Information technologies can be today found in every area of life. That's why it might be worth it to know the digital world and use this knowledge in practice. Such an opportunity is now available to second-cycle students in the field of IT in automation systems at Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

The new field has been established at the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology as an answer to an increasingly growing demand in the industry for specialists in new information technologies and their applications in automation. In May, the field was opened to first-cycle students. Now, it has been also launched as an option in second-cycle studies. The candidates are offered a total of 120 places.

Broad range of areas

In their second-cycle, IT students will be specializing in the fields of using, designing and programming digital automation systems, networks and industrial telematics as well as optimization and control systems.

– The study programs cover a wide range of information technologies in automation, from systems dedicated to the acquisition of information and processing it into decisions, to storing information in specialized databases and image database – explains Prof. Wojciech Bożejko from the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology.

Candidates should notice the extremely wide application of the acquired skills. They are crucial in such aspects as, for example, computerization, automation and cybersecurity of technological processes, designing intelligent layers of buildings, modelling and optimizing complex production and transport systems or exchanging information in networks.

– Our graduates will therefore be prepared to work in industry, in IT companies, including in start-ups, as IT systems managers in the manufacturing and logistics businesses – says Prof. Bożejko. – They will also be able to participate in the work of scientific and research and implementation teams. I can't see a reason why they would not want to start their own business – he adds.

Four specializations

Students can choose from four specializations:

Computer Control Systems – the studies include the methods and means of computer science necessary in designing digital control systems, solving optimization tasks and using artificial intelligence techniques in process control. The students will thus acquire skills needed to design and implement digital automation systems, telemetry systems and remote service systems with a focus on aspects related to innovativeness and the business environment.

Information Technology Applications – this specialization provides education in the area of applying modern information technologies to IT systems in automation, with a focus on the issues related to system design, training neural networks, as well as using advanced image recognition and processing methods. In this specialization, the students have an opportunity to attend classes and write their diploma theses in a unique laboratory for the monitoring and controlling of production quality with the help of vision systems using specialized software and a full spectrum of cameras, from infrared to ultraviolet.

Applications of Computer Engineering – here students acquire general knowledge and skills in the field of information technology, including in the area of automation, with machine learning and machine vision, information processing, modelling, identification and simulation of industrial and IT systems, control and adaptive decision-making, to name just some of them.

Intelligent Systems in Industry 4.0 – education in this specialization includes programming tools, methods and algorithms for management, decision support and control in Industry 4.0. Students have an opportunity to learn about many innovative and advanced technologies and IT solutions used in modern industrial systems, including in the industrial Internet of Things, cloud computing, cybersecurity and microservices.

Apprenticeships, trainings, jobs for graduates

The studies also involve apprenticeships and student trainings. The department cooperates with nearly 70 companies, including Microsoft, Nokia Siemens Network, Comarch, PGS Software, Toyota and Cisco.

– Participation in apprenticeships and trainings will allow students, first of all, to better understand the nature of an engineer's work in an environment similar to the future workplace, to gain experience by working on practical tasks and to learn to work in team, as well as to learn about the requirements of their future employers – says Prof. Bożejko.

Our graduates will be able to work, among others as programmers in C, C++, C#, Java or Python languages, testers or leaders in programming teams, specialists in the design and training of neural networks, classifiers and vision systems, PLC programmers or heads of production quality planning and monitoring teams.

Although there are no subjects in the study program that would allow the student to obtain specialist qualifications, the Faculty has extensive experience, including in the implementation of remote apprenticeships with IBM.

– Students who received very good grades in their apprenticeships could take an exam which translates into an IBM certificate of a certain level. Earlier, the CISCO Academy was also part of additional classes. If there are enough interested students, we can revisit that idea – says Prof. Bożejko.

The winter recruitment window will be open at Wrocław University of Science and Technology until 18 February. Our University offers two more new fields – the first is occupational health and safety, and the second is circular economy and climate protection.