# Higher Diploma in Science in Computing - ITB



## airgead07

Hi I am interested in doing this course, link below.



Just wondering if there are any graduates of the course out there who have any opinions on the course or recruiters/employers who have come across candidates with this qualification.

The flexibility of the course is very appealing but just want to be certain the course is attractive to employers and the aims of the course are relevant to today's IT industry.

Thanks


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## brokeagain

hi there,

I was one of the first to do this course. I graduated back in 2008. The course was very intensive and the workload was very heavy as we covered 3 modules per semester. I have heard that they have cut the workload down as there was a lot of complaints from our year. 

This course led to a promotion for me in the company I worked for at the time and also led to me securing the position that I am in now. I work with Databases. 

There was a lot of emphasis on Java and we covered 2 modules on it. I struggled with it TBH but others loved it. There is something for everyone on this course whether your interest is Web design, networking or development.

I highly recommend it but it is a huge commitment for 18 months.


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## airgead07

Hi LivefortheWE

thanks for the response. I don't currently work in IT but am hoping to use this as conversion course and redirect into the IT area eventually.

I presume if I am willing to put in the time and study then I should be able for the course despite no previous IT experience.


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## ccbkd

I tired to get into course- but applications now closed!! Ahhhhhhhh...


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## Sunny

Think a few colleges offer it. Think I saw it in Griffith College before


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## AlbacoreA

I did it for a while, a few years back but dropped out. I work in IT but found the workload of this course extremely heavy. Indeed I'd say about 60% probably more had dropped out by the time I did. The people that seem best able to manage it, seemed to be in occupations, that had more free time to spare than most. Could take a week or so off on a regular basis etc. The work load was a constant point of friction in the class I was in. As I was leaving they offered me a more flexible schedule of the modules that took longer, but it was too late for me, why they didn't offer that when people were struggling, was a bit baffling. 

The elearning system they had moodle I didn't find much good, as most of the students on my course used it very little. As a result there wasn't much of a group effort and most people worked on their own. The campus itself was a little bit souless, so no one really spent any time there either. So you'd want to be happy working on your own a lot, and have a huge amount of free time to do it. I think its a bit mis leading they way they present/advertise the course. Its not really a part-time diploma. Its a full time degree course stuffed into a fraction the time.

That said the Lecturers were extremely good and I enjoyed the most of the subjects. It was well worth doing if you have the time to complete it.  

If I was doing something similar, again, I don't think this style of course suits me. I'd either want something with a more flexible module structure, with options for catching up if you need to. Also something with much more class time, as I think you learn a lot from the lectures and other students, much more if you are in contact with them more.  I think any of the other courses which are similar, spend 3 nights a week and every other sat covering the material. So if you think of that, plus your own time completing projects and studying thats a more realistic picture of the workload.


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## cathal79

*IT courses-part time*

Hi,
I was thinking of transferring from a BSC in IT with DCU Oscail as I am struggling there due to the lack of tutor interaction so was hoping to start with the higher cert in IT with ITB.  

I don't feel I'm learning much at all in DCU as we just seem to be going from assignment to assignment.  I think I've gotten more from YouTube than anything else plus there's a subject called Human Sciences which I can't stand.  It's really and truly a load of waffle.

Would anyone recommend switching to ITB?


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## mir2001

Hi I did the post graduate course in Griffith college in 2000 and it was really good. It was hard work but I think all part time post grad courses are. I've been working as a programmer since then so I would definitely recommend it.


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## leonmahon

I found the structure of the department in ITB to be unbelievably disorganised.


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## Gervan

> I found the structure of the department in ITB to be unbelievably disorganised.



Leonmahon, I am a dropout of this course at CIT. Identical disorganisation! The lecturers were just not interested in the students, and there was no follow-up to find out why I did stop attending. 
The ITs are run for the benefit of the staff, not the students.


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