BA (Hons) Business Information Systems

Information is now recognised as a critical business asset and the effective management of information is one of the most important challenges facing a modern organisation. Information is a powerful lever in achieving competitive advantage. The use of systems and technology to control and manage organisational data and information has developed into a vital business discipline. As a result, business people are now expected to be proficient in relevant technological concepts and applications, skills that had been viewed as being outside of the domain of the traditional manager.

This degree has been designed to equip future managers with the necessary skills and knowledge that enable them to function effectively within this environment. As well as providing a firm grounding in all aspects of business, it also introduces students to the key principles of understanding, choosing and managing information systems.

On completion of the course graduates will have had a solid grounding in the skills and expertise needed to use information and information systems effectively, covering both the technical and management aspects. Graduates will also have a thorough knowledge of general business disciplines, strategy and management.

Structure and Content

The design of this three-year degree programme is innovative since it allows students to develop a sound base of business knowledge combined with thorough understanding of the theory and practice of information systems selection and management. The business content of this programme majors on general management, marketing and finance, while the IS content spans a range of computing specialisms relevant to business.

Year 1

Six mandatory subjects provide foundation knowledge in core business areas and disciplines including information technology

Year 2

Student knowledge in key business disciplines, notably marketing and finance, is developed and they are introduced to more specialised IS areas including system development, office applications and web design.

Year 3

At final year, the business and information systems focus moves to the strategic level while advanced knowledge and skills are developed in specialist IS areas such as computer programming and database design.

Transfer Students

Students holding a relevant certificate, diploma or other relevant qualifications may qualify for entry to the second or third year of the degree programme.

Career Opportunities

Modern organisations depend heavily on their information systems and often prefer to recruit graduates that have strong familiarity with, and expertise in, the IS area. Graduates from this programme will be very attractive to such organisations. They will be fully equipped to develop careers in general business management or in more specialised information-related areas. They will be particularly well suited to positions (such as Business Analyst) that straddle the traditional divide between general management and information systems management, or to which strong information systems competency is a significant asset.

Teaching and Assessment

The BA (Hons) Business Information Systems is taught mainly through lectures and tutorials, with students taking responsibility for a significant amount of study outside scheduled class contact times. Assessed work will consist of traditional end-year examinations plus a significant element of continuous assessment based on coursework. Such coursework may involve research-based reports, case studies, essays, or practical assignments.

Programme Content