School of Science and Technology

The Student Experience

Applied Computer Technology is our flagship applied computing degree program at the at the school of science and Technology that addresses the integration, design, deployment and management of computing and telecommunication resources and services, as well as the development of technology infrastructures in organizations. The field of information technology is interdisciplinary, with applications to all aspects of the economy. Our program prepares students to solve complex hardware and software problems requiring fundamental knowledge and competencies with the processes of needs assessment, technology transfer, and user support.

The School of Science and Technology at USIU-Africa offers the Bachelor of Applied Computer Technology program with an array of specializations that prepare students to enter the information industry. Each program specialization requires students to understand hardware and software, but the area emphasis depends upon the student's individual interests. The program requires completion of a common IT core, specialization courses, and a capstone project or internship.

Students choosing to specialization in Networking are typically those who are interested in applying computing and telecommunication tools to a specific domain. Those who choose to specialize in distributed systems and mobile computing are typically students who are keen to join the industry as specialists in the design, development and deployment of mobile or web applications to solve day to day issues in the IT market.

The four years of the program have been carefully structured to meet the following goals: Year 1: breadth and depth of information technology alongside an appreciation of the cross disciplinary nature of the modern day IT solutions; Year 2: tools and applications of information technology; Year 3: software and hardware infrastructure of information technology; and Year 4: management and synthesis of information technology.

Students Club

Students are involved in information technology club activities which amongst other things provide the student with exposure to an environment that nurtures their technical hands on ability to develop solutions for the hi-tech IT industry. Additionally, the club invites alumni and distinguished guest speakers from industry to share their experience in today’s ever changing technological world. Academic faculty alongside the Centre of Information research and informatics (CIRI) provide students with support and mentorship towards software development both within and outside the university.

Certifications

The school recognizes the importance of supporting the students towards gaining a competitive edge in fast changing IT job market. It has therefore integrated certifications into the IST curriculum by offering certification courses in Linux, Certified Ethical hacker and Microsoft. Besides, USIU-Africa prides in being a Microsoft academy and a Linux partner.

Curriculum

Applied Computer Technology is our flagship applied computing degree program at the at the school of science and Technology that addresses the integration, design, deployment and management of computing and telecommunication resources and services, as well as the development of technology infrastructures in organizations. The field of information technology is interdisciplinary, with applications to all aspects of the economy. Our program prepares students to solve complex hardware and software problems requiring fundamental knowledge and competencies with the processes of needs assessment, technology transfer, and user support.

The School of Science and Technology at USIU-Africa offers the Bachelor of Applied Computer Technology program with an array of specializations that prepare students to enter the information industry. Each program specialization requires students to understand hardware and software, but the area emphasis depends upon the student's individual interests. The program requires completion of a common IT core, specialization courses, and a capstone project or internship.

Students choosing to specialization in Networking are typically those who are interested in applying computing and telecommunication tools to a specific domain. Those who choose to specialize in distributed systems and mobile computing are typically students who are keen to join the industry as specialists in the design, development and deployment of mobile or web applications to solve day to day issues in the IT market.

The four years of the program have been carefully structured to meet the following goals: Year 1: breadth and depth of information technology alongside an appreciation of the cross disciplinary nature of the modern day IT solutions; Year 2: tools and applications of information technology; Year 3: software and hardware infrastructure of information technology; and Year 4: management and synthesis of information technology.

Admissions Requirements

Requirements for Applicants from Secondary Schools or High Schools

Admission to undergraduate degree programs are based on academic achievement at the secondary school level. These include Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) scores of C+ and above, five (5) credits in any five (5) subjects at the Kenya Certificate of Education (KCE) or East Africa Certificate of Education (EACE).

Requirements for Secondary/High School Graduation and Equivalent/ U.S. or International Applicants

High school graduation is required for admission to USIU-Africa. High school or secondary school students must submit an official transcript of records showing date of graduation. USIU-Africa recognizes two equivalent ways of meeting the graduation requirement: General Educational Development (GED) certificate (applicant must have a minimum score of 45 on each of the five sections and an overall score of 250 or higher) or State High School Proficiency Examination (applicant must pass this examination).

Secondary/High School Applicant Test Scores:

First time freshmen U.S. citizens/permanent residents must submit their SAT or ACT results. The results are evaluated in conjunction with the high school grade point average.

