NorskInformation Systems / ICT – Free Software (in collaboration with UoA)
The study programme has an industry-oriented profile through a partnership with the ICT industry in Agder and Telemark. The industrial clusters ICT Grenland and DIGIN are partners regarding the development of the study programme. ICT companies in the region will “sponsor” the relevant Master’s degree theses. Guest lectures, company visits and cases related to the companies will also be included in the study programme.
In addition to in-person tuition, the study programme will also include short web-based sessions, where online learning resources and teaching methods will be used to keep in touch between workshops. However, the study programme is not primarily web-based; in the first year much of the instruction will be given in Kristiansand.
Information about admission requirements and further information regarding the content of the study programme may be found in the curricula for UoA Master’s degree programmes in Information Systems and ICT.
Subject content
The study programme includes 90 ECTS of Master’s degree-level courses and a Master’s thesis comprising 30 ECTS. The following specialization courses are included in the specialization component Free Software:
• Free Software (10 ECTS), which provides a thorough introduction to the non-technical aspects of free software, legal issues, licenses, patents, rights, economic issues, business models, innovation, and some information concerning organizational issues (how and why free software is developed).
• Management of Free Software Projects (10 ECTS), which considers in-depth how to create, organize, operate and manage a free software project.
• Development of Free Software (10 ECTS), which has a more technical focus, where students can participate in a development project based on free software.
The Master’s degree thesis will be supervised and completed in the 4th semester, and work on the thesis will involve close cooperation with the ICT networks in the region and their affiliated companies.
Some parts of the course will be taught in English.
The Master’s degree programme educates students to be able to lead development and change processes in the private and public sectors. The candidate will be able to use ICT to achieve strategic objectives and to increase an organization’s competitiveness. The study programme provides special qualifications for a position with employers who use free software, or develop / deliver solutions which includes free software.
The Master’s degree is internationally recognized and provides a good starting point for international work. Students who successfully complete the study programme may qualify for admission to PhD programmes in Norway and abroad.