Description
This two-year program provides a solid foundation in information technology with focus on the following technical areas:
Graduates will receive the Business Information Technology diploma.
For more information, please visit Computer and Information Systems Technology.
DOCUMENT SUBMISSION
Upload Through Your Future Student Account
If you do not have a Future Student Account or require assistance, please contact our Student Service Centre at 204-632-2327.
Internationally Educated Applicants - visit www.rrc.ca/credentials for credential assessment information.
However, if you apply within 6 weeks of the program start date, admission requirements are due within 5 days of applying.
Regular Admission Requirements
Mature Student Admission Requirements
If you are 19 years of age or older and have been out of high school for a minimum of one year at time of application, and you do not meet the regular admission requirements, you may apply under the Mature Student admission requirements.
| English Language Assessment | Minimum Required Levels | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L - Listening, S - Speaking, R - Reading, W - Writing | L | S | R | W |
| AEPUCE
(Academic English Program of University and College Entrance )
Requirement: Submission of a parchment (certificate) indicating successful completion of the AEPUCE program, including language levels achieved if available. | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| CAEL and CAEL Online (Canadian Academic English Language) | 60 | 50 | 60 | 60 |
| CLB (LINC)
(Canadian Language Benchmark - Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada)
Canadian Citizens: LINC programs are not available. | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Duolingo
(Duolingo English Test)
* MINIMUM OVERAL SCORE OF 115 REQUIRED. There are no minimum required levels for L,S,R,W. Only Duolingo English Test scores that have been verified through the Duolingo English Test Portal will be accepted. | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* |
| IELTS - Academic
(International English Language Testing System)
Please Note: 3 year expiry date for Nursing Program Applicants | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| LSI (Language Studies International) | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| PTE - Academic Online Assessment (Pearson Test of English) | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Password Skills
(An in person English Language Assessment hosted by RRC Polytech)
This in-person, computer-based test is composed of four test modules: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The test takes 3 hours and 5 minutes to complete and is conducted in two parts. The first part assesses reading, listening, and writing, and the second part assesses speaking in a separate room.
Password Skills costs $139 to take through RRC Polytech.
Password Skills is hosted by the RRC Polytech Testing and Assessment Centre: E440, Manitou a bi Bii Daziigae building, on the fourth floor.
If you wish to do Password Skills remotely (not in-person), Password Skills Plus can be taken online. RRC Polytech does not offer Password Skills Plus, but we do accept the results for entry into program.
| 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Password Skills Plus (Password Skills Plus is an online assessment that can be taken instead of Password Skills. ) | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| TOEFL-iBT
(Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet Based Test)
To meet the needs of students who are unable to take the TOEFL iBT® test at a test center due to public health concerns, ETS is temporarily offering the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test in selected areas. | 19 | 18 | 18 | 21 |
You should have an interest in computers and other technology, an aptitude for using logic to solve problems, and the capacity to think analytically. Patience and persistence are also necessary for success in an IT career.
The program will appeal to you if you have no prior related work experience or post-secondary education and your career goals are dependent upon you having information technology skills.
Students may apply for financial assistance through the Manitoba Student Aid program. For general information on applying please call 204-945-6321 or 1-800-204-1685, or visit their website at www.manitobastudentaid.ca, which also includes an online application. For detailed information, please visit one of the RRC Polytech Student Service Centres or call 204-632-2327. Applicants requiring financial assistance should complete their student loan applications well in advance of the class start date.
Red River College Polytechnic is a participating institution in the HigherEdPoints program. Through this program, students are able to convert Aeroplan® Miles and TD Points into funds to help cover their tuition. Family members and friends can also contribute to a student’s education by converting their loyalty points - anyone can donate their points to an individual student.
Visit the HigherEdPoints website for more information about the program and/or to set up an account to convert your points.
As an introduction, students learn the basics of developing Windows business applications using C#.NET. Through progressive hands-on application development, students learn the features of the Visual Studio Interactive Development Environment (IDE), the .NET Framework along with Windows application standards and object oriented programming principles. Each assignment will further enhance the student’s knowledge and expertise using the Visual Studio IDE and the .NET Framework. The standard controls and methods along with object oriented code written by the student will be used to develop a Windows application utilizing sequential file I/O and a Microsoft Access database. Data Grid View controls and Crystal Reports will also be introduced. As well, students will explore the concept of multi-threading. The course will include a heavy unit testing component, whereby unit testing will be used throughout the course. The course will be supported by 2 hours of structured lab time each week. During the structured labs, students will have the opportunity to practice skills learned through mandatory skill checks.
