Postgraduate Courses in Information Technology (IT)
Information Technology is a multidisciplinary area which draws on computer science, software engineering, sociology and psychology. It is an important, challenging, fast moving subject that affects the quality of all our lives. There will always be a need in the workplace for those qualified at Masters level to make informed decisions about the choice and design of information systems. Postgraduate courses in Information Technology are recommended for those who want to get ahead in their careers.
Postgraduate courses in Information Technology vary in the extent to which emphasis is placed on the technical or social and organisational aspects of the subject. However, they usually aim to give students an understanding of:
- The rapidly changing technological infrastructure that underpins our use of information systems;
- The different approaches that may be adopted towards systems development and acquisition;
- The role information systems play in a range of application areas.
Study at Masters level is both theoretical and practical. The emphasis should be on problem solving through group work and the development of critical thinking and independent research skills, greatly valued by 21 st century employers. Crucially, an MSc IT graduate should ‘speak the language’ of both the hardware and software experts and those more directly concerned with the application of technology in the human context.
An MSc in Information Technology usually involves independent research and the development of research skills culminating in the writing of an academic dissertation. This is obviously an opportunity to try out research in this area, possibly with a view to continuing study at doctoral level. But it is also an opportunity to further develop expertise in a specific area of interest relevant to current or future employment.
Writing a dissertation provides an opportunity to work over an extended period of time under the supervision of an academic who shares your interest in a particular area. The dissertation may well be building on aspects of a subject of special interest explored in the taught modules which you have chosen. The writing of the dissertation may also be associated with a work placement undertaken on completion of the taught part of the MSc. This is likely to be an excellent opportunity to gain relevant work experience.
A postgraduate course in IT is likely to be structured so that students can specialise in certain themes or pathways. For example a pathway with a business orientation might include consideration of the strategic role information systems play in organisations. It will also look at the way computing and communications technologies influence the way people communicate, carry out transactions and learn in a business context.
A pathway with a software development focus should not only provide opportunities for the development of obviously technical skills such as programming and database design, but should facilitate those skills necessary for working effectively in a team. These include the interpersonal skills of clear communication, effective project management and self-awareness.
Other pathways might focus on particular application areas such as manufacturing, education or health. These pathways might be suitable both for those seeking employment in these areas, and those already in employment studying part-time. Formalising and extending knowledge gained in the workplace through study can be extremely beneficial, and often leads directly to career advancement.
An MSc in IT should explicitly prepare students for the international workplace, intercultural and computer mediated communication and working within global teams. All modules should take account of the ‘international dimension’ where appropriate, and specialist modules might deal with these issues in greater depth.
While a postgraduate course in Information Technology should look to the future and explore and evaluate current and emerging technologies, students on such a programme should be aware that skills relating to the use of specific systems, may well feel out of date and irrelevant in only a few years’ time. Your main motivation in undertaking a postgraduate course in Information Technology should be not to master specific skills, but rather to learn how to critically evaluate new technologies and new approaches and to assist in the process of adaptation to change.
For more information please visit:
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/cems/graduateschool/index.html
