Bachelor of Science in Applied Computing (Hons)

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Computing

CAO Code: LY708

LYIT internal code: LY_KCOMP_B

Standard Code Places: 48

National Framework Level: 8

Award Type: Major

Awarding Body: LYIT, under Delegated Authority from HETAC

"From the high standard of computing graduates employed from LYIT since 2004 we have been able to successfully grow our development team and increase our capabilities into the future. We see our links with LYIT, playing a major part in our success in the years to come." Eamon Foy, SITA, Letterkenny.
SITA has recently announced plans to significantly expand their current operations in Letterkenny.

Is this Programme for Me?

This level 8 programme is designed to give the graduate experience with a wide range of fundamental computing skills from computer programming where you will learn to give the computer instructions to tell it what you want it to do to computer architecture where you will learn how to install and maintain computers. In addition, it will develop the students knowledge in later years to give them a strong set of management skills required to work in and manage modern I.T. organisations. All students will complete a major project which may be industry related.

Note that this course is approved by the Teaching Council on its list of Degree/Teacher Education Programmes Recognised for Post-Primary Registration Purposes.

Minimum Academic Entry Requirements

Applicants must pass 6 subjects in the Leaving Cert, achieving at least 2 honours i.e. Grade C3 in two Higher-Level papers. The six subjects must include Mathematics, and either English or Irish. Alternative mathematics is not acceptable as a basis for entry. It is anticipated that 48 places will be available on this programme.

• FEATC applicants check FETAC
• Applicants presenting non-Irish exams as a basis for entry, please check the IOTCEF listing to search for the entry relevant to your country
• Applicants who are interested in taking selected modules only from this programme and/or those interested in studying this programme in a part-time mode, check Part-time Study

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course the graduate will be able to:

• The ability to demonstrate specialist skills required for working in a range of key ICT sectors including software development, visual programming environments, software engineering, web application development, smart devices and emerging technologies;
• The ability to apply and integrate conceptual and theoretical information relating to the skills above;
• An understanding of emerging technologies and the factors driving these developments;
• The ability to review available technologies, implement system modelling techniques, design and implement computer systems applying critical decision-making skills in the selection of appropriate solutions with an emphasis on high-quality solutions and their limitations;
• The ability to analyse and evaluate information and based on that information be able to formulate and appraise solutions;
• The skills required to carry out bounded research and make decisions and justify those decisions in relation to the task;
• The ability to recognise and apply best-practice across a range of legal and ethical areas as part of their decision-making process;
• The ability to design and computer systems applying critical selection and decision making skills to arrive at appropriate solutions under a variety of circumstances;
• The ability to plan and organise work and interact effectively as part of a team;
• The ability to manage small but potentially different teams in a constructive leadership role;
• The ability to research, develop, formalise and critique original ideas using a range of tools;
• The ability to work in a team on the planning, management and implementation of all aspects of a diverse range of ICT systems.

Are there follow-up Programmes Available?

Progression to programmes leading to Masters Degree (by research) or a Doctoral Degree (by research), are available internally at LYIT or through a range of other Institutes of Technology and Universities in Ireland and abroad. There is also a wide range of opportunities to progress to a taught masters programme in areas such as Computer Games Development for example.

Progression internationally to some second cycle (e.g. 'Bologna Masters') degree programmes is possible.

Career Opportunities

Current forecasts about the future of the computing industry in Ireland are excellent. It is projected that students who enter third level colleges this year are likely to find there are more professional computing jobs available when they graduate than there are computing graduates to fill them.

During the past decade, Ireland has gained increasing recognition as Europe’s premier location for software development. Since the 1980s, most leading US software vendors, including Microsoft, Oracle, Google, Facebook and Symantec, have based their European operations centres in Ireland. The country has also become the number one site for software development in Europe. All the big players such as Microsoft, Google, eBay, Symantec and Amazon are now based in Ireland.

Alongside the big international players, Ireland also has a thriving software development industry that has been created in Ireland by Irish computer graduates. It comprises of over 600 companies, about 250 of which have significant levels of overseas sales. Ireland has now overtaken the USA as the biggest exporter of software in the world. 60% of all software sold in Europe originates in Ireland.

In addition to the national demand for computing graduates, there are several large computing companies in the Northwest such as Pramerica which is based in Letterkenny, Northbrook which has operations in Derry and Strabane and SITA which is owned by the air transport industry and has recently announced a major jobs expansion.

So what kind of job would you like to do? Manage large computer systems, manage computer security to stop computer hackers and viruses, be a software engineer, be a project manager, develop internet applications. All of these careers are open to our computing graduates; it's your choice.

This course begins in September each year.