In an industry that only continues to advance, which information technology career best suits you? From software engineering, computer science and artificial intelligence to cyber security, we delve into various IT career paths and your study options to help you get there.
Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence
Understand the brains behind information technology with a degree in artificial intelligence. Deakin’s Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence will deepen your knowledge about artificial intelligence and machine learning, and their ability to simulate and surpass the human ability to perceive, problem-solve, and communicate.
‘The Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence puts equal emphasis on both a solid math/computing foundation and the agility to adapt to and capitalise on emerging technologies,’ Deakin Senior Lecturer in Data Science Dr Wei Luo explains.
The hands-on learning experiences to understand the design, development, and operation behind AI-driven software will set you up for a career as an AI specialist, AI technology software engineer, or data scientist – jobs that are behind the brains of products like self-driving cars, high-tech fraud detection systems, and smartphones.
And as Dr Luo explains, ‘Learning AI future-proofs students as more industries invest in AI to improve their business and stay competitive. There will only be more and more challenging AI problems waiting to be solved by our graduates.’
Bachelor of Information Technology
Engage with the broad spectrum of information technology with this degree. Studying a degree specifically in information technology (IT) is about more than just understanding how we store and retrieve data and process information.
As Deakin Lecturer in Information Technology, Dr Guy Wood-Bradley, explains, ‘IT is everywhere – in workplaces, in homes, in our pockets... our reliance on IT in our daily lives for us to be more productive and be connected is now an expectation.’
With a degree in information technology, you can pursue an exciting career as an application, software or game developer; technical architect; web designer or developer; augmented or virtual reality creator; network specialist; or security architect, within fields like healthcare, education, mining and agriculture, government and business.
‘Innovation and future solutions will incorporate some aspect of IT, given its breadth. We need to wrangle it in supporting and providing creative solutions across industries and for people in professional and personal contexts,’ Dr Wood-Bradley explains.
Deakin’s Bachelor of Information Technology course comprises industry-based, hands-on learning opportunities complemented by a rigorous theoretical knowledge base to ensure a flexible skill set.
As part of the course, you will complete a year-long project (also known as a capstone) over the final two trimesters of your course, solidifying your studies and ensuring you are industry-ready before you graduate.
And it helps if you’re able to work in multi-disciplinary teams, engage with your peers and solve problems. Confident communications skills and creative thinking are useful to ensure the ability to translate and simplify technical language for not-so-technical audiences, and help to devise high-quality solutions that will satisfy end-users.
Bachelor of Cyber Security
Use information technology to protect systems and networks with a cyber security degree. If you’re interested in how to protect computer systems and networks from theft or damage, then Deakin’s Bachelor of Cyber Security will help you build your skill set and experience to pursue an exciting IT career path in any industry.
You will develop an extensive knowledge base on how to find solutions to cyber threats and enhance information technology security, with a skill set to match.
‘Cyber security brings together many different themes from across science, mathematics and engineering in a way not seen in other courses. It combines deep questions to help keep people safe,’ says Dr Jesse Laeuchli, Deakin Senior Lecturer in Cyber and Networking Security.
‘We have a rigorous focus on both hands-on skills and theory. Students that join our degree and study hard will be well prepared to stay on top of a rapidly changing industry over the course of their careers,’ Dr Laeuchli says.
With a Bachelor of Cyber Security under your belt, you can choose from roles such as a security operations centre analyst, penetration tester, consultant, IT security engineer, cyber security system developer or information security auditor.
‘Cyber security is still a relatively young field. There are still so many open questions and things to learn. There will always be something new and exciting on the horizon,’ Dr Laeuchli says.
Bachelor of Computer Science
Understand the ‘science’ behind information technology by specialising in computer science. This degree has a focus on programming and algorithmic and computing system units.
Studying Deakin’s Bachelor of Computer Science will give you a deep but broad understanding of computation and programming.
Throughout this course, you will enhance your analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills with the opportunity to design, develop, and demonstrate solutions to industry-based, real-world problems.
‘We have strong connections with the industry, which provides opportunities for our students to gain experience of real work environments. This helps our students to be job-ready, and they receive credit for their learning through the work placement,’ Deakin Senior Lecturer of Computer Science Dr Chandan Karmakar says.
Equipped with a Bachelor of Computer Science, you can explore careers as a data scientist, embedded developer or computer systems analyst, in fields like information technology, business, finance, logistics and transportation, and health.
Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours)
Create sustainable software to solve the world’s complex problems. If you’re looking to delve deeper into information technology, then studying Deakin’s Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours) will take you to the next level.
Software engineering combines software systems and embedded hardware to build and develop products for smart homes, smart logistics, smart transport, and precision agriculture.
‘Studying software engineering will provide you with specialised skills in computing, robotics and cyber-physical systems. The course is very hands-on with technology and exciting to study,’ explains Dr Kevin Lee, Deakin Senior Lecturer in Software Engineering and Internet of Things (IoT).
As part of the four-year course accredited by the Australian Computer Society – and the only IT course at Deakin to be provisionally accredited by Engineers Australia – you will learn how to design, develop, and deploy software solutions to large and complex problems.
Upon successful completion of an industry-focused research project, you then have the option to hone your interest in software engineering further by studying a PhD after you graduate.
Or, you can go straight on to pursue some of the highest paying IT jobs around, including software development, testing and quality assurance engineers, solutions architects and project management, across fields such as IoT, robotics, smart cities, smart-health, and smart transport.
Has the thought of a career in IT got you wired? Explore a hands-on and industry-led degree at Deakin to build a comprehensive skill set and knowledge-base in IT. Choose from a degree in: