Computer Science (3 years, 180 ECTS)

Type of the Study and the Outcome of the Education Process

The Computer Science study program is an undergraduate academic study program in the field of Informatics/Computer Science at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Novi Sad.

Professional Title, Academic, or Scientific Title

Upon completing the program, successful candidates obtain a BSc degree in Informatics – Computer Science.

Study program structure

In order to obtain a BSc degree in Informatics – Computer Science each student is expected to pass all the mandatory courses within the study program and collect at least 180 ECTS.

The study program consists of mandatory courses and a set of elective courses. There are 22 mandatory courses, 140 ECTS in total. There are eight mandatory courses in the first year, six in the second year, and eight in the third year of studying. These courses represent a universally accepted basis for the basic academic education of every computer scientist. They cover the basics of programming (procedural and object-oriented), algorithms, databases, operating systems, computer communications, networks, but also the necessary mathematical apparatus pertaining to analysis of algorithms, formal languages and intelligent systems.

Mandatory courses are supplemented with a set of elective courses. Students choose the appropriate number of electives in accordance with their preferences and the required number of ECTS points for the successful completion of the study year. Elective subjects are more specialized (adapted to the age of students, as well as the goal of the study program) and there are a total of 17 to choose from. The elective courses are mutually independent, so they do not require special requirements for enrollment.

The lectures are predominantly auditory, accompanied with contemporary visual teaching aids. We keep up the good contemporary trends of academic IT education, with emphasis on exercises, practical work for students in computer classrooms, as well as student projects and seminar papers.

Elective courses are either general in character, or include some specific skills that complements the basic level of Computer Science education.

Criteria that must be met when choosing courses are:

• the sum of ECTS for each year other than the final must be at least 60, while in the final year the sum may be smaller;
• the total of ECTS points in total during all the three years is at least 180;
• there has to be at least 20 teaching hours per week in every semester;
• there has to be at least 10 hours of lectures per week in every semester.

The Time Allotted for the Realization of Particular Study Forms

The duration of studies is 3 years, 180 ECTS in total.

The main purpose of this study program is the education Computer Science specialists with emphasis on understanding of methods and techniques necessary for solving problems algorithmically, as well as for the use of the latest technologies and tools.

The experts of this kind are recognized as a necessary human resource for the development of a knowledge-based society that has already been significantly developed in the countries of the European Union, the United States, Australia, Japan, etc. Since 2000, Serbia has also been exposed to the increased need for IT staff due to increased investments and the emergence of foreign companies and standards in the IT field, as well as in other areas that have the need for IT support.

The goals of the undergraduate IT study program are:

• getting acquainted with the fundamental methods and techniques necessary for solving problems algorithmically, as well as for the use of the latest technologies and tools;
• understanding foundations of programming languages, programming paradigms (structured, object-oriented, functional and logical programming), algorithms, operating systems, databases and information systems;
• learning fundamental mathematical disciplines necessary for analysing and solving problems;
• the development of a high degree of abstract, analytic and synthetic thinking and understanding different degrees of abstraction in the domain of Computer Science;
• developing the initiative and the ability to independently solve problems;
• education of all-round experts in the Computer Science field, who will be able to join software development teams, to work as lecturers in primary and secondary schools and to contribute to further development of the field.