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Computer Science and Entrepreneurship

Department of Science

Computer Science is the subject of the future. This program provides education that enables students to develop their critical thinking skills to become successful entrepreneurs and leaders in Burkina Faso.

A subject with wide implications

Computer Science is part of just about everything that touches our lives. Understanding computing is essential in the 21st century. Whether you want to be a scientist, develop a groundbreaking application or just enhance your problem-solving skills – studying computer science will provide you with the necessary knowledge.

State-of-the-art education

The main focus of the curriculum is on website and application design, for desktop and mobile devices. Additionally, an insight into data analytics is given. A combination of interesting lectures and world-class online courses allow students to reach their full potential. To give an all-round preparation for the upcoming work life, the students undergo internships during the summer break related to the area of computer science, where the acquired proficiencies can be applied to the real word.

Focus on entrepreneurship and real life application

We want to encourage students to think like entrepreneurs in order to convert their computer science skills into new business ideas. Therefore, we embrace a very practical approach in our way of teaching. Each semester is divided into three sub trimesters, of which two are focusing on the theoretical acquaintance of knowledge, and the third on the practical application of what has been learned. This will ensure consolidation of the gained skills and thereby a long-term learning process. Additionally, all content is taught in English, the global computer science language, which increases opportunities for our students.

Become a problem-solver

This course provides the future generation with the knowledge and skills required to combat everyday problems with sustainable business ideas for the country. Therefore, we are looking for highly determined students with a critical thinking ability. If you are interested in understanding complex structures, solving technical problems and developing your own computer programs, then this is the right course for you.

Our computer science program connects cutting edge technology with the social skills required to understand and influence the implications of computer science for the future. The problem-solving, teamwork and leadership skills acquired are incredibly important in the future.

Module

English

Learning proposition: Our students are skilled enough to combine body language and listening skills by presenting, debating, and negotiating in the English Language. We also want them to know the basics of (online) research and are aware of shortcuts to get to results quickly.

Course description: The focus of the course is on becoming a better communicator. This includes presentation skills, negotiation skills, and debating skills. The course incorporates topics of interest to the students and the teacher (e.g. sports or politics) and students get the task to either hold a presentation, negotiate about a topic, or improve their debating skills. The emphasis is not on the discussed topic but should be on body language, articulation, and confidence. This course is a learning-by-doing course. Students are given multiple research tasks, which they need to solve using internet research. A teacher, experienced with Research, can emphasize some key points and show shortcuts using the Google Search Engine.

Grading: 40% Presentations 30% Assignments 30% Participation

Introduction to Computer Science

Learning proposition: Our students are able to command a computer including software installations and understand the interplay of the different software and hardware components.

Course description: This course brings all students on the same level in terms of computer and smartphone knowledge. On the one hand, they learn what the different hardware components are and what they do. On the other hand, they will learn the basics about system and application software. For both types of software, they will learn to install and use them properly as well as understand their purpose and basic functionality.

Grading: 50% Assignments 50% Exam

Mathematics

Learning Proposition: Students are familiar with basic mathematical structures and methods. The students understand basic concepts of linear algebra and analysis and are able to apply the mathematical methods discussed in the lecture and exercise to questions from the natural and economic sciences.

Course Description: Basic concepts (sets, tuples, real numbers, sum notation, natural numbers, complex numbers, polynomials, power series), linear algebra (vectors, matrices, subspaces, systems of linear equations, analytic geometry, linear optimization, determinants), consequences (consequences, linear recursion, Limit values, series), real functions (general function term, polynomial functions, rational functions, power series functions, exponential function, trigonometric functions, logarithm, power functions, limits and continuity), differential calculus (differential quotient and derivative, derivative rules, higher derivatives, curve discussions, optimization problems, Taylor series ), Integral calculus (integral, area calculation, parent function, main theorem of differential and integral calculus, integration rules, applications of integral calculus, differential equations), multidimensional analysis (functions of multiple variables, partial derivative, gradient, Hesse matrix, extremal with and without constraints)

Grading: 100% Exam

Introduction to Programming

Learning Proposition: Our students understand the basic concepts of programming and are able to apply them in JavaScript.

