Study Information Technology in Malaysia

Most information technology courses begin with programming, computer systems and databases, then add networking, web and mobile development, systems analysis and design, and the management of IT projects. Many include a final-year project in which you build a working system for a real or imagined user. The mix changes from one university to the next: some courses lean towards software, some towards networks and infrastructure, and some towards the business use of information systems. The course page lists the subjects of each course where the university has published them.

Course titles often carry a specialisation in brackets, for example data analytics, cyber security, networking, multimedia, mobile computing or business information systems. Some of these courses are also listed on the page for that specialisation. Computer science and software engineering are close relatives of information technology and have their own pages, linked below; reading two of them side by side is the quickest way to see how the courses differ.

Information technology suits students who like working out how systems fit together and who are comfortable with computers, but who do not necessarily want to spend most of their time on mathematics or on writing programs from scratch. It is also a sensible choice if you are unsure which part of computing interests you, because the first year usually samples programming, networks and databases. If you already know that you want to write software or study the theory of computing, read the computer science and software engineering pages as well.

Study levels in Malaysia follow a ladder. A foundation course is a pre-university year for students whose school qualification does not give direct entry to a bachelor's degree. A diploma is shorter and more practical, and some universities let diploma graduates join a degree in a later year; each university decides how much credit it gives. A bachelor's degree is the main undergraduate qualification, a master's degree follows it, and a PhD is a research degree.

A diploma covers the basics in about two to three years and can be the end of your studies or a step towards a degree; whether a university gives credit for a diploma is its own decision. A bachelor's degree is the usual first degree and is where most students start. A master's degree builds on a first degree and often focuses on a specialisation or on managing technology, and a PhD is a research degree that asks for a research proposal.

Pages for a single study level: Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology in Malaysia

Look at the specialisation in the course title and at the subjects listed on the course page. Courses with similar titles can differ in how much programming, mathematics or management they contain, so compare the lists rather than the titles. Check what the course asks for in mathematics and English, and whether it includes an industry placement or only a project at the university.

• Entry requirements. They differ between universities and courses. Compare the entry requirements on the course page with your own certificates.
• English language. Most courses state a minimum score in a test such as IELTS. The scores stored for these courses are in the summary above.
• Recognition. Each university states how its courses are approved or accredited. Zawqari does not confirm a university's status, so ask the university to confirm it in writing if it matters for your plans.
• Fees and intakes. Fees and intake months are set by the universities and can change. Each course page shows the source and date of every figure.

Listed alphabetically. The order is not a ranking.

• Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation9 courses
• City University Malaysia4 courses
• Limkokwing University of Creative Technology6 courses
• Lincoln University College3 courses
• MAHSA University4 courses
• Multimedia University8 courses
• SEGi University6 courses
• UCSI University2 courses
• Universiti Kuala Lumpur5 courses
• Universiti Tenaga Nasional4 courses
• University of Cyberjaya3 courses

• Study Computer Science in Malaysia

  Computer science courses: programming, algorithms, software and the theory behind computing.

• Study Software Engineering in Malaysia

  Software engineering courses: designing, building, testing and maintaining software.

• Study Cyber Security in Malaysia

  Cyber security, information security and digital forensics courses.

• Study Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in Malaysia

  Artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science and analytics courses in one list.

Need to improve your English first? See English courses at language centres in Malaysia.