Masters in Information Technology (MIT)

The MIT degree is by coursework and research, using mainly self-study materials for the coursework – with no lectures. It is a two-year conversion programme aimed at students without a degree in computer science or information technology/systems, and may also be done part-time over three years.

A non-­IT honours degree, or equivalent, is the minimum requirement for entry into the MIT course.

Entry requirements: The Masters in Information Technology by Coursework and Dissertation is a conversion course designed for those with a degree in a non-IT field to attain a strong background and a qualification in Information Technology. This course follows a Bachelor Honours or equivalent in any non-IT degree.

Admissions are competitive and all admissions decisions are at the discretion of the university.

Progression: Students should pass a minimum of three courses each year. Should a student fail any course on the second attempt, they will not be allowed to continue with their studies. Students are eligible to register for CSC5004W once they have passed 7 of the 8 courses.

Curriculum

The MIT programme comprises two components. The first is coursework (courses with assignments and exams), which can be done in a single year but is best done over two years (four modules per year) if you are a part-time student. The second component is a minor dissertation, done in the final year. Students do not need to be resident in Cape Town for this degree, as the coursework is online and all work is submitted online. However, students are expected to come to UCT for exams at the end of each semester.

The MIT degree is open to students with the equivalent of a South African Honours degree (SAQA level 8) who have NOT taken computing or IT subjects in their previous degrees. Level 8 SAQA is typically attained after passing 4 years of university degree studies, and certainly never any fewer than 4 years of university degree studies. There are no other specific requirements for applicants.

In certain cases, applicants with only a 3-year degree at SAQA level 7 (but this excludes a BTech) can apply via the Recognition of Prior Learning (ROPL) route. But this is only possible if they can show that in the course of their work experience they have produced, on their own, a document similar to an IT Honours project.