I would have expect to start study and submitting assignments for "COS112 - Intro to programming 2" AFTER completing "COS111 - Intro to programming 1", but these are year modules and both have assignments due around the same time. How can I submit the first assignment for "COS112", without actually having completed "COS111"?

Does COS112 not rely on your knowing everything about COS111?

Is it normal to study for COS111, COS112 and COS113 all at the same time?

Thanks very much!

I tried to do COS111 and COS112 in my first year without having any programming experience, I left COS112 that year because I didn't know enough and I did it the year after.

If you know C++ then you should be able to do both at the same time but if C++ is new to you I recommend leaving COS112 until next year.

Well if you have previous programming knowledge then it would be fine. COS 111 is very basic and COS 112 is a bit more in-depth. Yes you can study all at the same time

Thanks guys. I don't have any c++ experience but have worked with c# a little, but mainly all with VB.

What about COS113 and COS114... Do they rely on COS111 and COS112? They look like totally different subjects. And likewise, would 114 rely on completion of 113?

Just trying to decide which modules I should take in the first year (disregarding CEM101 and CSS101). I'm leaning towards the following:
COS111, COS113, COS114, INF105, MNB101 (in semester 1), MNB102 (in semester 2).

Riaan, I almost did the "crazy" thing but thought its best to be realistic, considering my job is pretty demanding.

Thanks again.

You can do COS113 and COS114 together, they're completely different subjects and are fairly easy.

Not all the textbooks may be absolutely necessary, depends on prior experience. This past year,2007, I experimented on doing eleven modules, INF1059, COS111U, COS112V,COS113W, COS114V,STS1055, MNB101D, MNB102E, INF1208, CEM101A and ACN101M without any of the textbooks and got +75% except for COS112V (67%) and failed ACN101M (39%). It was a mistake to try to do a procedural subject like accounting without the book. I have been a "hobby programmer" for +20 years as a diversion from my normal job as a mining engineer.

I never found 1st yr courses difficult or interesting (and never learnt more than the day before). 2nd year a little more difficult but mostly still boring. Finally in 3rd year the COS courses became interesting and worthwhile.

 
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