About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: G56A12
- Applications: University
- Level: Postgraduate
- Department: Computer Science and Creative Technologies
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: One year full-time or two years part-time. Lectures and tutorials take place on two days each week. Those studying part-time normally attend on only one of these days. September or January start.
- Delivery: Full-time, part-time day release.
- Study Abroad: No
- Programme leader: Dr Christine Perry
Introduction
The MSc Information Technology is designed to respond to the demands of a wide range of private and public organisations for qualified information technologists to advise on all stages of information systems design, development and use. The course can prepare you for the intellectual, analytical and practical challenges of a career in IT. Graduates can gain the knowledge and skills necessary to specify, design and build, or select appropriate IT solutions within a range of professional contexts, depending on the pathway chosen. The flexible nature of this course is entirely suited to those wishing to study on a part-time basis whilst remaining in full-time employment.
The specialist pathways through the course are:
- Business Information Systems
- Software Development
The MSc Information Technology has both a September and January start.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much additional time and independent study will this course require?A 15-credit module typically involves two hours per week over a 12-week period in structured activities, although this may vary. You should reckon on devoting approximately a further seven hours per week to each module. This means that a full-time student will need to spend up to 40 hours per week on his/her studies. In practice, of course, students spread this load over the holiday period, and there may be times of particularly intensive activity, when deadlines need to be met.
What programming languages are used? Programme languages are not specified in the module descriptions. However, Java is currently the main programming language used. Depending on your option choices you may also learn to program in C, Perl and Visual Basic.
Will I require any specialised computing equipment at home? A minority of optional modules require the use of systems that you may not have at home and you would be expected to make use of the University's facilities. If you are a part-time student living far from the University and do not have other access, you may decide to choose options that do not involve such equipment.
How much time and effort will I be expected to put into the dissertation? You should view your dissertation as a full-time activity over a period of about 12 weeks. Writing the dissertation is demanding, not so much because of its length, which is about 15,000 words, but because you are expected to identify a research question that is important and interesting to you, and then think analytically and creatively about this question. This will involve extensive, critical reading of relevant literature.
I am 38 years old and have a psychology degree. I am currently working in HR and am looking to move into IT. Would I be accepted onto this MSc? Yes, you would be well suited to the course, providing your degree was of an appropriate standard and that you had references to support your application.
I am in the final year of my undergraduate degree. Why should I do a postgraduate degree and what better career prospects can this give me? By doing a Master's degree in IT, you would be gaining skills and knowledge valued by employers - making yourself much more attractive to employers - and much more likely to be invited to interview.
Structure
Content
The MSc Information Technology is structured so that one third of the course is made up of core modules with the remainder being selected from various option modules. If you decide to select one of the specialist pathways, this can be done either when you apply or in your first semester. If you do not with to specialise in a pathway you may take any second semester option offered subject to timetabling constraints.
As a graduate, irrespective of the pathway chosen, you will be able to:
- Use systems development techniques in a variety of contexts
- Apply appropriate skills for the management of a typical IT-based project
- Identify IT-based solutions to problems, drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives
- Prepare a persuasive research proposal in your area of interest
- Use data collection and analysis techniques appropriate for an IT research project
Students who don't wish to specialise in a pathway may take any second semester option offered subject to timetabling constraints.
Specialised Pathways
Business Information Systems
This pathway develops project management skills and considers the challenges of managing complex projects using some of the main principles of Prince 2. The pathway also considers a range of issues in and approaches to the planning, organising and managing of information systems including the structure of the information systems organisation, outsourcing, organisational learning and management education and development, the role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Software Development
You will explore and gain practice of real software development by group work using a range of modelling and project management techniques. This will give you an appreciation of software development as a coherent process, involving evaluation and selection of relevant tools as well as critical reflection on current software development practices.
Teaching and learning
Full-time students take four modules in each semester and complete the taught component of the course in two semesters. Attendance is normally two days a week. For part-time students, there is considerable flexibility in the number of modules taken at any one time, as well as the time required to complete the course. However, we offer a recommended part-time route which allows the taught component of the course to be completed in four semesters, over two academic years. If the recommended route is followed, part-time students will attend taught classes on only one day per week, between the hours of 15:30 and 20:30.
Part-time students will study 30 credits in each of the two semesters of each year. In the first semester of the first year all part-time students will take the two 15-credit core modules Information Technology Infrastructure and Application Domains of Information Technology. The remaining core modules, Software Development Principles and Independent Study in Information Systems, will be studied in the first semester of the second year.
