6MK012 – Marketing & Digital Strategy

By Joanne Fenech

“In essence, digital marketing is the marketing of a product or service through the use of an electronic device or the internet. It’s a phrase for online marketing. Hundreds of thousands of businesses now use digital marketing to reach a big number of people because it is easier—and more cost-effective.  Traditionally, organizations used television, radio, publications, events, and direct mail to reach their target audience. Nowadays, businesses are attempting to attract potential clients through digital platforms as individuals spend more time online. Marketers must be aware at all times of the trending norms and where the people are.  Prior to the rise of digital marketing, few people discussed the customer journey because it was difficult to comprehend and evaluate. A customer would most likely go to a physical store after viewing an advertisement on television or in the newspaper, make a decision, and pay for the product or service inside the store. In digital marketing, however, we can trace every step a customer takes, frequently starting from the time they are prompted to look for a solution or product.  Nowadays, it’s normal for a consumer to view an advertisement online, search and compare costs on several websites, and then go to a store to try the goods or shop online. Customers should be encouraged to follow the organisation’s social media sites. This enables the marketer to evaluate daily their preferences as they scroll through their social media feeds. Keeping people informed is both useful and relevant, as well as providing content that inspires and delights is key. Clients that are more engaged and informed are most likely to buy from your company if they ever need your service or product.

The Wolverhampton module Marketing and Digital Strategy delves into the complexity of a strategic marketing approach that every company requires to build and maintain a competitive edge. It offers an understanding of the external and internal factors that drive strategic decisions and how businesses build and maintain a competitive advantage. Traditional and digital marketing expertise and knowledge are expanded in this subject. A thorough awareness of how products and brands are positioned offline vs online. It will also look at the role of marketing from a strategic standpoint.”

The Marketing and Digital Strategy module is one of the many industry-focused modules included within the BA (Hons) Business Management (Marketing) programme at STC Higher Education. Designed to provide students with both practical and strategic marketing knowledge, the course helps learners understand modern business environments, consumer behaviour, branding, and digital marketing trends.

To learn more about the programme and explore the full course structure, visit: BA (Hons) Business Management (Marketing) Programme

Distributed and Cloud Systems Programming

By Omar Zammit

This module’s main aim is to expose students to cloud technologies used by various companies. During this module, students will learn what distributed systems are and how cloud computing can help organisations to achieve this. Using Java and Python, students will learn how to write programs that will work together on multiple processes on multiple computers. Students will also learn how to configure environments, create and deploy APIs and publish websites using Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure. Apache Spark and Google Cloud are also explored.

Numerical Methods and Concurrency

By Omar Zammit

This module’s main aim is to help students develop skills that are useful in computer science, focusing mainly on analytical and problem-solving skills. Using the C programming language, students will learn how to convert numerical methods into code and how to use concurrency to improve software performance. The concepts discussed during this module are supported by workshops that resemble real work problems, including learning some useful Linux commands, implementing a simple machine learning algorithm and image processing using multithreading.

EOM – Essentials of Management

By Dr Kenneth Grech

The Essentials of Management (EOM) module runs at Level 4 MQF and is part of the Diploma in Business of the National Computing Centre (NCC).  It covers the main principles and functions of management.  Students will be given the essential tools and knowledge of management as a start of their journey into understanding the fundamental requisites for managing businesses and organizations.  A mixed didactic and case-based approach is adopted to provide students with the required skills and expertise on management at this level.  Several management areas are covered, including developing management and leadership strategies and the planning process, decision making, understanding organisations and staff behaviour, managing teams and motivating staff.  Assessment is through a written assignment that links the theory with practice.

5MG001 – The Professional Leader & Manager

By Dr Kenneth Grech

The Professional Leader and Manager are delivered by STC on behalf of the Wolverhampton Business School, University of Wolverhampton.  It is a Level 5 course with 30 credits aimed at students who wish to further develop and enhance their knowledge, skills and understanding of the leadership process and various management approaches in the business world.  Several topics of interest are covered, including human resource management, motivation, change management, dealing with stress as a manager, managing teams, the influence of power and culture, managing in a multiethnic and multicultural environment and the role of a leader and manager at the strategic and operational level.  The module takes an interpretative, formative and reflexive approach, with practical examples and case studies used to augment and enrich the students’ experience.  Assessment is both case-based and also students give an oral presentation to assess their communication skills.

Skills For Computing

By Jeremy Darmenia

Skills for Computing is an introductory module, that set’s one up, for said diploma and degree pathway. Students are guided on learning strategies to be able to make the best use of their learning experience. Special emphasis is also directed towards academic writing and the correct way of referencing researched material. The honing of professional presentation skills and how to keep any particular target audience engaged, are exercised to give students the cutting edge both in the academic and professional world.  Skills for Computing continues by questioning the degree of one’s thinking and problem-solving abilities. Scholars are exposed to various strategies and conventions about creative and critical thinking in a bid to breach any formed psychological boundaries. The next phase of the module is concerned with data acquisition and analysis, to allow decision-makers to make informed and sound decisions. Arithmetic and Statistical modelling are explored and demonstrated, with the end objective being that of converting data into information.

