Computing (Enterprise Software Systems)
This MSc programme is designed to develop and refine a set of skills essential for successful engagement of enterprises with information and communications technology (ICT). The main themes of the programme are business systems analysis and enterprise software development, supporting the entire business systems lifecycle.
The course aims to produce graduates who can:
Reason and problem-solve to a high level in the context of enterprise software and its role in business, industry and research;
Participate constructively in the strategic deployment of enterprise software;
Manage the development of high-quality enterprise software products and services;
Undertake research-based projects for industry, providing effective advice and leadership where required;
Manage technology-based projects that require the handling of innovation and change in dynamic environments.
Whereas this course is targeted at IT professionals who would participate in the programme on a part-time basis and complete the programme over two years, the modular design also allows for completion in one year full-time. The structure of this programme is the same as the other taught MSc in Computing courses within the Department of Computing Maths & Physics (CMP) in SETU Waterford.
It is a 90 credit programme consisting of 6 taught modules plus a dissertation and was developed through consultation with IT and software development companies in the South East region, see module groupings below.
Computing (Information Systems Processes)
The MSc in Computing in Information Systems Processes combines the human, the organisational, and the technological to provide a broad perspective of modern information systems and their development. The human aspects of the programme explore issues such as human-computer interaction, psychology, computer ethics, and systems development in the human-centred tradition.
The organisational aspects consider successful business processes and how these can be supported through information infrastructures such as supply-chain management systems. Finally, the technological aspects look to trends in information systems development, such as emerging methodologies, software development, and technological systems. The programme also includes a research project and dissertation, thus allowing students to investigate an individual area of personal interest.
An applied work-based research project and dissertation may be particularly appropriate for working or part-time students.
The programme consists of six taught modules and a dissertation. It can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time students undertake three taught modules for each of the first two semesters. They also take support modules on research methods related to their dissertations. Students complete their dissertations over a third semester to complete the MSc programme in 12 months.
Part-time students may complete their studies over a longer period. Students who choose not to complete a dissertation can instead complete a Postgraduate Diploma award comprised of the taught modules only.
Creative Computing
This is a four year course designed to provide students with the knowledge and practical experience of industry standard innovative tools and technologies, within the domains of technology and creative media. The course is primarily a computing course specialising in creative media, with approximately 60% computing content and 40% creative media content. It is a very practical based course where students develop skills through a strong emphasis on project work and continuous assessment. Graduates are highly employable allowing them to pursue a career in both the computing and creative media industry. If you would like to study a Computer Science Course and you also like Creative Media, this might be the course for you!
Subject Areas
Students study core computing subject areas, such as Web and Mobile Development, Computer Science and Databases, with creative subject areas such as UX (User Experience) Design, Graphic Design, Animation and Media Production.
Applied Computing (Automotive & Automation Systems)
What is Applied Computing (Automotive & Automation Systems)?
Advances in automotive technology have resulted in a rapid growth in innovative features such as driverless cars and collision avoidance. These features require sophisticated software that can sense and interpret the environment around them. Similarly, high-tech industries are embracing new smart manufacturing technologies whereby industrial systems can communicate and cooperate to improve efficiency.
What is the BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing (Automotive & Automation Systems)?
The BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing (Automotive and Automation Systems) is a full-time, four year, honours degree course of study that can be chosen within the BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing Common Entry Route. This course is designed to equip students with the specialist knowledge and practical skills required for employment in the automotive and automation sector. Both Irish-based and overseas companies seek skilled graduates who are able to create innovative software solutions for the automotive industry.
Industry Collaboration
Through ongoing collaboration with industrial partners, students gain access to state of the art tools, processes and technologies used in this sector, covering a range of topics such as embedded software development, driver assistance systems, industrial automation, and automotive software design. This knowledge and skillset are not only sought after in the automotive and automation industry, but also in aerospace and other embedded software engineering environments.
Applied Computing (Cloud & Networks)
The BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing (Cloud and Networks) is a full-time, four year, honours degree course of study that can be chosen within the BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing Common Entry Route. This course is designed to equip students with a practical understanding of Operating Systems and the tools required to deploy, manage and troubleshoot the underlying infrastructure supporting networked systems.
Course Aims
This stream will develop a strong underlying knowledge of how network communications and Cloud infrastructure is designed, implemented and managed. Students will work with the latest technologies from leading companies such as Amazon, Cisco, Red Hat and IBM. Graduates who are able to configure, manage and troubleshoot applications and services in Cloud based systems are in high demand across many domains.
Students will learn how to configure reliable, fault-tolerant, secure Cloud infrastructure systems using popular environments such as Amzon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform. Students will take some modules from the Security stream to develop the essential skills required in modern Cloud environments.
Applied Computing (Common Entry)
If you are interested in computer science or software development, but are unsure as to where you would like to specialise, then Applied Computing is for you. You will learn about the basics of computing/software development, and then decide which of the specialisms you think best suits your personal interests, strengths and plans. Through the use of specialist streams, we can quickly react to industry trends, while always ensuring that you will become a strong programmer/software developer.
Unique Features
If you know that you are interested in computing and in programming/software development but are not fully sure as to your strengths and/or interests, then this is the programme for you. You get to choose your specialism after first year, when you will know more about those strengths/interests. During year three of the programme, students embark on Work Placement (or study abroad). Most students find paid employment during this time.
