GY350. BSc (Honours) in Computer Science & Information Technology. CS & IT, Where Imagination & Knowledge Combine.

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1 GY350 BSc (Honours) in Computer Science & Information Technology CS & IT, Where Imagination & Knowledge Combine

2 Welcome from Programme Director The modern world is increasingly reliant on information technology, complex application software and ever faster data networks. Most applications running on smart phones now use cloud based server resources for both storage and data processing. We are currently undergoing a huge transition in the way we use information and communications technologies in our daily lives. How many of us now watch TV in the way our parents did? Many of the common business applications that previously ran on desktop computers are now running on cloud based servers while the local device is simply acting as an interface to the application e.g. , Customer Relationship Management, Accounts, Payroll and even Word Processing. All aspects of this massive industry requires large numbers of software engineers and IT professionals: to create the smart devices we now use, install and manage the networks that carry the data to these devices, to develop the mind boggling array of software applications, to design and implement the complex load balancing, storage and monitoring systems that allow cloud computing to work at this massive scale. The BSc in Computer Science and Information Technology is a four year honours degree programme that provides graduates with the skills needed to work as professional software engineers, programmers or IT consultants - you can be at forefront of these technology changes. The degree programme focuses mainly on designing and developing high quality software applications for a wide range of application domains. This degree has problem-based learning at its core. You will acquire an in-depth knowledge of the foundations of mathematics and computer science, software engineering technologies, programming languages and an array of practical application areas. Computer Science and Information Technology has a flexible course structure, where you can choose to study a range of next-generation technology areas, including digital media and games, data analytics, energy informatics, computational mathematics, scientific computing and medical/bio-informatics. Students undertake an eight month (January-August), off-campus work placement following completion of their third year of study. Graduates of the BSc Computer Science and Information Technology are highly skilled professionals and are equipped to take on employment as software engineers, designers or consultants in a range of organisations. Career prospects for Computer Science and Information Technology graduates remain excellent in Ireland and throughout the world. Several recent Irish Government and EU reports on Future Skill Needs have highlighted a significant shortfall in the number of Computer Science and Information Technology graduates as the numbers taking related courses are well below the level needed to meet the demand. If you want a challenging career with excellent potential for future growth, if you want to contribute to some of the most exciting technology developments with some of the worlds most innovative companies then completing this course is the best possible start on that path. Dr. Des Chambers Programme Director BSc in Computer Science and Information Technology What Software Engineers Do Software Engineers apply the principles of software engineering to the design, development, maintenance, testing, and evaluation of the software and systems that make computers or anything containing software work. - Wikipedia Software Engineers need to have good analytical and design skills. They use modern programming languages like Java, C# or Python to implement the software applications that run on devices like smartphones, laptops and servers.

3 Into the Future You can now choose the life you want to live in real time. You interact with innumerable programmable devices every day that store, process, transmit and retrieve information music, videos, messages, games, online communities, sat-nav, and many more. You can work and play in an inter-connected world that makes your life easier, more efficient and fun. and we are only just getting started. Attain the Skills to Invent Tomorrow Are you a problem solver? Are you inspired by the digital revolution that is taking place right now? Are you eager to be part of our evolving future where our daily lives are being shaped by the possibilities that high tech computing and information technology offer? The EU predicts that by 2020 there will be 825,000 unfilled vacancies for ICT professionals. A strong digital economy is vital for innovation, growth and jobs. At NUI Galway, we can provide you with the knowledge to harness your creativity and your ambition to make your dreams possible. You can be part of the select few who will shape the future, equipped with a BSc Computer Science and Information Technology degree from NUI Galway. The exponential growth of digital information worldwide is staggering (doubling every two years). Within the realms of computer science and information technology there are new problems to be solved and challenges to be met. There are new products yet to be designed and new technologies yet to be invented that will play a central role in our future lives. At NUI Galway, we will cultivate your enthusiasm and creativity and give you the scientific knowledge to be a part of this innovation. Every minute the average Internet user receives a thousand times more information than he/she has time to consume. In March 2016 AlphaGo an AI programme developed by Google-owned British company DeepMind, won an historic victory by becoming the first ever computer program to beat a top-level Go player, Lee Se-dol.

4 GY350 Programme Outline This four year Honours Degree Programme brings together a diverse range of Computer Science and Information Technology subjects, built on a modern scientific foundation. You will engage in laboratory sessions, tutorials, lectures and team projects, combined with a rewarding professional experience in a high tech company (e.g. Microsoft, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Apple, Google, Fujitsu-Siemens). Help Create The Future Big Data backed by powerful computational analytics hold the key to understanding and curing intractable diseases like cancer. Today s students are preparing for jobs that will use technologies yet to be invented, to solve challenges yet to be imagined.

