Information and Communication Systems
for non-ICT graduates
Starting Date: October 2023
Duration: 3 semesters (part time: up to 6 semesters)
ECTS: 90
Computer science for non-ICT graduates
The objective of the MSc in Information and Communication Systems is to educate non-ICT graduates in the field of information and communication systems. The major goal of the MSc in Information and Communication Systems is not only the advancement and dissemination of knowledge, but also the training of non-ICT graduates in order to address Greece’s needs in specialized staff in the areas of education, research and development. Courses have been designed to offer students with no previous IT background the necessary specialization which the latest scientific and technological developments require, focusing on the particular characteristics and needs of the modern Greek and European economy. More specifically, the goals of the MSc in Information and Communication Systems are the following:
- Advancement of science and research in the area of information and communication systems for students with no prior ICT background
- Training and preparation of students and researchers in order to be able to stimulate the development of Greece and Greek businesses within an information society
- Preparation for PhD studies in information and communication systems
- Close collaboration between the academic community and those businesses aiming at the adoption, use and dissemination of cutting-edge technologies in information and communication systems
- Collaboration with Greek, European and international organisations that develop information and communication systems
This postgraduate programme is in accordance to the clauses of Law 4485/17, in combination with Law 4009/11, and is subject to the Regulations of Studies for the postgraduate programmes of studies, effective after their validation from the University’s Special Configuration Senate. Greek Government Gazette issue for the establishment of the postgraduate programme: 2824/B/16.07.2018.
Entry Requirements – Candidates Evaluation
- Graduates from Greek universities or international institutions that are officially recognized by the Greek state, with the exception of information technology or computer science graduates
- Graduates from Greek Technical Educational Institutions, with the exception of information technology or computer science graduates
- Graduates from Greek military higher education institutions
Syllabus
| Compulsory Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course ID: 5001 | Information Systems | ECTS: 10 |
| Introduction – role and types of information systems in modern enterprises. The lifecycle of information systems. Information systems analysis and design techniques. Integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP). Information technologies project management. Business process improvement and organisational change. Introduction to electronic entrepreneurship. Electronic commerce. Electronic communication and promotion. Development of new technologies business plans. | ||
| Course ID: 5003 | Communication Systems and Networks | ECTS: 10 |
| Telecommunication system model, basic principles of analog and digital transmission and reception, interference, noise and capacity, transmission media, mobile radiosystems components (cells categories and communication channels, cellular systems functionalities). Modern and next-generation mobile networks. Introduction to computer communications, network architecture and protocols. Network design. The OSI and TCP/IP reference model. Principles of data transfer. The family of IEEE 802 for local networks. Design and analysis of data link layer. Networking devices (switches, routers, etc.). TCP/IP model and platforms, addressing and routing protocols. Client-server model and peer-to-peer networks. Configuration protocols DHCP, BOOTP. Distributed naming system (DNS). File transfer: FTP, TFTP, NFS. Electronic mail: MIME, SMTP, mail gateways, POP, IMAP. TCP, UDP and real-time transfer protocols. Protocols for QoS at the network (RSVP, diffserv). | ||
| Course ID: 5004 | Information and Communication Systems Security | ECTS: 10 |
| Conceptual foundations of information systems security. Applied cryptography. Fundamental cryptographic algorithms. Digital signatures and certificates. Public key infrastructure. Risk analysis and assessment. Security policies. Identification and authentication. Access control. Operating systems security. Malware. Network security. Internet security. International security standards. Foundations of information privacy. Privacy enhancing technologies. | ||
| Compulsory Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course ID: 5002 | Software Engineering | ECTS: 10 |
| Introduction to algorithms. Introduction to computer programming. C programming and basic notions. Introduction to object-oriented technology. Introduction to UML. Object-oriented development methodologies. Software life cycle models. Flexible software development methodologies. | ||