Quantum computing is an emerging field at the intersection of computer science, mathematics, physics and engineering. The course begins with an introduction to quantum mechanics before moving on to the challenges and limitations of building real machines which implement the theory. Students then study how quantum algorithms outperform their classical counterparts, and learn how to code and run such algorithms on real quantum processors.
In this course, participants will learn the fundamentals of the Python programming language. The course starts with setting up the programming environment on the participant’s local PC, and verifying the installation by writing their first “Hello World!” script. Slowly, the participants will add the building blocks to be able to build more complicated applications in Python. During each topic, participants will demonstrate their knowledge by completing exercises that accumulate into larger assignments. Participants will also work in groups to develop a comprehensive course project that is due by the end of the course. The course is intended to be practical, so the students are encouraged to bring their own projects to discuss in class and present how they were able to solve the problems that they faced. The course also encourages students to think about how to document and package their final product so that other users can benefit and use the participants’ work.
This course introduces mobile software development. Students
study native application development for the Android platform. The first half
of the course builds the foundation with assignments covering topics including user-interface
creation, event-driven programming, data persistence, web connectivity, and
location-based services. In the second half of the course, students create
smartphone apps of their own design.
As a continuation of Programming 2, students learn to develop more advanced Windows business applications. Through progressive hands-on application development using object oriented programming principles, students will develop multi-tier business applications using a relational database. Students will incorporate Language Integrated Query (LINQ) to all aspects of the application including database data as well as XML files. Each assignment developed will further enhance knowledge and expertise using C#, the .NET Framework, and SQL Server. Students will work in a multi-threaded environment by creating separate threads manually as well as by incorporating external devices running on a separate thread. Students will develop a Web application using ASP.NET. Additionally students will create a Web Service to be utilized by both the Windows and Web applications. The course will be supported by 2 hours of structured lab time each week. During the structured labs, students will have the opportunity to practice skills learned through mandatory skill checks.
This course covers data structures used in programming. Concepts include: the importance of writing optimized code, determining running time, and best/average/worst-case execution. Data Structures covered in this course are (but not limited to): linked lists, stacks, queues, hash tables, maps, and trees.
Learn about the “Internet of Things” and the variety of technologies available to implement projects. You’ll contrast the different technologies by building your own fully functional projects using two different ESP32 boards. You will also learn to use MicroPython with MQTT and Amazon AWS IoT Core to control and monitor your projects. Upon completion of the course, you’ll be able to select and implement the appropriate hardware/software technologies for IoT projects.
Learn about the “Internet of Things” and the variety of technologies available to implement projects. You’ll learn by doing...building your own fully functional projects using Raspberry Pi. You will learn to use the popular Blynk framework with Python to rapidly develop apps on your mobile device to control physical devices. Upon completion of the course, you’ll be able to select and implement the appropriate hardware/software technologies for IoT projects.
Everyone communicates, but are they doing it well? Communicative competence takes practice and self-awareness. By developing their communication skills, the student will improve their interpersonal ability, intercultural competence, and digital fluency to prepare the student for success in the workplace. In Communication Strategies, the student will learn through discovery and project-based activities to practice approaching situations critically and collaboratively. The strategies the student will gain in this course will be useful throughout their program and in their chosen industry.
This course introduces fundamental concepts of Object-Oriented Modeling and Analysis using the international standard modeling language UML (Unified Modeling Language) along with a commercial-grade UML CASE tool. A professional problem solving approach is emphasized by examining case studies as working examples throughout the course. The Unified Software Development Process (or Unified Process) is introduced as an iterative and incremental software engineering process to guide students through the various stages of the analysis workflow. There is a project management component introduced in this course that is completed in the follow-up course, OO System Design. These two courses will allow students to have the necessary skills to solve business related software problems, which in turn helps students prepare for their professional careers.
This course provides students with an introduction to computer programming for the purpose of developing business software. Students will learn how to write, test, modify, and debug short programs. They will also analyze existing code to fix errors, collaborate, and re-use code ethically. Students will consider user experiences when creating software to address a business problem.
The perspectives of customers and users are central to good software development. This course introduces students to customer experience philosophies and processes, including the value delivery model. Students will also learn fundamental methods and tools to generate solutions for users. They will carry out a journey mapping process, create personas, write user stories, interpret wireframes to create a simple prototype, and conduct user testing. Digital accessibility will be also introduced.
