Computer science for you or not? Notes for Nstuan.

Those who are planning to get admitted to CSTE, ICE or SE department of Noakhali Science and Technology university you may give a second thought whether you should study computer science or not. This is very important to know in details what you’re going to study in next four years. Computer science is one of the HOTCAKE in every engineering faculty of Bangladesh, NSTU is not different from that and only toppers with merit position <150 may get a chance to get admission in CSTE. SE is just introduced this year, so I can’t be sure about this new subject but so far ICE follows the trend of CSTE.

Point is what prerequisite needed for studying CS and what we have been taught here? If you’re good at mathematics, physics and scientifical reasoning you have at least knowledge to study computer science. Usual four-year-long study calendar has 8 semesters and 8 final exams, 2 semesters in a year. You will spend almost four months in class and the next two months for the final exam. Usually, SIX courses in a semester and you need to go to labs for almost every course. Here, at CSTE we study total 172 credits and every semester we have to study 20+ credits. There is no open credit system like you can choose what course to take or what not. Most of the course will have 3 credit hours and lab will contain 0.75/1.5 credit hours. You will have 2/3 class tutorial exams, one assignment, one presentation/project in each course. 30% marks for class attendance, tutorial, assignments and other 70% will sum up from the FINAL exam. The result will be counted in CGPA (Cumulative Grade point average) system and an average student gets 3.5+ out of 4.00.

The keyword we study here are – Mathematics, Physics, Humanities, Business Administration, English Language, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Telecommunication, Software Engineering and of course Computer Science.

This days computer science is one of the growing innovating sectors and job openings are huge. If you study computer science, then you are going to get a job [100% guaranty]. You may serve as a university teacher or researcher [high CGPA holder], software engineering [who love programming], telecommunication engineering [who love networking], System engineering[who love operating systems], business analyst [who love data analysis], database administrator [who love database], security administrator [who love cyber security], web developer [who love web programming], Design, UI & UX [who love to draw and design], mobile application developer [who love Android or iSo programming], Data scientist [who love data and machine learning] and etc etc etc. You may serve from your home like a freelance worker and you may go to office. Job salary usually starts from 25+K and may increase 2/3 lakhs in Bangladesh. Salary is proportional to your quality and there is no option for corruption. There are buzzwords like Google, Facebook, Amazon, booking.com, LinkedIn and hundreds of companies who pay a huge amount of money, it’s seriously huge! And Bangladeshi students are joining those companies every year, in total 20 students in a year maybe! Another scenario you may complete undergraduate from here and move for an MS or Ph.D. in USA, UK, Canada etc and a huge amount of students are moving following this path [usually most of the brightest students do so for a better life and better learning].

As all of you have studied a course titled “ICT” in higher secondary level, you may get a bit of idea what computer science is. If that book doesn’t interest you, if you don’t love mathematics, if you don’t love physics, if you don’t love thinking and problem solving, if you don’t love continuous learning with innovation – you shouldn’t study computer science.

First term

Let’s dig dipper. I will try to give an overview of the major courses what we have been taught here and how life goes on with time. In the very first semester, you will introduce with basic courses like Introduction to Computer application [computer hardware, software, and application overview], Fundamentals of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering [intoructory course from electrical enginering], Electromagnetism, Oscillations and Optics [intermediate physics course extended], a math course named Differential and Integral Calculus [most of us memorize it] and an English course which we care a little and easy to pass. English and math courses are considered here as minor courses and it’s tough to get a good grade in those courses but easy. The first semester passes with less care and we pass most of the time to cope up with the new environment, managing a seat in a hostel, to buy new needs, to get some friends, visiting campus and being a free bird who can do anything that you wish. But some are so studious and they get a good mark and from that moment on they will care about all academic staff like when an exam will be held, what to read or what not, fixing assignments, managing notes and some will evolve like a great PROGRAMMER and they’re quite different.

Second

Yes, the second semester is the semester when you will get some real FUN and it is all about programming. Course listing includes a structured Programming Language which is C programming, a math course named Discrete Mathematics [it is huge fun], a course from electrical full of circuit analysis [not so tough], another course for Electronic devices like transistors, diode, emitter, opamp etc, a introductory course from business and another English course [easy enough]. Here, the most important part is the programming language and most of the students get frustrated with this course. Programming may seem tough at first sight, but if you stick with that it’s not that much tough either it’s quite interesting. C language will be taught here, this is the mother of all language – so if you mess with this course, your next semester is going to be problematic and messy. The first year is over. Some are good programmers, some are good cgpa holder [life is beautiful – hurray], some turned into politicians or lovers, some don’t know what to do and why he/she studying CS, some don’t love the campus and couldn’t cope up – so frustration period starts here. Computer science is not all about just writing code or programming. But programming basics will help you in many cases. Many courses will relate to the fundamental knowledge of programming and you must care to programme after all.

