Bachelor of Information Technology by Open Polytechnic

BACHELOR OF

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

WELCOME TO OPEN POLYTECHNIC Whether you are looking to improve your career prospects, or just learn something new, we can help you achieve your goal. We specialise in open learning – learning that gives you more freedom to decide what you study and where you study. Our courses are specifically designed for delivery by distance, which means you can fit your study around your life. And just because you are learning by distance, it doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. You will have access to your tutors by email or phone and to other students studying the same course through the Online Campus, the student support section of our website. It is our goal to make sure that you enjoy your study and that you succeed. So welcome to learning for today’s world, and congratulations on taking up the challenge of further education.

Please note that all information contained in this brochure may be subject to change without notice.

CONTENTS Key dates

Bachelor of Information Technology

General information

Assessment

Admission requirements

Study time

Fees

Set texts

Loans, allowances and other funding

Enrolment

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Learning support

Te W채hanga Whakapakari Ako (the Learning Centre)

Te Kura W채nanga (the M채ori Office)

Appendix 1: Computer requirements

Appendix 2: Definitions

Cross-credit/credit transfer form Contact us Other useful contact details

11 inside back cover inside back cover

KEY DATES TRIMESTER 3, 2014 Enrolments open for 2015

1 November 2014

Enrolments close for Trimester 3

2 November 2014

Trimester 3 officially begins

10 November 2014

Last day for withdrawing (with refund)

7 December 2014

Last day for withdrawing (no refund)

25 January 2015

TRIMESTER 1, 2015 Enrolments close for Trimester 1

17 February 2015

Trimester 1 officially begins

2 March 2015

Last day for withdrawing (with refund)

29 March 2015

Last day for withdrawing (no refund)

24 May 2015

TRIMESTER 2, 2015 Enrolments close for Trimester 2

3 July 2015

Trimester 2 officially begins

13 July 2015

Last day for withdrawing (with refund)

9 August 2015

Last day for withdrawing from 60 credit courses (no refund)

9 August 2015

Last day for withdrawing (no refund)

4 October 2015

TRIMESTER 3, 2015 Enrolments open for 2016

1 November 2015

Enrolments close for Trimester 3

1 November 2015

Trimester 3 officially begins

9 November 2015

Last day for withdrawing (with refund)

6 December 2015

Last day for withdrawing (no refund)

24 January 2016

Note: All fees must be paid before each trimester starts, so that we can confirm your enrolment and release your course materials. If you are planning to pay your fees by student loan, you need to apply to StudyLink at least 4 weeks before the start of the trimester.

BACHELOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Qualification code: OP7090

GRADUATE PROFILE

Level: 7

As a graduate of the degree, you will be a confident user of information technologies and equipped to commence further study in postgraduate information technology courses.

The Bachelor of Information Technology is a professional information technology degree at Level 7 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. The programme has high quality Open University United Kingdom content and is designed for people who want to study by distance. It offers a range of broad-based courses to help you gain the skills you need to start or build on your information technology career. The degree is valued by information technology employers because graduates have practical skills and knowledge that can be applied across a range of information technology roles and fields. COURSE CODE

COURSE

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE The Bachelor of Information Technology is made up of compulsory and elective courses. All courses are 20 or 30 credits, except for BIT691 Networking which is 60 credits. To achieve the degree, you will need to complete 360 credits made up of 120 credits at Levels 5, 6 and 7. A detailed description of each course and availability is on the qualification page on our website. CREDITS

LEVEL

PREREQUISITE

COMPULSORY COURSES BIT591

My digital life A

BIT592

My digital life B

BIT591

BIT593

My digital life C

BIT592

BIT595

Using mathematics

BIT594

Technologies in practice

BIT692

Object orientated Java programming

BIT793

The IT project

90 credits at Level 7

ELECTIVE COURSES BIT691

Networking

BIT694

Designing applications with Visual Basic

BIT693

Software development with Java

BIT695

Web technologies

BIT796

Developing concurrent distributed systems

BIT792

Fundamentals of interaction design

BIT795

Relational databases

BIT692

BIT794

Software engineering with objects

BIT693

BIT791

E-business technologies

Practical experience If you choose to complete BIT691 Networking you can complete the course with a certified CCNA provider. CCNA providers are located in various centres around New Zealand.

