Diploma Fundamentals

Software Development
Software developers are responsible for creating software products. They work alongside software
engineers to develop pioneering software products that are used in our daily lives. At its core,
software development is the process of creating computer programmes documenting, testing and
making adjustments in creating and maintaining exceptional applications and frameworks. Think
takealot.com or Amazon. Do you know who built these massive and important platforms? Software
developers are at the heart of these types of applications. They not only bring them to life, but
ensure they adapt to match evolving user requirements and that they survive well into the future.

Can you imagine not buying the latest gadget or gizmo online? Or even more, can you imagine not
being able to play your favorite song or watch a TV series at the touch of a button to download it?
These are the types of things that have been made possible through the dedicated work and
maintenance invested daily by software developers. Software developers are also pioneering and
reinventing the entertainment industry. Game development is a fundamental aspect of software
development that has brought about a change in how we spend our free time. If you are passionate
about games and gaming, then this is where you need to start. In essence, software developers are
warriors of the IT world, they pave the way for the future and maintain order in established
technologies to reshape and reinvent our societies.

Software development is a goal-oriented and objective-driven career where one always needs to
keep an open mind about the bigger picture while still focusing on refining the finer details.

Infrastructure
All the software in the world will not help if the infrastructure on which it runs is not maintained and
supported by professionals. The relentless march of technology has led to updates on devices,
platforms and other technologies becoming a constant work in progress. But in most cases, we have
it easy. The hard-core infrastructure specialist does not necessarily share the luxury of clicking the
“Update Now” button and waiting for the machine to reboot. This maintenance is on another level.
By becoming an infrastructure expert, you will be able to branch out as a system or network
administrator in charge of assuring that the daily operations and IT infrastructure of business
remains stable and runs like a well-oiled machine. The infrastructure experts know their way around
machines, the software that runs on them and the ways in which they are interconnected. It requires
a methodical and forward-thinking individual to ensure that everything runs seamlessly.

These individuals are also experts when it comes to the security of networks. They are the
gatekeepers of information coming in and going out and also have access to information. They are
the guardians of what we take for granted. Though they might work in the background, these
individuals are the reason everything keeps working, why we keep connecting and why we are so
interconnected as a modern society. Tech geniuses are required by every company to maintain their
infrastructure and ensure that they are wired for the future.

Diploma Specializations
Mobile Development Specialization
We are quickly realizing that we live in a new digital age. We can almost certainly say that every
aspect of our lives is touched by technology and more so mobile technology. Tablets, smartphones,
smart wearables play an integral role in our daily lives as consumers. Mobile technology has made so
many things easier, simple things such as email, purchasing, entertainment and banking to name just
a few. It is undeniable that the applications for digital devices are growing rapidly so is the need for
mobile developers in the industry. The specialization role that we provide in mobile development for
our diploma aims to provide the skills to develop apps in the major platforms.

During your studies you will learn not only the specific platform requirements but also go through
the entire life cycle of app development. Developing your skills and will have you transform user
needs into technical requirements, creating API’s, cooperate with UX and UI designers, using and
adapting existing apps and finally deploying them to digital devices for use. The world of mobile
development and its future is limitless as technology is going to be ever present in our lives.

Programming Specialization
How does one keep one’s organization competitive, efficient, and meeting its goals and objectives?

In today’s modern world, the role of a programming specialist cannot be underestimated or

overlooked. They play an integral role in modernizing, reducing monotonous tasks, driving efficiency
and profitability. This is achieved through smart operations and productivity maximization
interventions from planning, designing and improving on tailor-made programs and applications.

Programming specialists write computer programs and software. They specialize in programming
languages and understand the key differences between common languages such as: JavaScript,
Python, Ruby, Visual Basic .NET, SQL, R, and C#. They choose the ideal language based on their types
of applications, databases, or use cases. They have an added responsibility to handle the
administrative tasks to ensure a program can go on, such as hiring employees and managing the
budget. They develop strategies to help individual programs meet the organization's overall goals.

Web Development Specialization

Web developers build applications that can be delivered over the World Wide Web, and the World
Wide Web is nothing more than a communication mechanism to interact with remote applications.
Our web development stream is a complete learning path that starts with simple concepts in the
first year and concludes in the third year by teaching you how to build full stack applications using
modern tools and technologies.

In the first year, you will learn to design and develop web applications with an emphasis on layout,
structure and content presentation using good design principles. JavaScript is introduced in your
second year. It is the standard programming language of the web. The web is the largest computing
platform ever built with over 1.6 billion web sites; JavaScript is used on 95% of them. The third year
focuses on using JavaScript libraries and frameworks, for example React. You will learn to use
standard tools that are used in the industry by software engineers to build, test, and deploy fully
functional applications.

 Frontend Engineer: Frontend developers build the client-facing concerns of a web or mobile
application, by leveraging tools to build the exterior look and feel.
  Backend Engineer: They build and integrate features that are accessed from the front-end of
your application. Note that you can use a variety of programming languages to build the
backend including C#, Python, Java, and PHP!
 Full stack Engineer: They have expertise in both the front-end and back-end technologies.

Examples of applications that have been built using web technologies include Netflix, Uber, PayPal,
and Spotify

Networking Specialization
Over the past years, communication between humans as well as communication between humans
and devices has evolved. Among all the essentials for human existence, the need to interact is
equally important as the need to sustain life. Communication is almost as important as humans’
reliance on air, shelter, and food. The internet is considered the greatest invention of all time after
electricity. The creation and interconnection of robust data networks has a profound effect on
communication and has become the new platform on which modern communication occurs.
Networks connect.

