Diploma in Information Technology

Economical prosperity of society depends on its capability to compete effectively in the constantly changing national and global markets. Industries have to exploit opportunities offered by new technologies to remain competitive. Employers need creative and inventive workforce equipped with knowledge, skills, and understanding to face these challenges effectively and efficiently. This programme has been designed to produce graduates who will satisfy the needs of employers as well as self-employment in the 21st century and are ready to enter ICT market and are prepared to continue learning throughout their life.

The graduates from this programme will be flexible and able to meet challenges of the job market or industry. The programme also addresses national needs articulated through various Higher and Technical Education Policies. This course is designed to outfit for the needs of students, future employees, and employers in the field of Informatics Science (IS). As a result we follow competence modular approach. The holder of this certificate will be able to perform:

1) Basic office application operations,
2) Help-Desk support,
3) Repair and maintenance of computers,
4) Installation of computer hardware and software,
5) Setting up computer networks and provide web services
6) Develop application software that acts as solution to several problems in our country.

In order to achieve these objectives and produce graduates who are innovative, creative, and flexible and who can respond quickly to the social and job market within and outside Tanzania, the program follows a new approach known as Competence Based Education and Training (CBET). This approach is based on the philosophy all students can learn and succeed given the time and support to do so. CBET focuses on what a learner should be “able to do or be like at the end of the learning experience”. It involves organizing the curriculum, instruction and assessment to ensure that learning outcomes are achieved.

The Curriculum Development Committee (CDC) together with Curriculum Development Task Team (CDTT) continuously monitors the need and asses day-to-day activities happening in the Industry and develops a curriculum to cater to the needs of the society. In this process the team has identified the need of more practical sessions.

Programme Philosophy

The philosophy behind the development of this programme is geared towards producing innovative, creative and flexible graduates. As such students are given opportunity to focus in the fields of their or market interest through various optional provided.

The philosophy of the programme is based on the following principles and assumptions:

​ a) To provide foundations of basic principles, skills and expertise that will give the greatest opportunity for graduate career development ​
 b) To facilitate changes in interest, specialties, roles and responsibilities.
​ c) To provide in depth understanding of a variety of Computer and Information Technology applications and systems.
​ d) To stimulate student interest in learning related ICT applications and stimulate in pursuance of further knowledge, research and imaginative thinking. ​
 e) To produce graduates who are ready to enter the ICT market and flexibly satisfy the needs of industries.

It is, therefore, expected that the graduates from this programme will have ambition to become professional ICT expert. The programme also contains coherent core of Mathematics and Communication skills, which provide a viable foundation for further studies and lifelong learning. The programme is a modular system and will operate under semester structure. This will facilitate a large degree of flexibility for the graduates’ future development. It also allows inclusion of modules from other courses and development of other routes in related disciplines. It also provides an opportunity to accommodate the desire of students to follow programmes of modules particularly suited to their needs.

Aims of the Programme

The aims of the programme are to provide:

​  a) A sound and structured education in principles, methods and application of Information Communication Technology systems;
​  b) A range of practical design, Management and personal skills sufficient to equip students with skills necessary for effective employment/self-employment in related areas; and ​
  c) A stimulating environment, which motivates students to realize their potentials through their current studies and equip them with skills, needed to maintain/update their skills and education throughout their future careers.

Objectives of the Programme

The objectives of the programme are to establish:

​  a) Appropriate medium practical skills and commissioning of Information Communication Technology equipments and accessories;
​  b) A thorough understanding of the principles associated with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications
​  c) Initiative, imagination, perception and confidence sufficient to cope with new situations, problems and ideas by critical analysis of situations, synthesis of practical solutions and application of new ideas;
​  d) Potential knowledge for creative and critical thinking, including critical self-awareness; and
​  e) The ability to communicate with members of an organization at the same, higher and lower levels of expertise or responsibility.

Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of the learning process and assessment must support and complete the learning strategies in order to achieve the required outcomes. Assessment in particular, must reflect the required progression and be sensitive to the range of key skills is developed.

Principles of Assessment

​  a) Assessment will reflect the aims and objectives of the scheme overall, the route way, and the learning outcomes of the module; ​
  b) Assessment will be designed to assist student learning, in particular their development as self-directed learners and the acquisition of key skills;
​  c) Assessment will be varied, to facilitate motivation and in recognition of the need to adopt approaches, which enable students to demonstrate that, they have fulfilled learning objectives; and
​  d) Assessment will reflect progression through studying year, with increasingly more complex methods being associated with higher order skills.

Assessment Methods

In order to satisfy the principle of assessment stated in 5.1. A range of assessment method that balances between examinations and programme work assignments or projects will be used as listed below:
  a) Computer Laboratory Practicals
  b) Tests
  c) Assignments
  d) End of Semester Examination
  e) Industrial Practical Training

 List of Modules for NTA Level 4

 List of Modules for NTA Level 5

 List of Modules for NTA Level 6