BIT692

BIT793 IT project is one of the compulsory courses for all students of the Bachelor of Information Technology and is a learning experience that occurs in a professional context. You will be required to identify and negotiate an agreement so that you can conduct a project with a host organisation or employer.

STUDY PLAN It is a good idea to plan your study programme before you start. To work out what courses you need to complete for your degree use the study plan below. We recommend that you complete Level 5 courses before moving on to Level 6 and that you complete Level 6 courses before moving on to Level 7. If you need help or have any questions, contact us. See the last page of this brochure for contact details. Please note that some more advanced courses have prerequisite courses which must be completed first.

Compulsory

Level 5

Elective

BIT591 My digital life A

BIT592 My digital life B

BIT593 My digital life C

BIT595 Using mathematics

BIT594 Technologies in practice

Level 6

BIT692 Object orientated Java programming

Elective

Level 7

BIT793 The IT project

Elective

GENERAL INFORMATION · 10 credits (five in reading and five in writing) at Level 2 and above from specific standards.

Assessment We measure your progress and judge whether you have achieved the learning outcomes of your course through assessments such as essays, reports, tasks and projects. There are two types of assessment. Formative assessment: Involves activities and feedback designed to improve learning. This is not used to decide your final result. Summative assessment: Involves grading of in-course assessments which decide your final result.

OR · A New Zealand or overseas qualification assessed to be equivalent to the above by the programme delivery manager. OR · Passes in other certificate/diploma qualifications or courses as considered appropriate by the programme delivery manager.

· score at least 40% in each assessment

If you don’t meet these requirements, we will consider the likelihood of your ability to undertake degree level study before approving your application. You may need to provide evidence such as records of past academic history and/or a current CV.

· receive a final mark of at least 50% of the total possible marks for the course.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

To pass each course, you must: · finish all summative in-course assessments by their due date

Assessment varies for each course. Full details are in the course information, which is sent to you when you enrol.

GRADING SYSTEM The following grading system is used for Open Polytechnic degrees Grade recorded A+ A AB+ B BC+ C D E CM FC FS

Interpretation

English is the language of study at Open Polytechnic. You will need to be able to read and write well in English so that you can understand course materials and also submit written assessments. There are criteria that must be met if English is not your first language. For more information about English language requirements, please call freephone 0508 650 200 or visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/englishlanguage

Final outcome

85%-100% 80%-84% 75%-79% 70%-74% 65%-69% 60%-64% 55%-59% 50%-54% 40%-49% 0%-39% Competent Failed Mandatory Component Failed to Submit

Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Fail Fail Pass Fail Fail

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS International students who are residing in New Zealand and studying part-time must have a verified work permit/visa. Please note the expiry date must be after the end date of your course. You also need to have one of the following. · A Variation of Conditions allowing study at Open Polytechnic. · A letter of authorisation from your employer (on letterhead) confirming that you need to undertake this training as part of your job. International fees must be paid in full at the time of enrolment.

Admission requirements

OFF-SHORE STUDENTS

All students must meet the following academic and admission requirements:

This programme is not available to international students living overseas.

You will be accepted into the programme if you have one of the following:

If you are a New Zealand citizen living overseas, you may be admitted to the programme subject to Open Polytechnic agreement about suitable arrangements for project work.

· NCEA Level 3. · 14 credits at Level 3 in each of three subjects from the list of approved subjects, one of which must be mathematics.

Study time

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

All courses have a credit value which helps you work out how much study time you will need. Allow about 10 hours of study per credit. To determine how many hours of study this means each week, divide the total hours by the enrolment period.

