Computer Science courses

About Information Design & Development (msc) in Cork Institute of Technology

CIT's MSc in Information Design and Development is delivered and accessed fully online using state of the art Cloud based technologies. Lectures are delivered online by night and streamed live over the Internet and recorded to facilitate easy playback to students. The programme offers great flexibility to students as they can access their lectures and labs anytime, anywhere on any device that has a Web browser.

Information Developers are individuals who bridge the gap between subject matter experts and that of the end user. The role of information developers is becoming increasingly important given that society is being driven by technology and information developers provide the voice in communicating how issues incorporating technology are framed and developed. The Society of Technical Communication (STC) define information developers or technical communicators as individuals that communicate using an instruction based focus on technical or specialised topics using technology. In essence, information development and technical communications ensures that designs, products, systems and methodologies are documented and conveyed to their target audience to maximise its business value to the organisation.

Information Developers ensure that information about designs, products, systems, and methodologies is documented and conveyed to the target audience to maximise the business value for the organisation. A professional Master's degree programme in Information Design and Development provides students with the opportunity for an in-depth study of advanced rhetorical, compositional theories, project management, and the technical skills necessary to lead in designing, composing, managing and editing content using a standardised methodological approach. The programme reflects the fact that Information Developers require skills within a nexus of competing discourse communities (such as engineering, science, business, and humanities).

CIT's Department of Computer Science has developed this unique and innovative Masters degree in consultation with industry experts from Tyco,  EMC,  VCE,  VMware, TWi, IBM, Bárd Na Gleann, Intel Security and many others . This online only programme aims to provide graduates with advanced conceptual understanding, detailed factual knowledge, and specialist technical skills that are required to work as a professional Information Developer/Technical Writer. Graduates of this programme will be well equipped to meet the challenges associated with the major changes currently occurring in the IT industry. In this context the programme covers both theoretical background and practical design considerations. Lectures are delivered live using Adobe Connect and are recorded for later playback. Online labs are available 24/7 using CIT’s world-class private cloud environment and each student will receive a Virtual PC with all necessary software installed. Our online students are based in Ireland, UK, France, Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Venezuela, USA and many other countries. A continuous assessment model is used and there is no requirement to travel to Cork Institute of Technology to sit final examinations.

On successful completion of the Master's programme graduates will have the knowledge, skills and competencies to design and develop technical documents using a structured methodological approach. In addition, they will have the ability to work in the field of information development across different type of industries and will be able to successfully plan and manage projects that require technical documentation. By employing a range of research methodologies developed throughout the programme, graduates will also be able to demonstrate expertise and engagement with the scholarship of information development.

Academic qualification equivalents

• Bachelor's degree (Honours) holders with a minimal overall first division result
• First Class BSc Science/Arts/Commerce three year degree (for MA Global Business Practice/MSc International Business course)

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS 6.5 overall (6.0 for Business programmes)
• IELTS 5.5 in all four components (listening, reading, speaking and writing)
• PTE 60 (63 for integrated programmes)
• PTE 55 in all four components (listening, reading, speaking and writing)

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