Evolution

  Developing software applications requires bridging the gaps between business requirements and technical requirements. Good software solutions are produced only when problems/requirements are fully understood. Therefore, employers require not only technical skills which are possessed by the current computer science graduates but also a wide range of other 'soft' skills, which are essential for the industry today in understanding, analysing and communicating requirements. Therefore we have come to realize that industry is in need of another kind of ICT Professionals to fill this gap between business requirements and technical requirements. To this end, an undergraduate curriculum, emphasizing the ‘soft’ skills of communication and teamwork, and ensuring that students gain a solid understanding of organizational and business perspectives, is essential. The BICT degree course was designed to produce this new breed of ICT professionals known as Information Systems Architects.

  Fundamental Assumption :

    BICT will be an industry owned degree programme.

 Program Objective

To produce quality ICT graduates who are capable of understanding the business processes and technology and integrate them to find a better solution to achieve the objectives of the enterprises in an effective and efficient way.

Information Systems Architects (ISA)

These ICT professionals can enter into the industry as Information Systems architects.

Capabilities of ISA  

We consider that ISA fills the gap between the business/customer and the software developer. Therefore ISA should be a

         A person with a broad set of skills

         Trained in understanding business processes

         But with also the overall technical knowledge to identify the key issues

         And design the overall solution architecture

Skills/Attributes of the ISA

-        Analytical skills

-        Communication skills

-        Inter-personal skills

-        Design skills

-        Evaluation skills

-        Technical skills

-        Leadership/Management skills

-        Creative skills

-        Knowledge acquisition skills (with respect to domains of different industries)

The subjects of the BICT degree program are offered by analyzing them against the skills specified above as our aim is to produce BICT students those who possess these skills to go to industry mainly as Information Systems Architects.

However, BICT students can also be

*        QA Associates

*        IT Audit Trainees

*        S/W developers

*        Website Designer/Developer

*        IT Technician 

*        IT Consultant

*        Management Trainee

*        IT Teacher   

  Academic Year

+    Academic year comprises of 2 semesters.

+    A semester is 15 weeks of study.

   Structure of the Degree Program

   Two Degree Programs

+          3 Year Degree Program (Exit)

+          4 Year Degree Program

  Initially all students are enrolled for the 3 year Program.

Based on performance & preference a selected number of students are given the opportunity to enroll for the 4th year.

+    Each course is given a credit rating

        Example

            ICT1002 Systems Analysis and Design – 3C

   In each year a student is required to take courses worth a minimum of 30 credits.

First Semester

• ICT 1001 Introduction to s/w development (3c)

• ICT 1002 Systems Analysis and Design (3c)

• ICT 1003 Business Information Systems (2c)

• ICT 1004 PC Application Laboratory (2c)

• ICT 1005 Fundamentals of Management (2c)

• ICT 1006 Mathematics I (1c)

• ICT 1007 Communication Skills (1c)

• ICT 1008 Fundamentals of Economics (1c)

• ICT 1009 Fundamentals of Sociology (1c)

Second Semester

• ICT 1010 Communication Technologies (3c)

• ICT 1011 Database Management Systems (3c)

• ICT 1012 Computer Systems (2c)

• ICT 1013 Guest Lecture Series on Industries (2c)

• ICT 1014 Mathematics II (1c)

• ICT 1007 Communication Skills 2(1c)

• ICT 1015 Fundamentals of Accountancy (1c)

• ICT 1016 Fundamentals of Psychology (1c)
  

First Semester

• ICT 2001 Software Engineering (3c)

• ICT 2002 SAD Group Project (3c)

• ICT 2003 Internet Application Development (3c)

• ICT 2004 Multimedia Technologies (3c)

• ICT 2005 Business Statistics & Operational Research (2c)

• ICT 2006 Marketing (1c)

• ICT 2007 Industrial Visits (1c)

Second Semester

• ICT 2008 Business Process Re-Engineering (2c)

• ICT 2009 IT Project Management (2c)

• ICT 2010 Information Systems Security & Audit (2c)

• ICT 2011 Digital Fine Arts (2c)

• ICT 2012 Software Development Project (Group Project) (3c)

• ICT 2013 eBusiness (2c)

• ICT 2014 Special Topics in Computer Science (2c)

• ICT 2007 Industrial Visits (1c)

First Semester

• ICT 3001 Enterprise Resource Planning (2c)

• ICT 3002 Human Computer Interaction (3c)

• ICT 3003 Software Quality Assurance (2c)

• ICT 3004 IT procurement Management (2c)

• ICT 3005 Strategic Management (2c)

• ICT 3006 Professional Issues

• ICT 3007 Human Resource Management (2c)

Optional

(Three subjects to be chosen)

• ICT 3008 Middleware Architectures (2c)

• ICT 3009 Computer Graphics & Image Processing (3c)

• ICT 3010 Software Localization (2c)

• ICT 3011 Data Mining & Warehousing (3c)

• ICT 3012 Instructional Design(3c)

• ICT 3013 Digital Video Production (3c)

• ICT 3014 System & Network Administration (3c)

Second Semester

• ICT 3015 Industry Placement (8c)

• ICT 3006 Professional Issues (2c)

No. of Credits	Subject	Core or Elective
10  (Tech/Buss)	Final Year Project  (the details are given below).	C
02	Research Methods (this should be aligned with CS course but with more qualitative research)	C
02	Contemporary topics in Information Systems (would be a taught course on new directions in IS)	C
02 (Tech)	Contingency Planning/Risk Management (IS Deployment Strategies)	C
02 (Business/Tech)	Applied Informatics (e.g. Health,  eGovernment, Educations …)	C
02	Research Seminar	C
Total     20 (credits)
03 (Tech)	Advanced Concepts in Software Design and Development (will be aligned with CS )	E
03 (Tech)	Wireless Ad-Hoc and Sensor Networks (will be aligned with CS )	E
03 (Business)	Advanced Media Management	E (Pre-req – 3rd year Video Prod)
03 (Tech)	Advanced Database Systems (will be aligned with CS )	E
02 (Tech)	Mobile Computing (will also be offered to CS)	E
02 (Tech)	Enterprise Modelling	E
03 (Tech/Buss)	Advanced Business Information Systems (DSS & EIS)	E  (Sys proj – 50%  paper –50%)
02 (Tech/ Business)	Business Process Automation (Supply Chain Management & Customer Relationship Management)	E

4th year Project (Guidelines)

Following guidelines were discussed with respect to the 4th year project which will be considered as an Industry Oriented Information Systems Research project.

• 4th year project should be allocated 10 credits and spans through both semesters of the year.
  
• This could an individual or a group project and for a group project the group size should be restricted to maximum of 3 members.
  
• Each individual/group should submit a project proposal at the beginning of the 4th year. In the proposal it is necessary to identify the disciplines/areas relevant to the syllabus (e.g. QA, IT Procurement, eBusiness, Networking) that would be covered under the selected project. For each identified area, there should be a justification with respect to its relevance to the project.
  
• There will be a proposal defense where each individual/group has to justify the project scope. The implementation phase of a project can be carried out if necessary.
  
• The evaluation criteria will consist of the main/group project report and final presentation. In addition to this, in case of a group project, there will be a peer evaluation and an individual project report which is required to be submitted by each group member.

*Subject to approval by the senate.