Why study information technology at UoN?

Information technology (IT) is concerned with the use of technology in managing and processing information, especially in large organisations. The Bachelor of Information Technology provides you with opportunities to develop skills in traditional business uses for IT as well as in the growing field of digital entertainment.

You will work on real-world problems and be exposed to the use of IT in a wide range of industry settings. Our graduates are technically savvy, creative and highly employable. In a world of rapidly changing technology, governments and businesses are increasingly reliant on flexible IT professionals.

A career in IT is all about developing, building and maintaining software technology systems across digital, web-based and business systems to meet the challenges organisations and individuals face in keeping up with these advances.

To be in IT you need to have a love of technology, an interest in understanding and developing software applications, plus the skills and resources developed through study to bring these together in the implementation of professional real-world solutions.

Learn from industry professionals

Your lecturers come with a wide range of professional experience in industry, and combined with their research expertise, they are skilled in guiding you on how the latest technology can be wisely deployed to build applications that suit the needs of customers.

Core skills and specialised study

The information technology degree gives all graduates core skills in building software that uses complex databases and sophisticated web interfaces suitable for the corporate office or the mobile phone. You can choose from a number of major areas of study, ranging from the building of commercial applications to the creation of digital media for entertainment or game playing. Find out more

Practical experience

The Bachelor of Information Technology provides strong technical foundations blended with an understanding of people, organisations and complex systems. Find out more

IT graduates are in demand

Today's global marketplace demands business professionals with cutting-edge information technology (IT) expertise. Australia is facing a widening gap between the demand for IT skills and the supply of graduates. Find out more 

Meet our achievers

Why would you do this degree? Find out from graduates, students and academics. Discover how their future is taking shape, and learn first-hand what it's like to study at uni. Find out more

Core skills and specialised study

The information technology degree gives all graduates core skills in building software that uses complex databases and sophisticated web interfaces suitable for the corporate office or the mobile phone.

You can choose from a number of major areas of study, ranging from the building of commercial applications to the creation of digital media for entertainment or game playing. The name of your major(s) will appear on your academic transcript, and you can choose from the following:

• Business information, communication and technology (BICT)
• Digital media and entertainment (DME)
• Software development and applications (SDA)

Please note: the digital media and entertainment major is only available at the Newcastle campus.

Double majors

The degree also allows you to take a double major, where you complete the requirements of two majors. Double major combinations available to you are:

• Business information, communication and technology (BICT) / Digital media and entertainment (DME)
• Digital media and entertainment (DME) / Software development and applications (SDA)
• Software development and applications (SDA) / Business information, communication and technology (BICT)

In addition to the career options opened up by each single major, a double major enables a third set of possibilities where being a specialist in both areas is required. For this reason graduates with the flexibility of a double major are highly sought after by employers.

Business information, communication and technology (BICT)

Business information, communication and technology (BICT) will equip you to enter the world of mainstream commercial systems design and development, and project management. It will give you the technical skills to build systems using web and database technologies, and give you an understanding of how to effectively work in a team to use information technology in the pursuit of competitive advantage in a business setting. Additionally this major will give you the opportunity to build skills in core business areas such as marketing, finance and human relations.

Digital media and entertainment (DME)

Digital media and entertainment builds on the core technical skills in the degree to enable you to creatively use technology to tell stories, convey messages and engage viewers and users in the increasing range of digital media available. This ranges from 3-D animation to video post-production to web applications delivered by mobile services.

Software development and applications (SDA)

The software development and applications major expands on the technical skills for developing software and will equip you to work in producing the code and components that form software applications. You will complete courses in software tools, network administration, database design and administration and other areas of software technology. Completing this major will enable you to provide detailed technical support to application development teams for complex software applications.

Further study options

An Honours degree is offered as an additional year to the undergraduate degree. In this additional year, students develop their research and writing skills and are better equipped to pursue advanced career pathways or higher degrees. Graduates will be able to demonstrate a capacity to devise and employ effective and creative strategies in problem solving, plus mastery of specific field, analytical, data collection and processing techniques.

