Moratuwa University External Degrees: How the BIT Works

TL;DR Moratuwa University external degrees in IT centre on the Bachelor of Information Technology, known as the BIT, which the University of Moratuwa offers through open and distance learning. The program page lists it as a three-year degree with semester exams twice a year, and applications go through the university's Centre for Open and Distance Learning. Uplift does not list the BIT, so this guide sets out what the university's pages say and the IT degrees on Uplift that you can compare it with.

If you want a degree while you work, or you missed a place in a state university, an external degree is one of the routes worth understanding. Browse the information technology programs in the wider computing study area to compare.

What are the Moratuwa University external degrees?

An external degree is awarded by a university to students who study mostly on their own, without full-time attendance on campus. At the University of Moratuwa, the best known external program is the Bachelor of Information Technology, offered through the Centre for Open and Distance Learning, known as CODL.

The BIT program page describes three years of distance learning. Exams are usually held on a semester basis, twice within an academic year. Students who leave early can receive a diploma or a higher diploma, depending on the levels they have completed.

Because the degree is awarded by the university, it is different from a program run by a private institute with a partner. The trade-off is that you carry more of the study load yourself.

IT degrees on Uplift

undergraduate

Asian Institute of Business & Science

BSc (Hons) Computing

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undergraduate

Asian Institute of Business & Science

BSc (Hons) Software Engineering

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undergraduate

Esoft Uni

BSc (Hons) in Computing - London Metropolitan University (UK)

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Who can apply for the BIT?

Entry depends on your background, and the published rules have changed over the years, so check the current notice before you apply.

Direct entry

An older press report on the program says applicants needed a credit pass in Mathematics at the G.C.E. O/L and three passes at the G.C.E. A/L. Treat that as background only and confirm the current requirement with CODL.

Lateral entry

The university's pages describe lateral routes for applicants with earlier study. Holders of the SLIATE Higher National Diploma in Information Technology who have completed all subjects and the 12-month training period can apply. Holders of the National Diploma in Technology still have to complete the industrial training units to receive the degree. Diploma holders from the university's own BIT 2018 curriculum can also enter laterally.

Applications

Applications go through CODL, and a CODL FAQ says it will not accept an application that has pending results. Fees are paid at a Bank of Ceylon branch with a university paying-in voucher. Current intake dates and fees are not listed in the pages we reviewed, so contact CODL or check the BIT website.

How does an external degree compare with a degree at a private institute?

The two routes differ in structure, support and cost, and the right one depends on how you learn.

An external degree gives you flexibility and a state university name on the award, but support is lighter and the pace is mostly yours. A degree at a private institute usually comes with timetabled classes, a campus and student services, and it is typically paid for by semester or by year.

On Uplift, the IT routes include a three-year BSc (Hons) Computing at the Asian Institute of Business and Science and a Bachelor of Information Technology at Nawaloka College of Higher Studies. The Nawaloka program has its own awarding details, so check the awarding body on its course page and do not assume it matches the University of Moratuwa degree.

Our IT degree guide compares the main routes, the part-time degree guide covers studying while working, and the guide to external degrees at Kelaniya University shows how another state university runs its external route.