Practical Computer Science M.Sc.

Our Master's degree program is deliberately broad in scope, deepens specialist knowledge and combines it with new methods and management issues. In this way, we prepare our students for positions in team or even management and pave the way for an exciting IT career.
Prof. Dr-Ing. André Miede, Studienleiter Praktische Informatik

Overview of the degree program

Degree	Master of Science
Standard period of study	4 semesters
Start of studies	Winter semester (lateral entry summer semester)
Application deadline	July 15 \| January 15

Prerequisites

The admission requirements can be found in the current annex to the General Study and Examination Regulations.

Flyer(82 KB)

Course of study

The Master's degree course is divided into four semesters. It includes lectures and seminars in the first three semesters, a project in the third semester and a Master's thesis in the fourth semester. During this period, we deepen the scientific foundations as well as the following three key areas:

Software technology

Information and knowledge management

Planning, decision-making and control systems

Compulsory elective modules

htw saar - Studienrichtung Informatik

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Practical computer science

In the first half of the 20th century, 80 female mathematicians at Harvard University were already calculating ballistic flight curves for NASA. The women programmed the ENIAC computer for this purpose, making them the world's first coders - a profession that is needed in almost every industry today. From everyday things such as streaming music and ordering dinner online to controlling machines in industry and communication between devices or cars: The language and technology of IT can be found everywhere. In order to map these two aspects in IT systems, professionals are needed who can master the challenges of digitalization and make use of the dynamic technological changes.

At htw saar, we train precisely these IT professionals in the Master's degree course in Practical Computer Science. We build on an existing Bachelor's degree in computer science, deepen theoretical knowledge, for example in mathematics and theoretical computer science, and broaden the perspective of our students by allowing them to focus on additional areas. These include software technology and architecture, data science and data engineering, business process management as well as human resources and corporate management. In this way, we prepare them for future tasks with management responsibility, in which they translate the opportunities of digitalization into concrete software systems for their clients or employers.

Teach locally, think globally

The Master's degree course in Practical Computer Science has been re-accredited by the ASIIN agency and therefore meets national and international standards. This internationality is also reflected in the degree program, in which we offer courses taught by professors from foreign universities and cooperate with partners in Europe, North and South America and China.

Core questions

The Master's degree course in Practical Computer Science deals with the following questions:

Data and applications are increasingly being mapped in the cloud: What challenges does this pose for computer scientists?
How can small software robots take over routine tasks and relieve employees?
Which laws must be observed in the context of IT compliance when software is put into operation?
What legal requirements and ethical discussions are currently occupying the industry and society, and what role do computer scientists play in this?

You shouldn't choose a degree course because of the financially attractive career prospects, but because it appeals to you in terms of content. This can also be philosophy or history - if you are passionate about something, you will become good at it. For practical computer science, this means: don't be blinded by the hype or the money you might earn in an IT job. Instead, only do the course if you are passionate about IT, enjoy working with it independently and feel a tingling sensation in your stomach as soon as you read about the modules on the IT course. Then you've come to the right place.
Yasin Tatar, Student

Job prospects and career

Today, IT specialists often no longer officially enter the job market after graduation, but receive an employment contract during their main course of study. This shows how highly sought-after graduates from htw saar are. Their career prospects are correspondingly good. They can work in a wide range of industries as software and app developers, be responsible for the administration of systems, set up and maintain databases or quickly move up to project management. With a little more experience, they can later work as IT consultants in consulting, train younger IT specialists or ensure the conceptual integration of complex IT landscapes in companies and public authorities.

Stories

Studying engineering is diverse and offers you the opportunity to pursue individual paths according to your wishes - whether during your studies or afterwards.

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