People who develop and maintain software provide a service to a business and its customers. This course provides a broader context for the core activity of developing software. Students will use structured methods of the IT service management (ITSM) framework to resolve incidents, manage problems, plan for changes, and use knowledge bases. The software development life cycle will provide students with context for the activities of developers and other IT professionals, including design, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
This course is an introduction to some of the basic techniques and algorithms of bioinformatics through coding challenges in an industry standard programming language. Topics covered include locating ori-C in small genomes, finding regulatory motifs in small genomes, graph algorithms, and the genome reconstruction problem.
Organizations increasingly rely on cloud services for their operations. This course covers an overview of the architecture, implementation and delivery of cloud technologies including networks, databases, storage and compute services. Students will identify the cloud infrastructure required for specific IT services. They will also configure, deploy and maintain a cloud service as part of a comprehensive project. This course prepares students for the AWS certified Cloud Practitioner Foundational certification exam.
This course is a continuation of Object-Oriented Systems Analysis with an emphasis on design-level UML modelling, CASE tool instruction, and project management of design alternatives. Iterative and incremental development methodologies are a focus, with particular emphasis on the Unified Process (UP). The combination of OO Systems Analysis and this course will equip students with a good working knowledge of: (i) object-oriented modelling from analysis to design, including user interfaces, persistence, code implementation, and software deployment; (ii) visual modelling with UML; (iii) commercial-grade CASE tools; (iv) industry standard software development processes; and (v) practical techniques for managing a project through multiple iterations. This course promotes professional team-based problem solving and is a pre-requisite for the Industry Project course, which applies these and other learned skills to identify and solve an industry scale problem/opportunity.
This course explores Database Management Systems. We will learn to write Structured Query Language (SQL) using both Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation Language (DML). We will develop and read Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD) used to graphically represent the database. Lastly, we will cover the levels of Database Table Normalization.
This course is an extension to the Introduction to Database Management Systems 1 course. The course covers importing/exporting data, automating maintenance tasks, creating basic reports, performing advanced object creation, securing data, migrating on-premise databases to the cloud, and deploying a database locally using containerization. Students will write T-SQL (Transact-SQL) statements and configure development and production environments and/or MS SQL Server tools. Students will also design, test, and debug stored procedures, functions, and triggers while demonstrating effective use of exception handling.
This course covers the basic principles of data warehousing as well as the process of designing, populating, and interrogating a data mart. Students will design, create, build, and manage their own data mart (star schema). They will design, program, test, and run the processes that perform a complete initial data load into their Data Mart from an existing populated OLTP database. Students will develop in-depth knowledge as well as practical expertise on the lifecycle of a data mart.
This course covers administrative aspects of Database Management Systems (DBMSs) and explores central topics in Data Science (DS). The first part of the course will introduce the fundamental installation components of a DBMS. Students will install and configure several DBMSs on traditional private server hardware to gain knowledge of the similarities, differences, and tuning parameters of various vendor software. Students will also provision a cloud-based DBMS service and integrate with a local DBMS to demonstrate a hybrid environment. The second part of the course will examine core concepts of Data Science that include extracting, cleaning, and basic data analysis on a variety of disparate data sources with an end goal of loading the data into a DBMS for further traditional OnLine Transaction Processing (OLTP). By the end of the course, students will be able to install and configure various DBMS software on private server hardware, provision and integrate a cloud-based DBMS service to support hybrid setups, clean and load data from disparate sources into a DBMS, and perform some basic statistical analysis on the data prior to loading.
This online course covers a variety of topics in mathematics that are essential in computer programming and business analysis. Computer programming math concepts include: Boolean logic, set theory, data organization and visualization, numeric descriptive measures, linear correlation and regression, probability theory and distributions. Business Math coverage includes: ratios, proportions and applications, linear systems, break-even and CVP analysis, simple interest and compound interest calculations, and business investment decision models. You will learn this material through online lectures that are available in live and previously recorded formats, as well as through interactive, online tutorials and guided reading. Grades will be assessed through projects that are designed to test competency in the required math skills.
This course conforms to the first of four courses leading to the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) designation. This course introduces the architecture, structure, functions, components, and models of the Internet and other computer networks. It uses the OSI and TCP layered models to examine the nature and roles of protocols and services at the application, network, data link, and physical layers. The principles and structure of IP addressing and the fundamentals of Ethernet concepts, media, and operations are introduced to provide a foundation for the curriculum. At the end of the course, students build simple LAN topologies by applying basic principles of cabling, performing basic configurations of network devices including routers and switches, and implementing IP addressing schemes.