Networks connect people and promote unregulated communication. Networks are the platforms on
which to run businesses, to address emergencies, to inform individuals, and to support education,
science, and government. The Internet is the largest network in existence. In fact, the term Internet,
means a network of networks. It is a collection of interconnected private and public networks. It is
incredible how quickly the Internet has become an integral part of our daily routines.

Cloud Specialization
Amazon web services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud offering,
with more than 200 fully featured services available from data centers globally. Millions of
customers including the fastest growing start-ups, largest enterprises, and leading government
agencies are using AWS to lower costs, increase security, become more agile and innovative. Cloud
computing is the on-demand delivery of IT resources over the internet with pay-as-you-go pricing.

The broad set of global cloud based products includes compute, storage, databases, analytics,
networking mobile, developer tools, management tools, IoT security and enterprise applications
organizations today are in search of vetted solutions and architectural guidance to rapidly solve
business challenges whether customers prefer off-the-shelf deployment or customizable
architectures, the AWS solutions library carries solutions built by AWS and AWS partners for broad
range of industry and technology access use cases.

Security Specialization
Today, we find ourselves living the reality of a cyber everywhere world where digital transformation
initiatives continue to accelerate amid the emergence of a pervasive remote workforce. It often
appears as if technological innovation and the culture it produces are surging ahead of our ability to
understand, measure and respond to exponentially increasing risk. Cyber threats impact entire
businesses, potentially crippling operations and rapidly destroying hard-won reputations, it is vital
that boards assess cyber risk in terms they can understand. They need to be able to compare cyber
threats to risks they are experienced at handling. Analyzing cyber risk profiles should be as familiar
as grasping the health of their balance sheet.
Computer security is important because it protects all categories of data from theft and damage.
This includes sensitive data, personally identifiable information, protected health information,
personal information, intellectual property, data, and governmental and industry information
systems. Without a computer security, organizations and individuals will not be able to defend
against data breaches.

Business Specialization
Information systems and technology add value to businesses by driving innovation. Besides driving
innovation, Information Systems and technology also give competitive advantages to companies and
serve as product or service differentiators. This has resulted in digital transformation via more
innovative apps, improved data storage, faster processing speed, and wider information distribution,
to mention just a few. Some of the innovations fostered by Information systems and technology in
business include e-commerce websites and applications, digital marketing, social networking, VoIP
communications, and cloud computing.

As a specialist in Business Science, you will be fortified with the necessary knowledge, skills, tools,
and techniques for analyzing different business contexts to understand the gaps, needs, problems,
and opportunities that can be filled, resolved, and realized by IT solutions to provide value for
stakeholders in a business. Furthermore, you will be able to transform and interpret data into
information to provide any business with a competitive advantage.

Our program will equip you with the required knowledge, skills, and attitude to be gainfully
employed within the Information Technology domain in specializations such as Business Analysis,
Systems Analysis, Project Management, and Product Management. At the end of the program, you
will have the skills to understand complex business processes, translate business needs to
requirements, and deliver maximum business value using a data-oriented approach. When involved
in software development projects, you will be able to develop project plans and functional
specifications, plan, estimate and manage project resources and budget, keep track of projects, and
provide the necessary updates to stakeholders. Your skills can also be leveraged for successful
software product development throughout the product lifecycle. You will be able to execute
corporate strategies at the product level while ensuring that the right product gets to the shelf at the
right time and on the right budget. Your software development team will find you to be of value
because you will be able to orchestrate activities and functions not only in development, but also in
marketing, sales, and support.

Database Specialization
Do you know that data is at the heart of today’s applications and businesses? Do you also know that
today’s businesses and organizations operate, manage their finances, transact, and attend to their
customers effectively because of the availability of data? Great knowledge! But, do you know that
inaccurate data can cause a 100 years old business or organization to close down? Thanks to
database specialists who design databases, create, organize, store, and maintain accurate and high-
quality data for businesses and organizations.

Our database specialization ensures that you are equipped with industry-relevant knowledge, skills,
and tools to design, create and maintain different types of databases. We ensure that you become
relevant to the organization and society. How do we do this? We understand the importance of data
quality and the need for a quality database administration. Thus, we have a team of qualified and
certified professionals dedicated to teaching and guiding you through hands-on projects designed to
ensure that each course is well understood. At the end of the programme, you will be able to work
as a Database Developer, Data Administrator, Database Analyst, Database Engineer, and more
related positions.

Data Analytics Specialization

Have you ever wondered how some movie sites know the movies you may like? Do you sometimes
wonder how business understand their customer buying behaviors and what the customers like
most without verbally asking? The answer lies in the magic words, “Data analytics insight”.

Technology has made it possible for organizations and groups, irrespective of types and sizes, to
have access to massive amounts of data. The data can only be useful if it can provide insights that
will guide the organization in its decision-making. Data analysts make this happen! Through data
analysis, organizations are empowered to make actionable decisions, and take concrete and cost-
effective actions timeously, effectively, and efficiently at a low cost.

Our data analyst specialization ensures that you are equipped with industry-relevant knowledge,
skills, and tools to turn any amount of data into actionable insights. We ensure that you become the
“eye” of the organization and society. How do we do this? We understand that wrong insight can be
detrimental to an organization. Thus, we have a team of qualified and certified professionals
dedicated to teaching and guiding you through hands-on projects designed to ensure that each
course is well understood. At the end of the programme, you will be able to work as a Data Analyst,
Operations Analyst, Data Analytics Consultant, Quantitative Analyst and more related positions.