Almost all businesses have gone through or are going through technological advances and upgrades to make their work more efficient.
With technological advancements in businesses and organisations all over the world, workers can complete more work with less time, which means that more products and services can be produced, and finally, we as consumers will receive higher quality products and services.
While this is just a quick example, there are so many more that depend on the function of IT in our society.
If this sounds like a career path you’re passionate about, do read on, as we discuss the fundamentals of IT courses in Malaysia.
What is IT?
Information Technology is a study of selection, creation, application, integration and administration of computing technologies (systems and computers) to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data or information.
IT is usually used in the context of business, in regards to dealing with data to uphold the operations of a business.
Even though it is usually compared with Computer Science, it is important to know that they are different fields in computing when choosing your course.
In comparison, Computer Science focuses on software design, theory, development, application, and maintenance; while IT deals with maintaining and troubleshooting computers, networks, systems, and databases to uphold their smooth operations.
Though most jobs will require you to know a bit of both, these definitions will help you decide on a course to study based on which one you’re more interested in.
Why Should You Study IT?
Innovative and Creative Field
You may be engaged to think: how can I make this task more efficient?
Is there any new technology in the market that can change the way we do things?
If you dream of changing the world with your new technological creations, this course could be for you!
Make the World a Better Place
Maybe you see IT as a solution to an existing problem faced by some people.
By tinkering with gadgets and using your maths skills, you can make life easier for others.
Rewarding Career Path
IT professionals are highly paid since they provide technical expertise.
There are also plenty of career advancement opportunities as you gain more experience and certification.
You will also have immense job security as IT fields are always expanding and seeking new talent.
What Are the IT Fields?
To help you understand IT further, here are usually the modules you will study in a typical IT course and the sort of work you’ll be doing once you enter the job market.
Business Information Systems
This field is about applying a wide range of computational tools and techniques to seek solutions to solve different business problems.
Computer Security / Cybersecurity
This field deals with protecting and recovering electronic data from illegal use, hacks, and damage.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
This field involves studying the technologies that facilitate communications.
It is the use of common transmission lines and communication formats to deliver a variety of data types.
Mobile Technology
Mobile technology simply means portable two-way devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and watches.
It emphasises the importance of freeing people from only being able to use technologies in one place.
Cloud Computing
This field is the delivery of servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and more over the Internet.
What Are the Popular IT Pathways?
To start, you may choose to study Foundation in Science / IT / Computing for 1 year or a Pre-University (A-Level, SACE, STPM, etc.) course for 1 – 2 years after completing SPM or equivalent qualification.
Then, you can take up a Bachelor’s Degree in IT for 3 years after completion.
Alternatively, you may also choose to pursue a Diploma in IT for 3 years, where you’ll be able to move towards entering the job market immediately or study an IT bachelor’s degree.
While getting a Master’s is not a necessity to get an IT-related job, it is still an option you can take after you completed your Bachelor’s Degree or worked a few years in the industry, depending if you want to expand your knowledge through education.
There is no wrong choice, just go with what you prefer!
So what does your pathway look like?
Diploma in IT
To qualify for a diploma course, you only need to have 3 credits in SPM/O-Level, including a pass in Bahasa Melayu and History and a credit in Mathematics.
Diploma courses usually take between 2 to 2.5 years to complete and cost from RM 25,000.
You can enter the workforce immediately after graduation.
Bachelor’s Degree in IT
For degree courses, you will need to have 5 credits in SPM/O-Level qualification, including Mathematics, and the following pre-university course:
- STPM: min. 2Cs including Mathematics
- A-Level: min. 2 passes
- UEC: min. 5Bs including Mathematics and English
- AUSMAT/SACEi: min. ATAR of 55
- Relevant Foundation: min. of CGPA 2.00
- Relevant Diploma: min. of CGPA 2.00
A pre-university course can take up to 2 years to complete and cost from RM 18,000.
Once you’ve completed your pre-university course, you can then move on to the degree course.
Degree courses take 3 years to complete and cost from RM 60,000.
Diploma students who want to continue their studies can do so with a degree course and they begin in Year 2.
Note that these are simply general guides for IT course fees and entry requirements.
Alternatively, you can reach out to us through our Live Chat function with your questions.
What Are the Skills Required in IT?
Coding
Knowing how to use coding languages such as HTML, C++, or Python is integral when entering the IT field.
As such, make sure to pay attention to what sort of coding programmes your institution needs you to prepare, as well as a powerful laptop to run your codes.
Though it is important to note that you would not need to have any coding knowledge before entering your IT course, as your university will teach you the basics, and take you to advanced levels, preparing you fully to enter the IT industry.
A good mathematical foundation will help you understand coding languages better.
Analytical Mind
Being able to think critically and analytically is foundational in IT, which is why having a strong mathematical academic background is a great indicator of an analytical mind.
In IT, you will be challenged to analyse database activities and codes, which means you would need to be detail-oriented and ensure there are no mistakes in your work or certain functions won’t run smoothly.
Though making mistakes as a beginner is completely normal, as long as you are able to identify issues and troubleshoot them accordingly.
Problem-solving
Being a good problem-solver means that you will not only be able to find the problems, but also think of the best solution to remedy them.
Is there a specific combination of technology that can help my company complete this task more efficiently?
How can I make a website run faster for our customers?
These are just a few example questions you will need to answer when carrying out IT work.
Top IT Universities in Malaysia
Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)
APU is located in Technology Park Malaysia, a 750 acres science park incorporated by MOF for R&D of knowledge-based industries and operating under the support of MOSTI.
It works with notable technology companies like Hilti, Microsoft, IBM and even government bodies like MDEC for them to sit in APU industrial advisory panel for curriculum development.
IT courses offered:
- Foundation programme (Computing & Technology Pathway)
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology with a Specialism in Cloud Computing
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology with Specialism in Business Information Systems
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology with Specialism in Information Systems Security
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology with Specialism in Internet of Things (IoT)
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology with Specialism in Mobile Technology
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology with Specialism in Network Computing
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology with a Specialism in Digital Transformation
- BSc (Hons) in Information Technology with a Specialism in Financial Technology (Fintech)
Multimedia University (MMU)
At MMU, students will have the opportunity to experience the best and latest technologies from MMU collaborations with major ICT players such as ZTE, Huawei, Nokia, Intel, Microsoft, Cisco and Motorola.
MMU is also one of the few private universities that allow students to use a PTPTN loan to pay for their foundation courses.
IT courses offered:
- Foundation in Information Technology
- Diploma in Information Technology
- Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons.) (Business Intelligence and Analytics)
- Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons.) (Data Communications & Networking)
- Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons.) (Security Technology)
- Master of Science (Information Technology) (By Research)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Information Technology) (By Research)
Taylor’s University
Taylor’s has a 100% job employability rate record with 3 consecutive years.
Its Taylor’s Curriculum Framework enables students to take up a Second Major / Minor / Free Electives / Extension to increase the competitiveness in job seeking.
IT courses offered:
- Foundation in Computing (IT)
- Diploma in Information Technology
- Bachelor Of Information Technology (Hons) (3+0) with University of the West of England, UK
Things You Need to Know About IT Career
Companies and organisations are increasingly relying on digital technologies to help complete their work.
For IT graduates, your foundational knowledge will enable you to assimilate into any industry.
Entry-level jobs can be easily found across all industries, so choose the one that suits you best.
Additionally, you can obtain professional certifications to add to your skill set.
Some of the certifications you can consider are AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), and Oracle MySQL Database Administration.
Popular IT Jobs
According to JobStreet’s 2021 job report, IT support is one of the most in-demand jobs for fresh graduates.
Here are IT-related job postings on JobStreet for further examples:
- IT Helpdesk Support NOC (Fresh Grad)
- IT Support Engineer (Linux & Windows)
- IT Support
- IT Support Executive
- Software Support Engineer I (Java/ Oracle)
If you have further questions about Computer Science courses, feel free to reach out to us on WhatsApp or message us on our social media sites.
We’ll be happy to assist you.