Bachelor of Science (Honours) Computer Science and Information Technology

Course Overview

We depend on electronic devices, such as computers and mobile phones, computer software and networks to store, process, transmit, retrieve and manipulate information.
Students will cover the technology used in these devices and will focus on the development of the software applications that make these devices useful.

The programme has a flexible course structure, where students can choose to study a range of Next-Generation Technology areas including: Digital Media and Games, Enterprise Informatics, Energy Informatics, Computational Mathematics, Scientific Computing and Medical/ Bio-informatics.

These core subjects provide a solid theoretical and applied background in Computer Science and Information Technology.

Work Placement

As part of this four-year course, students will undertake an eight month (January - August off-campus work placement in an industrial setting following completion of their thrid year of study. In the event that no external placement is available, students will be given projects on campus. This work experience programme gives students an opportunity to work on projects relevant to their study and significantly improves their chances of obtaining employment after graduation. Read more about Engineering work placements.

Accreditation

All Engineering Degrees at NUI Galway are professionally accredited by the statutory professional body, Engineers Ireland. This “Accreditation” means that the degree has been assessed and approved to meet the educational requirements for professional Engineers.

• Under an international agreement (Washingon Accord, any Degree accredited by the National professional body (Engineers Ireland is recognized internationally. So having an “Accredited” degree means that employers outside of Ireland can (1 understand the quality/education achieved by a graduate and (2 know that it is equivalent to their own Education system/standards, and (3 can offer appropriate employment on this basis. For example, certain functions (sign off on large civil engineering construction projects can only be carried out by a chartered engineer.
• Engineers Ireland changed the criteria for Accreditation in 2012, and now require a Masters (Level 9 qualification as the education standard required for Registered Professional Titles of Chartered Engineer* (prior to this, a Level 8 degree was required. The changes were implemented because the standard European engineering qualification (degree or diplome is at level 9, and European industry maintains a strict differentiation between those engineers qualified at level 9 and those qualified at level 8. Any graduate interested in working in Europe/Worldwide is now strongly advised to get an accredited level 9 award.
• Engineers Ireland accreditation can be obtained at the following levels:
  
  • Level 8: 4-year honours degree – associate engineer
  • Level 9: 5-year masters degree – chartered engineer

*A Chartered Engineer is the highest professional education standard in Engineering. A chartered Engineer is competent (because of their education and training to assume personal responsibility for the development and application ofengineering in research, design, construction, manufacturing, superintending, managing and in the education of the engineer. His/her work is predominantly intellectual and varied and not of a routine mental or physical character. It requires the exercise of original thought and judgement and the ability to supervise the technical and administrative work of others.

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 Level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, Mathematics, and any three other subjects recognised for entry purposes. Students must also obtain a minimum Grade O2 or H6 in Mathematics or alternatively obtain a pass in the Engineering Maths Qualifying Examination (held in the University).

Graduates of the BSc in Computer Science & Information Technology are highly skilled and are equipped to take on employment as professional engineers, designers and consultants in a range of organisations, specialising in areas such as software design and development, digital media and games, IT consultancy, telecommunications and medical informatics. Career prospects for IT/computing graduates are very strong in Ireland and throughout the world. The government’s Expert Group on Future Skill Needs has highlighted a shortfall in the number of IT/computing graduates as the number of students studying IT/computing is not adequate to meet the demands in virtually every sector.