BCIT CST Program and Projects

While at BCIT where I was in the Computer Systems Technology program I worked on a number of larger industry projects that you may be interested in reading about.

I graduated with Honours May 2002.

I enjoyed the material I've learned, and especially enjoyed the realistic nature of our projects; real clients... real problems... real solutions... (real lack of sleep)

Information Systems Option    CST Courses    Industry Project 1    Industry Project 2    Industry Project 3    Project 4

The Information Systems Option

(as described by Bruce Link, Option Head)


Goals and Objective

The Information Systems option focuses on developing and deploying web-based and application-based enterprise solutions. The comprehensive mixture of modern management skills, current information technology, and proven software engineering strategies enable IS grads to work effectively within the varied and dynamic field of computing. You could think of the IS grads as generalist within the computing industry

Information Systems graduates find that there skill set has application even for employment in companies whose core business is not primarily, but who rely on Information Systems to support and manage their core business. These employers range from large corporations, banks and consulting firms, to small and medium sized enterprises.

Graduates are typically hired into companies as in-house e-commerce developers, web solution developers, general software developers, LAN administrators, System administrator or PC support specialists.

Students specialize in either Windows or Linux -based systems, but learn to administer both.

Student Profile

To be successful in Information Systems, students must have the ability to communicate, organize plan and integrate, in addition to strong programming skills. Teamwork and communication are as important to the IS grad as the ability to assimilate information and synthesize solutions to complex problems.
IS professionals are usually paid to solve problems , rather than applying their skill in the back room to do a small piece of the problem. They are also self-reliant, and able to keep up with the latest technologies. Once again the theme of generalist appears.

Essential Technologies

Essential technologies are the building blocks of Information Systems. These technologies change constantly, and IS professionals must be prepared to master new technologies as they appear and become relevant in the workplace. Currently the IS option emphasizes the following technologies:

Software Development Skills

Management Skills

Instructional Factors

Courses are delivered using a combination of instructor-led and learner-based education styles. Instructor led components appear as traditional lectures and structured labs. Students are encouraged to interact and participate in the lectures. Case studies, and cooperative learning techniques are used to keep the classes lively and interesting.
Learner based education includes "self-directed study". Students select relevant topics and prepare detailed study plans indicating how they intend to learn the material. Each self-directed study results in a detailed report.

Course Descriptions

All courses involve a combination of programming, planning and management skills. The courses are designed to build extensively on skills developed in other "core" courses, and to apply these skills to problems that are particular to the Information Systems domain.

Comp 3910 - Introduction to Information Technology

Investigates design and implementation of large software systems for the business community. The lecture portion covers enterprise software development using Java component technology. Java database connections, JSP, Java Servlets, Java Beans, and Enterprise Java Beans are covered. This material is also exercised in the labs.

The Windows programming component of this course adds enterprise software development with Visual Basic, and SQL Server. Students use these technologies to develop business applications.

This course includes a self-directed study component that allows students to investigate diverse skills and areas of specialization within Information Systems Technology.

Comp 4570 - Intranet Planning and Development

This course complements the technical topics introduced in Comp 3910, including hands-on practice with XML, client and server side scripting (JavaScript and VBScript), C#, Active Server Pages (ASP), Java Server Pages (JSP) and Microsoft's new NET framework.

Students work in small teams to design, implement, and deploy a completely functional database driven on-line project of significant scale. Work is performed in the Windows 2000, environment.

Comp 4911 Managing IS Development

Software Engineering and Project Management skills are studied and applied to large-scale business systems. Students work in medium-sized teams (9-10 students) to complete an extensive distributed development project using COM+, CORBA, J2EF, or NET. Each team develops a comprehensive project web site that provides team management support and documentation.

The project teams learn and apply the current industry-standard iterative development process (Rational Unified Process) working with an extensive industrial-strength tool-suite. The team projects implement a project information-support system, including all aspects of transaction processing, management information systems, and decision support systems.

Comp 4915 - Special Topics in MIS

This course explores two operating systems that are used extensively within the IS community. In the first half of the course, students learn to work within the UNIX environment, using the state-of-the-art Linux l~bs. Shell programming, UNIX system administration, X windows, and UNIX networking are introduced. The second half of the course covers support and administration of Windows 2000 Server core technologies. This half concentrates in installing, configuring, customizing, optimising, and troubleshooting Windows 2000/XP networks.


BCIT Computer Systems Technology Courses
1st Term Courses
  • Ada Programming Language (programming methods)
  • Java Programming Language
  • Discrete Mathematics
  • Accounting
  • Communication
  • Software Engineering
 2nd Term Courses
  • C Programming Language
  • Delphi Programming Language
  • Visual Basic Programming Language
  • Hardware Architecture
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Computerized Accounting
  • Business Communication
3rd Term Courses
  • Data Communication
  • Calculus
  • Database
  • C++ Programming Language
  • Organizational Behaviour
  • Computer Projects Practicum 1
  • Information Systems
 4rd Term Courses
  • Computers and the Law
  • Operating Systems Concepts
  • Advanced Programming Topics: OOPL
  • Intranet Planning & Development
  • Software Engineering/CASE
  • Topics in Operating Systems
  • Computer Projects Practicum 2
  • Selected MIS Topics
  • Special Topics in MIS