Bachelor's Degree Programme
About the programme |
If you're passionate about creating the digital solutions of the future and fascinated by how technology and design merge to make a difference in people's lives, then IT Product Development is a perfect fit for you.
IT Product Development involves designing, programming, and constructing IT products that not only solve problems but also create new opportunities for individuals, businesses, and communities.
In this programme, you'll learn about software development, product and interaction design, prototyping, augmented reality (AR), algorithms, computer architecture, and much more.
Prior experience with programming is not a requirement as you'll learn it from scratch. You'll also conduct user research, as this forms the basis for your new, innovative digital and physical products.
You'll experience how creativity and logic go hand in hand as you evolve your ideas into physical prototypes. You can be involved in creating solutions for smart home technology, health technology, interactive furniture, tools for online collaboration, or digital installations for the entertainment industry.
Below, you can read more about the structure of the programme, your career opportunities, and student life at IT Product Development.
All applicants, both for quota 1 and quota 2, must fulfil the following admission requirements for IT-Product Development:
Qualifying entry examination
You must have a qualifying entry examination.
Specific admission requirements
You must fulfil the following specific admission requirements:
B-level is the Danish subject level, not the grade. We assess your subject levels when you apply.
Grade point Average (GPA) requirement of 6.0 in quota 1
You must have a minimum GPA of 6.0 and a minimum GPA of 6.0 in Mathematics A on the Danish 7-point grading scale in your qualifying examination to be assessed in quota 1.
If you do not have a GPA of 6.0 on the Danish 7-point grading scale, then your application can only be assessed in quota 2.
In quota 1, you must fulfil the above-mentioned admission requirements.
In quota 2, you must fulfil the above-mentioned admission requirements except the GPA requirements of 6.0. In quota 2 we assess your application by 2 criteria:
1. Your grade point average of the following particularly relevant quota 2 subjects:
2. Your relevant qualifications
Relevant qualifications
If you can document that you have particularly relevant qualifications, then these can be a part of your overall quota 2 assessment.
Examples: education or work experience in programming, data and software development, IT security, IT support, web development, artificial intelligence.
You can find more information about quota 2 and how to document your relevant qualifications here
Below, you'll find the academic regulations for the Bachelor’s programme in IT Product Development. In the academic regulations, you can read more about the requirements you must meet as a student and about the programme structure. You can also read about the types of examinations and the exam requirements.
The language of instruction for the programme is English.
The diagram below shows how the programme is structured. In the diagram, you can click on the various subjects to read the individual course descriptions. You can also learn more about our 1st year courses at cs.au.dk/education/bachelor.
The teaching in IT Product Development is a combination of lectures, exercises, and group work.
Lectures are held for large groups of students in auditoriums, while the exercises take place in smaller groups of about 25 students who are assisted by a senior student (instructor). During the lectures, a lecturer covers the theory, while the exercises are used to elaborate on the theory and to solve tasks, usually together with your study group.
In addition to traditional teaching, you also have a series of major project periods where you will delve into a longer IT development project. Here, you'll go through the various phases of a development process: conceptualisation, design, prototyping, testing, and evaluation. During the programme, you will also have the opportunity to collaborate with companies on your projects.
At the beginning of the programme, there are approximately 20 scheduled teaching hours per week, and you should expect to spend about the same amount of time on self-study and group work. Preparation can be done, for example, in the study café, where an instructor is available to assist if needed.
In the first year of the programme, you'll be welcomed warmly by a group of senior students who will help you get started with student life – both academically and socially.
A weekly schedule for the 1st semester could look like this:
Monday
10-12: Study Café
12-14: Calculus Alpha (theoretical exercises)
14-16: Introduction to Programming (lecture)
Tuesday
8-16: Foundations of IT Product Design (studio-based learning)
Wednesday
8-10: Study Café
11-14: Calculus Alpha (exercises)
14-16: Calculus Alpha (lecture)
Thursday
9-12: Introduction to Programming (theoretical exercises)
12-14: Introduction to Programming (lecture)
14-16: Study Café
Friday
10-12: Calculus Alpha (lecture)
12-14: Study Café
Even though your education will take up a lot of your time, there's still room to meet new people and take part in a variety of academic and social events. Aarhus University has gathered most of the IT educations in the IT city of Katrinebjerg, which is located close to the University Park. Here, more than 3,000 students are gathered, and with many active student associations, there are plenty of opportunities to engage in both social and academic activities during your studies.
At the Department of Computer Science, you can meet up with your fellow students and instructors in the Friday bar. The student association DSAU also hosts a lot of events throughout the year, which help create a strong sense of community across classes and years.
Our students are very active and organize events like the AUHack hackathon, K-lan, and IT Camp for Girls every year. They do it voluntarily, and there's always room for more hands and good ideas. Additionally, the department continuously hosts academic and career-oriented events together with companies from our Business Club, who are very interested in getting in touch with all the sought-after IT students.
