Curriculum of HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA in IT program

2014 onwards
Program Aims
 Provide Information Technology personal to cater to the demands in the current
Information Technology field.
 Provide a conceptual basis for more advanced studies in Information Technology field.

Program Objectives
At the end of the diploma the student should be able to;

 Function as a software developer.

 Train personals in IT skills.
 Carryout in‐depth analysis on problems and requirements in the area of specialization.
 Develop solutions for complex problems that require in depth analyzing the area of
specialization.
 Take managerial decision of the implementation, configuration and maintenance of
solutions in the area of specialization.

Program learning outcomes

Program learning outcomes and the skills and competencies expected at different levels of the
curriculum are as follows.

Level Skill /Competency Levels Expected Learning Outcomes

Advanced Certificate in Enriched with fundamental Ability to install and maintain (including
Information theoretical knowledge and basic hardware maintenance) personal
Technology practical exposure required computers and networking devices in general
in using in ICT in an office office environment.
(After the completion of
environment
one year) Ability to configure basic messaging and
networking services on client computers.

Determine requirements and specifications of

devices and software for general office use.
 Develop small software application and
websites for general office work.

Diploma in Information Developed with Ability to analyze problems and issues in the
Technology competencies, skills and specialized domain
knowledge in a broader
(After the completion of Ability to determine solutions and
spectrum of specialized
one and half years) requirements for identified problems in the
areas in Information
specialized domain.
Technology.
Ability to configure, manage and maintain ICT
solutions in the specialized application
domain.

Ability to provide necessary information to the

senior management for making decisions in the
areas related to the specialized domain.

Higher National Developed with in‐depth Carryout in‐depth analysis on problems and
Diploma in Information knowledge and requirements in the area of specialization.
Technology competencies in the selected
Develop solutions for complex problems that
specialized area of ICT.
(After the completion of require in depth analyzing the area of
complete program) specialization.

Take managerial decisions of the

implementation, configuration and
maintenance of solutions in the area of
specialization.

Note: Those who are leaving the program with successful completion of any level will be entitled
to obtain the respective highest level certificate.
Performance criteria and graduation requirements
The following guidelines are recommended in evaluating student performance throughout the
progression of the course and determining graduation requirements for the final award as well as
awards at lateral exit points.

General Assessment Policy

Common examination by-laws approved by the Governing Council.

Teaching and Learning Environment

Resource Requirements
Teaching, referencing, laboratory and other required resources to teach the modules in the curriculum have
been identified for each module in the detailed syllabus. In general these resources will include the
following.

a. Computer laboratory facilities with Internet access for software, design and other related
modules.
b. Test platform laboratory for conducting practical work related to installation and configuration
of systems and communication services.
c. Access to e‐learning and Computer Based Training (CBT) facilities as described in relevant
syllabuses.
d. Reference text books listed in the detailed syllabus for each module

Use of e‐Learning Platforms

The new curriculum introduces several significant changes to the way that Higher National Diploma
program is delivered and administered. These changes range from introduction of new specialization
options to modernization of the curriculum content with some of the modern and emerging subject areas.
It is imperative that significant efforts are needed to upgrade the course delivery and administration
mechanisms to obtain the true benefits of these changes in terms of improving the quality and relevance of
the program and in achieving the expected outcomes.

It is important to note that the curriculum introduces new subjects from diverse areas of information
technology and hence would require resources and expertise from the same areas of specializations. Most
of these subjects are related to emerging technologies where finding qualified resource personal would be
difficult and time consuming. However on the other hand, the quality of the program would depend on the
availability of such resources not only in one ATI but across the entire network where the program is
offered. Therefore the training of e xisting staff has already been started for these subjects with the
guidance and support from the leading technological providers of the country.

SLIATE has already moved into an e‐ Learning based platform (SLIATE LMS) to support the delivery and
administration of the new curriculum. Thee‐learning platform has been used to facilitate sharing of
resources, centralized implementation of course delivery and assessment tools, centralized administration
and learner management and to facilitate the use and assessment in using modern computer based learning
material.

Curriculum Outline – Higher National Diploma in Information Technology

(HNDIT) Designed to implement Outcome Based Education (OBE) with
Student Centered Learning (SCL)
Code System:
HNDIT Y S CU C
HNDIT – 5 Digits for the Course Title, Y – 1 Digit for the Year (1, 2), S- 1 Digit for the
Semester (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), CU- 2 Digits for the Course Units, Total Code length – 8 Digits