In the second semester of the first year, part-time students will take two of their pathway specific modules, accumulating a further 30 credits. In the second semester of their second year of study, part-time students will take two option modules, to gain a further 30 credits in total. It is also expected that part-time students will start their dissertation during their second year of study. Most students will take a third year to complete the dissertation.
Modules are delivered by means of taught classes supported by independent study. For many modules this will be supported by Blackboard, the University's Virtual Learning Environment.
Study time
Students will qualify for the awards of MSc, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate by accumulating credits on completion of modules, as follows:
- The MSc in Information Technology requires 180 credits, including 60 credits for the dissertation;
- The Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology requires 120 credits, all from the taught part of the course (no dissertation is completed);
- The Postgraduate Certificate in Information Technology requires 60 credits, again all from the taught part of the course (no dissertation is completed).
Each taught module is worth 15 credits, (with the exception of the Software Development pathway which comprises a single 30 credit module), and runs over one semester of 12 weeks. To gain the MSc students will complete eight such modules. Full-time students take four modules in each semester, and complete the taught component of the programme in two semesters. They normally attend two days a week. Students also have the opportunity to gain placement experience whilst completing their dissertation.
Assessment
Assessment is by a combination of coursework and examinations, together with the dissertation.
Special Features
Professional accreditation
The British Computer Society's Professional Graduate Diploma (PGD) is accepted as an appropriate entry qualification for consideration for entry onto this course. The PGD is also accepted as advanced standing to IT-related undergraduate degrees at UWE.
Placements
Opportunities for gaining credit for relevant work experience
Some students may already have experience that relates directly to one or more of the taught modules. This could mean that rather than take that specific module they could gain credit by demonstrating that they have relevant experience. For example, if a student came from a technical background and had some experience in programming, they may be eligible for 'accredited prior experiential learning' with respect to the compulsory module Information Technology Infrastructure. Please contact the Programme Director, Chris Perry, for further information if you feel this might apply to you.
The Placements Office assists MSc IT students in finding and applying for placements which, where possible, reflect the research interests and/or the career aspirations of individuals. Benefits of undertaking a placement include valuable and relevant work experience, the opportunity to apply new skills gained in the taught part of the course, and access to people who can help with primary research.
Study facilities
We host our own servers to provide Windows, Linux and Unix based operating systems. There are over 500 available workstations in our teaching laboratories, as well as a large open-access laboratory, providing PC and Unix based machines. We have our own IT Helpdesk, staffed by students from within the department, and available for both students and staff to use. There are also 24 hour computer labs on campus available for student use.
We operate an extensive pastoral care system that includes induction programmes and access to academic staff and student advisers for guidance and support throughout your time here as a student.
Careers/further study
UWE Bristol closely monitors employment trends and, since 1986, has ensured that graduates of this course are equipped for the demands of the real world. There is also a need for creative IT graduates to satisfy the needs of the burgeoning range of technologies dependent on the internet, and to meet the needs of a range of different application areas, such as business, education and health.
Entry
Entry requirements
General requirements
To be successful on this course you will need good communication skills and a high level of general analytical skills - the sort of analytical skills that you would expect to be demonstrated in professional, managerial roles. No particular experience or knowledge of computing is required.
We welcome applicants without conventional entry requirements but who have substantial relevant work or other experience and who have the motivation and skills to succeed on the course.
International applicants (non UK and EU) should aim to apply by the end of June to allow time to arrange accommodation, finance and any visas.
English Language requirements
Please visit our website for information on English language requirements
Education or work experience
The equivalent of a first degree in a discipline other than Information Technology or Computing is normally required. If your first degree combines computing and another discipline, this might also be appropriate. However, if your first degree includes a significant component of computing, then one of our other programmes may be more suited to your needs. More specifically you may:
- Be a UK graduate with a good honours degree or an international graduate with equivalent qualifications;
- Have a lower degree classification, but be able to provide evidence that you are strongly motivated to study IT. This evidence may be relevant work experience;
- Have two years of accredited study in higher education in addition to relevant professional work experience. In this case you should have held a responsible or professional role for a minimum of two years;
- Be a very experienced professional with none of the above qualifications. For example, you may have been working in a management role for many years. In this case it is likely that we would invite you for an informal interview.
We will consider applications on the basis of evidence of personal, professional and educational experience which indicate an applicant's ability to meet the demands of the programme.
Fees
Full details of fees for this course can be found on our postgraduate fees pages.
For funding options, please see our funding and scholarship information.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011