Our foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence - with extensive support from our expert staff - before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you. This Information Technology degree will teach you how to design IT products and services that solve real problems. It opens doors to careers in virtually any area of computing and IT. You need to be highly motivated and have a desire to make IT products and services that are truly user-friendly and valuable.

KEY FEATURES OF THIS COURSE:

RANKINGS: Our Computer Science and Information Systems subject area is ranked Top 20 in the UK for student satisfaction with teaching (The Guardian University Guide 2022).

WORK EXPERIENCE: Gain valuable experience on an optional year in industry, supported by our dedicated and highly experienced placement staff.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: The team project in year two challenges you to develop an IT product or service for a real client, such as a local charity. You’ll take part in debates, group and individual work, practical sessions in computer labs, tutorials, seminars and presentations by in-house and guest lecturers.

INDUSTRY SOFTWARE: Use tools such as R, Python, Watson Analytics, SAS JMP and Tableau

WHAT YOU'LL COVER: Our Information Technology degree focuses on two critical themes: UX (user experience) and user centred design, plus big data analytics. A range of closely related computing and business topics support these. The first year is very much about learning the key tools, techniques and methods as a foundation for your studies in later years. A key aim of the second year is to equip you with skills and expertise valued by employers so that you are well prepared if you choose to undertake an optional placement year. You can then spend an optional year in industry on placement or progress to the final stage of the course. In your final year, you will develop your skills further so that you can critically evaluate and challenge concepts and ideas and conduct a major piece of research on a theme of your own choosing for your Independent Study.

HOW YOU'RE ASSESSED: A wide range of feedback and assessment methods is used throughout this course, from short exercises in computer labs to writing a dissertation for your Final Year Independent Studies project. You will also submit short research papers, take computer-based tests, produce presentations of your work and provide portfolios documenting the design and implementation of IT products and services, such as web design projects.

YOUR CAREER: Derby IT graduates forge careers in all areas of computing and information technology, particularly web and mobile design and data analytics. You could even start your own business. This degree also prepares you for an MSc in Information Technology.

STUDY OPTIONS: This course is available without a Foundation Year option. This course is available with an Industrial Placement Year.