Bridging creativity and computing
A new honours degree in creative computing conferred by the University of London and taught at St Martin's Institute of IT as from next month aims to attract potential students who are talented in the creative arts and are willing to follow a career in...
A new honours degree in creative computing conferred by the University of London and taught at St Martin's Institute of IT as from next month aims to attract potential students who are talented in the creative arts and are willing to follow a career in technology.
Thus a new breed of creative technologists will be able to develop the stunning new opportunities offered by modern technology.
"You are not just a user of a tool or programme. You get skills to create that tool," explained Jonathan Barbara, the course co-ordinator at St Martin's.
Indeed the course bridges the arts and IT to create new career paths that are in high demand. Students will not simply learn how to use programmes such as photo-editing software but create tools to express creativity through IT.
"Like anything else, the perception of a technology engineer is either a systems developer, mostly for business processes, an actual maintenance engineer of a computer installation, or a system administrator for computer systems," laments Charles Theuma, the principal at St Martin's. "But there are many more very interesting careers related with technology. Movie-making, for example, is now an area where computing engineers and creative artists work shoulder to shoulder. The same could be said for the development of ever more creative websites, some of which do not simply portray an organisation or a product, but actually are the business such as online gambling sites, e-learning sites as well as online games.
"With the advent of SmartCity, which will include space for a media city in the very vicinity of the Rinella Movie and Water Tank infrastructure, it will be an obvious opportunity that the current movie graphic work which has in the past been contracted to studios in London or the US will be produced in Malta," added Mr Theuma.
The course appeals to students who preferably have qualifications at ordinary or advanced level in the creative arts such as painting and music, together with a good grasp of mathematics and English willing to take up this challenging yet interesting degree.
The closing date for applications is August 31.
This degree is part of the myPotential scheme, where graduates will be reimbursed in full for all their expenses upon graduation. Maltese citizens are also eligible for the Malta Government Scholarship Scheme - Undergraduate Courses.
Scholarships are available for the highest achieving applicants who follow courses at private tuition centres in Malta, including St Martin's Institute of IT. Students awarded such scholarships receive the same financial aid given to University of Malta students in terms of stipends and grants (via the Smart Card).
In the case of IT degrees, besides higher financial benefits than those stipulated for other degrees, part of the costs are tax refundable as part of the myPotential scheme, leaving students with a net surplus.
St Martin's Institute of IT is also supported by Intercomp, the authorised distributor for DELL computers in Malta, whereby students are eligible to purchase a high-end laptop at a very advantageous price.
Students are able to access the students' intranet, online resources and the internet from anywhere within the institute's buildings via a wireless network.
More information at http://www.stmartins.edu
Thus a new breed of creative technologists will be able to develop the stunning new opportunities offered by modern technology.
"You are not just a user of a tool or programme. You get skills to create that tool," explained Jonathan Barbara, the course co-ordinator at St Martin's.
Indeed the course bridges the arts and IT to create new career paths that are in high demand. Students will not simply learn how to use programmes such as photo-editing software but create tools to express creativity through IT.
"Like anything else, the perception of a technology engineer is either a systems developer, mostly for business processes, an actual maintenance engineer of a computer installation, or a system administrator for computer systems," laments Charles Theuma, the principal at St Martin's. "But there are many more very interesting careers related with technology. Movie-making, for example, is now an area where computing engineers and creative artists work shoulder to shoulder. The same could be said for the development of ever more creative websites, some of which do not simply portray an organisation or a product, but actually are the business such as online gambling sites, e-learning sites as well as online games.
"With the advent of SmartCity, which will include space for a media city in the very vicinity of the Rinella Movie and Water Tank infrastructure, it will be an obvious opportunity that the current movie graphic work which has in the past been contracted to studios in London or the US will be produced in Malta," added Mr Theuma.
The course appeals to students who preferably have qualifications at ordinary or advanced level in the creative arts such as painting and music, together with a good grasp of mathematics and English willing to take up this challenging yet interesting degree.
The closing date for applications is August 31.
This degree is part of the myPotential scheme, where graduates will be reimbursed in full for all their expenses upon graduation. Maltese citizens are also eligible for the Malta Government Scholarship Scheme - Undergraduate Courses.
Scholarships are available for the highest achieving applicants who follow courses at private tuition centres in Malta, including St Martin's Institute of IT. Students awarded such scholarships receive the same financial aid given to University of Malta students in terms of stipends and grants (via the Smart Card).
In the case of IT degrees, besides higher financial benefits than those stipulated for other degrees, part of the costs are tax refundable as part of the myPotential scheme, leaving students with a net surplus.
St Martin's Institute of IT is also supported by Intercomp, the authorised distributor for DELL computers in Malta, whereby students are eligible to purchase a high-end laptop at a very advantageous price.
Students are able to access the students' intranet, online resources and the internet from anywhere within the institute's buildings via a wireless network.
More information at http://www.stmartins.edu