BSc (Hons) Information Communication Technology

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Information Systems at USW is rated top 5 in the UK and top in Wales teaching quality _{National Student Survey 2023}

Information communication technology (ICT) continues to play a crucial part in effective computer systems that can meet increasing user demands. We live in a world dominated by online services and social interactions, so the ICT systems behind them must be responsive, reliable and secure.

This practical BSc (Hons) Information Communication Technology course covers the development and use of ICT systems in business and industry, and focuses on core business technologies in a constantly evolving global environment.

You also have the chance to gain a vendor qualification (additional cost applies), as a substantial part of the Cisco curriculum (CCNA) is covered as part of this ICT course. Achieving a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is the first step in helping you prepare for a career in networking and focuses on network infrastructure, mainly routing and switching, but also includes wireless access, security and connectivity.

While we concentrate on developing the skills you need to understand an organisation's information and technical needs, you will also gain elements of web development, computer programming, GIS, and gain additional skills for a career in technical and end-user support, or application development.

Top in Wales and Top 10 in the UK for Information Technology and Systems (Complete University Guide 2023)

2023

UCAS Code	Study Mode 2023	Duration	Start Date	Campus	Campus Code
G500	Full-time	3 Years	September	Treforest	A
7R4V	Sandwich	4 Years	September	Treforest	A

Year One: ICT degree

Computer Systems and Network Technologies
Graphical User Interface Programming
Designing and Implementing Interactive Systems
Professionalism and Employability
Information Engineering
Mathematics and Statistics for Computing

Year Two: ICT degree

Operating System Theory and Implementation
Project Management and Professional Practice
Web Content Management Technologies
Database Development
IT Service Management and PPE
Applied Computer Networking
Supervised Work Experience (Computing) - Optional
Study Overseas (Computing)- Optional

Year Three: ICT degree

Individual Project
Strategic IS Management
Advanced Databases and Modelling
GIS and the Spatial Web
Advanced ITSM
Advanced Applied Computer Networking
The Computing Professional in Practice

Teaching

You will have around 16 hours of lectures, tutorials and practical sessions every week. You also need to spend four hours per week, per module on your coursework, general reading and other preparation.

Assessment

Types of assessment include examinations, coursework and exercises based on real-life problems.

Placements

As part of your ICT course, we strongly recommend that you spend up to a year working in industry in the UK or abroad. This means you can gain new skills and boost your career prospects, and it can often lead to job opportunities with your placement employer.

Facilities

We have a full range of high-specification computer labs and an ongoing investment programme to ensure that our facilities stay at the forefront of computing developments.

Lecturers

We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement

At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.

If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.

The entry criteria below reflect our standard entry requirements for the course for September 2023. However, all applications received by the University are reviewed holistically and individually. Entry criteria for September 2024 is changing and will be published on ucas.com from 8th May 2023. Entry criteria for September 2024 will be updated on our website from the end of October 2023.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions. USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy.

Other qualifications and experience

We can also consider combinations of qualifications and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. We can sometimes consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or advanced entry to year two or three of a course where this is possible.

To find out which qualifications have tariff points, please refer to the UCAS tariff calculator.

If you need more help or information or would like to speak to our friendly admissions team, please contact us here

Typical A-Level Offer

BCC - CDD (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points).

Typical Welsh BACC Offer

Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C/D in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BC - CD at A Level (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points).

Typical BTEC Offer

BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit - Merit Merit Pass (this is equivalent to 112-80 UCAS tariff points).

Typical Access to HE Offer

Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 80 UCAS tariff points

Additional Requirements

GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

International Entry Requirements

We also welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications. Please visit the country specific pages on our international website for exact details.

English Requirements

In general, international applicants will need to have achieved an overall IELTS grade of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.

However, if you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, but please visit the country specific page on our international website for exact details. If your country is not featured please contact us.

Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.

August 2023 - July 2024 Fees

Full-time UK: £9000
Full-time International: £14400

Student Perks

At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.

Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.

Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

Funding

Funding to help pay for (or cover) course tuition fees and living costs

Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

To learn about course fees, funding options, and to see if you are eligible for financial support, visit our Fees and Funding pages.

Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science Travel Bursary

The Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science offers a travel bursary of £500 which is available to all students undertaking an undergraduate sandwich degree. Find out more.

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UK students

Apply via UCAS if you are a UK/EU residing applicant, applying for year one of a full-time undergraduate degree, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree or HND and you have not applied through UCAS before. If you are applying to study part-time, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution, please apply directly.

International and EU students

Apply directly to the University if you live outside the UK/EU.

Admissions statement

As the use of ICT in business is ever-growing, there are excellent opportunities for students with appropriate qualifications in ICT. Graduates from this ICT degree will have the skills to start careers in network or service management, as well as a range of technical support roles.

Our Careers and Employability Service

As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.

This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.

Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.