Courses in Computer Applications and IT

Prof. Sunil Kumar Khatri, director at Amity Institute of Information Technology, Amity University shares the prospects of a career in Information Technology (IT).

There are currently two courses available in the area of Computer Applications, viz. Bachelor of Computer Applications, BCA at the under-graduate level; and Master of Computer Applications, MCA at the post-graduate level. Both are 3 year degree programmes. Many Universities also provide the option of integrated MCA, wherein the Dual degree of BCA and MCA can be obtained within a cumulative tenure of five years. Also, there is an option of lateral entry available at many Universities, wherein a candidate who has done BCA at Under-graduate level can directly apply to the second year of MCA, thus saving one year. Similarly, BSc (IT) is available where more focus is on IT theory and applications.

A decade or maybe two decades ago, any MBA might have been enough to secure the best jobs. Today, employers just don’t want mere MBA but knowledge of IT and its applications embedded with managerial skills. In order to bridge this gap, Computer Applications courses provide an apt platform for a marriage between IT skills and managerial insight. Both BCA and MCA courses not only teach the building blocks of Computers and it’s architecture but also integrate this learning with highly industry-specific and relevant knowledge of real world computer applications. They teach the students their real world applications. And this is what makes these courses highly industry relevant and acceptable.

Yes, very few courses are available in this area. One such course is available at Amity University with the nomenclature – MSc (Network Technology and Management). It is a niche course built on Cisco’s curriculum of CCNA.  Students of MSc (NT&M) are CCNA certified and many also go in for CCNS and CCVOIP Certification as provided by Cisco. At the same time, they are also very well versed with latest value added technologies such as Windows and Linux Server Implementation and Management, Wireless Communication, Wireless LAN, Network Security, Storage Management, etc.

Amity Institute of Information Technology (AIIT), Noida, offers MCA, MSc (NT&M), BCA, BSc (IT), 5 years Dual Degree (BCA + MCA), Ph.D. (IT) full-time and part-time and BCA(Evening) programmes. Lectures are supported by independent study, tutorials, and resource based material and group work. Students also get to study a compulsory foreign language.

AIIT has tie-ups with CISCO and InterSystems India, Pvt. Ltd. CISCO Networking Program provides a curriculum of four Semesters participation program, enabling students to attain the privileged CCNA Certification and Training.

Amity University has collaborated with EMC², Sun MicroSystems, Oracle, JKT-SAP and Spice. Being a part of the University, the students of AIIT have the opportunity to avail access to the courses offered by these organizations.

Post-graduate students are picked up for their knowledge in Computer Applications in diverse areas such as Networking, Enterprise Resource Planning, Testing, Software Development, System Administration, Mobile Applications, etc. Their starting pay scale ranges from Rs 3 Lakh pa to Rs 5 Lakh pa. But this is just the start. Many of these students are found to be in commanding positions in the corporate world couple of years down the line, as there is tremendous growth opportunity in this field.

Under-graduate students are also picked up in areas such as Technical support, Infrastructure Support, Software Development, Mobile Applications, etc. Many of these students aspire to go for higher studies and such opportunities are available from the Corporates that provide for joint prospects of “Earn while you Learn’ Programs, wherein the students can do the corporate job and at the same time learn for their post-graduate degree.

About the author:

Prof Sunil Kumar Khatri, BSc (Computer Science), MCA & PhD (in Comp. Sc.), is director, Amity Institute of Information Technology (AIIT), Amity University, Noida. 

Dr Khatri is also a published author and has been honoured with IT Innovation & Excellence Award for Contribution in the field of IT and Computer Science Education.