Computer Science at Jagiellonian University - why is it worth studying with us?

Why is IT worth studying at all?

We live in very interesting times ...

Information technology - science, the foundations of which was built in the 1950s, immediately began to develop at an unimaginable pace. Humanity has never experienced such a dynamic development of the discipline of knowledge before. This progress is so rapid that most of the technologies used today will be completely forgotten or useless in a few years. Computer science very quickly showed its usefulness in almost every area of
life. In just a dozen or so years, it radically changed the way organizations, societies, and individuals function.

IT specialists have made the world a global village, where information spreads at a rapid pace through social networking sites. It is thanks to the IT specialists that we can carry out financial operations via the Internet safely, and that cashless transactions concern even completely virtual currencies (bitcoin). It is IT specialists who create software that automates a lot of tedious tasks so far performed manually, furthermore this software can also act intelligently and suggest solutions to users that they would never have come up with on their own.

In short, mankind has become completely dependent on information technology. It seems that we are not able to deviate from this path. Whether we like it or not, we must be participants in the digital revolution. So let us get to know this fascinating area of
knowledge and use it in later work for the benefit of people, organizations, and also (which is not an exaggeration in the context of the aforementioned global village) - the whole world. The fact that it is quite possible is made evident by the stories of companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, and Google. Their flagship products changed the way people function and perceive reality - they, in fact, changed the world.

The IT community is, however, well aware that, paradoxically, despite our stunning successes, we are still at the beginning of our path. News about spectacular failures of various systems are constantly appearing on the Internet or on television. The IT world knows a lot of such "epic failures": the Ariane 5 rocket, Mars Climate Orbiter, Therac-25, and many, many more. Computer science, despite its progress, is still a young, unestablished discipline. We still do not have effective methods to guarantee the reliability of the software, and a significant part of IT projects ends up exceeding the planned time or budget. We still have not come up with universal, quality-assured software production methods...

By choosing IT studies, you have a completely real – like never before – chance to become a participant in this amazing adventure in which IT specialists have been participating for just a few dozen years. You will acquire knowledge that will give you the satisfaction of creating software that is later used by thousands, millions, or even billions of people around the world. Maybe you will contribute to the solution of the above-mentioned problems that plague software engineers? Or maybe, with a bit of luck, without leaving your home you can create a product that will change the world?

Indeed, we live in very interesting times ...

Graduates of our study program are among the highest earners

According to the ELA website Economic Fate of Graduates (www.ela.nauka.gov.pl), graduates of computer science at the Institute of Computer Science and Mathematics receive one of the highest salaries among graduates of all day studies in Poland.

Graduates of second-cycle studies in the field of computer science in 2019 are in the 6th place in the ranking with a median income of PLN 8,823.64. This means that 50% of our graduates earn more than this amount.

In 2019, the median earnings of the first-cycle study graduates in the field of computer science are PLN 7,744.14.

It is worth highlighting that the ELA website provides objective and reliable earnings data. These data do not come from the questionnaires completed by graduates, but are based directly on data from the Social Insurance Institution and the POL-on system.

Why computer science at the Institute of Computer Science and Mathematics of Jagiellonian University?

  • Many of us, Institute of Computer Science and Mathematics (ICSM) employees, have worked or work in companies in the IT industry. That is why we know very well what the software development process is what problems members of development teams face on a daily basis and how to effectively solve these problems. And we will teach you this.
  • The evidence of the highest quality of our classes is the distinction in IT at ICSM awarded by the Minister of Science and Higher Education.
  • The IT studies program at ICSM does not end with solid programming foundations, but covers the entire area of software engineering, from requirements analysis, through business analysis, architecture design, programming, the use of professional software supporting tools, testing, debugging, quality measurement, implementation, documentation, and ending with issues related to system maintenance or IT project management.
  • If you are a programming fan and want to pursue your career in IT as a programmer, you can choose from courses such as: low-level programming, abstract programming, functional programming, logic programming, script programming (Python), concurrent programming, distributed programming, programming on the Internet...
  • The study program is flexible: in addition to the compulsory "canon" of classes, you can choose the courses that interest you. As part of the second-cycle studies, you can also choose one of several specializations: 1) software engineering, 2) applied computer science, 3) modeling, artificial intelligence and control.
  • In addition to the courses on software development, ICSM also offers many courses in the field of the so-called systems engineering (e.g. computer graphics, databases, operating systems, image processing, artificial intelligence, etc.) and the theoretical foundations of computer science.
  • ICSM conducts very intensive cooperation with Krakow IT companies, such as Akamai, AVSystem, Brown Brothers Harriman, JCommerce, Motorola, Nokia, Ocado, Saber, Samsung, Sii, Webcon and many others. Employees of these companies organize lectures, workshops, laboratories, seminars, and "speed-recruitment" sessions for students. Already during your studies you will be able to learn what these companies do and what sort of employees are they looking for. You will be able to write a bachelor's or master's thesis in cooperation with the company. You will be able to participate in internships and apprenticeships organized by companies that offer outstanding student employment.
  • As part of undergraduate studies, during the third year of your studies, you will participate in a team project. Since 2015, most team projects have been carried out with the participation of the companies with which we work. This means that you can implement a real project of a given company, so already in the third year of studies you can gain practical experience in the IT industry. It is a unique solution in Poland. No other university carries out such initiatives on such a large scale as our Institute.
  • In most IT subjects, the completion of classes is based on the implementation of practical projects that you will be able to show off in your CV.
  • We obtain various types of grants for teaching activities (e.g. a PELIKAN IT grant), thanks to which we are able to finance an internship in a company of your choice and offer you (completely free!) the opportunity to participate in the course and pass an exam for the most important in the IT industry certificates (e.g. OCPJP, ISTQB, Scrum).
  • You will have the opportunity to work in various Science Clubs. The following clubs are very active within ICSM: The Students' Circle of Informatics http://ksi.ii.uj.edu.pl/ , the .NET Group, the Circle of Free Software "Ĺšlimak", Bioinformatics Club http://www.bit.ii.uj.edu.pl/ , Robotics Club https://nkr.ii.uj.edu.pl/. Student clubs organize many interesting projects, meetings and conferences. Everyone will find something interesting for themselves!
  • We will teach you not only the latest technologies, but also universal basics of computer science that will not quickly become outdated. Mastering these basics will prepare you well for work in a dynamic, rapidly changing IT reality. Remember, that the most important skill in the IT profession is thinking!
Published Date: 09.02.2015
Published by: Krzysztof Bartosz