Computer Applications: What is an MCA?
What is an MCA?
For upon |Master of Computer Applications (MCA)is a three-year (six semesters) professional Master’s Degree in computer science awarded in India. The course was designed to meet the growing demand for qualified professionals in the field of Information Technology. It is a postgraduate course that can be taken up after obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree. The MCA program is inclined more toward Application Development and thus has more emphasis on the latest programming language and tools to develop better and faster applications.
The MCA program focuses on providing a sound theoretical background as well as good practical exposure to students in the relevant areas. It is intended to provide a modern, industry-oriented education in applied computer science. It aims at producing trained professionals who can successfully meet the demands of the information technology industry.
Typically, an MCA is a full-time degree course with a duration of three years (six semesters). It covers various aspects of computational theory, programming, algorithm design and optimization, network and database management, mobile technologies, electronics, mathematics, probability, statistics, accounting, finance, etc. Some institutes provide a six-year (eleven semesters and six months On Job Training) integrated MCA.
As the IT and the software industry are dynamic and fast-growing, all the programs are designed keeping in view the requirements of the industry. The programs aim at the understanding of the fundamentals of computing among the students so that they can compete in the present-day global situation.
Students are trained in the fields of Systems Designing, Application Software Development, Enterprise Resource Planning, Computer Networks, System Administration, Web Designing and Development, Database Administration, Parallel and Vector Processing, Data Mining and Warehousing, etc.
Objectives of the MCA course
The MCA program prepares students to take up positions as system analysts, systems designers, Programmers, and managers in any field related to information technology. The program, therefore, aims at imparting comprehensive knowledge with equal emphasis on theory and practice. The MCA students are encouraged to spend a full semester working in the industry in the institute giving them insight into the workings of the IT world. However, the course curriculum will have enough flexibility to enable a student to undertake advanced studies in computer science later on.
Course structure
The course is to be completed in 6 semesters. The first semester will comprise mostly common subjects needed to build a base for the subjects to follow in pursuance of the objectives of the course. The 2nd to 5th semesters will be mostly divided into core subjects and electives, which offer the student a choice to build expertise in some fields based on personal choice. The last semester will be devoted to project work testing the students’ application in the fields studied so far and provide valuable experience before stepping into the professional world of information technology.
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