| Course ID: 5005 | Intelligent Systems | ECTS: 10 |
| Intelligent agents (basic concepts). Search in a state space for problem solving: blind (but systematic) search, guided search and heuristic methods, local search. Constraint satisfaction problems: basic principles and algorithms. Machine learning: introduction, inductive learning. Supervised learning algorithms: decision trees, neural networks, Bayesian methods and instance-based learning, ensemble methods. Unsupervised learning. Applications. | ||
| Course ID: 5006 | Data Structures and Databases | ECTS: 10 |
| Basic concepts of data structures. Arrays, lists, heaps, stacks and tails. Search and sort, hashing, trees, binary trees. Primary file organisations and indexing methods for data files. B-trees. Basic concepts and architecture of database systems. The entity-relationship and the relational model. Relational database design by entity-relationship to relational model mapping. Integrity constraints and database update operations. Database languages: relational algebra, the QBE query language, the SQL language. Database management systems. Advanced topics: data security and privacy protection, search engines, big data management, applications of database technology in the field of geographic information systems. | ||
| Compulsory Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course ID: 5000 | Msc Thesis | ECTS: 30 |
Part-time students
1st Semester
- Information Systems
- Information and Communication Systems Security
2nd Semester
Compulsory
- Data structures and Databases
Optional courses *
- Software Engineering
- Intelligent Systems
3rd Semester
- Communication Systems and Networks
4th Semester
Optional courses *
- Software Engineering
- Intelligent Systems
* If the student selects only the compulsory course in the second semester, then they must take both optional courses in the fourth semester. Alternatively, the student can select one optional course in the second semester and one optional course in the fourth semester.
Academic Personnel
| Course | Semester | Course Instructror | Webpage |
| Information Systems | 1 | Professor Karyda Maria | |
| Communication Systems and Networks | 1 | Professor Kormentzas Georgios | URL |
| Information and Communication Systems Security | 1 | Professor Kokolakis Spyros | URL |
| Software Engineering | 2 | Associate Professor Associate Professor Professor | |
| Intelligent Systems | 2 | Professor Associate Professor | |
| Data Structures and Databases | 2 | Associate Professor Vlachou Akrivi | URL |
Fees and Funding
Successful applicants for the postgraduate studies programme are required to pay tuition fees, in accordance with Article 35 of Law 4485/2017. The tuition fees amount to €3,000 and can be paid in three installments. The tuition fees cover operational expenses of the postgraduate programme of studies, including needs in specialist teaching staff from universities in Greece or abroad. Tuition fees payment can be made as follows: €500 within 15 days of the announcment of the results, €1,000 within 15 days after the student’s admission to the 1st semester of studies (early October) and €1,500 at the beginning of the second semester (February). Credit card payments are accepted. No refunds can be given for fees or part of fees that have already been paid.
The postgraduate studies programme may offer a number of grants, conditional on academic performance, to full-time students. The amount of funding, requirements, method of funding, as well as the rights and responsibilities of grant-holders are decided by the Department’s Assembly (par. 4, Article 35 of Law 4485/2017).
Full-time/part-time study
The full-time study programme is completed in three semesters and combines blended and model types of learning, including: [a] a five-day intensive lecture cycle held at the Department’s premises at the beginning or the end of every academic semester (October, January, June), [b] an online learning environment that supports the learning process during the first two semesters. The third semester is reserved for the completion of the MSc thesis. Class attendance and participation in any educational activity, such as projects, assignments, etc., is compulsory.
The full-time study programme is completed in three academic semesters, including the writing of the thesis. The maximum permissible time for the completion of the full-time programme is six semesters.
Working students may choose to study part-time. Working students have to prove that they work at least 25 hours per week and provide a work contract or certificate. Part-time study is also suitable for non-working students who cannot meet the demands of studying full-time, due to health or family issues, military service or other personal reasons. Those students should send a written request to the Department’s Assembly before the start of the MSc programme. The duration of the part-time study programme must be no longer than six academic semesters.