Third

The third semester you will be introduced another important concept of programming which is called Object Oriented Programming and here at cste, we are taught C++ language for OOP. It’s kinda extension of C language with OOP knowledge which covers the aspects of software engineering and real-life scenario [encapsulation, inheritance and polymorphism ] of coding a software. Digital Logic Design will be another course where you will learn how machine compute [extension of and or logic gates from ICT]. Other courses are numerical analysis and introduction to telecommunication. Another pathetic math course you need to study Vector Analysis, Laplace Transform and Fourier Analysis, this course is very important for those who want to work with Image processing but it’s quite hard to understand. And a very easy economic course named Principle of Economics. The third semester will be harder than the first two and you need to put a lot of effort here.

Fourth and fifth

The fourth semester, you may have heard about Data Structure and Algorithms, one of the core knowledge for computer programming and in my view, this is so fun to study. It’s about how data are stored in computer memory and how to manipulate those in easy and fast processes. This is not all. You have to study courses in advanced electrical engineering, computing, and mathematics. And another programming language named JAVA. Learning java is very important as it covers real object oriented programming concepts and if you learn just java, you will get a java programming job in Bangladesh or anywhere. End of two years as a CS student, more dividation -programming community, rise of higher grade students , web development, designing, freelancing, contest programming, politics, romance and fail in love, being a senior, being sheetwaliapu, being programmer vaia, dream for google, frustration, hating departments etc. The third year is tougher than ever. The fifth semester goes like this – A course on database management system [yeah, that database from ICT book], a course on Operating System [very interesting course], those who love robotics a course for you – Microprocessor, Microcontroller and Interfacing Lab and course from telecommunication [very pathetic].

Sixth

The sixth semester is very studious semester in nature. You need to study pages after pages. Three courses form networking and telecommunication, one course for software [rela fun of making a software] and a popular course on Web technologies [how web acts, protocols, HTML, CSS, javascript – a web page of your own].

Hey, you’re rag batch now – lot’s of juniors, huge experiences behind, tension for carrier and family start to believe you’re the real hope [ dream of ettogula taka, bari and josh cakri], lots of questions around – good cgpa, let’s join the department, ohh no i wish to fly, okay then buy some GRE books, great programming background, try for google or top companies in Bangladesh, you have nothing, okay then let’s buy mp3[bcs book], or enroll courses for learning web or mobile application development – in this year everyone will find a way out.

Seven

The final year is quite complex. A few think of getting higher education and they try to do a good thesis or project, some study harder for being a faculty member, some try for BCS, some try courses to get a job. What about courses? A course for Artificial Intelligence [a buzz-word around the world], another for graphic design, one for optical fiber communication and one interesting but tough course compiler construction. People get busy with thesis job and life becomes harder than ever.

The final

In the end, final semester. Lots of emotional writings on Facebook, remembering old days, pressure from gf or bf’s, tension can easily be seen in faces, more seriousness, rag concert, final tour and university life is over. Meeting with supervisor for thesis, usual study schedule and more GRE books on the table, fixing CVs, eyes on the road of Dhaka city. Yeah, farewell cstean and celebrate life.

This is a quite common scenario that students get enrolled in computer science without knowing details of CS and without having the prerequisites. Those students usually suffer a lot and life become horrific and they plan for BCS or govt. job or they have to work very hard in the job industry cause they learned a little and lack passion. Computer science is all about problem-solving, thinking, computing and a subject of passion. If you have THE passion, computer science will thrill you, surprise you and you will pass an awesome life with CS. So, please consider the issue and don’t get admitted without considering the facts.

University is no place where you will get some FIXED study contents like studying some books and passing exams. A university is a place for making, an open maker space and a space for enormous learning and producing knowledge. Don’t think about just getting a job. If you study in a fine manner, you must get a job. University education is more than a job and this place is an undefined space for learners. So, welcome to CS if you wish to.