Computer Scientists HF (formerly Technicians HF Computer Science): What does your day-to-day work look like?

Computer scientists HF work in ICT departments of companies of all sizes and in practically all sectors of the economy. They can work both as generalists and as specialists in areas such as programming, installation and administration, automation, design and production, as well as in sales and customer service. They also work in teams and, depending on the size of the company, scope of tasks and professional experience, take on project or sub-project management or manage an ICT department.

Computer scientists HF are responsible for the development, implementation, operation and maintenance of ICT infrastructures and/or applications. To this end, they design the corresponding ICT processes, which also include ensuring data protection and data security as well as the uninterrupted availability of IT systems and applications in line with quality management. They review the processes on an ongoing basis and adapt or further develop them as required.

Computer scientists HF work in accordance with legal regulations as well as business requirements and orders. They proactively contribute their technical perspective on feasibility, any risks and the need for change. This also includes, for example, cost estimates and budget calculations. During the planning, development and implementation of ICT orders, they work closely with customers, service providers, suppliers, other ICT experts and specialists as well as the management to bring them to a successful conclusion.

The distribution of tasks (weighting and frequency) can vary greatly depending on the task profile/position and type of company.

Target group, personal characteristics and skills: Who is the HF degree program in Computer Science HF with a focus on ICT systems engineering and network technology suitable for?

The training to become a computer scientist HF at a university of applied sciences with a focus on ICT system and network technology is aimed at the following target group:

Professionals from the fields of IT, automation, telematics or related areas who are interested in a generalist education and would like to hold a degree that opens doors to further career steps (e.g. into management/management), but also offers the opportunity for training and further education at a higher level (e.g. postgraduate courses at universities of applied sciences).

IT professionals should have the following personal qualities and skills:

• Technical understanding
• Networked thinking and action
• Independent and reliable way of working
• analytical and conceptual skills
• Sense of responsibility
• Ability to work in a team
• Planning skills
• Leadership and organizational talent
• Customer and service orientation

Requirements for admission to an IT course at a higher technical college specializing in ICT systems engineering and network technology

In order to be admitted to the HF degree program "Computer Scientist HF" (formerly Technician HF Computer Science) with a focus on ICT systems and network technology, you must meet the following requirements*:

• Relevant** basic vocational training with a federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ), e.g. business IT specialist EFZ, ICT specialist EFZ, computer scientist EFZ, mediamatician EFZ.

Or

• Other basic vocational training (EFZ) and professional experience in the field of IT (usually at least 1 year)

Or

• High school diploma, vocational diploma or equivalent and at least 1 year of relevant work experience.

And

• At least 50% employment in the ICT sector (for part-time studies)***

Further admission requirements may be:

• Depending on the school: entrance exam/aptitude test
• Attendance of preliminary courses, for example in mathematics and/or programming
• Good knowledge of English (at least B1 level of the European Language Reference Framework)

Note: People who have a federal certificate as an ICT system and network technician can usually enter the third semester directly and thus benefit from a shorter training period.

It is also possible in some cases to have educational achievements already completed credited. Please contact the provider of your choice directly.

*Each university of applied sciences decides independently on the admission procedure for the computer science HF program. They regulate this in their study regulations, taking into account the relevant legal basis. The admission requirements may therefore differ from one HF to another.
The courses offered by the universities of applied sciences (HF) are based on framework curricula developed jointly by education providers and industry associations and approved by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). If the universities of applied sciences adhere to existing framework curricula in the detailed design of their courses, their HF courses are federally recognized and lead to a protected title. You can find a list of recognized courses in the answers.

** A list of the relevant EFZs can be found in theFramework curriculumfor computer scientists HF.

*** In full-time training, work experience and the transfer from specialist training to practice is regulated by internships integrated into the course.

Subject matter and content of the training

The following topics are covered in the "Computer Scientist HF" (formerly Technician HF Computer Science) course at a university of applied sciences with a focus on ICT systems technology and network technology:

• Computer science
• Programming
• ICT systems
• ICT networks
• Automation
• ICT infrastructure and architecture
• Data management, data security
• Business administration
• Finance and accounting
• Mathematics
• Project management
• Personnel management
• Management and leadership
• English

The universities of applied sciences follow the "Computer Science" framework curriculum. This sets out the basic points for the course (including the competencies to be achieved). The framework curriculum is backed by a sponsoring body*, which is responsible for the creation and periodic review of the framework curriculum in terms of up-to-dateness and quality.

