Programme Description

Mobile computing allows people to make use of computing and information systems without being tied to a desktop computer located in their office, classroom, or home. People can now make use of computer systems while on the move, whether waiting for a flight in some airport departure lounge, drinking coffee in their favorite cafe, simply driving home, or even just walking down the street.

Thanks to the improved portability and processing power of laptop computers, Personal Digital Assistants, and even mobile phones, as well as improved battery life and the near universal coverage of wireless data communications networks, mobile computer users can now make use of almost the same range of services as desktop users. While the use of current mobile computers often follows the traditional pattern of a single user interacting with their dedicated computer via its own display and keyboard, mobile computing is still at an early stage of development.

Trinity College Dublin offers a taught programme in Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing at both M.Sc. and Postgraduate Diploma level. The primary goals of this programme are to equip graduate students from diverse backgrounds with an integrated set of skills that will allow them to develop their professional careers in this and related areas of Information Technology and to enable them to become leaders in their chosen field of specialization. The particular focus of the programme is to equip students with the theoretical and practical background that is necessary to enable them to participate in the design and deployment of mobile and ubiquitous computing solutions in a wide range of applications and environments.

The programme presents the state of the art in mobile and ubiquitous computing and the likely evolution of the area. The focus is on skills that are not presently imparted to students during their undergraduate years, and that will develop graduates' capacity as agents of change.