Course overview

Two of the major driving forces that generate wealth in the modern world are business practices and information technology. A degree that integrates these two drivers will provide graduates with a solid foundation for building a career in advanced and developing countries.

On this course, you will develop the skills and experience to be able to work as a professional information systems designer and developer, particularly in environments where competence in systems analysis and design and project management are required.

It is becoming widely recognised that when developing business practices with a technological foundation, the most difficult (and interesting) problems are not the technical challenges but the organisational and human-centred factors. This course aims to provide you with the skills needed to work in such an environment by developing:

• comprehensive business awareness
• an understanding of how to work in a professional environment
• your initiative and creativity to solve problems of a technical and business nature
• your understanding of how technical solutions have to blend in with human-centred systems
• academic and professional skills and integrity
• effective interpersonal skills
• your ability to work in teams yet be distinctively individual and capable of independent work

The course provides a solid technical foundation, so that you gain a practically-based understanding of how software systems are developed. However, you will also learn how such systems are applied in a business context. Case studies will amplify your understanding of what works well in modern business practice.

There are two versions of this course. One version, taken by most students, is the four-year course that includes a paid work placement for the whole of the third year. This year in industry will give you valuable experience of working with information systems in a business environment and will greatly enhance your self-confidence and interpersonal skills. There is also a three-year version of the course that does not include the work placement. This may be appropriate if you already have relevant work experience or wish to graduate quickly for other reasons.

The work placement provides valuable professional experience that augments and extends the skills developed on the course. You will be prepared for the placement during your second year, with the placement usually starting straight after and lasting for the full calendar year.

Accreditation

The course has been accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS), which exempts graduates in Business Information Systems (BIS) from the Society's professional examinations. A successful BCS visit in February 2009 renewed this accreditation for a further five-year period.

Course content

Year one

In your first year you will study topics such as:

• programming and computer systems architecture
• systems analysis and design
• data communications
• the web
• the origins of computing
• systems theory and practice
• business law

You will also study the impact of such systems on businesses and on society in general.

Year two

The main focus will continue to be on information systems analysis and design. In addition, you will cover:

• databases
• research methods
• project management
• ecommerce
• knowledge management

This will lay the foundations required for your industrial placement.

You will also have a choice of topics from computer science and information systems disciplines, enabling you to focus on computing topics or those with more of a buisness flavour.

You will learn to use industry-standard techniques, equipment and software packages, and will become involved in both group and individual project work.

Industrial placement/year abroad

The sandwich year provides a unique opportunity to apply your newly acquired knowledge and gain valuable industrial experience, and be paid for it! It normally follows year two and our strong international links mean that many students are able to spend this year working abroad.

The School of Computing has an Industrial Liaison Officer who will help you find a placement and your personal tutor will visit you at least once to monitor your progress. A sandwich placement can significantly enhance your prospects of employment and adds depth to your studies in the final year as you can bring real-world experience to illustrate theoretical points.

Year three/Final year

Core units include a large-scale personal project and units on advanced systems analysis and information systems management. Plus there are a range of options from the information systems and computer science disciplines, enabling you to focus on computing topics or those with more of a business flavour.

Further information about this course's content and structure can be found  online.

Teaching and assessment

Lecture classes can be large and you will have about six to eight hours of this type of contact every week, with a further six to eight hours of small group seminars and tutorials, where you can get individual help in those areas in which you would like to know more or are perhaps experiencing some difficulty. Some lectures may also be provided via the internet, so you can work at your own pace from any location.

Assessment is geared towards the subject matter in a way that encourages a deeper understanding and allows you to develop your skills. It takes many forms from examinations, multiple choice tests, essays and portfolio work, to mini-projects, seminars, presentations, case studies or extended review articles.

Career prospects

This degree will equip you with practical as well as theoretical information systems development and management knowledge, plus a sound knowledge of business processes.

Our past graduates have found employment with:

• computer design and software houses
• computer services consultancies
• internet and communications companies
• data systems organisations

They have also gained positions in many other types of businesses as software engineers, systems consultants and analyst programmers.

Facilities and features

You will have access to modern computing laboratories that are continually updated with the latest hardware and software. You will also have access to the Forensics IT laboratory where you will undertake simulation exercises to provide practice for real-world situations and a separate forensics research laboratory where you can perform your investigations.

In addition, you will have access to high specification computing facilities and our University Library. Open from 8am to midnight every day during term-time, it supplies a variety of information to help with study and research.

The University has also invested substantially in electronic resources. There are thousands of electronic journals and ebooks available, which can be accessed across the University campus, at home or wherever there is an internet connection. Knowledgeable and professionally qualified staff are always on hand and you will have access to email and the web.

Tutor Centre

The School of Computing Tutor Centre provides friendly, one-to-one academic support for its students. If you need help understanding your assessments, or with a wide range of subjects (programming, networks, systems analysis, databases and web apps), or if you want to talk to someone about your project or any other academic issues (revision, referral orimproving your marks), please come and see us. Appointments not necessary.

Maths Café

The Maths Café is a daily drop-in facility, where you can receive help on any maths or statistics problem you encounter in your studies. It operates in a friendly, informal location and has handouts on key topics for you to take away. Staff can also show you how to use computer aided learning packages, which can be accessed from any computer attached to the University's computer network.

Entry requirements

View all the entry requirements for BSc (Hons) Business Information Systems for the academic year 2012/13 (opens in new window).