Informatics (3 years, 180 ECTS) – modules: Computer Science, Information Technologies – 2012/2013-2016/2017

Name and the Goals of the Study Programme

The name of the Study Programme is Informatics (3 years, 180 ECTS) – modules: Computer Science Information Technologies.

Type of the Study and the Outcome of the Education Process

The study programme of Bachelor in Informatics (I1) is a Bachelor academic study programme in Informatics at the University of Novi Sad, conducted at the Faculty of Sciences.

Professional Title, Academic, or Scientific Title

Upon graduation, the student receives thr first level award of Bachelor in Informatics.

Admission Conditions

The condition for receiving the award Bachelor in Informatics is that a student has passed all compulsory courses of this study programme and gained the total of 180 ECTS credits.

The Structure of the Study Programme

The study programme consists of compulsory courses within the two elective modules: Computer Science and Information Technologies, and the set of elective courses.

The compulsory courses are common for both modules – 8 courses (in total having a value of 72 ECTS credits): two courses in the first year, four courses in the second year, two in third and one in the fourth year of studies. They represent the common core of general academic education in informatics recognized worldwide, independent of further specializations of the students. The compulsory courses cover the basics of programming (procedural and object-oriented), algorithms, databases, operating systems, computer communications, networks but also necessary mathematical background.

The Time Allotted for the Realization of Particular Study Forms

It lasts for 3 years.

Credit Values of Particular Courses

The total value of the programme is 180 ECTS credits.

Diploma Work

This study programme does not contain graduation thesis, in accordance with the possibility stipulated by the Law.

Prerequisites for the Registration for Particular Courses or Group of Courses

The elective module of Computer Science consists of 11 courses (their total value is 84 ECTS credits): four in the first year, three in the second, and four in the third year of studies. These courses expand students’ knowledge with general and modern theories, methods and practical skills in the fields of algorithm analysis, formal and programming languages, intelligent systems, as well as complex mathematical theory and methods necessary for their future career.

The elective module of Information Technologies consists of 11 courses (their total value is 83 ECTS credits): four in the first year, three in the second, and four in the third year of studies. These courses expand students’ knowledge with general and modern theories, methods and practical skills in the fields of computer architecture and computer networks, databases, operating systems, software engineering, information systems, as well as complex mathematical theory and methods necessary for their future career.

Students’ knowledge is extended by selecting some of the elective courses. Students can choose a number of courses from the list of elective courses, depending on their wishes and the required number of ECTS credits necessary for the successful completion of the year, or the completion of studies. The list of elective courses is a set of 33 specialized, general knowledge courses (depending on students’ age and the goals of the study programme), as well as courses in informatics, mathematics, economy and pedagogy. The majority of these subjects are content independent and do not require special preconditions for enrolment except that students attend the study year that the courses belong to. The reason for this is to enable logical continuation of the contents of the compulsory courses.

The lectures are organized mainly as frontal presentations supported with computer equipment and other modern visual teaching devices. Some lectures are organized as group or individual lessons. Following the modern trends of academic education in informatics, exercises emphasize the practical tasks that students do on the computer, as well as on the other forms of individual and group assignments such as projects, seminar papers, homework, reports, etc. For some courses, there are theoretical exercises, frontal, group or individual, where theoretical principles are exercised and typical problems and their solutions are analyzed. Afterwards, students individually apply the adopted techniques to solve practical exercises or other forms of individual tasks.

The purpose of the this study programme is:

• General education in informatics; the graduates are capable of doing practical work on computers in industry in all of the phases and roles during the software development, with the great understanding of the correlations between software development and other aspects of business and theoretical background;

• Education in informatics for participation in development and application of software systems, as well as for work in the application of information technologies and computer science in education, security, healthcare and other areas of work;

• Preparation for further studies in the field of information technologies and computer science. By choosing the appropriate elective module, student can specialize already on undergraduate studies in more general business applications (information technologies: information systems, software engineering, management, etc.) or for the fundamental fields of informatics (computer science: system software, simulations, computer games, etc.).

Both vocations of students (information technologies and computer science) are necessary resources for development of the knowledge-based society, i.e. information society that is already significantly developed in countries of the European Union, USA, Australia, Japan, etc.

Since 2000, Serbia has had a growing need for human resources educated in informatics in both specializations, due to the increase in investments and appearance of the foreign companies and standards, both in the field of informatics and other fields that require support in informatics.

The goals of the study programme of Bachelor in Informatics are:

• Introduction to basic principles in informatics, methods and techniques required for solving problems using computers, as well as for the successful application of computers in various fields of work;
• Acquisition of fundamental knowledge, methods and techniques of programming languages and programming paradigms (structured, object-oriented, functional, logic), algorithms, operating systems, databases and information systems;
• Introduction to core mathematical disciplines required for analysis, understanding, problem solving, as well as for successful implementation of principles and techniques of informatics;
• Extension of knowledge in informatics by using advanced principles and techniques in the field of computer science and information technologies;
• Preparation for successful application of information techniques in practice;
• Preparation for further development of knowledge, as well as theoretical and practical background for acquiring complex contents in the field of informatics i.e. further studies;
• Development of high-level abstract, analytical and synthetic, logical thinking and understanding of different levels of abstraction in the domain of informatics;
• Development of an initiative and the ability to independently solve problems using computers, by applying appropriate principles and techniques of informatics.

Description of general and course-specific competences of the students

A Bachelor in Informatics who completes this study programme will gain the following competencies:

• Ability for analysis and synthesis;
• Ability for the application of the knowledge in practice;
• Decision-making abilities;
• Learning abilities;
• Knowledge of other languages;
• Field-specific knowledge (informatics).

Description of learning outcomes

Successful candidates awarded the title of Bachelor in Informatics will possess:

• Core skills in fundamental mathematics;
• Logical thinking ability, capacity for formulating hypothesis and conclusions using the formal and formalized way;
• Capacity for understanding and formulating problems, as well as their modelling, yielding analysis and solutions;
• Programming skills in procedural, functional, object-oriented programming paradigm;
• Understanding of the full software development cycle: requirements, analysis, design (architecture), implementation, testing and maintenance;
• Practical skills in using programming environments, relational database management systems and CASE tools;
• Understanding of current principles, techniques and trends in the development of informatics;
• Ability to independently apply the informatics principles and techniques in practice to solve problems in different domains.