Computing
NCI’s innovative BSc (Honours) in Computing will provide you with programming and advanced problem-solving skills, to create software applications that solve real-world problems. This exciting course will expose you to areas like games programming, software development, cybersecurity, blockchain, artificial intelligence/ machine learning/data analytics, internet of things and digital business transformation.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | QQI |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | QQI | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
Four Years Full-Time
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Minimum entry requirements are a grade H5 or above in two higher level subjects together with a minimum of O6/H7 in four other subjects.
A minimum of grade O6/H7 must be obtained in English or Irish.
A grade O6/H7 must be obtained in Mathematics.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
NCI operates the bonus scheme for Higher level Leaving Certificate Mathematics. 25 points will be added to an applicant’s points score for Higher level Mathematics for grades H6 and above.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
NCI recognises the LCVP for admission purposes, and results in the Link Modules element of the programme will be considered as follows:
Grade Points
Distinction 66
Merit 46
Pass 28
This is automatically computed by CAO. The Link Modules may be used as one of the six subjects for overall points calculation but will not be considered as a subject for the purposes of minimum entry requirements.
QQI FET Applicants General Information
NCI welcomes applications from students who are presenting QQI (formerly FET/FETAC) Level 5 and Level 6 awards.
For information on how to apply and minimum entry requirements go to the QQI Students link below.
Careers / Further progression
Career Prospects
Graduates of this course can perform a number of roles, including software developer, mobile application developer, IT support, project engineer, security analyst and games developer. Previous employers have included Microsoft, Lionbridge, Hewlett Packard, KPMG, Tapadoo, Arvato, Salesforce, Facebook and Vivendi Games. This course is also suitable for those who wish to pursue a career in teaching as it is recognised by the Teaching Council to teach computing.
Further Study Options
Upon successful completion of the BSc (Honours) in Computing, graduates can progress to postgraduate courses at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications such as the MSc in Cybersecurity, MSc in Data Analytics, MSc in Fintech or the MSc in Artificial Intelligence at NCI.
Further information
National College of Ireland is committed to providing equal access to education and equal opportunities for mature students. Students who are 23 years of age or older on 1st January can apply directly to NCI for entry to full-time education the following autumn. Applications will be accepted until 31st July. However, this closing date is subject to demand and therefore may change. For this reason and to avoid disappointment, it is advised that applications are submitted as early as possible. Further details can be obtained from the Admissions Office at admissions@ncirl.ie.
NCI also welcomes applicants for advanced entry into the second or third year of our full-time programmes. To be eligible for advanced entry, applicants must have undertaken specific courses and obtained certain results. Applicants should check with their individual institution or College of Further Education to find out to which courses this option is available. To find out more information regarding our advanced entry links, please contact Admissions at admissions@ncirl.ie. You can also contact Karen Campbell, School Liaison Officer at karen.campbell@ncirl.ie.
This course qualifies under the Free Fees Initiative and Student Grant Scheme.
Entry 2024
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2024 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2024 at 5pm
Exceptional online late application (see page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2024 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2024. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2024, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2024 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2024 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system. This is an exceptional late closing date and all steps must be completed by 5pm on 22 July. No changes may be made after this date.
If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.
Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.
Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.
Refer to page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
About the Course
NCI’s innovative BSc (Honours) in Computing will provide you with programming and advanced problem-solving skills, to create software applications that solve real-world problems. This exciting course will expose you to areas like games programming, software development, cybersecurity, blockchain, artificial intelligence/ machine learning/data analytics, internet of things and digital business transformation.
The course is industry-focused with a six-month work placement in the third year. NCI students are highly sought after and complete their work experience in companies such as Microsoft, O2, ESB, Wells Fargo, Dotmobi, Datalex and Intel.
Graduates of this course can create software applications on mobile devices, in the cloud, on the web and in gaming, using the latest technologies; understand how to incorporate multimedia into software applications; can analyse and interpret data to address real business problems; understand the cloud computing paradigm and its implications for software, infrastructure and platforms; and can secure software applications from malware and hacking.
Who is the course for?
This full-time computing course will appeal to students interested in the possibilities created by information and communications technology. The course is for school leavers, mature students and graduates of QQI level 5/6 programmes who wish to embark on a course of full-time study.
Course Structure and Award
This undergraduate course is a four-year honours degree. The course is run over eight semesters with continuous assessments held throughout the course and examinations at the end of each semester. On completion, you will receive a QQI BSc (Honours) Degree in Computing at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications. The course also prepares students for industry-recognised certification in leading technologies.
Year 1
Semester 1
• Discrete Mathematics
• Problem Solving and Programming Concepts
• Web Design and Development
• The Computing Industry
• Computational Thinking
Semester 2
• Computer Architecture
• Introduction to Programming
• Digital Multimedia
• Introduction to Data Modelling and Databases
• Operating Systems
Year 2
Semester 1
• Data Communications and Networking
• Object Oriented Programming
• Web Application Development
• Advanced Databases
Semester 2
• Innovation and Business Entrepreneurship
• Data Structures & Algorithms
• Team Project
• Software Engineering
• Software Quality and Testing
Year 3
Semester 1
• Security Fundamentals and Development
• Advanced Computer Networks
• Technical Electives
- Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Advanced Programming
Or
• Business Electives*
- Business and Artificial Intelligence
- Project Management
Semester 2
Work Placement
Full time six months within an organisation
OR
Academic Internship
Year 4 - Choose a Specialisation
Year 4
Games Programming*
Semester 1
• Computing Project
• IT Governance, Security and Ethics
• Cloud Application Development
• Game Systems
Semester 2
• Computing Project
• Mixed Reality
• Games Programming
Software Development *
Semester 1
• Computing Project
• IT Governance, Security and Ethics
• Cloud Application Development
• IoT Fundamentals and Development
Semester 2
• Computing Project
• Secure Application Programming
• DevOpsSec
Cybersecurity*
Semester 1
• Computing Project
• IT Governance, Security and Ethics
• Cloud Application Development
• Secure Application Programming
Semester 2
• Computing Project
• Penetration Testing
• Digital Forensics
Blockchain*
Semester 1
• Computing Project
• IT Governance, Security and Ethics
• Cloud Application Development
• Blockchain Foundations
Semester 2
• Computing Project
• Blockchain Application Development I
• Blockchain Application Development II
Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning/Data Analytics*
Semester 1
• Computing Project
• IT Governance, Security and Ethics
• Cloud Application Development
• Artificial Intelligence
Semester 2
• Computing Project
• Data Application Development
• Machine Learning
Digital Business Transformation**
Semester 1
• Computing Project
• IT Governance, Security and Ethics
• Cloud Application Development
• Business Analysis
Semester 2
• Computing Project
• Digital Transformation
• Strategic Management
Internet of Things*
Semester 1
• Computing Project
• IT Governance, Security and Ethics
• Cloud Application Development
• IoT Fundamentals and Development
Semester 2
• Computing Project
• Data Mining and Visualisation Principles
• IoT Application Development
*Students that complete the technical electives will progress to the fourth year specialisation in Games Programming, Software Development, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning/Data Analytics and Internet of Things.
**Students that complete the business electives will progress to the 4th year specialisation in Digital Business Transformation.
Electives and specialisations may include prerequisites, are subject to change, and availability is subject to class sizes.
National College of Ireland
Mayor Street, IFSC, Dublin 1
Tel: Reception (01) 4498500
Course/College Info: 1800 221 721
Email: info@ncirl.ie
Web: www.ncirl.ie