International Applicants:

International applicants are considered for admission on the same basis as local applicants but must also demonstrate English proficiency. All students for whom English is not a first language are required to show English proficiency before beginning an academic program.

English Language Proficiency:

All international students must provide evidence of English language proficiency. Undergraduate applicants must have a score of 550 or higher (213 computer based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Applicants may also submit results of the Cambridge Test of English Proficiency. A grade of C or better is required. Students from countries where English is the official language will be exempt from the USIU-Africa English proficiency requirement unless their academic performance at USIU-Africa reveals the need for additional English language study. Academic performance at USIU-Africa may reveal the necessity for further English language study by a student. The University reserves the right to make the final determination of a student's English proficiency level in all cases.

Financing Your APT Degree

The university offers Campus based work opportunities through initiatives like the work study program which will partly finance your program apart from giving students the skills and experience required later in life while in the workplace. For more details, see the Financial aid section.

Add link to financial aid section

Careers

Upon successful completion of their degree, students who take this program me join careers as described below:-

Networking: - students who take up specializations in networking can expect to perform tasks such as network administration, network design and deployment, web application development, network maintenance, network troubleshooting, network configuration, network security design and network management.

Software engineering: - students who take up specializations in software engineering can expect to perform tasks such as software requirements gathering, estimation and analysis, software testing and quality assurance, software process and project management, software usability design, Human Computer interaction, software design and architecture, systems analysis and design, systems development and deployment, systems maintenance, platforms and architectural design, system security design, mobile application development, web application development, backend systems design and development, systems integration, systems migration and portability

Security: - information systems security, forensic accounting and fraud investigation, systems security analysis and appraisal, IT systems security audit, IT and cybercrime, cryptography and network security, computer forensics and investigation, backend systems security design, ethical hacking.

Internships

Students get a chance to be attached to industry through internships where they spend a semester under the mentorship of a supervisor in industry and receive support from a member of faculty. Students get exposed to real-world work environments in a variety of industries and some internships convert into job opportunities.

The Student Experience

This is a four year program that focuses on computer technologies. The Information Systems Technology degree program aims at educating students in all program levels in order to provide them with the knowledge, interest, and ethics to become productive members of the information systems profession. The IST Program is designed as per the requirements of the two accrediting bodies, the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Resources

The Bachelor of Information Systems Technology program at USIU, offers students the opportunity to earn their degree through both theoretical and practical-based courses. Students benefit from state-of-the-art software lab, hardware lab and five teaching labs containing over 200 PCs, 5 servers 3 routers, 10 Switches, 2 Autonomous Wireless Access Points, and WLAN Controllers for stand-alone and controller-based WI-FI technologies. These facilities also boast a 20 PC Workstation lab which supports all Linux, Certified Ethical Hacker and Microsoft Academy courses, including MCSE, LPI and CEH certifications. All classes in this program are offered in a laboratory environment and all material delivered by faculty is supported by an online learning platform.

Student Clubs

Students are involved in information technology club activities which amongst other things expose students to IT solutions as used in the business environment. The club also invites alumni and distinguished speakers from industry to deliver guest lectures on topical issues affecting the IT industry. Academic faculty alongside the Centre of Information research and informatics (CIRI) provide students with support and mentorship towards software development both within and outside the university.

Certifications

The school recognizes the importance of supporting the students towards gaining a competitive edge in fast changing IT job market. It has therefore integrated certifications into the IST curriculum by offering certification courses in Linux, Certified Ethical hacker and Microsoft. Besides, USIU prides in being a Microsoft academy and a Linux partner.

Learn More about certifications.

Curriculum

The mission of the Bachelor of Science in IST is to prepare students for jobs in the marketplace which demand IT systems and skills. Today’s Industry technology interfaces with business tasks in every function and department. As such this course aims at preparing students for dynamic jobs in the information systems and technology industry.

When you put all the pieces of an IST education together, you will gain a formidable array of skills and knowledge, including:-

• Understanding information technology as a solution
  • Bridging technology and the user
  • Expressing and defending ideas
  • Being a team player and a team leader
  • Experience in dealing with the real problems of the digital economy
  • Developing a skill set for the International marketplace

The program is supposed to produce IST specialists who are capable of solving IT oriented business problems. The students are grounded in technical specialties and also core business concepts. The specialties are in systems development, networking and security. The program delivers a blend of soft skills alongside technical abilities which are increasingly useful in today’s modern economy.