Year 1 – Semester I
L- Lecture, P- Practical, T-Tutorial

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

HNDIT1101 Personal Computer Applications Common Core 01 02 - 02 GPA

HNDIT1102 Computer Hardware Common Core 01 02 - 02 GPA

HNDIT1103 Structured Programming Common Core 02 04 - 04 GPA

HNDIT1104 Data Representation and Organization Common Core 01 02 - 02 GPA

HNDIT1105 Database Management Systems Common Core 01 03 - 02 GPA

HNDIT1106 Web Development Common Core 01 03 - 02 GPA

HNDIT1107 Mathematics for IT Common Core 01 01 01 02 GPA

HNDIT1108 English for Technology I Common Core 01 03 - 02 GPA

TOTAL 09 20 01 18

Total Credits = 18, Hours = 30

Year 1 – Semester II
L- Lecture, P- Practical, T-Tutorial

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

HNDIT1209 Object Oriented Programming Common Core 02 04 - 04 GPA

HNDIT1210 Graphics and Multimedia Common Core 01 04 - 03 GPA

HNDIT1211 Data Structures and Algorithms Common Core 01 03 - 02 GPA

HNDIT1212 Systems Analysis and Design Common Core 01 02 - 02 GPA

HNDIT1213 Data Communications and Networks Common Core 02 02 - 03 GPA

HNDIT1214 Statistics for IT Common Core 01 - 02 02 GPA

HNDIT1215 English for Technology II Common Core 01 03 - 02 GPA

HNDIT1216 Human Values and Professional Ethics Common Core 01 02 - 02 GPA

TOTAL 10 20 02 20

Total Credits = 20, Hours = 32

Year 2 – Semester III L- Lecture, P/T- Practical/ Tutorial

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

Common Core

HNDIT2301 Operating Systems and Computer Security Common Core 01 02 02 GPA

HNDIT2302 IT Project Management Common Core 01 02 02 GPA

HNDIT2303 Principles of Management and Applied Common Core 01 02 02 GPA

Economics

HNDIT2304 Project(Group) Common Core 03 04 GPA

HNDIT2305 English for Technology III Common Core 01 03 02 GPA

Total 04 12 12
 Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

Developer Track Option

HNDIT2310 Rapid Application Development Track Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2311 Principals of Software Engineering Track Elective 01 02 02 GPA

HNDIT2312 Object Oriented Analysis and Design Track Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Total 03 10 08

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

Administrator Track Option

HNDIT2320 Advanced Database Management Systems Track Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2321 Data Communication and Network – II Track Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2322 Enterprise Information Security Track Elective 01 02 02 GPA

Total 03 10 08

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

Analyst Track Option

HNDIT2330 Introduction to Business Analysis Track Elective 01 02 02 GPA

HNDIT2331 Management Information Systems Track Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2332 E-Commerce Track Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Total 03 10 08

Total Credits = 20 (Common Core =12, Track Elective= 08), Hours= 29 (Common Core =16, Track
Elective= 13)

Note: Relevant lecturer must be present in the laboratory when practical are conducted.
Supervision of Project (Group): Group-Maximum 5 students, Maximum 3 Groups per Lecturer
Year 2 – Semester IV
L- Lecture, P- Practical, T-Tutorial

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

Core

HNDIT2401 Computer Architecture Common Core 01 02 02 GPA

HNDIT2402 Free and Open Source Systems Common Core 01 02 02 GPA

HNDIT2403 Professional Issues in IT Common Core 02 02 GPA

HNDIT2404 Project(Individual) Common Core 01 03 06 GPA

HNDIT2405 English for Technology IV Common Core 01 03 02 GPA

Total Common Core 06 13 14

Developer Track Option

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

HNDIT2411 Enterprise Architecture Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Software Configuration
HNDIT2412 Management Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2413 Web Application Development Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2414 Computer Graphics and Animation Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2415 Digital Image Processing Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2416 Digital Video and Audio Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2417 Mobile Application Development Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Total Credits required 03 12 09

Administrator Track Option

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

HNDIT2421 Server Administration Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Network and Data Centre

HNDIT2422 Operations Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Disaster Recovery & Business

HNDIT2423 Continuity Planning Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2424 Database Administration Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2425 Database Programming Project Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Total Credits required 03 12 09

Analyst Track Option

Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

HNDIT2431 Software Testing Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2432 Technical Report Writing Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2433 Software Quality Assurance Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2434 Business Analysis - Tools & Processes Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2435 System Analysis Case Study Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Total Credits required 03 12 09

Total Credits = 21 (Common Core =12, Track Elective= 09), Hours= 34 (Common Core =19, Track
Elective= 15)

Students are required to obtained 12 credit from common core and 09 credits from the selected
track options (Developer, Administrator or Analyst)

Note:
Relevant lecturer must be present in the laboratory when practical are conducted.
Certificate Course in Teaching Methodology for IT
Hours

Module Code Module Title Module Type L P T Credits Status

HNDIT2441 Teaching Methodology for IT Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2442 Principles of Education Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2443 Educational Measurement Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

HNDIT2444 Educational Psychology Field Elective 01 04 03 GPA

Total Credits required 03 12 09

Note: The Certificate Course in Teaching Methodology for IT has been designed for the students
who are willing to join in academic sector in IT.
Those who require to follow Certificate Course in Teaching Methodology should follow this
course in addition to the one of the three tracks namely developer, administrator or analyst as an
optional track.
They should participate in the subjects EN 2218 (Principles of Education), EN 2221(Educational
Measurement) and EN 2224 (Educational Psychology) which are offered in weekend Part time
Higher National Diploma in English program to fulfill the course requirements.
A special certificate will be awarded for those who have successfully completed the course.

Year 3 – Semester V
In-plant Training
Total Credits = 06 (GPA)
Total Months = 06
Note: The Internship in Information Technology in the field of Information Technology consider
as a compulsory course unit with the minimum duration of 15 consecutive weeks/540hrs within a
period of six months.

Training institute can be selected either by students or by the SLIATE through NAITA.

HNDIT Part Time Program

Basis for time allocation in part time program:
01 lecture hour per week= 01 credit,
01 practical/tutorial+02 self-learning hours=01 credit
 Summary of Curriculum outline for HNDIT

Course Summary

Total Hours/Week Credits

Year Semester Common Develop. Admin. Analyst
Core Track Track Track GPA NGPA Total

Year 1 Semester I 30 30 30 30 18 - 18

Year 1 Semester II 32 32 32 32 20 - 20

Year 2 Semester III 29 29 29 29 20 - 20

Year 2 Semester IV 34 34 34 34 23 - 23

Year 3 Semester V - - - - 06 - 06

Total 125 125 125 125 87 - 87

Total Number of Credits = 87(GPA), Total Number of Contact Hours=125

M.Seneviratne
Senior Lecturer in IT, Advanced Technological Institute (ATI), Kandy.
Member of the Academic Syndicate, Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education
(SLIATE).