Office Software Development

By Jeremy Darmenia

Office software Development as a module focuses on features and functions, of every day productive applications. A normal user will for instance use spreadsheet software, to compile lists of entries and maybe compute a few arithmetic functions. What we strive for in this module is to develop your average user into an advanced user, by tutoring students to use spreadsheet software to its full potential. We take a deep dive into end-user development, and how this allows one to execute business processes more efficiently and with fewer chances of error. The end-user developer must be able to understand business practices and their shortfall, understand the current IT systems within the organisation and then build a bridge between the two. It is a common practice nowadays, that we look for specialised software for each business problem, and happily spend finite resources on them.  However, rarely do we fully comprehend the capabilities of that office software that has always been lurking within our hard drives. Capabilities that are powerful enough to solve the majority of organisational tasks for small to medium enterprises.

Networking and Security

By Keith Sacco

The networking and security course provides students with insights on the different types of networks existent today, the various ways data and information is transferred from one device to another, and wired and wireless types of networks. The course also investigates aspects of security, and why security should be put in place when a network is set up. Students taking up this course ask (1) is networking only about wired and wireless networking, and why is this important in the business and workplace today? and (2) when career path would I follow if I study networking? Networking and Security are the fundamentals of connectivity in business today. Using wired or wireless technologies, devices from smartphones to laptops, or any other connected devices – connect to the wider networked world and the internet. All businesses use some sort of wired or wireless devices in their organisations. Everyone today makes use of a smartphone or connected devices to the internet. Therefore, be it gaming, medical, financial, public sector, social media or any other area in the working world; all are connected to the wider internet, all need to have security in place to protect their operation, and all make use of devices that are connected. This means that there is the need for experienced and knowledgeable people to manage such networks, wired/wireless devices, or specialists in security / cyber-security so as to ensure that; such network is running efficiently, security and ensure the only authenticated devices allow access, networked devices are set up to ensure full throughput and speed, and the network and business domain has the necessary cyber security systems in place to protect against malicious activity. These are all areas covered in the course. The networking/security student should not only see networks and security from a curricular perspective but from a job and career path perspective networking and security open ones opportunities to work as Network Engineers, Network Architects, and Cyber Security Specialists to mention a few.

Databases

by Keith Sacco

Students taking up the databases get to learn various aspects of how data is stored in the computer systems, how to sort this data, manage it and retrieve it. The course also investigates aspects of data, and how this can be stored in a way that does not take up a lot of space, stores the essential info, allows retrieval in an efficient and fast manner. It is very common that students ask (1) why are databases so important in the business and workplace today? and (2) what would I benefit as a student from studying and getting to know databases? The answer two these two fundamental questions is very simple. Databases today are the basis of storage for information of businesses. All businesses use some sort of database daily to store information to be retrieved for later use. Be it gaming, manufacturing, social media, or any other sector; all have a database in some form or other in the back end. This also means that with a database in the back-end of the whole operation – there is the need for experienced and knowledgeable people to manage these databases and data stored within, ensure databases systems are running efficiently and available at all times; and if necessary database-skilled persons also get involved in writing the necessary queries to extract data efficiently.   The database student should not only see databases as a curricular or academic subject but rather as the basis for roles highly in demand in the working world. Nowadays a database skilled person can take up jobs such as Database Administrators, Database Programmers, Database Architects/Engineer, Database Designer or Modeler, or even Data Scientists.

Why a career in game development is an excellent, future-proof choice

Video games are one of the most popular forms of entertainment that many enjoy, and over the last decades, have developed into a global multi-billion euro industry. Apart from recreational use, video games are also used as mediums in different sectors such as the educational sector in which video games are used for game-based learning and gamified learning where students learn through fun and play, and the marketing sector where mini-games, as well as gaming mechanics, are used for marketing campaigns. The popularity of video games is reflected in the market value of the video gaming industry – the video game market is estimated to be worth USD 159.3 Billion in 2020 and forecasts estimate the video gaming industry to be worth USD 200 Billion by 2023 and USD 256.97 Billion by 2025.

At the national level, creative industries and game research define one of Malta’s core strategic areas of financial growth and development. Malta’s creative economy is driven by 3,600 enterprises, employs 7,500 people, grows at an average 9% per annum, and contributes to 4% of the country’s GDP. The video game industry is now larger than the movie and music industry combined and attracts more than two billion gamers across the world, that is 26% of the world’s population. Thanks to the rise of e-Sports, video game competitive events are now held in large stadiums with mass audiences and live broadcasts. Professional players, now considered as athletes, are watched by millions of fans through broadcasts on media platforms such as YouTube or Twitch. 

The growth in the video game market has fueled demand for video game designers and game developers,. According to recruiter, a global corporation, demand for game-design related positions are expected to grow by 11.59 percent over the next few years. With all this growth, now it is an opportune time to commence a career in video game development. The computer science games development degree at STC Higher Education, delivered in collaboration with the University of Wolverhampton, provides the technical foundations to kick off a career in the field of video game development. It investigates and provides the technical knowledge required behind video game development including programming, game engines, artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Curious about a career in game design or development? Click the ‘request info’ button on our website and send us your details, a member of our team will get back to you.