RPL is the process used to recognise your existing experience and skills in formal qualifications. If you have work experience, life experience or previous informal or formal education and training courses which may be relevant to your course, you may qualify to gain credits towards papers in a formal qualification. If your application is accepted you will need to provide verified evidence that you have met the learning outcomes of the course you are seeking credit for. Evidence may include one or more of the following:

For example, if you enrol in a 30 credit course over a trimester (17 weeks), you will need to complete about 17 (300 ÷ 17) hours of study per week.

Fees Fees are displayed on each course and qualification page on our website. Visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz and browse our subjects and courses to find the fee information you need.

· testimonials and references from appropriately experienced referees, covering specific areas of inquiry for which evidence may be required · listing of past achievements and the learning sequences that were essential to their successful completion

Set texts

· production of monographs, journal articles, speech notes and so on that you have authored.

A list of set texts required is on our website at openpolytechnic.ac.nz/textbooks

Please contact us for more information. See the last page of this brochure for contact details.

Texts can be bought online via a link on the qualification page on our website. Or you can go to vicbooks.co.nz and click on the Open Polytechnic link.

Loans, allowances and other funding Student loans and allowances are administered by StudyLink. We recommend that you apply for a student loan at least 4 weeks before the trimester starts. We cannot confirm your enrolment or send your course materials until your fees have been paid. For more information, or to find out if you’re eligible for a student loan, visit studylink.govt.nz or give StudyLink a call on 0800 88 99 00.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE We have a fund to help students who are in financial need and have no other option for financial support. This fund is available for course fees and/or set textbooks. Conditions apply. Contact us for more information. See the last page of this brochure for contact details.

CROSS-CREDITS AND CREDIT TRANSFER If you have already passed some courses (either through us or another tertiary provider) that you think will exempt you from having to do some parts of a qualification, you can apply for cross-credit or credit transfer. You will need to provide evidence that you have already met the learning outcomes of the course you want credit for. You can apply for cross-credit and credit transfer when your enrolment is accepted. Up to 90 credits may be awarded from both Level 5 and Level 6 (180 credits in total). You cannot gain partial cross-credit for a course, and you cannot cross-credit to Level 7 courses. You may request informal advice about which courses might cross-credit. That advice is for guidance only and does not guarantee the award of cross-credits.

Learning support YOUR TUTOR

SCHOLARSHIPS We also offer a range of scholarships to support students. Visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/scholarships for more information.

You will have a tutor for each course that you study. Your tutor is there to help you through the course work, provide study support, advice and feedback, and to mark your assessments. You can contact your tutor on our freephone or by email, fax or letter. Their contact details will be in the information we send you after you enrol.

Enrolment You can enrol online from our website. Visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/howtoenrol for more information. You will be advised if additional information is needed to progress your application, and you can usually complete this online during the application process. Please check the ‘key dates’ section at the beginning of this brochure for enrolment deadlines for each trimester. 6

STUDENT INFORMATION You can find current enrolment and study information on our website including details of our systems and processes and the services we offer. Visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/studywithus to find out more.

TE WÄHANGA WHAKAPAKARI AKO (THE LEARNING CENTRE)

ONLINE CAMPUS

Te Wähanga Whakapakari Ako (the Learning Centre) can help you with a wide range of learning support services and resources. These include:

· access and submit assessments

Online Campus is the area of our website where you can:

· tips and techniques to help you succeed in online and distance learning

· link to web pages specific to your course, including frequently asked questions (FAQs), assessment hints, web resources, staff information and sometimes online quizzes and tutorials

· one-to-one consultations with a learning advisor (telephone or email)

· communicate with other students in your course and with your tutor

· StudyWise and ExamWise which are free online study and exam preparation workshops

· access the library.

