1. Software Systems Design Program at Centennial College is Only of Its
Kind in Province
Did you know that North America has a critical need for highly specialized software designers?
What’s more, after receiving expert training at college level that actually results in a Bachelor
degree, you can enter the field as a software developer, software engineer, systems analyst,
business analyst, web application developer, IT project manager and computer
programmer/analyst.
How is this possible? Centennial College, in Toronto, Ontario, was chosen by the Ministry of
Training, Colleges and Universities to deliver a program to address the demand for software
systems development and design specialists. But this program, which is facilitated at college
level, offers graduates a Bachelor credit with the added advantage of a practical focus, small
classes, projects and even a co-op experience that sees students working in the field prior to
graduation.
Officially known as Bachelor of Applied Information Sciences - Software Systems Design, the
program is delivered through a curriculum that includes allowing students to choose their area of
specialization (in mobile application development or service-oriented architecture and cloud
computing) and emphasizes advanced software standards and management.
Students study from Progress Campus, which is Centennial College’s largest location and houses
labs that have been specifically engineering for the program’s curriculum. This is essential, as
students are able to carry out projects and assignments in settings that feature tools and an
environment that is similar to the one they may encounter once in the field. Additionally, as
previously mentioned, the program prides itself on ensuring all Software Systems Design in
Toronto classes are small in number, which allows not only for class discussions with a focus on
diversity, equity and a safe learning environment but also for individualized attention.
The curriculum itself includes a range of fundamental courses (Fundamentals of Business and
Management, Software Development Planning Fundamentals, Operating Systems Fundamentals)
and more advanced topics such as: Object Oriented Programming, Data Structures and
Algorithms, Data Communications and Networks, Database Driven Web Applications, Software
Design Patterns, Architecting Database Solutions, Business Consulting and much more. In addition
to these courses, students also complete several Project courses. These are courses strictly
focused on having the students develop and/or implement a software systems design project that
meets stated business objectives for an organization in a specific vertical market such as: health
services, insurance, real estate, banking, heavy manufacturing, retail, transportation, and
government.
To enhance learning even more, students also partake in a work term during summer between
second and third year. This real world experience allows them to apply their knowledge while
working alongside seasoned professionals who may become a part of their career network.
One final benefit of this offering is that it allows qualified grads the opportunity to participate in a
program to which they can apply academic credit towards further study. Centennial College’s

2. educational partners are: Athabasca University, Northwood University, St. Mary’s University, The
University of Lethbridge, University of New Brunswick, Griffith University, and Southern New
Hampshire University.