BSc Information Technology

UCAS code: G502

Programme length: 3 years

This course aims to prepare you for a career in the Information Technology industry, with a particular emphasis on the vocational elements of computer systems and maintenance.Graduates will be well qualified to play a disciplined and creative part in a development, consultancy or support environment.

The course is very much focused on the role IT plays in creating competitive advantage within industry, and aims to equip you with the skills needed to become an IT consultant. As such, much of the coursework and lectures focus as much on the IT process as they do on the technology itself.You will therefore be taught such skills as project management and requirements engineering, and will create and manage projects for customers using methods and techniques that are standard across industry.

Much of the course is taught by people who are IT consultants themselves, thereby giving you the benefit of their real world experience in addition to the more formal academic lectures that generally focus on theory. In addition, the course is highly entrepreneurial in nature, providing you with the skills you need to exploit various market opportunities that exist in the IT sector.

You will obtain knowledge and understanding of:

•information technology and systems, and software engineering

•relevant technology and research

•appropriate techniques for analysing and designing systems

•business context

•software engineering practice.

Course content

The course is divided into 3 Parts (years) with each part comprising a number of modules as listed below (follow the links to find out more about each module).

Part 1

Compulsory Modules

• Programming
• Software Engineering
• Commercial off-the-shelf Software 1
• E-Business 1
• IT Support 1

Optional Modules

• Computer and Internet Technologies
• Computer Science Roadmap
• Introductory Management
• Student Enterprise
• Institution Wide Language Programme

Part 2

Compulsory Modules

• Information Systems
• Databases for Business
• E-Business 2
• Software Engineering 2 and Career Management
• Business Programming

Optional Modules

• IT Support 2
• Practice of Entrepreneurship

Part 3

Compulsory Modules

• Individual Project
• Social, Legal and Ethical Aspects of Science and Engineering

Optional Modules

• Computer Networking
• GUI, Web and Multimedia Design
• XML and Semantic Web Technologies and Applications
• Enterprise IT Architectures
• Software Quality and Testing
• Project Management
• Requirements Analysis
• Advanced Databases
• Informatics for E-Enterprise
• Network Security

You may also wish to do an Industrial Year on placement within an IT company.If so, you can switch to the Applied Information Technology degree at any point in the first two years of your course and look for a placement for your third year.More details on the Industrial Year can be found in the Applied Information Technology section.

If you're not sure whether to do IT or Computer Science, there is the option to switch between the two degrees at the end of the first year (subject to certain modules being taken in the first year).

For a full description of this course please download the  BSc Information Technology (PDF-128KB) programme specification.