Course description: This course provides technical problem solving and computer programming skills for students with no prior experience in the area of programming. Students will use JavaScript to learn the fundamentals of computer programming including how to write, compile, and execute programs. The goal is to provide students with a brief introduction to many topics so they will have an idea of what is possible when they need to think about how to use computation to accomplish some goal later in their career.

Grading: 50% Assignments 50% Exam

Microsoft Office

Learning Proposition: After having completed this course, students will have experience in the usage of the different Microsoft office Applications – Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel. Special focus will be on mastering Excel with the help of VBA.

Course Description: The students will work in small teams and master computations in Excel. They will also be taught the Language for Visual Basic Applications (VBA) in order to use Excel for building various applications.

Grading: 100% Project

Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

Module

Statistics

Learning Proposition: After successfully completing this module, students will be able to adequately apply basic methods of descriptive and inferential statistics and interpret the results obtained correctly.

  • They are also able to apply basic methods of probability calculus.
  • In addition, students gain a certain critical understanding of the performance and limitations of the statistical methods used.

Course Description:

  • Descriptive Statistics: Location and dispersion measures, Graphical Representation of univariate and bivariate data, Correlation measures for bivariate data, Descriptive linear regression
  • Probability calculation: Examples of discrete and continuous probability distributions, Conditional probabilities, Stochastic independence, Random variables and their distribution function as well as moments, Conditional distributions
  • Closing statistics: Confidence intervals, Hypothesis tests, Basic concepts of multiple linear regression

Grading: 100% Exam

Management & Strategy

Learning proposition: Our students are aware of strategy’s importance and know how to apply basic frameworks to the real world.

Course description: This course gives an understanding of basic functions of management and the necessary steps/instruments of a strategy development process. The focus will be on entrepreneurial management and strategy to show students how entrepreneurs conceptualize, implement, and manage the necessary resources for new businesses.

Grading: 70% Assignments 30% Project

Operating Systems

Learning Proposition: Students will be able to understand the basics, problems, and solutions of operating systems and system software and assess current developments. They will also be able to apply the acquired basic knowledge directly to new developments in the field of operating systems and system software

Course description: Basic concepts: Operating systems; Concurrency; parallel programming; System-oriented programming (processes, memory, communication, BM management, models (abstract, formal) for concurrency, including Petri nets, mutual exclusion, synchronization, deadlocks, compiler / linker / loader with library integration, transition to (suitable) hardware basis, near-machine programming and C; I / O especially for preparation of networking)

Grading: 100% Exam

Font-End Web Development

Learning proposition: Our students are able to develop websites using HTML and CSS.

Course description: This course teaches how to build user-friendly, interactive websites by learning the fundamentals of HTML and CSS – two common coding languages on which most modern websites are built. Students will learn the necessary skills for programming a user interface of a web application and thereby acquire knowledge relevant for every institution with a website to communicate. HTML is used to layout the website, while CSS styles the website elements.

Grading: 50% Assignments 50% Project

Design a Website with UpWork

Learning Proposition: After the successful completion each team will have their own individually designed website including the mission of their project, about us page and a contact page.

Course Description: This module will teach them how to design a Website by getting an insight into HTML and a free website design tool. They will make use of the learned skill in the Web Development 1: Front-End Course. This will happen in small teams. Also, they will get to know the Website Upwork and implement their own profile.

Grading: 100% Project

Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

Module

Databases

Learning Propositions: Students can apply the essential concepts of relational database systems and can use and evaluate them systematically and qualified.

Course Description:

  • SQL, data integrity, relational design theory, physical data organization (storage organization, index structures), query processing, transaction management, fundamentals of error recovery (recovery, backup) and multi-user synchronization, security aspects (authorization), XML data modeling (optional)
  • In the lecture, the content will be presented on the basis of animated slides and mostly explained by simple examples. In the exercise, the content will be rehearsed using more complex examples under the guidance of a tutor. In addition, there are self-study tasks, as well as a web interface to the HyPer database system for active SQL query testing and self-study of query plans

Grading: 100% Exam

Accounting & Finance

Learning Propositions

  • Students will be able to read and understand financial statements and evaluate how business performance is affected by four fundamental drivers of profitability: asset management, cost management, leverage management and tax management. It will also help you to identify areas for improvement.
  • Furthermore, they will understand the entrepreneurial process and the sources of financing which are relevant in different development stages of companies.

