gy206 b.sc. in Business Information Systems

Student Profiles

Paul o'Flynn 4th year 2008-2009 

About Me and why I chose BIS at NUI Galway:

I am a 4th year student and I am from Cork City. I moved to Galway back in September 2005 and it feels like it was just yesterday. The move was a little overwhelming at the time, having never lived away from home before but I have never looked back since. Living in Galway and studying BIS has been a life changing adventure.

Before moving to Galway I studied maths and computing in CIT but decided after a year that it wasn’t for me. I have a keen interest in IT but didn’t have the natural flair for maths. I also wanted to do a course that incorporated business studies in some way; the obvious answer was Business Information Systems. I chose Galway due to the fact that faculty at the time was showing great potential for expansion with a wonderful new facility near completion.

What I like about the BIS degree:

One of the best things that a BIS student is equipped with when they graduate with a B.Sc. in Business Information Systems degree is the employability factor. Throughout the degree you learn about business, economics, and marketing all side by side with IT such as, programming, information systems, and so much more. Along with this, a student is put on an eight month internship that really boosts that employability factor when you go out for interviews. Most graduates are snatched up straight away by the likes of Microsoft, Intel, Price Waterhouse Cooper, and many other multinational companies.

My internship:

I was taken on by Intel who is based in Leixlip, Co. Kildare. At the time I was unsure of what to expect and when I arrived it was a slight shock to the system trying to adapt to the corporate culture. However, Intel offered great training and orientation that helps a student settle extremely well. The work was right up the alley of what we were studying and I enjoyed it very much. I showed more interest in the consultant side of the work where I spent a lot of time as a business analyst and also as a systems analyst. The work was challenging and satisfying. I was in a department that was lead by a manager who believed in reaching your best and this has stood to me, even in every day life. The internship offers so many soft skills that a student can bring to their new job or even college life, down the line.

Life as BIS student:

In fourth year, each student is given a Final Year Project (FYP) and this runs for the majority of your final year at college. My team and I have been dedicated to a research project that is in support of a current project being conducted by the staff in the BIS department. It offers a student a chance to manage and complete a reasonably large project and understand the difficulties and challenges that are associated with it.

As a BIS student you can expect the best. You will have access to your own lab that is equipped with a personal computer and workspace, per student. You are located in the newest and most modern building in the University with its own restaurant and facilities. Finally, you are supported by a team of dedicated staff who are a stones throw away when needed. Coming from secondary school, you quickly realize that lecturers are a different breed to teachers and can be related to on a more personal level. You can actually hold a conversation with them ☺

Life in general in NUIG is very enjoyable and I would highly recommend it as a first choice. I have been a student in a number of different college’s and I can say, with no prejudice, that life at NUIG, both academically and socially, is far superior than anything I have experienced in the past.

My Future Plans:

In the future I hope to head out in to the working environment with a strong degree and start working for a company that will provide a good working environment and competitive salary. Luckily, with a degree in BIS, this hopefully shouldn’t be too difficult. At the moment, I am globally minded so I have the possibility of working here in Galway, Dublin, or over sea’s in London or the US. First things first though, and that is to get a good final year result.

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