ObjectivesBusiness Information Technology is one of the four pathways for the MSc Information Systems introduced for entry in 2008. Whether an organisation is small or global and almost irrespective of its product or service offering, information and communications technologies (ICT) will play a vital role in developing, managing and sustaining the survival of the business. This pathway is designed to help you to understand how to deploy information and communications technologies to realise business goals and innovate business processes. You are not taught how to develop business computing solutions per se, but concentrate upon how information and software systems can be best exploited within the organisational environment to manage data, information and knowledge. Within the pathway, you focus upon how group working and virtual teams can be best facilitated, how e-business and distributed networked systems support business objectives, and how business and knowledge processes can be modelled to achieve superior results.
Entry requirementsEntry requirements: Normally a UK bachelor degree with first or upper second class honours is required, or the overseas equivalent, in a computer-related or information technology subject. When assessing your academic record we take into account your grade average, position in class, references, and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification. We particularly welcome applications from institutions of high ranking and repute.
Academic titleInformation Systems: Business IT MSc
Course descriptionMSc Information Systems: Business Information Technology
Course structure
All taught course units are 15 credits.
The course consists of two taught semesters followed by the dissertation.
You are required to study the following core options:
Industrial Applications
This course unit addresses the role and importance of Information Systems in industry and
commerce. It consists of a series of seminars provided by leading industrial speakers on the
problems and issues relating to development, use and maintenance of information systems in
practice and their relationship with the wider business context.
Research Methods
This course unit aims to provide you with a generic understanding of issues relating to the
conduct of academic research in the social sciences and management. More specifically it
involves developing skills and expertise in the analysis of research theory and practice as well
as the ability to work independently to develop and defend an intellectual position. The
emphasis is on critical assessment of the various methodologies available to researchers in
the social sciences, management and business studies.
Research Methods II
This course unit aims to provide you a range of technical, managerial and personal skills
which enable you to effectively undertake the dissertation stage of your degree programme.
More specifically, it involves developing skills and expertise in project planning and
management including principles of planning in general and how they apply to IS dissertation
projects, academic writing tips and professional practice and ethics.
Plus three core units according to your pathway:
Computer-supported Co-operative Working
The aims of the unit are to examine the implications of using groupware technologies to
support collaboration between members of a team. It exposes the strengths and weaknesses
of selected synchronous and asynchronous collaboration tools, for collocated and distributed
groups. The course unit introduces you to the social, organisational and design issues
associated with the introduction of groupware technologies.
Information and Knowledge Management
Information is a major and exponentially growing resource within the modern organisation; be
it in the private or public sector, SME or multinational corporation. It is effective management
is essential. The aims of this course unit are therefore to explore this growing organisational
information resource to identify how it is strategically and operationally managed and
exploited effectively within and between organisations.
IS Strategy and Enterprise Systems
This course unit helps you to develop an understanding of key information systems strategy
concepts, and contemporary developments in enterprise computing.
You then take two optional course units from a range of subjects available on the course.
Summer research period
Dissertation/Project (60 credits)
Having completed the taught element of the course you will undertake a Dissertation/Project
on a topic related your chosen pathway subject. During this period you will carry out an
original piece of research. You will have a supervisor, who will discuss your choice of
research project with you and advise and guide you through the process. Some feature
industrial placements.
Recent dissertations have covered:
• Change management methods of a multinational consultancy company (based on a
company placement)
• Business cases for customer relationship management (based on a company placement
with a pharmaceutical multinational)
• The role of consultancy companies in selling technology solutions
• Innovation in the public sector (with government sector partners)