StudyQA — Master: Information Technology — University of St. Andrews

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

The MSc in Information Technology is a one-year taught programme run by the School of Computer Science. The course consists of two semesters of taught modules followed by an 11-week project leading to the submission of a 15,000-word dissertation in August.

Highlights

The MSc in Information Technology is flexible and offers students a wide choice of modules covering many aspects of information technology, including key business practices. It complements the more specialised MSc programme in Computing and Information Technology.
Students undertake a significant project, including a wide-ranging investigation leading to their dissertation, which enables them to consolidate and extend their specialist knowledge and critical thinking.
Students have 24-hour access to modern computing laboratories, provisioned with dual-screen PC workstations and group-working facilities.

The taught portion of the MSc programme includes eight modules: one compulsory and seven optional from a wide range available. Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical classes. Most modules are assessed through practical coursework exercises and examinations. Class sizes typically range from 10 to 50 students.

All students are assigned an advisor who meets with them at the start of the year to discuss module choices and is available to assist with any academic difficulties during the year. A designated member of staff provides close supervision for the MSc project and dissertation.

Compulsory module

Masters Core Skills: equips students with essential skills in a range of topics topics including technical writing for computer science and information technology, presentation skills, research skills and project planning, all reinforced by practical assignments.

Optional modules

Optional modules are subject to change each year, and some may only allow limited numbers of students

Students choose seven of the following optional modules.

Object-Oriented Modelling, Design and Programming
Programming Principles and Practice
Masters Programming Projects
Artificial Intelligence Principles
Artificial Intelligence Practice
Language and Computation
Software Engineering Principles
Software Engineering Practice
Critical Systems Engineering
Software Architecture
Human Computer Interaction Principles and Methods
Interactive Software and Hardware
User-Centred Interaction Design
Information Visualisation and Visual Analytics
Database Management Systems
Web Technologies
Information Security Management
Green Information Technology
Information Technology Projects
Knowledge Discovery and Datamining

Dissertation

During the second semester, students work with staff to define and agree upon a topic for the extended project, which they will work on during the final three months of the course, and which culminates in a 15,000-word dissertation. Dissertation projects may be group-based or completed individually (students are assessed individually in either case).

The dissertation typically comprises: a review of related work; the extension of existing or the development of new ideas; the development of a software system or skilled use of one or more applications, a critical analysis and evaluation of the project outputs. Students are required to give a presentation of their work in addition to the written dissertation.

Each project is supervised by one or two members of staff, typically through regular meetings and reviews of software and dissertation drafts.

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for the MSc, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma instead, finishing the course at the end of the second semester of study.

Requirements

Postgraduate candidates will be expected to hold a Russian Bachelor’s degree - Diplom Bakalavra/ Bakalavr Diploma or a Specialist Degree issued by the Russian Federation - Specialist Diploma / Diplom Specialista. In either case, students should have completed their degree with an average mark (grade) of 4 or higher on the Russian 5-point marking scale. Students with higher level qualifications such as Magistr, the Kandidat Nauk, would also be considered for postgraduate study.
CV
Letter of intent (300 to 500 words)
Two original signed academic references
Academic transcripts and degree certificates
IELTS 7.0