Deconstructing Software Systems Design
At Centennial College, the Bachelor of Applied Information Sciences - Software Systems Design program was developed to contribute towards meeting a need for skilled people who can design, build, install, service and create future information technology applications. It also happens to be the only program of its kind in the province, as the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities especially chose Centennial College to offer this blend of technology and business subjects to prepare students for Software Systems Design jobs.
Here is a closer look at the ins and outs of the Software Systems Design offering at Centennial College.
- The Software Systems Design curriculum is designed to ensure students graduate with solid technical skills, a strong understanding of business, project management and excellent communication skills.
- The offering takes four years to complete.
- Software System Design applicants are required to be able to present proof that they have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma with a minimum of six 12U, 12M, OAC credits or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older.
- Other requirements include English 12U and one of the following: Math 12U Advanced Functions, Math 12U Calculus and Vectors, Math 12U Mathematics of Data Management or equivalent.
- All courses, whether software system design or business focused, include theory and some sort of hands-on aspect through case studies, projects, presentations or practical application of theory in labs.
- Software System Design labs are housed at Progress Campus and include technology such as Advanced Routing and Switching and Network Management, VoIP, WiFi, Cellular Networks, Wireless Broadband (WiMax).
- Three real-world projects take topics covered in Software Systems Design courses and require students to employ all the technical, systems and business skills acquired during their studies to build higher quality software.
- Specialization is possible in mobile application development or service-oriented architecture and cloud computing.
- Specific Software System Design courses covered in the program include: Computer Architecture, Object Oriented Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms, Database Design & Modeling, Data Communications and Networks, Internet Programming, Software Design Patterns, Programming for Network Systems, and more.
- Among Business courses are: Fundamentals of Business and Management, Logic and Problem-Solving Strategies, Marketing of Services, Project Management, Entrepreneurship in the New Economy, Business Consulting and more.
- To further apply their skills, students 15 weeks in a paid co-op placement.
- The placement puts students into companies that hire software design system professionals, so that they can apply theory and practice in real-life situations.
- To be eligible for co-op, Software Systems Development students are required to obtain a minimum C grade in ENG-110, minimum 2.0 GPA and minimum 80 per cent of year 1 and 2 courses.
- Grads can apply to programs with educational partners of the Software Systems Design program that will allow them to apply credentials for further study.
- Among the offering’s educational partners are: St. Mary’s University in Nova Scotti, Griffith University in Australia, North wood University in the U.S., and many others.
- Thanks to the program’s balance of business communications courses and software systems design courses, grads find careers as: IT project managers, software developers, software engineers, web application developers, systems analysts, business analysts, and computer programmers/analysts.
