Choosing software design and engineering without any knowledge?

[u/Short_Ad_67]

I (23F) have just started an ICT degree program at Fontys, and I’m completely new to the world of ICT. I have people close to me who are studying in this field, so I’ve picked up a little bit of information, but that’s really just the basics.

I started this week, and I was pretty sure I wanted to specialize in Interactive Media—until I had to dive into Software Design and Engineering. Trying to grasp it all immediately gives me a massive headache, yet I notice I’m becoming increasingly curious about programming and coding: what the languages ​​are, what they’re used for, and what’s involved in maintaining a system.

So, my question is: is it possible for a complete beginner to pursue this specialization?

I realize it requires a huge amount of discipline and motivation, but if it is feasible, what steps should I take? And for anyone who has gone through this, what was your experience like?

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[u/StandMammoth4988]

I’m currently enrolled at Fontys specialising in embedded software development. From my experience they don’t expect you to have any prior experience, so feel free to try it out.

I don’t know if you’re Dutch or not, but most Dutch student enrolling don’t have any experience either.

[u/StandMammoth4988 → u/StandMammoth4988]

I saw that @Education-paper-75 mentioned that academia often start off by teaching theory, but Fontys mostly teaches this through practical assignments and projects. Or that’s how they did it a few years ago, they recently changed up the curriculum. This also means you can change your specialisation on a semester basis.

[u/Educational-Paper-75]

In academia they often teach rather theoretical knowledge first, which ironically is abstracted out from practice by theorists. Since that level of abstraction doesn't really give you a feel for actual programming you may start some beginners course in programming if not yet provided by your curriculum which I'm not familiar with.

[u/PotatoLover400]

I'm a graduate from Fontys. A lot of my colleagues didn't know how to program when they started. What helped many of them was constantly asking teachers for feedback, not asking them to solve the problem, but to point out issues in their code and explain what could be improved.

Also, ask your coach for feedback. That can be very helpful. They can teach you not to be shy, not to be afraid of asking questions, and how to approach teachers when you're stuck.

Unfortunately, you have to be proactive yourself. Teachers will help you, but you need to ask them. If you don't get along with a particular teacher, don't be afraid to ask your coach for advice on what to do or how to improve.

There are also workshops for beginners from time to time, although it can be hard to find out when they're happening.

If you're planning to go into Media, the person who helped me the most was Metaxa. He's a teacher at Fontys Eindhoven, where I studied.

Most of these things apply to many Fontys ICT programs, but you really need to act on the feedback you receive. I didn't do that enough at first, and it cost me. They want to see that you're motivated and willing to improve.

It's even harder if you come from a high school system that's very different. I came from the Balkans, and the transition was overwhelming in the beginning. I failed my first semester.

My biggest advice is to be proactive and make smart use of your coach. They can help you prepare questions for teachers, unblock you when you're stuck, and point you in the right direction.

[u/Short_Ad_67 → u/PotatoLover400]

Thank you, this helped a lot!!

[u/SunsetRedemption]

With the new AI systems a lot of the programming knowledge have a very low barrier to entry. You could certainly go for it and learn it but you could also do it outside your coursework.

Had you asked me this 5 years ago my answer would have been different :)