Master and Doctor of Philosophy research degrees are also offered, where students undertake a carefully supervised research program that represents a significant contribution to the particular field of study.

Practical experience

The Bachelor of Information Technology provides strong technical foundations blended with an understanding of people, organisations and complex systems.

From your first year, you work on industry relevant tasks and case studies, applying programming, database development, and other aspects of information technology (IT) to areas that might include computer games, multimedia or interactive digital media, e-commerce and medical information systems.

As a student, you are challenged to adopt innovative practices while adhering to technical and ethical standards appropriate to an IT professional. In this stimulating environment, you learn principles of good design - of user interfaces, databases and information systems - as well as the technologies operating behind modern interfaces. Emphasis is placed on problem solving, team work and professional responsibility.

Industry-based learning

The industry-based learning opportunities of the degree create graduates who are prepared for immediate, productive employment and rapid promotion into broader management, and through a range of opportunities in applications development and support for a diverse range of organisations.

Our approach to learning is clearly demonstrated by the third year Information Technology Project, where students are encouraged to find and develop real projects with industry partners. In this core course teams of students work on a major IT project for the semester. This project typically involves project planning, costing and evaluation, database design and implementation, programming, interface design, and writing and reporting. The written project report is complemented with an oral presentation.

Purpose built facilities to replicate industry situations

Throughout your degree, you will work on practical problems typical of those encountered in the business world.

Students work in the all digital ICT Building where they can use the latest PC and Mac computers to program web application software, create 3D animations, edit digital video productions and learn to command all the ingredients of a digital world. The building has a fully equipped television studio, along with radio and audio studios and video editing suites.

The Bachelor of Information Technology is unique as it allows students to work in video production and graphic design as part of their degree.

As well as being technically skilled, Information Technology graduates know how to be creative with technology and are able to work both in the commercial IT sector and the emerging digital media industries, such as High Definition television and mobile computer games.

IT graduates are in demand

Today's global marketplace demands business professionals with cutting-edge information technology (IT) expertise. Australia is facing a widening gap between the demand for IT skills and the supply of graduates.

Our graduates are working for companies large and small around the Hunter, in Sydney and other major centres around Australia. The Bachelor of Information Technology also opens up international career opportunities with Australian and multinational organisations, and many of our graduates work in Europe, Asia and North America.

What IT graduates are doing

While some IT graduates work in very technical positions, such as interactive web development and programming, many work as business analysts, consultants and project managers in a variety of organisations both nationally and internationally.

When you graduate, you are employable across every industry - all areas need software applications - from IT companies to manufacturing, health care, media companies, transport and tourism.

Where can the degree take you?

This three year degree opens up a range of career opportunities for you. You will be able to use the latest information technology to create a range of applications for customers and users.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Information Technology from the University of Newcastle are employed as:

• business analysts and system architects for major international IT companies
• software developers for companies and government organisations in mining, healthcare, retailing, and a range of manufacturing
• database administrators for transport companies and major government organisations
• animators and effects coordinators in digital media companies
• website developers for a broad range of organisations
• knowledge management specialists, project managers, system analysts and
• programmers on major software applications for commercial software vendors
• help desk and network support staff for local corporations.

Professional accreditation

There are two potential areas of professional accreditation, depending on the choice of courses made as part of the degree. If you would like advice on these options, please consult the Program Convenor.

Graduates are eligible to apply for membership of the Australian Computer Society (ACS), which is the recognised association for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) professionals.

On successful completion of the third year project management course, you will have acquired knowledge and skills at a level sufficient to satisfy the knowledge requirements defined by the Australian Institute of Project Managers (AIPM) for the level of "Certified Practicing Project Practitioner". This will help enable you to fill the growing demand for IT project managers.

Achiever profiles

Matt

Rhiannon

Bachelor of Information Technology

Teaching staff in the Bachelor of Information Technology are more than willing to devote their time to make sure that students understand what they are learning. They offer encouragement, support and provide students with outstanding learning resources.