Even at present, ICT companies are experiencing a skill shortage. With investments like that of Smart City, it is clear that unless concrete educational initiatives are taken to increase numbers, the skill shortage is set to become more severe. ICT is one of the major growth areas in the foreseeable future. In the past decade, several SMEs operating in the ICT sector with an international clientele have established roots here. Moreover Government has just set up a number of strategic partnerships with some of the larger players including Cisco, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Sun Microsystems etc.

The skill shortage that affects Malta’s ability to compete in the ICT area also exists at graduate level. This level goes beyond technical mastery of any particular technologies, requiring an understanding of design issues, some experience with management of complex projects, and an ability to adapt to rapidly evolving systems and new technologies.

The provision of a B.Sc. (Hons.) ICT set of courses is intended to support these requirements, and to help populate the ICT Academic and Business market place with valid, flexible, innovative and motivated professionals.

Applicants must satisfy the General Entry Requirements for admission, namely, the Matriculation Certificate and Secondary Education Certificate passes at Grade 5 or better in Maltese, English Language and Mathematics.

Applicants must also satisfy the following Special Course Requirements:

(i) passes at Advanced Matriculation Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics and in one of the following subjects: Applied Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Economics, English, Information Technology, Music, Philosophy, and Physics and

(ii) a pass at Intermediate Matriculation Level in Physics (if not offered at Advanced Matriculation Level) and

(iii) a pass at Intermediate Matriculation Level in Computing or Information Technology (if not offered at Advanced Matriculation Level)

or

(b) be in possession of:

(i) five passes in the Secondary Education Certificate Examination, including English Language and Maltese and

(ii) a pass in Systems of Knowledge at Intermediate Matriculation Level and

(iii) a pass at Advanced Matriculation Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics or at a corresponding level of other examinations recognised by Senate for the purpose of the Admission Regulations and

(iv) any one of:

(1) the Higher Technician Diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute Course No. 8000 in Electrical Engineering

(2) the Diploma in Industrial Electronics, with Credit, of the Fellenberg Training Centre

(3) the Advanced Diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute Course No. 7235 in Applied Information Technology

(4) the MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computing or

(5) any other qualification from a recognised institution considered by the Board to be
equivalent to any of (1), (2), (3) or (4).

Students who lack a grade in only one of the subjects of the Special Course Requirements required at Advanced Matriculation Level indicated above shall be admitted under those conditions as the Board may impose to compensate for the missing element. If, by the end of the first year, such students do not successfully complete all the requirements to progress regularly to the second year of the Course, they shall be required to withdraw from the Course and shall neither be entitled to repeat the year nor to progress conditionally as normally permitted under the Principal Regulations.

The admission requirements are applicable for courses commencing in October 2011. For more detailed information please refer to the bye-laws for the course available here.