How to Apply
Applicants are required to fill in a candidacy application form, attaching the following documents:
- A copy of their ID or passport
- A CV
- A copy of their degree/diploma or a certificate of studies completion
- Peer-reviewed publications, if there are any
- Certificates of professional or research activities, if there are any
- Two references
- A copy of the candidate’s undergraduate dissertation or its title and abstract if it has not been completed; in case the candidate was not required to write a dissertation during their undergraduate studies, they should mention so in writing
- Proof of English language competency equivalent to or higher than B2 level (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
- Any other document that the candidate believes it might support their application
The application and all digital copies of documents must be submitted online on the “Nautilus” platform (https://nautilus.aegean.gr/). Hard copies can be submitted in person during admission.
Regulations of Studies
Below you will find all the relevant documents regarding the Regulations of Studies for the postgraduate programme of studies (in Greek):
- ΦΕΚ 3607 Β – 24.08.2018 (Regulations of Studies)
- ΦΕΚ 3119 Β – 05.08.2019 (Amendment)
Interviews
Download articles for the postgraduate programme’s interviews:
Theses
Please follow the link for the suggested master’s thesis subjects.
You can find information about the authoring of the master’s thesis here, as well as a template here.
Academic Calendar
First week classes will take place remotely on 4-8/10/2021.
Remote lectures: 18:15 – 20:00
Monday: Information Systems (M. Karyda)
Tuesday: Information and Communication Systems Security (G. Stergiopoulos)
Thursday: Communication Systems and Networks (D. Skoutas)
| National Holiday | 28/10/2021 |
| Local Holiday | 11/11/2021 |
| National Holiday | 17/11/2021 |
| Christmas Holidays | 24/12/2021 – 6/1/2022 |
| National Holiday | 30/1/2022 |
Academic Calendar
Wednesday & Thursday 9-10/6: Data Structures and Databases (εξέταση εργασιών)
Monday 14/6: Intelligent System
Friday 18/6: Software Engineering
Remote lectures: 18:00 – 20:00
Monday: Intelligent Systems (Stamatatos, Kostoulas)
Tuesday: Software Engineering (Kaporis, Goumopoulos, Charalampidis)
Thursday: Data Structures and Databases (Vlachou)
| 1 | 15-19/2/2021 | No classes |
| 2 | 22-26/2/2021 | 1st Lecture: Remote |
| 3 | 1-5/3/2021 | 2nd Lecture: Remote |
| 4 | 8-12/3/2021 | 3rd Lecture: Remote |
| 5 | 15-19/3/2021 | 4th Lecture: Remote |
| 6 | 22-26/3/2021 | No classes |
| 7 | 29/3 – 2/4/2021 | 5th Lecture: Remote |
| 8 | 5-9/4/2021 | 6th Lecture: Remote |
| 9 | 12-16/4/2021 | 7th Lecture: Remote |
| 10 | 19-23/4/2021 | 8th Lecture: Remote |
| 11 | 26-30/4/2021 | No classes |
| 12 | 3-7/5/2021 | No classes |
| 13 | 10-14/5/2021 | 9th Lecture: Remote |
| 14 | 17-21/5/2021 | 10th Lecture: Remote |
| 15 | 24-28/5/2021 | 11th Lecture: Remote |
| 16 | 31/5 – 4/6/2021 | No classes (Week of substitutions) |
| 17 | 7-11/6/2021 | No classes |
| Spring Semester Exams |
| Public holiday | 15/3/2021 |
| Public holiday | 25/3/2021 |
| Easter Holidays | 26/4 – 7/5/2021 |
| Public holiday | 1/5/2021 |
The MSc formed the basis for my professional development, providing training in cutting-edge technologies and modern methods for software analysis and development.
Both the teaching and the administrative staff formed a helpful and friendly academic “family”, which enabled students not only to progress in their studies, but also to nurture further ambitions.
The broad range of subjects, the effective teaching processes and the teaching staff’s expertise were key for completing my studies and fully acquiring the desired skills and competencies.