5 Yearly Summary Year Scientific Foundations Computer Science & Programming Engineering & Technology Problem-Based Learning Year 1 Maths Foundations Physics Foundations Algorithms / Problem- Solving Programming Electronic Foundations Comp. Systems Foundations Next Generation Technologies & Problem-Based Learning 25% 35% 20% 20% Year 2 Discrete Maths Statistics Algebra Algorithms Programming Comp. Systems Software Eng. Databases Networking & Communications Next Generation Technologies & Problem-Based Learning 25% 30% 25% 20% Year 3 Applied Math Methods Applied Probability Programming Human Computer Interaction Human Computer Interface Software Eng. Databases Next Generation Technologies & Problem-Based Learning 15% 25% 40% 20% Spring / Summer: Undergraduate Internship - Industrial Placement / Project Year Core Studies Final Year Project Problem-Based Learning Studies Year 4 Software Eng. - Distributed Systems Real-Time Systems Professional Skills Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning and Data Mining Applied / Interdisciplinary / Research Focus Choose to study in any one of the following areas: Graphics and Image Processing Modern Information Management Computer Security and Forensic Computing Systems Theory Advanced Maths options 50% 25% 25% An optional stream is available for students who wish to take more mathematics content.

6 Software Engineer Common Career Paths Software Engineering Group Manager Vice President (VP), Engineering Director of Engineering Software Architect, Applications Chief Architect, IT Software Development Manager Vice-President (VP), Engineering (Computer Software) Software Engineering Manager Senior Software Architect Software Engineering / Development Software Engineering / Development Director Senior Software Architect Software Engineering Manager Software Development Manager Software Architect Software Engineer Senior Engineer Principal Engineer

7 Potential Salary of 145,000 Software Engineer to Principal Engineer/ Manager Salary Scale 132k 01 Juniper Networks Google Top 25 Best-Paying Companies for Software Engineers* Twitter 04 Facebook Experience has a moderate effect on salary for this job. People in this job generally don t have more than 20 years experience. Starting Salary 35k 90% 25% 10% Apple LinkedIn Brocade ebay Figures Reference % of Software Engineers 09 Bloomberg L.P. 10 Zynga 11 PayPal 12 VWware Oracle NVIDIA Microsoft Amazon 17 Intuit 18 Cisco Systems 19 Yahoo 20 Intel *Source of Top 25 list: **Denotes the company has a presence in Ireland 21 Expedia 22 Hewlett Packard 23 Qualcomm 24 Texas Instruments 25 Citrix Systems

8 About GY350 The GY350 programme at NUI Galway has a proven track record spanning 15 years producing graduates that excel in varied Computer Science and Information Technology application areas such as digital media and games development, software engineering, medical informatics, IT consulting and energy informatics. This is a professional degree programme accredited by Engineers Ireland that has problem based learning at its core. You will acquire an in depth knowledge of mathematical and computer science foundations, software engineering technologies, and an exciting array of practical application areas. You will consolidate this with a professional placement in industry and a major final year project. With a growing diversity of opportunities in the digital world, new and emerging careers are evolving. With your flexible qualification, you can target specific careers that interest you and directly relate to your skills and talents. Of course, you can always start your own business! The computing required to process 1 Google search is equivalent to that used for the entire 11-year Apollo program to reach the moon. We are currently in the middle of a huge transition in the way computing resources are managed, moving to a cloud based model.

9 Web Links Information Technology at NUI Galway: Admissions Office: Mature Students: Transfers from Institutes of Technology to the College of Engineering and Informatics at NUI Galway: Central Admissions Office (CAO):

10 Entry Requirements Applicants must have at least two honours and four passes in Leaving Certificate subjects, including: A Laboratory Science subject Mathematics (at least Higher Level D3 or Ordinary Level B3) Irish (unless exempt) English Any other two subjects Application Procedure Application for the GY350 programme is through the CAO. Contact Information For further information on the programme please contact our programme coordinator at: T: F: E: GY350@it.nuigalway.ie Some Facts on NUI Galway Amazon are now installing as much additional new server capacity every day as their total global server capacity in In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his university room; today it has 1.2 billion users and is valued at over $100 bn. Nui Galway is one of Ireland s top universities for graduate employability, with over 95% of our graduates working or in further study within six months of graduation. Recent QS rankings identified NUI Galway as one of the highest ranking Universities in Ireland for the Computer Science subject area (in the top 150 worldwide).

11 Solve problems yet to be imagined Testimonials GY350 is a fun, exciting and challenging course. You are faced with problems that are both creative and interesting. You will learn and develop new skills with new and existing technologies. Technologies are consistently being developed and changed making for a great learning experience. THOMAS McGARRY BSc Computer Science & Information Technology I thoroughly enjoyed my 4 years studying Computer Science & Information Technology in NUIG. The variety of subjects gave me a great opportunity to explore all areas of IT and find what I was good at and what I loved. The lectures and staff in the IT discipline are the most helpful tutors and mentors I could have asked for and were very approachable and kind when any difficulties arose. I really would recommend the course to anyone with an interest in technology and you will meet some really fantastic people along the way. I ve made lifelong friends from the course and with a great degree behind me. GRACE DWYER BSc Computer Science & Information Technology Graduate

12 GY350 BSc (Honours) in Computer Science & Information Technology NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland T: F: