New DCU Masters tackle ICT Skills Gap

Friday June 08, 2012 10:56

by DCU Business School

Dublin City University Business School announces three new Masters programmes in Cloud Computing, Digital Marketing and Strategy

June 7th, 2012: DCU Business School has announced today details of three new masters programmes, The MSc in Management (Cloud Computing), MSc in Management (Digital Marketing) and MSc in Management (Strategy), due to start in September 2012. Devised with input from key industry stakeholders such as Microsoft, these programmes will directly address the ICT Skills Gap within Ireland, ensuring that graduates interested in gaining significant knowledge and expertise in high growth areas are industry-ready within one year.

• The MSc in Management (Cloud Computing) is designed to develop the graduates knowledge and expertise in the principles, technologies, services, applications, challenges and benefits of cloud computing. This Masters is intended for graduates from a business background.http://bit.ly/LcQTCn
• The MSc in Management (Digital Marketing) is designed to develop the graduates critical thinking and understanding of the digital eco-system giving a logical approach to a constantly evolving digital marketing industry. This Masters is open to graduates from a business or non-business background.http://bit.ly/MQc4jC
• The MSc in Management (Strategy) is intended to enhance the knowledge, skills, and competencies of graduates who already have an undergraduate degree in business, but who wish to develop a deeper understanding of the area.http://bit.ly/LcR0xL
Commenting on the announcement Paul Rellis, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland, said: “Today’s announcement by DCU is great news for the further development of the Cloud Computing industry in Ireland. We’ve been working closely with DCU to input into the content of these three courses and are happy that they are designed in a way that graduates will be job ready once they’ve completed them. There are jobs available today in this sector and it’s important that this country continues to provide the educational opportunities needed to fill the skills gap and have graduates employable for the vacancies that are out there. I’d like to congratulate DCU on their hard work in bringing these courses together and wish them the best of luck in the execution of them.”
DCU is a lead partner in a consortium of Higher Education institutions involved in a €1.2 million government funded initial research programme in the Cloud Computing Technology Research Centre, aimed at helping make Ireland a world leader in the area. A Goodbody Consultants report published in 2011 and commissioned by Microsoft, highlighted Cloud Computing as a major evolving industry that has the potential to create €9.5 billion in annual sales per annum by 2014, providing 8,600 jobs. Because Cloud Computing lowers costs to businesses, the report estimates that migration to the cloud will lead to the establishment of an additional 2,000 new non-IT small and medium businesses employing 11,000 people.
Dr Anne Sinnott, Executive Dean at DCU Business School, said “These programmes respond to industry needs and provide participants with cutting edge skills and competencies. Research-led teaching ensures that graduates are market ready on completion of their programme. Closeness to industry is one of the hallmarks of our programmes and this translates into impressive employment opportunities. Over the past two years 96% of the 222 students tracked from the MSc suite of programmes have secured relevant, high quality employment.
DCU Business School also offers eight-month part-time postgraduate certificates in Cloud Computing and Digital Marketing. Delivered on two weekday evenings they each lead to a Level 9 award. Both are delivered in conjunction with the relevant Level 9 MSc programme. Participants can choose to progress to the MSc in Management (Cloud Computing) or (Digital Marketing) respectively.
Des McLaughlin, Postgraduate Programme Director at DCU Business School, said: “the knowledge gained from our weekly Techspectations workshops over the past few years has already built a cadre of both students and clients from our industry engagement projects who now have advanced skills and knowledge in search engine optimisation, social media tools, web analytics, and other digital marketing technologies and techniques. These are incorporated into our intensely-practical management programmes which are producing master-level graduates who are ready to work and apply up-to-date knowledge and competencies in cloud computing, digital marketing, eCommerce, as well as in general management and strategy.”
For further information on the DCU MSc or Postgraduate programmes, visit http://www.dcu.ie/dcubs or email des.mclaughlin@dcu.ie.