· disability services · a student mentoring programme. For more information visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/learningsupport

LIBRARY We provide a library service for students. There is no additional fee for using it. The library service provides: · online resources · guides on how to search for information

TE KURA WÄNANGA (THE MÄORI OFFICE) Te Kura Wänanga (the Mäori Office) can help you with your learning and cultural needs in a kaupapa Mäori context. We use Mäori values and principles to enhance your learning journey. For more information visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/maorisupport

· a distance lending service with free and fast delivery · information about study techniques. For more information about the library visit openpolytechnic.ac.nz/oplibrary

MY OPEN POLYTECHNIC My Open Polytechnic is our online portal for our students. With My Open Polytechnic you can: · update your details · view your study information · track the status of your materials · access your assessment submission deadlines, marks and final grades for each course · check your account balance · access Online Campus and the library. Once you’re enrolled, you can also keep track of your study information on the go with the My Open Polytechnic smartphone app called My OP. To download the app, search for “My OP” on the App Store (Apple iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android smartphone). These come pre-installed on your smartphone.

APPENDIX 1: COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS To study the Bachelor of Information Technology degree at Open Polytechnic, you need to be able to do the following: 路 send and receive emails 路 access and contribute to Online Campus discussion forums 路 download documents 路 research online. You also need to submit your work to us online in one of the following formats: .doc, .pdf, .ppt, .rtf or .zip. For some courses you also need to provide spreadsheets and/or databases to us in one of the following formats: .xls and/or .mdb. Note: The software that you use must allow you to save your work in these specified formats. If you need to buy software, you can buy it at a special academic price from most software retailers (generally about a third of the normal retail cost). You will need proof that you have been accepted into a course. Your letter confirming your enrolment will provide this. There is a list of Microsoft software retailers at microsoft.com/nz/retailers HELP We have a helpdesk that can give you technical help or support. You can email our helpdesk at helpdesk@openpolytechnic.ac.nz. Please include your name and student ID in the message. Note: When you are using course-specific software during your study, you can email your tutor for assistance. See your online course page for more information.

APPENDIX 2: DEFINITIONS Assessment: One way for us to know if you have achieved the learning outcomes of a course of study is through assessment, which may include report writing, practical tasks and projects. There are two main types of assessment. · Formative assessment: This involves activities and feedback designed to improve learning, and is not used to decide your final result. · Summative assessment: This involves grading of in-course assessments to decide your final result. We recommend you do the formative work as it will help you to see how you are doing with the course and highlight any problems early enough so we can deal with them. Core course: A compulsory course within a qualification. Degree course: A course of study that is worth 30 or 60 credits at Level 5, 6 or 7 on the NZQA Framework and is part of an Open Polytechnic degree qualification. Elective course: A non-compulsory course. You choose from a list of elective courses to make up credits to finish your qualification. NZQA Framework: · NZQA Level 5 is equivalent to a stage 1 university course at 100 Level · NZQA Level 6 is equivalent to a stage 2 university course at 200 Level · NZQA Level 7 is equivalent to a stage 3 university course at 300 Level. Prerequisite: A course that needs to be passed, or a set of skills and knowledge that needs to be demonstrated before you can enrol in a course. Programme Delivery Manager: Provides leadership of the degree and advises and approves courses of study. Trimester: A period in which a 30-credit course is studied. Note that 60-credit courses are taught over periods longer than one trimester. Tutor: Teaches students, provides study support, advice and feedback and marks assessments.

NOTES

Contact us Website: openpolytechnic.ac.nz Freephone: 0508 650 200 Overseas phone: +64 4 913 5300 Email: customerservices@openpolytechnic.ac.nz Private Bag 31914 Lower Hutt 5040 New Zealand

OTHER USEFUL CONTACT DETAILS Learning Centre Email: learningcentre@openpolytechnic.ac.nz Freephone: 0508 650 200 StudyLink Website: studylink.govt.nz Phone: 0800 889 900

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Open Polytechnic Freephone 0508 650 200 Overseas phone +64 4 913 5300 openpolytechnic.ac.nz Private Bag 31914 路 Lower Hutt 5040 路 New Zealand