WITH the shift towards a digital economy, the workforce of tomorrow will require specialised skills and knowledge to seize the future and the opportunities that will potentially come their way.
Leading the way in nurturing today’s young generation to become the workforce of tomorrow, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM) has unrolled its new BSc (Hons) Computing Science programme.
A truly international university, Heriot-Watt boasts five global campuses and partner institutions in over 100 countries with approximately 27,000 students worldwide.
Drawing on its experience of offering quality education over the years, the BSc Computing Science programme was developed with the needs of the workforce of the future in mind. It focuses on software development and algorithms, with the aim of constructing robust and usable systems for industry and commerce.
Students can expect to gain a well-integrated balance of theoretical underpinnings and practical experience, with strong support of the research expertise of academic staff.
This puts students in good stead to head off towards a solid career after graduation, with a strong technological grounding.
In addition to looking at cutting-edge tools and techniques, the programme has been designed to help students build the next generation of software tools that other system constructors will use. These skills will be well in demand as we move towards a digital future.
The programme consists of core Computer Science, Information Technology and Mathematics units in Year 1 and 2. Year 3 students will take highly specialised units including three elective units and also conduct a yearlong individual final-year dissertation project.
Electives will allow students to gain expertise in contemporary topics within the fields of artificial intelligence and data science.
Students will also undertake an industrial training programme between Year 2 and 3, ensuring they get real-world working experience and an opportunity to put their learning into practice.
This would go a long way in ensuring graduates are well-prepared to face the challenges of the workplace in future.
After graduating from this programme, students have good career prospects with excellent financial rewards and career development.
BSc (Hons) Computing Science graduates will be well-equipped for a broad range of technical jobs, ranging from software developers and system analysts to machine learning/AI engineers.
Alternatively, prospects are also good in more general careers, such as project management, IT consultancy, teaching or research.
Additionally, Heriot-Watt is also giving out 50% and 100% scholarships for the Computing Science programme to meet Malaysia’s aspiration to create 20,000 Data Professionals in the next decade.
Applications for the Data Futures scholarship is currently open for the university’s September 2021 intake.
Post-SPM students can consider the Foundation in Science and Business programmes – the fast-tracked intake for all undergraduate degrees in Heriot-Watt.
This Foundation programme introduces students to the style of teaching that best prepares them for degree level studies with lectures, tutorials and seminars and puts them ahead of their peers on the pathway towards getting their degree.
To suit the needs of the times, Heriot-Watt has been conducting teaching and learning online, which is backed by top-notch resources and online platform to help student make the best of their education, even during the pandemic.
Mah found the Foundation programme useful to help her cope in her degree studies.
Former Foundation student Mah Guan Ying shares: “I thought learning online was something very dry and boring, but this new online platform is totally different from what I expected.
There are lots of tasks and activities that we need to complete and I learnt something in every task. It also allows me to scroll through other people’s posts, and give likes and comments to them. I get a chance to know new friends even though we do not meet face-to-face.
I decided to apply for the Foundation programme and study now because it is useful to help me cope well in degree course.”
Those who register for the Foundation programme are entitled to join the pre-Foundation summer camp for free to get a feel of how the Foundation programme will be like.
However, those who do not yet want to commit to the Foundation programme may join with a fee of RM1,000, which will be offset if they choose to join the Foundation programme later.
With a firm belief that a university education is an investment in your future, Heriot-Watt offers a range of scholarships and financial assistance to qualifying students.
Find out more about there BSc Computing Science as well as about ourthe BSc Actuarial Science and Statistical Data Science here.