Course Description

  • Students will learn the basic concepts of accounting such as the construction of balance sheets, cash flow, P&L, and other financial statements. In addition, students will learn what use these financial statements have for external stakeholders such as investors and creditors. The theoretical foundations are enriched by real-world examples with a focus on accounting for innovative ventures and startups in Burkina Faso.
  • Additionally, students will be taught what an investment decision is by learning fundamental concepts such as cash value and internal interest rates, including interest yield and risk management. Key lessons in exchange rates, financial institutions, and instruments round off the basis in finance. The course also includes an introduction to business financing and business valuation with a focus on entrepreneurial ventures.

Grading: 100% Exam

Back-End Web Development

Learning Propositions: By the end of the course you will have created several real-world projects such as a web scraper, a blogging API, and a database migration script.

Course description

  • In this course, you will learn about the basics of how Angular works, and why Angular has emerged as a popular framework for JavaScript/TypeScript application development. You will also learn how to properly set up your development environment for creating an Angular app, including installing VS Code, Node.JS, TypeScript, and the Angular CLI.
  • Students will gain a deep understanding of Node and learn how NodeJS works under the hood. Node is a technology which enables users to develop website back-ends with JavaScript. Users will learn to build both: APIs for Android back-ends as well as back-ends for web applications. This includes user authentications, security, and data storage using SQL. The aim is to turn the students into professional Node developers capable of developing, testing, and deploying real-world production applications.

Grading: 80% Exam 20% Participation

Algorithms and Data structures

Learning proposition:

  • After successfully completing the module, students will be able to formulate real-world tasks in the form of abstract problems, and to select and, if necessary, design, optimize and evaluate algorithms for problem-solving.
  • In addition, students build an understanding of elementary concepts and concepts of computer science and learn how to handle them.

Course Description:

  • Basic programming techniques (loops, branches, etc.).
  • Elementary processing of strings, design, and analysis of simple algorithms, complexity measures.
  • Abstract data structures, graphs, trees, lists, snakes, stacks.
  • Sort, search, algorithms on graphs, numerical algorithms, optional: data compression.

Grading: 100% Exam

Back-End Web Development Project

Learning Propositions: By the end of the course you will have created several real-world projects such as a web scraper, a blogging API, and a database migration script.

Course description

  • In this course, you will learn about the basics of how Angular works, and why Angular has emerged as a popular framework for JavaScript/TypeScript application development. You will also learn how to properly set up your development environment for creating an Angular app, including installing VS Code, Node.JS, TypeScript, and the Angular CLI.
  • Students will gain a deep understanding of Node and learn how NodeJS works under the hood. Node is a technology which enables users to develop website back-ends with JavaScript. Users will learn to build both: APIs for Android back-ends as well as back-ends for web applications. This includes user authentications, security, and data storage using SQL. The aim is to turn the students into professional Node developers capable of developing, testing, and deploying real-world production applications.

Grading: 80% Exam 20% Participation

Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

Module

Software Engineering

Learning proposition: Our students are able to manage the software development process and implement complex projects with state of the art programming patterns.

Course description: In this course, students will learn to build large-scale software systems. The content of this course will be the entire process of software development from requirement elicitation to software design and testing. In this process, students will especially learn how to structure the architecture of complex programs.

Grading: 100% Exam

Marketing & Sales with campaign development

Learning proposition: Our students can apply the most relevant marketing and sales concepts to startups and corporations.

Course description: This course clarifies key marketing methods and concepts relevant for startups and entrepreneurs in general. Students will learn to answer key marketing questions such as “what and how am I selling to whom?” by understanding customer needs and designing customer-centric marketing campaigns. The course shows students how to leverage limited resources for their marketing efforts and how to develop a competitive advantage.

Grading: 70% Assignments 30% Project

Network Principles & Architecture

Learning proposition:

  • Students will be able to apply many different data science techniques and to handle data analytics with a graphical development environment.
  • They will know how to conduct and interpret some basic data science activities, including a hypothesis tests, a simple scatter plot and a basic machine learning experiment.

