Mobile Development

Have you an interest in being a part of an ever changing world of technology? In particular, mobile development is an area of great demand and is a fast paced area for updating systems and mobile apps and software. Do you have a critical mind? A mind for IT and software development? This might be the area for you.

What is mobile development?

Mobile Development

Mobile development involves the development of mobile applications or software in order to develop or improve mobile devices.

What third level courses are available?

Universities and colleges in Ireland are offering courses in the following subject areas:

Multimedia, Mobile and Web Development
Mobile Application Development
Computer Science/Multimedia Mobile and Web Development
Cloud Computing with Mobile Development (PLC)
Software Development and Mobile Apps (PLC)

Studying mobile development in college

There are a number of courses available in this area both undergraduate courses and PLC courses. PLC courses will generally be 1 year in length while undergraduate courses will last between three and four years. PLC courses will generally serve as an introduction to the area and help you to understand the basics of mobile development and what is involved.

Your first year of an undergraduate course will see you be introduced to the area, gain a strong foundation in the area and understand what is expected and what you will cover throughout your course. Content will differ from course to course but areas that you may cover include areas in computer science as well as mathematics, software architecture, mobile technologies, operating systems and computational methods and problem solving.

Your second, third and possibly fourth year will see you be introduced to more complex and in depth material that will allow you to be practical in your learning and learn all the relevant skills and knowledge in order to be able to help in the development of mobiles and applications. You may also place focus on modules related to the fundamentals of object orientated programming.

The majority of courses will also give you the opportunity to take on work placement in order to become familiar with the working world within the field and apply your knowledge practically.

Career options

The world of technology isa very broad area and offers a range of roles and opportunities. The main one in this area would be to work as an applications or mobile developer. Related jobs may include software development, computer scientist or an application and games developer, to name a few.

There is always the option of continuing on your study at postgraduate level and specialise in a particular area. You could also move into educational roles such as teaching, lecturing or research in colleges and universities after a few years in the field.

Skills and requirements that are important in this area include IT skills, knowledge of mobiles, applications and computers, communication skills, organisation skills, critical thinking, time management skills, the ability to follow trends, a desire to persevere and create new applications, a problem solver. Technical writing skills and maths skills may also be useful.

Related Jobs

Mobile developer
Applications developer
Software development
Computer scientist
Android/iOS Developer
Games Developer
Software engineer

Further Study

Visit postgrad.ie for more information.

FAQ

Different courses and different colleges will have different entry requirements. It’s always safest to check with the individual higher education institution which is available on their websites. As a general rule Leaving Cert students should have a minimum of six subjects which should

include: Two H5 (Higher Level) grades and Four O6 (Ordinary Level) grades or four H7 (Higher Level) grades. Subjects must include Mathematics, Irish or another language, and English.

The highest points needed in this area last year were 352 points to study Computer Science/Multimedia, Mobile and Web Development in Maynooth University. The lowest points were just one less at 351 to study Multimedia, Mobile and Web Development also in Maynooth University.

Where can I study?

For other courses in the area you would like to explore, you can do so here.

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