This course provides the skills and knowledge necessary to deploy Windows Servers in a variety of different environments, including data centers and cloud environments that rely on virtualization and containers. Students will learn how to configure and manage server storage, troubleshoot performance issues, as well as work with common Windows Server technologies and network services. Securing the server and network resources are stressed throughout the course.
This course conforms to the second of three courses leading to the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) designation. The course expands on topics covered in Cisco Networking Level 1 and examines new topics. The course describes the architecture, components and operation of routers and switches in a small to medium business environment. Students will analyze, configure, verify and troubleshoot the following using both IPv4/IPv6 protocols and services: Security, Redundancy, DHCP, WLAN, Static Routing, Inter-VLAN routing, Routing tables, Dynamic Trunking (DTP), VLANs, STP and EtherChannel. By the end of this course, students will be able to recognize and correct common routing/switching issues. Basic procedural labs are introduced in each module. Students then perform basic configuration, implementation, and troubleshooting on provided equipment. Packet Tracer activities reinforce new concepts and allow students to model and analyze routing.
This course provides the skills and knowledge required to install, configure, and support network services on a Linux server. After installing a Linux server, students will learn how to administer and manage their own Linux-based network. Topics include administering users, securing the file system, configuring network connectivity, managing processes, configuring and managing printing, implementing remote connectivity, and implementing, configuring and managing a variety of network services such as DNS, DHCP, NFS, FTP, email and web services in a hands-on environment.
This course introduces students to a wide range of security topics such as understanding attackers and their attacks, cryptography, web security, operational security, and security management. Emphasis will also be placed on policies and procedures with a focus on business continuity plans. Students will complete several labs using security software and hardware to enable them to secure a network.
This course conforms to the fourth and final course (in Cisco’s current revision) leading to the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) designation. This course examines WAN technologies and services. Students will gain an understanding of selecting network devices and WAN technologies to meet business requirements. Configuration and troubleshooting of network devices is stressed. Students will develop the knowledge and skills needed to implement tunneling. Monitoring and securing networks is covered. Emerging network trends will be explored. Basic procedural labs are introduced in each chapter. The student then performs basic configuration, implementation and troubleshooting labs. Packet Tracer activities reinforce new concepts, and allows students to model and analyze routing processes.
Learn and practice skills, attitudes, and behaviours that will help you to succeed in your professional career. You will reflect on your past and current learning so that you can confidently write about and discuss your skills and experiences. You will examine the role of culture on your personal and professional interactions. You will start an ePortfolio which you’ll continue to develop during your studies in this program. Most class time will be dedicated to group and class discussions.
You will improve your ability to confidently describe your skills in written and verbal form so that you can clearly convey your abilities to people in your network such as potential employers or clients. You will also continue to develop your intercultural, interpersonal, and academic skills through activities and discussions, which encourage introspection, reflection, and teamwork. Development of your ePortfolio will continue in this course.
Learn professional skills that will help you to succeed in your career. Reflect on yourself and your relationship with others, including your peers, in order to develop your self-awareness and intercultural competence. Practice self-management skills such as prioritizing, time management, goal setting, and self-motivation. Development of your ePortfolio will continue in this course.
Develop skills that will help your transition from education to employment. Create a social media profile to help you in your job search and to facilitate networking during your career. Identify and complete a self-directed learning project. You will complete your ePortfolio and will present it to students who are starting your program.
Industry Project provides real world experience in performing an ICT (Information/Communication Technology) project requiring cross-functional teamwork while meeting client requirements and providing deliverables agreed to in the project charter. Each project team will evaluate, analyze, plan, research, model, design, document, develop, test, and manage a project. Project requirements could include new development, research, or providing new functionality to an existing system. The course provides practice to further develop interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills through teamwork and collaboration with project stakeholders. All team members will enhance their critical thinking, problem solving, research, independence, and life-long learning skills. After completion of Term 3 of the program students must complete Industry Project or Co-Operative Work Experience.
This course is a detailed study of project management techniques and issues related to the field of information technology with specific attention to addressing the challenges surrounding software development projects. Using methodologies defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI), the course examines the initiation, planning, control, and closure of projects within the highly dynamic framework of iterative and incremental development methodologies, including agile approaches. Major areas of focus will involve management of communications, human resources, time, procurement, financials, risk, and quality with a guiding principle to deliver results that meet deadlines, budgets, and stakeholder exceptions.