In particular, as a graduate of this programme, you will:
Have excellent programming skills
Be an excellent problem solver
Have unrivalled employment prospects (most students have job offers before they sit their final year examinations)
Applied Computing (Computer Forensics & Security)
Just as a murder scene needs to be secured so too do electronic crime scenes. There are particular ways of securing evidence and students learn how to do this. Electronic crime scenes often involve child pornography, blackmail, financial fraud and data theft. Criminal prosecutors have used computer forensic evidence to form the backbone in murder cases and robberies through the use of technologies such as mobile phone forensics.
Computer forensics is the application of the scientific method to digital media in order to establish factual information for judicial review. This process often involves investigating computer systems to determine whether they are or have been used for illegal or unauthorised activities.
What is the BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing (Computer Forensics & Security)?
The BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing (Computer Forensics & Security) is a full-time, four year, honours degree course of study that can be chosen within the BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing Common Entry Route. This course is designed to equip graduates with the specialised skills and knowledge needed to secure, monitor and examine electronic crime scenes and digital environments.
Course Aims
This stream will develop a strong underlying knowledge of how data, storage and communications work down to bit level. Graduates are aware of the value of data in storage and in transit and the need for security. When reconstructing what has happened on a digital device, they are able to adapt to the use of new tools to aid in their analysis. They explore issues relating to system and network security as well as ethical hacking techniques for penetration testing.
Students will learn how to respond to a suspicious incident and the importance their actions can have. They will also learn how to collect and examine network data for types of evidence as well as to generate statistical, session and alert information. Being a strong programmer helps with skills such as secure software development and reverse engineering. Modules in law and business help prepare the graduate for working a range of roles that they may pursue as a career
Applied Computing (Internet of Things)
On this exciting new course developed in conjunction with the University’s world class research groups TSSG, ACG, and CTRG, you will learn how to programme the next wave of connected devices, you will explore the software and hardware that is transforming the world, connecting things to create radical new services and products.
Ultimately, you will become a software practitioner who understands mobile, cloud and connected devices and understand how these devices can be designed, interfaced with and operated. TSSG has completed dozens of research projects in IoT, has hundreds of international partners and a fantastic campus at Carriganore. TSSG researchers and the ArcLabs family of startups and spinouts underpin this programme and provide a terrific environment for learning and innovation in this fast moving world.
What is the Internet of Things?
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to everyday objects, which have the ability to harvest information, the intelligence to process the information, and the connectivity capabilities to communicate the results. IoT enables and facilitates smart cities, smart environment, smart agriculture as well as major improvements in industrial applications, security & emergency operations, health monitoring and home automation.
What is the BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing (Internet of Things)?
The BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing (Internet of things) is a full-time, four year, honours degree course of study that can be chosen within the BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing Common Entry Route.
The aim of the course
This course is designed to equip students with the skills & knowledge to become Internet of Things practitioners who are comfortable when dealing with the many kinds of devices and systems that connect the Internet and the environment. Such competence must be built on an awareness of the various means with which devices and systems perform, how they can be made to perform well and how their performance attributes may be changed.
The Internet of Things stream will start to build this competence with the single board computer, the single board micro-controllers and fundamental analogue electronics, which when combined together will afford the environmental input-output capability with basic access to the network. The single board micro-controllers combined with the fundamental analogue topics will give ready access to the analogue and low-level digital world, whose key parameters of interest can be sensed and if necessary conditioned for conversion into digital form, as well as offering an effective actuation interface for analogue change.
Protocol-defined communications covering all aspects from framing commands and information to the hierarchy of reliable communications will open up the ability to convey information and commands over various media types and allow the candidates a complete education in more complex microcontroller based internet access points.
Applied Computing (Media Development)
The BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing (Media Development) is a full-time, four year, honours degree course of study that can be chosen within the BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing Common Entry Route.
Course Aims
This strand recognises that form is functionality. Humans interact with computer systems and media through a variety of means; web, mobile apps, desktop, etc. Information is often presented through non-textual forms such as video and audio. This strand is concerned with presenting information in an efficient and pleasing manner for humans to consume. An increasing number of IT professionals must be competent in areas of design and media. This means having a working knowledge of audio/visual creation, editing and manipulation tools; a strong sense of User Experience and literacy with current design trends. Finally, the professional must be able to apply the digital media knowledge back to general computing. This suite of modules is geared towards students who wish to specialize in user-centric development.
This stream uses industry-standard media tools for content creation and manipulation such as Garage Band, Logic, iMovie and the Adobe suite. From a programming perspective Software Development Kits (SDK) and frameworks are used that are compatible with scripting languages such as Javascript and other high-level languages.
Software Development
Software development is the creation and maintenance of software products. These products range from mobile phone apps to highly complex software control systems such as those found in self- driving cars. In the broader sense, it includes everything from initial concept identification and design through to the final production of software. It can include identification of required software, analysis of software requirements, system design, programming, testing and maintenance.
Course Structure
This course equips students with the range of skills required to become competent software developers. Students follow our new ‘learning-by-doing’ model in first year with continuous assessment replacing final exams. Modules for the first three years include a broad range of subjects and an industry work placement. Year 4 concentrates on state-of-the-art, high-level software development topics such as: secure app development, data science, distributed systems and an extensive project.
Is this course for you?
Always on the cutting edge and working with the new ideas and technology, software developers enjoy working in diverse teams and solving novel problems with practical solutions. If you have an open, logical and inquiring mind then software development may be the profession for you.
