Information Technology 2012 Entry

Honours Degree

Distinctive and wide-ranging, this degree is designed to prepare you for a career as a flexible IT professional.

You’ll work on developing skills in design and analysis of two key areas, databases and networking. In addition, you’ll build an understanding of the broader issues of supporting IT systems that meet the needs of businesses today. This degree is challenging, but also stimulating, we’ll stretch you, but we’ll support you.

You can tailor the single honours degree to be more vocational by including programming languages or concentrating on the development of IT solutions.

As well as technical skills, you’ll develop both personal and professional skills such as research, time management, communication and project management.

The degree+ route, a year’s paid work placement at the end of the second year, allows you the opportunity to apply what you have learnt and focus your strengths towards your final year options. Previous placements have been in user support where responsibilities have included solving network problems and developing personalised systems for users.

Degree+
Degree+ gives you the opportunity to work for a year on a paid placement that counts as part of your studies. When you graduate, you'll be more employable and likely to receive a higher starting salary.

Some of our modules

Systems Analysis and Database Design
Information Technology and Data Presentation
Network Implementation and Programming
Database Application Development
Advanced Database Systems
Network Design

Benefits

development of highly marketable technical skills
specialist network and database skills
vocational/work-related skills based

Career paths

IT manager
IT user support
network technician

Are there any placements for this course?

Optional one year placement through the Degree+ route.

How will the course be assessed?

Primarily coursework and assessments, presentations and exams.

Entry requirements

Range of points for degree: 240-280 using the UCAS Tariff system

Associated professional accreditations

Students may apply for membership of the British Computer Society.

Study options

Full-time and part-time

Location

The Park

Profile: Ricardo Verschueren

"Whichever direction I take I’m sure I will continue to enjoy studying here."

BSc Computing & Information Technology

I chose to come to the University of Gloucestershire so that I could be near my family and enjoy the relaxed lifestyle that Cheltenham and its surroundings provide.

The opportunity to meet new people is really important but it has also been interesting that many of these people are from different cultures, giving a truly international feel. I attended a couple of international meetings, which were really helpful as I met students from all over the world.

The course has covered the whole spectrum of computing and information technology. And it has been an introduction to highly advanced technology which I would never have come into contact with otherwise. Even more importantly, it has provided the opportunity to develop towards a specific career path.

My placement has been in the I.T. Department at the University of Gloucestershire and has allowed me to work on a research project. This is to investigate the sustainable re-use of hardware that has been made obsolete due to the gradual upgrading of computers in the labs. The efficiency of this hardware is no longer effective due to the age and the software which has been superseded by much newer versions.

I have set targets to review hardware performance versus power consumption. Hopefully this will demonstrate to the university the potential of developing a ‘super computer’ in a sustainable way. We are also aiming to upgrade the computing labs in stages to make them more energy efficient. For example, students will be able to switch the computers to start, stand-by and re-start with minimum delays which will make them more user-friendly.

This project has enabled me to put into practice what I have learnt in the classroom and has been a very good development opportunity. It will also mean that I can add value to my dissertation and maybe even improve the marks for my degree.

I am undecided as to what will be the next step after completing my degree. However, I would like to continue to learn more about my subject and find out how it relates to other areas. This could mean progressing to a masters degree to explore the legal aspects of computing or how athletes use technology to increase their performance. Whichever direction I take I’m sure I will continue to enjoy studying here.

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