This course is designed to offer students an introduction to the Internet and programming Web applications. Students will create properly structured and valid Web pages using HTML5 & CSS with embedded JavaScript (using ES6 as a base) for data validation and user interaction. Javascript will also be used to access, and manipulate, simple JSON files, and dynamically add the data contained in JSON to an HTML page. A course-ending project will have students plan, create and upload their own websites to the Web.
This course builds on skills learned in the Web Development 1 course. Students will also learn to employ technologies that run on a web server to create rich and dynamic websites. Topics covered include creating dynamic web pages generated from data stored in a database, validating data submitted to the server from a web form and saving that data in a database, as well as maintaining session cookies to provide data persistence to clients accessing the website. The PHP scripting language and the MySQL relational database management system are used to learn server-side web development techniques. Javascript will also be used to add dynamic client-side updates to the webpages being developed.
This course provides an examination of the Ruby programming language and the Model-View-Controller (MVC) application design pattern. Learners will implement an e-commerce system using the Ruby on Rails web-programming framework as a course project. Coverage will also be given to server configuration, application deployment, source control and other contemporary web development topics.
This course introduces students to a wide range of security topics such as understanding how attacks occur, who is attacking, cryptography, web security, policies and procedures, and understanding exploits. All topics will build on a foundation of ethics. Emphasis will be on real world examples of vulnerabilities and how they will be exploited.
Co-operative education integrates related on-the-job experience with classroom theory by incorporating a term of paid employment within the terms of academic study. Students are given the opportunity to practice and apply the skills gained during the first three semesters of their program as productive full time employees on their work term. Students are provided with an intense 4 week program of job search workshops to prepare them for the recruitment process. Placement of eligible students occurs in either January or May. Each work placement is a minimum of 16 weeks. Student performance will be monitored and evaluated by both the department and the employer. Each student will participate in a midterm review of their employment midway through the semester. After completion of term 3 students are required to complete the Co-Operative Work Experience or the Industry Project.
A critical component of your education is the opportunity to integrate course theory with real life learning. One term of your program will be dedicated to a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) experience, either a Co-op Education work experience or an Industry Project at the ACE Project Space. This is normally done after students have completed all courses in the first three terms of the program.
Co-operative Education (Co-op Ed) integrates related on-the-job experience with classroom theory by incorporating a term of paid employment within the academic program. The employer, the student and the College form a partnership to extend the learning process beyond the College into the professional business world. It is a proven training system where everyone shares in the benefits. A limited number of co-op positions are assigned through a competitive process each term. A Co-op tuition fee is charged to all students registered in a Co-op work term to cover work placement development, pre-employment instruction, and employment-related monitoring.
Industry Project provides students with experience working as a team to create a real-world IT solution in the ACE Project Space. Students may be assigned to work with an Entrepreneur in Residence to develop a product for a startup company or an application for a small business or non-profit organization. Students work in cross-functional teams using the Agile methodology for project management. This means students work closely with customers and need to meet deadlines. A fee is charged to all students registered in an Industry Project term.
Incoming
Transferring credits from high school
Credits to the program are granted for eligible high school courses.
You may be eligible for transfer credit based on previous studies at RRC or another recognized post-secondary institution. Please see www.rrc.ca/transfercredit for transfer credit requirements and the procedure to request credit.
Outgoing
Transferring credits to other post-secondary institutions
You may be able to receive credit for courses you completed in the Business Information Technology program at other institutions such as Athabasca University, University of Fraser Valley, or University of Winnipeg. For more information, contact these institutions.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which documents and compares an individual's prior learning gained from prior education, work and life experiences and personal study to the learning outcomes in College courses/programs. For more information, please visit www.rrc.ca/rpl.
To graduate from Business Information Technology, all students must complete a total of 20 full-course equivalents, 4 half-course equivalents (Professional Development 1 - 4) and a Work Integrated Learning term for a total of 110 credit units. Students must complete these requirements within six years of starting the program.
Students are responsible for ensuring they take the appropriate courses to meet the requirements for graduation.
The Business Information Technology (BIT) program has a well-established reputation in Manitoba because it has been around for over 50 years (under different names). There is a high demand for IT professionals and BIT graduates are highly regarded in the job market for their solid technical skills and strong work ethic.
Organizations of various sizes in both the private and public sectors hire BIT graduates. Our grads work as software and web developers, networking professionals, technical support specialists, and many other roles. As graduates gain experience, they often move into positions such as Team Leader, Consultant, or Senior Programmer/Analyst.
A career as an IT professional is stable, rewarding, and full of potential for growth and specialization. Increasingly, IT professionals have opportunities to work remotely for part or all of their job.