Course Description: This course prepares students to understand business analytics and become leaders in these areas in business organizations. This course teaches the scientific process of transforming data into insights for making better business decisions. It covers the methodologies, issues, and challenges related to analyzing business data. It will illustrate the processes of analytics by allowing students to apply business analytics algorithms and methodologies to business problems. The use of examples places business analytics techniques in context and teaches students how to avoid the common pitfalls, emphasizing the importance of applying proper business analytics techniques.

Grading: 100% Exam

Entrepreneurial Opportunities & Venture Creation in Burkina Faso

Learning proposition: Our students are able to combine creativity with a structured way of finding commercial ideas to problems and evaluating these.

Course description: This course involves key concepts for ideating and evaluating business opportunities. Different techniques and methods for ideation such as design thinking will be presented and practiced. Afterward, students will learn how to test, validate, and prototype their idea based on three key factors: desirability, viability, and feasibility.

Grading: 60% Assignments 40% Presentation

Mobile Development

Learning Proposition: Students will be able to build an App with the help of the framework Ionic.

Course description: In teams, the students will develop first a website with the help of the acquired programming skills through the web development courses and then transform that into a mobile application. Again, this can also be done via Upwork, where students will have the possibility to work on real-life requests.

Grading: 100% Project

Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

6 Credits

Module

Data Science & Python

Learning proposition: Our students are able to program simple application and projects with Python.

Course description: Focus on Python data structures, and work with string, list, and range sequences. Discover the power of list iteration, and learn about string and list methods. From there, get the details on file input and output—open files, read them, add to them, close them, and more. At the end of the course, you’ll be able to slice strings into substrings, create lists, iterate through them, import files, and use file append mode, along with a lot of other practical Python tasks, as you get started coding.

Grading: 50% Project 50% Exam

Business Ethics

Learning proposition: Our students are familiar with basic Ethics concepts and can apply them to business-related topics.

Course description: This class is a basic introduction to most preeminent concepts, problems, discussions, and theories in the field of business ethics. Although this class is primarily theoretical, attention will be paid to practical moral problems related to business. Students will be expected to engage in independent moral reasoning. Students are encouraged to bring their own experiences and ideas to bear on issues discussed in class.

Grading: 100% Exam

Business Model Evolution

Learning proposition: Our students are able to understand and adapt existing business models.

Course description: This course introduces relevant business models and their key characteristics. Students will learn how to redesign business models in order to increase profits or to respond to market changes. Main part of the course is a practical application in which student teams choose a specific existing business model of a company and rethink how the company does business in the future. Students will be continuously provided with guidance and pitch their business model evolution ideas during a final presentation.

Grading: 100% Project and Presentation

Planning, Building, Pitching

Learning proposition: Our students learn the necessary skills to work on an action based project where student teams conceptualize, design and build a new product or service.

Course description: This course involves the practical application of theoretical concepts in entrepreneurship that students learned in previous courses. The core of this course is a real-world project in which students conceptualize and design a new product or service concept in a team. Student teams can either work on actual development problems with industry partners or conceptualize their own venture. They are guided by mentors and project partners along the way. Several input sessions on subjects such as ideation, prototyping, and business planning take place during the course. Students apply these input sessions directly in their project and present their progress continuously in front of the class. The goal is to develop a prototype and business model for the respective problem and present these at the final product fair.

Grading: 70% Assignments 30% Presentation

Data Analytics with Python

Learning Proposition: After completing this module, students will have a good knowledge of the programming language Python (introduced in Semester 1) and also used it in their first data analytics.

Course description: This Course focuses on using Python in the entire data management process from data acquisition to analysis of data big data and small data. This is an intensive hands-on course that will equip and reward learners with proficiency in data management skills. Again, the students will complete this project in small teams.

Grading: 100% Project

Credits

6 Credits

3 Credits

3 Credits

12 Credits

6 Credits

Module
Business Plan Workshop

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Bachelor Thesis and Business Plan

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1 Credit

29 Credits

Module
Business Plan Workshop

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Learning from Data: R programming

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Mobile App Development with React Native

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Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

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Bachelor Thesis

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1 Credit

4 Credits

4 Credits

6 Credits

15 Credits