Program Overview

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Technology advances at a rapid pace and businesses must adapt if they are to compete in an ever expanding global economy. A degree in Computer and Information Technology gives you a grounding in a broad range of information technology subjects as well as the skills to manage and administrate complex digital infrastructure.

The course develops applied computing, interpersonal, communication and IT skills and readies graduates to develop, select, deliver, manage and maintain cutting-edge IT infrastructures and advanced IT systems. It is ideal for students who are interested in IT and are keen to learn programming, web development, database design and human-computer interaction, it also requires team working skills and nuanced interpersonal interaction.

This is further enhanced by a placement year, where you will put into practice the skills you have acquired. In fact, employer experience is embedded into every aspect of Computer and Information Technology at Queen’s. This allows students to engage and learn from prospective employers from day one, vastly improving our graduate employability rates.

Computing and Information Technology Incl Professional Experience Degree highlights

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Career Development

Students taking this programme may spend a year gaining professional experience in industry in a paid full-time post. Students are helped to obtain suitable places and the School has excellent links with over 500 local, national and international employers such as Citi, BT, Liberty IT, and Kainos in Belfast, IBM in England, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems in Dublin, Fujitsu in Japan and Siemens in Germany.

Marcella Armitage (Computing and Information Technology)

Attraction to QUB

Queen’s is the top university in Northern Ireland, so both the reputation and location were two of the main factors that attracted me to Queen’s University.

During open days I was able to see why Queen’s has such an excellent reputation. I was able to speak to both staff and current students of Queens’s and EEECS to find out more about courses that were on offer, which aided me in making my final decision. I was also invited along to an EEECS open day where I was able to find out more about EEECS, including the facilities that were now available due to the brand-new Computer Science Building that was being built at the time along with what my course would entail over its four year period.

Positive Experience during studies

One of the positive experiences that stands out to me during my time at Queen’s is the staff and students at EEECS. Everyone you meet, in particular the facility staff just want the best for you and will help you get to where you want to be. I found that whenever I had a question no matter how small someone was always able to help.

Placement

PwC Belfast. My placement year was a great experience and would highly recommend completing a year in industry. During this time, I was able to bring with me into the workplace what I had learned from my first two years of study but also allowed me to gain experience within a large firm enabling me to obtain a wealth of knowledge not only from courses and training that I completed throughout but from the people that I worked with on my team which I feel has benefitted me greatly in final year.

During my placement I became part of the Women in Tech committee. I had the opportunity to help organise a number of tech related events within the firm but also was able to attend the Women in Business conference held at Titanic. Here I was able to meet a wide range of people in a wide range of roles. Speaking to these people allowed be to hear about their experiences and learn about how they got to where they are today.

Engaging in extracurricular activities

I have taken part in hackathons that were held by EEECS. When I began my course, I was not the most confident of coders but attending these hackathons did help me develop my coding skills. Along with having the ability to meet and speak to potential employers during these hackathons.

During my year of placement, I completed a Level 1 Irish course at the language centre here at Queens. This was an 8-week course where I was able to learn a lot about the Irish language. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and I would definitely attend another language course with Queens.

One piece of advice to potential EEECS applicants

Go for it, take part in as much as you can. You will gain friends and invaluable experiences along the way. Also don’t be afraid to ask questions there will always be someone who can help you.

Going forward

I have received a graduate offer from PwC, and I hope to return there in Autumn of 2021 as an associate.

If you had a time machine, and could go back to your first day at Queen’s, what would you do differently? (If anything!)

I don’t think I would do anything differently maybe tell myself to be less nervous, that there is nothing to worry about! I have been lucky and met a great bunch of girls and have supported each other through the years so I wouldn’t change this.

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