(© Iain Murray 2008 - last update 17^th June 2008)

Aim of the Course

Gateway to Computing is a course for entrant students to the School of Computing (including joint degrees, Interactive Media Design and Electronics & Computing). It is designed to give you a head start in preparing for your University career by giving you pre-semester training in computing and study skills.

Gateway will allow you to "hit the ground running", and is especially valuable for:

• students entering through Clearing
• students with borderline entrance grades
• students not entering directly from secondary school
• advanced entry students (those going directly into Level 2)
• students coming to Dundee from overseas

About the Course

The course runs for two weeks (Mon 1^st September to Fri 12^th September 2008), which immediately precede Freshers' Week (starts Sat 13^th September 2008); Semester 1 begins Mon 22^nd September 2008. Students who are not local to Dundee may receive free accommodation in the University for the duration of the course (but accommodation places are limited).

Syllabus

Over the two weeks of the course, you will be in classes for a total of 40 hours, including both lectures and practical classes. The material covered will include:

• Computing (30 hours):
  • computer programming using Scratch
  • orientation to the School of Computing
  • computing-specific transferable skills (ethics, information searching ...)

   

• Personal Academic Study Skills - P@SS (10 hours):
  • learning at University
  • academic writing
  • plagiarism
  • group working
  • time management
  • ethics

Your performance on the course is continually assessed (there are no examinations). Your programming skills will be tested in a Grand Challenge competing with your classmates - previous students have found this great fun as well as educational!

Applying to join the course

If you are holding a Firm offer from us for any Computing-related courses, either Conditional or Unconditional, apply for Gateway NOW by contacting Janet Hughes (Admissions Tutor, School of Computing) - gateway@computing.dundee.ac.uk / (01382) 385195.

Those holding a Conditional offer will need to meet their entry conditions prior to the start of the course. Applications must be received by 15^th August 2008 to be considered, and will be treated on a first-come first-served basis.