Through this programme you will get a fundamental understanding of software development and supporting technology relating to programming and database management. You will understand the professional skills required to lead IT managers, individually or as a part of a team, working on business change projects. With an emphasis on how computational systems can support business operation and the role of e-commerce, you will understand in detail the dependency between business operations and IT systems. You will be made aware of the challenges in IT management and develop a holistic appreciation of the many factors on which successful IT projects depend. In addition to being taught how to use industry standard products like Oracle™, you will have the option of learning about new and emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, that are radically changing the opportunities and threats for the provision of IT systems. You may also opt to specialize further concerning business strategy and the role of technology in providing a competitive advantage in all areas of business, from small-scale projects to large organizations. Finally 60 credits of the 180 credit programme concern a dissertation with individual supervision. Full time students may choose to apply for a paid 7-10 month professional work placement to be undertaken on completion of Spring semester and before completing the MSc programme with a 60 credit dissertation. Subject to satisfactory progress we will support you with our professional and experienced work placement consultants who aim to satisfy your individual preferences. You will gain professional recognition of your placement through our accredited internship programme.

Career Prospects Recent graduates from the previous IT management stream in the MSc Computing programme have gained employment in roles such as systems analysts, business analysts and IT consultants. Graduates are employed by organisations of all sizes locally, nationally and internationally. For example recent graduates have taken up positions with local NHS Trusts, Logica, Sun Microsystems, BT, and the National Library of Medicine in the USA.