You have got the official Departmental line on each of the subjects,
now get the inside view of MSISS students who have been there and done that!
Introduction to Management Science
An interesting subject, which everyone seems to like. Tutorials on a Friday afternoon are given by a Fourth year student, who usually gets a roasting for not knowing his stuff. Nice exam to do as well which everyone is confident going into.
Statistical Analysis
A number of phrases will get you through this course, 95% Confidence Interval, Statistically Significant, and Reject the Null Hypothesis. These three phrases are the key to survival so remember them. Michael Stuart's notes are great although a number of forests in Brazil could have been saved if he decided to use overheads. Labs on Thursday morning using the most amazing of statistical packages DataDesk are fine, unless you have been out the night before that is, and being a Fresher in Dublin you know that this is going to happen very often.
Engineering Mathematics I & Engineering Mathematics II
Don't throw away your maths books from Leaving Cert, because you are going to be needing them here!! You thought you might have gotten away from Algebra, Complex Numbers and Differentiation, but it ain't so. Allied to fact that these maths courses are done with 200 engineers this can be quite daunting. But after a while, you'll get used to it and you might even get to like some of the engineers. Might.
Computer Science 1
Another subject with the engineers, this course is absolutely loved by some, although the early morning lecture on Friday tests even the most staunch of Computer Scientists. You will get to use Mac's, doing the weekly labs. Can be frustrating if you can't get a program to work out for you, but it a very satisfying feeling when your program actually runs and does something worthwhile like countdown from 10 seconds to 0.
Introduction to Economics
One of the two subjects which you will do with BESS. An exam at Christmas and Easter keeps you working, while going to the Arts block will keep you fit. Supply and Demand is all you need to know. Special tutorials are organized for MSISS students so everyone usually does very well in the exams.
Introduction to Organisation and Management
The most unconventional of all the courses insofaras there are six plenary lectures and then bi-weekly group meetings. The meetings can get steamy, when two people don't agree, which tends to happen quite a lot. The course which is the most different from school. Exam is fine, although you will be writing a lot.
Software Laboratories 1
Software Labs a favourite for all MSISS students. If you got to all the tutorials and do them correctly you are guaranteed a high mark. Also learn how to use Excel, Word and most importantly Eudora which will prove invaluable in your remaining years of MSISS. If only every other subject was like Software Labs!