Information technology has expanded as a discipline with applications into almost all areas of study. An understanding of Java and social media can be helpful in fields as diverse as finance, biology and business to name a few. A postgraduate IT conversion course can allow a student from diverse disciplines gain a professional understanding of how modern IT concepts apply to their area of interest in a relatively short period of time.
What do postgraduate IT conversion courses entail?
As the graduates come from a myriad of disciplines so do the programs offered by universities for graduate IT students. An MSc in computer science will be more heavy on programming and development while an MSc in information technology will focus more on how applications are applied in society. So if you wanted to develop biometric programs applying knowledge gained from a biology degree an understanding of development might help more than if you worked in advertising and wanted a better understanding of social media research.
Is a postgraduate IT conversion course right for me?
First it would be wise to check the requirements for the institution you wish to attend, while many accept most undergrad disciplines, for some more science heavy programs there might be several prerequisites. Second it might be useful to determine if taking such a program and the debt usually associated will be beneficial for the field you are in. In general being from a more diverse background unrelated to computer science can help give an edge as it leaves the student a bridge between the IT world and their own discipline.
What steps should I take to next?
As with any academic pursuit a look into financial aid should come first. Make inquiries at your school or funding organizations. In the UK Career development loans (CDL) can be found through the Skills Funding Agency banks (Barclays, the Co-Operative Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland).
Postgraduate IT conversion courses offer an attractive way to add relevance to a degree in almost any field. If you think that a better understanding of technology and its application to your field will benefit your ability to meet employers needs, then a return to ‘school’ to learn Java might be your best bet.