In Aarhus, nearly every 5th resident is a student - making it a city with many young people and offerings tailored to students. When you start your studies in Aarhus, you don't need to worry about being without a roof over your head. There's a housing guarantee for new students moving to the city. The guarantee applies to all newly admitted students to an education in Aarhus starting in the autumn semester. Simply meaning that once you enter the queue, you move up over a few months and are offered a dormitory or youth housing before or shortly after the start of your studies. Read more about housing for internationals.
- experienced, photographed and filmed by the students themselves.
With thousands of pictures #yourniversity gives insight into the everyday life as a student at AU; the parties, procrastination, exams and all the other ways you’ll spend your time at university.
The photos belong to the users, shared with #Yourniversity, #AarhusUni and course-specific AU-hashtags.
Or follow the everyday life at the Department of Computer Science:
STINE RAMSING, bachelor's student in IT Product Development
"When I was considering what to study, I wanted to find something that would allow me to combine my interest in science with my passion for design and creativity. After some research, I found IT Product Development, where I could blend the technical aspects, the scientific approach, and creativity. I also wanted a mix of practical tasks and theory. For me, the geographical location of the programme didn't matter, as long as it was something I was passionate about. It was also important for me that I could envision myself in the types of jobs the programme could lead to.
In IT Product Development, we get familiar with a wide range of tools, including various programming languages and technical tools, as well as creative tools such as sketching, prototyping, idea generation methods, and more. This means there's always something to improve upon – it's not just about reading a book from cover to cover because most of the material needs to be applied in practice. These are tools that I continue to develop throughout my time in the programme and even as a graduate, and I find that very motivating.
I spend about half of my time studying theory and the other half applying that in practice. Additionally, I invest a lot of time in my study group, as we have a lot of group work. This makes me feel well-prepared to collaborate with a variety of people in the professional world.
Once I graduate as an IT Product Developer, I'd like to work in a consulting firm that specializes in industrial design, service design, user interface design, or user experience design. I think it would be exciting to be challenged in new ways by working on many different projects with diverse clients and developing various types of products. As an IT Product Developer, I will have learned both the technical and creative aspects of IT product design. Although I'm personally very interested in the creative side, I'm glad I've gained a good understanding of the technical side, and I'm confident it will be an advantage for me in the professional world."
IT-specialists continue to be in great demand all over the world, and this is also the case in Denmark. Our graduates have an excellent reputation and are in very high demand for exciting and well-paid jobs in and around Aarhus or abroad.
The IT Product Development programme places great emphasis on a strong connection to the business community. Therefore, as a student, you will work on projects in collaboration with leading IT companies during your education.
What you learn can immediately be applied, and there are many opportunities to become a student programmer, student instructor, or get other relevant student positions. Many research projects utilize student programmers, giving you the opportunity to delve into the latest research. As the Department of Computer Science is centrally located in the IT city of Katrinebjerg, there is easy access to many study-relevant jobs at companies close to the university. You can find open positions, project collaborations, and full-time positions on our Job Wall - www.facebook.com/CSjobwall.
Every year, 50+ IT companies gather to meet students in the IT city of Katrinebjerg when the Department of Computer Science hosts the major IT career fair - Katrinebjerg Career Day (also known as Kdag).
The bachelor's programme in IT Product Development is a three-year undergraduate programme that can be followed by a two-year master's programme in IT Product Development, where you obtain the title cand.scient. Concurrently with or during the master's programme, you can apply for the doctoral programme (Ph.D. programme).
As a graduate of IT Product Development, you can, for example, work as a product developer, project manager, or design process manager. The specialisations you choose during your studies will influence the type of jobs you most likely will get. If you specialise in product design, for example, it is a clear-cut path for you to work with the design of physical products within IT, such as interactive products and installations, while you will work with the development of software systems and web services if you specialise in software. With a specialisation in business, you can work in economics, project management, business models, and strategy.
During or after your studies you may want to start your own business. At the Department of Computer Science, we support students with entrepreneurial dreams. In the HatchIT Lab, you can develop your business idea in an inspiring and creative environment, while still being close to the department's researchers. Learn more about HatchIT Lab. It is also possible to become part of AU's entrepreneurial hub The Kitchen.
The list below (Source: Prosa) shows what the salary was in January 2023 for private employees in Denmark with up to 2 years of work experience (37 hrs./week).
Bachelor in IT Product Development
Lower quartile: Not disclosed
Median: Not disclosed
Upper quartile: Not disclosed
Average: 41,773 DKK
Master in IT Product Development
Lower quartile: 38,650 DKK
Median: 42,875 DKK
Upper quartile: 49,396 DKK
Average: 43,533 DKK
