» Bachelor of Science In Computing with Business Applications

Programme Title	Bachelor of Science in Computing with Business Applications
CAO Code	LY717
LYIT internal code	LY_KBUAP_D
Duration	3 Years ab initio
Standard Code Places:	24
National Framework Level	7
Award Type	Major
Awarding Body	LYIT, under Delegated Authority from HETAC

Is this Programme for Me?

Ireland is the worlds' largest exporter of Computer Software. This means that there are excellent opportunities for finding well-paid employment when you graduate. Additionally, because computers are used in almost every area of modern life, the range of opportunities and types of jobs which are open to computing graduates means that the chances of having a career you enjoy are excellent.

This programme will provide students with the range of both theoretical and practical skills required for them to participate fully in the rapidly growing computing industry. The broad ethos of the course is to provide a strong core set of competencies in general computing with a set of specialist skills in Business Applications. The specialism in the course is directed at enterprises whose primary function may not be solely within the IT domain. These enterprises require personnel to support at a technical level their hardware and software infrastructure. The students will need business application knowledge not from the perspective of being users of those applications but to be able to train users and configure those business applications for business users needs.

For some general information about why you might consider a career in computing: Careers Evenings and Computers.

Minimum Academic Entry Requirements

Grade D3 or higher in at least five ordinary level subjects at Leaving Certificate, including Mathematics and either Irish or English, or an equivalent qualification.

FETAC applicants click FETAC
Applicants presenting non-Irish exams as a basis for entry, please check the IOTCEF listing to search for the entry relevant to your country
Applicants who are interested in taking selected modules only from this programme and/or those interested in studying this programme in a part-time mode, click Part-time Study

What will I have to study?

Year/Semester	Modules	Mandatory/ Elective	No of credits	Class hours per week
1/1	Introduction to OO Programming I	Mandatory	5	5
	Communications	Mandatory	5	4
	Discrete Mathematics	Mandatory	5	4
	Student Development	Mandatory	5	4
	General Computing	Mandatory	5	4
	Computer Applications	Mandatory	5	4
1/2	Introduction to OO Programming II	Mandatory	5	5
	Problem Solving with Robotics	Mandatory	5	3
	Mathematics for Computer Graphics	Mandatory	5	4
	Computer Architecture	Mandatory	5	4
	Business Studies	Mandatory	5	4
	User Training & Support	Mandatory	5	4
2/3	Object Oriented Programming	Mandatory	5	5
	Requirements Elicitation & Specification	Mandatory	5	4
	Database Technology	Mandatory	5	4
	Operating Systems	Mandatory	5	4
	Internet Applications Support for Business	Mandatory	5	4
	Accounting	Mandatory	5	4
2/4	Structured Query Language (SQL)	Mandatory	5	4
	Sets, Relations & Functions	Mandatory	5	4
	Data Communications	Mandatory	5	4
	Advanced Spreadsheet Modelling	Mandatory	5	4
	Software Accounting	Mandatory	5	4
	OO GUI Programming	Elective	5	5
	Technical Support for Business I	Elective	5	4
3/5	Object Oriented Analysis & Design	Mandatory	5	4
	Advanced Document Production	Mandatory	5	4
	Research Methods	Mandatory	5	4
	E-Business Planning & Design	Mandatory	5	4
	Groupware Application Development	Mandatory	5	4
	Software Implementation	Elective	5	4
	Technical Support for Business II	Elective	5	4
3/6	Project Management	Mandatory	5	4
	Client/Server Database Architecture	Mandatory	5	4
	Team Project	Mandatory	5	4
	E-Business Development	Mandatory	5	4
	Advanced Database Query Languages	Mandatory	5	4
	Algorithms & Data Structures	Elective	5	4
	MIS Support	Elective	5	4
	Geographical Information Systems	Elective	5	4

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course the graduate will be able to:

Examine the business requirements of a company and develop an appropriate computer system to support that company.
Work as part of a team with all of the skills required to design and develop computer systems to support businesses.
Work as a computer systems administrator running computer systems for all types of businesses.
Work in Networking & Security, connecting the elements of computer systems and providing a secure commercial environment.

Are there follow-up Programmes Available?

Progression to a planned programme leading to a Level 8 Honours Bachelor Degree in Computing with Business Applications will be available internally at LYIT.

On completion of this programme graduates may go on to study for their Honours Degree at other ITs and Universities in Ireland and abroad. Progression internationally to second cycle (i.e. 'Bologna Masters') degree programmes.

Career Opportunities

Current forecasts about the future of the computing industry in Ireland are excellent. It is projected that students who enter third level colleges this year are likely to find there are more professional computing jobs available when they graduate than there are computing graduates to fill them.

During the past decade, Ireland has gained increasing recognition as Europe’s premier location for software development. Since the 1980s, most leading US software vendors, including Microsoft, Oracle, Google, Facebook and Symantec, have based their European operations centres in Ireland. The country has also become the number one site for software development in Europe. All the big players such as Microsoft, Google, EBay, Symantec and Amazon are now based in Ireland.

Alongside the big international players Ireland also has a thriving software development industry that has been created in Ireland by Irish computer graduates. It comprises of over 600 companies, about 250 of which have significant levels of overseas sales. Ireland has now overtaken the USA as the biggest exporter of software in the world. 60% of all software sold in Europe originates in Ireland.

In addition to the national demand for computing graduates there are several large computing companies in the Northwest such as Pramerica which is based in Letterkenny, Northbrook which has operations in Derry and Strabane and SITA which is owned by the air transport industry and has recently announced a major jobs expansion.

So what kind of job would you like to do? Design and develop web sites, work in multimedia, be a network engineer, be a software programmer, design business systems for companies. All of these careers are open to our computing graduates; it's your choice.

And for an idea of what computing might look like in the future see the following video by Microsoft on YouTube: Microsoft Future of Computing or see Microsoft's Future Vision 2019 You can be part of it.

For independent information on employment and salaries in the IT industry see the following report which covers 2010-2011: Jobs and Salaries in IT. For the latest update on employment in the IT Sector see 2,500 Unfilled Jobs in Irish Tech Sector.

For articles from 2012 which you might find helpful see:
High-tech sector better for jobs than traditional areas, says IDA
Increase in demand for IT professionals at the end of 2011 - report
State ignoring tech skills gap at its peril

This course begins in September each year. How to Apply

If you would like to learn more about computing attend our Summer Computing Camp .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Contact Thomas Dowling, Head of Department of Computing, Letterkenny Institute of Technology by
E- Mail: thomas.dowling@lyit.ie
Telephone: (074) 918 6304

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