Financing Your IST program

The university offers Campus based work opportunities through initiatives like the work study program which will partly finance your program apart from giving students the skills and experience required later in life while in the workplace. For more details, see the Financial aid section.

Careers

Upon successful completion of their degree, students who take this program me join careers as described below:-

Networking: - students who take up specializations in networking can expect to perform tasks such as network administration, network design and deployment, web application development, network maintenance, network troubleshooting, network configuration, network security design and network management.

Applications: - students who take up specializations in applications can expect to perform tasks such as systems analysis and design, systems development and deployment, systems maintenance, platforms and architectural design, system security design, mobile application development, web application development, backend systems design and development, systems integration, systems migration and portability.

Security: - students who take up specializations in security can expect to perform tasks such as systems security design, systems security analysis and appraisal, systems security audit, cryptography and network security, information security forensics and incidence response, backend systems security design, ethical hacking.

Internships

Students get a chance to be attached to industry through internships where they spend a semester under the mentorship of a supervisor in industry and receive support from a member of faculty. Students get exposed to real-world work environments in a variety of industries and some internships convert into job opportunities.

Program Overview

The Data Science and Analytics program aims to produce uniquely trained graduates with the core mathematical and computer science knowledge and skills needed to present, analyze and ultimately understand data sets. This program is designed to equip students with expertise knowledge and skills in multiple technical disciplines from computer science, mathematics, modelling (applied mathematics) and statistics.

The program inculcates in students the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes required to unearth value and meaning from large voluminous data to help businesses and organizations make data informed decisions. Throughout the training, students will learn the essentials of data science and analytics through the study of data management, algorithmics and data analysis. Students will design and build data-driven systems for decision-making in the private or public sector, offering a thorough training in predictive, descriptive, and prescriptive analytics. Graduates of the program will develop problem-solving, critical, analytical, and computational and communication skills that will enable them to turn vast quantities of data into insight.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Solve analytical problems based on sound data science principles;
2. Develop analytical models and demonstrate their power and limitations;
3. Apply programming and computational tools to analyze and visualize data sets;
4. Deploy machine algorithms to data mining;
5. Apply data science techniques to organization’s data management.

Admission Requirements

To obtain admission into the program, an applicant must satisfy one of the following requirements:

• C+ for Kenya Secondary Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) holders or
• At least two principal passes in KACE or EACE or
• Five (5) upper level passes at IGCSE/IB
• Five (5) credits in any 5 subjects at ‘O’ Level or ‘A’ Level passes of C at GCE
• Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) diploma or equivalent.

Career Options

Graduates will venture into the following careers:

• Data Scientists
• Data Analysts
• Data Managers
• Data System Developers
• Computer Programmers
• Data Engineers
• Data Architects
• Information Analysts
• Statisticians
• Business Intelligence Developers

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering program prepares students for successful careers as software engineers by providing them with an experiential learning opportunity that enables them to apply knowledge that can solve real-world problems.

The program strives to impart students with knowledge and skills that enable them to design, code, test and manage quality-measured software systems. Graduates should be able to design and develop solutions that are dependable, secure, reliable, and that adhere to the user requirements.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering program, students will be expected to:

1. Apply Software Engineering concepts and principles to analyze real-world software problems;
2. Develop software programs using modern software methodologies and processes;
3. Demonstrate team work through collaborative implementation of software using modern software engineering principles and techniques;
4. Apply software testing, quality assurance, security, and costing techniques to software development;
5. Develop software products in line with software engineering ethics and standards;
6. Conduct research in the field of software engineering;
7. Be well prepared for further studies in the area of software engineering.

Admission Requirements

To obtain admission into the program, an applicant must satisfy one of the following requirements:

• C+ for Kenya Secondary Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) holders or
• At least two principal passes in KACE or EACE or
• Five (5) upper level passes at IGCSE/IB
• Five (5) credits in any 5 subjects at ‘O’ Level or ‘A’ Level passes of C at GCE
• Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) diploma or equivalent.

Career Options

Graduates will venture into the following careers:

• Application Software Developers
• System Software Developers
• Embedded Application Developers
• Game Developers
• Web Developers
• Software Testers