Nevertheless, the universities of applied sciences have a certain amount of leeway in the design of their study programs for future computer scientists. There may therefore be (slight) differences in the treatment and design of the course content from HF to HF. The universities of applied sciences can, for example, set content priorities within a maximum of 10% of the total learning hours, such as "ICT systems engineering and network technology".
But beware: the protected title "dipl. Informatiker HF / dipl. Informatikerin HF" remains unchanged despite the specialization.

* The sponsorship is made up of the following players: Swissmem, ICT-Berufsbildung Schweiz and the Konferenz der Höheren Fachschulen Technik KHF-T

Costs and financing of further training

Below you will find a list of the costs you can expect to pay for an IT HF course:

• Tuition fees:Between CHF 15,600 and CHF 22,300.
  The fees depend on the school and your canton of residence.* The costs stated here refer to students residing in the canton of training.
• Fees for additional certificatesSome schools offer the opportunity to complete further (external) certificates during the course of study. For example, IPMA, CompTIA or ITIL certificates. These costs are usually not included in the tuition fees and are charged additionally.
• Fees for preliminary coursesDo your math skills need a refresher? Most schools offer specific preparatory courses for this. You can expect to pay between CHF 350 and CHF 700.
• Other extra costs:At some schools, not all services and materials are included in the tuition fees. For example, some charge additional fees for enrolment, the student ID card, teaching materials, licenses, training materials, examinations, etc. Find out about the additional costs directly from the HF of your choice.

* Courses at universities of applied sciences are financially supported by the cantons. Students from outside the canton pay higher tuition fees. The following requirements apply in order to receive cantonal funding:

• At least two years of residence in the canton
• The course is listed on the EDK (Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education) list of eligible courses (you will find the link to the list in the answer texts).

Duration of study, number of learning hours, forms of learning, teaching times, teaching format and learning effort

• Duration of studyThe degree course in Computer Science HF (formerly Technician HF Computer Science) with a focus on ICT systems engineering and network technology takes 6 semesters (part-time) or 4 semesters (full-time).
• Number of learning hoursThe course comprises 3600 learning hours for persons with a relevant EFZ. Without a relevant EFZ, the number of learning hours increases to 5400.
• Forms of learningThe learning hours are divided into academic and practical training components. They are as follows:
  • Contact studies: e.g. traditional classroom teaching, supervised group work, accompanied field work, etc.
  • Guided self-study: e.g. exercises, research assignments, tasks, reading assignments, etc.
  • Individual self-study: e.g. before and after lessons, exam preparation, general study time, etc.
  • Practical experience: Practical experience in relevant fields of activity with a workload of 50% (applies to part-time studies)
  • Internships: This includes, for example, practical work under the supervision of specialists or internships in the real field of work (the latter applies to full-time studies)
  • Qualification procedures: e.g. semester examinations, graded term papers, diploma thesis and examination
• Lesson timesIn part-time studies, lessons often take place on two evenings or once a week and sometimes on Saturdays. As the schools can arrange their own timetables, this can vary from HF to HF. In full-time studies, lessons take place every day.
• Teaching formatMany schools offer a mix of face-to-face and online courses (online, hybrid teaching, blended learning). Have you lost track of the many different teaching formats?Hereyou will find helpful explanations of the respective teaching formats.
• Learning effort: You should allow sufficient time to prepare for and follow up the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your prior knowledge, working style, learning speed and chosen training model. We recommend that you allow at least 4-6 hours per week for the part-time model.

Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons"/"trial lessons" for the Computer Science HF course. This gives you the opportunity to gain an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. Important aspects on the way to a successful degree. Take the opportunity and contact the school of your choice directly.

Degree, diploma and title

The degree course in Computer Science HF (formerly Technician HF Computer Science) includes various learning objective assessments throughout the course.

For example, in the form of semester or interim examinations as well as graded semester or project work. The grades you achieve here are also included in your final grades.

Once you have completed all the qualification requirements during your studies, you are admitted to the final qualification procedure, which consists of a practice-oriented diploma thesis and an oral and/or written examination.

Here too, the respective university of applied sciences regulates the details of implementation in its study regulations.

Diploma and title

If the candidates have passed the final qualification procedure, the HF diploma is awarded. They will then be entitled to use the federally recognized and protected professional title of "qualified computer scientist HF / qualified computer scientist HF".

• In French: "Informaticienne diplômée ES / Informaticien diplômé ES"
• In Italian: "Informatica dipl. SSS / Informatico dipl. SSS"

The recommended translation in English is: "Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education in Information Technology". This is not a protected title.