Course overview

Every business organisation is dependent upon information – without it, managers cannot make decisions, products and services cannot be delivered and customers’ wishes cannot be fulfilled. Systems must be created and maintained that will enable people in organisations to generate the information they need, and to streamline processes and workflows. There is therefore a high demand for professionals who can combine a thorough understanding of business with high levels of technical skill in use and exploitation of information and communication technologies (ICTs).

You will learn about the key elements of ICTs, including modern business software and Web applications. At the same time, you will learn about business systems and the environment in which they are used. The emphasis of the course will be on working with ICT tools and techniques in order to create business value. The course also offers you the opportunity to engage in a work placement where you can put your new skills and knowledge into context.

If you aspire to a professional career in IT service management, or you can see yourself running your own business in an IT field, then this may be the right course for you. If you have studied a small amount of business and/or IT you will be able to consolidate your knowledge and develop it further. If you have a more traditional background, perhaps having studied natural sciences or arts, that isn't a problem either - we do not assume any prior knowledge and nowadays, all types of organisations need business managers with IT skills.

Students are encouraged to take a professional work placement year in order to consolidate and apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired. Our dedicated Work Placements Office will help you secure the best opportunity for you. 

Entry criteria have been designed to comply with the requirements of major company graduate entry programmes.

Course content

This course is composed of a number of core and optional units. A variety of core IT areas are covered such as systems development, programming, databases and Web-based systems. Business subjects include accounting, financial management, marketing, and strategic planning. There is also an opportunity to study a foreign language, and international students can improve their use of English for academic purposes.

Throughout the course you will analyse a range of business problems and develop solutions to them. You will have the opportunity to analyse, design and build information systems and to investigate the strategic impact of these on the success of the organisations in which they are situated. A practical approach is taken throughout and many case studies from real-world businesses are discussed.

Year one

In this foundation year, you will be introduced to principles of IT service management, including service oriented architectures, work flow management, business process management and requirements engineering. Principles of programming will be introduced using Visual Basic. You will have opportunities to explore systems modelling techniques using UML notation. There will be a focus upon Web services, including design and creation of Web pages and remote databases. In Business Analytics, you will explore how modern business software can be used to help people inform themselves for business decision-making. You will have the opportunity to develop and consolidate your skills in using business software.

At the same time, you will learn the essential elements of enterprise, accounting, business operations, markets and the economy, so that you will be able to place the role of IT systems in their context of use.

Year two

In your second year you will cover units including:

• Business Systems Analysis
• ecommerce
• Data Services & Security
• IT Service Management
• The Learning Organisation

There are also opportunities to study units on:

• Business Communication Technology
• Applied Decision Modelling

Alternatively, you can study a modern language.

Placement year

This degree includes the opportunity for a one-year placement working in a paid, full-time role with continuous progression and a suitable level of responsibility. Industrial placements in this course are varied and can be with large corporations such as IBM or smaller organisations either in the UK or overseas. You will return to your studies from your placement with contemporary business experience, which will improve your ability to engage in debate and develop your strategic thinking, and perhaps indirectly boost your degree classification.

With employers now requiring graduates to have the key business competencies and experience alongside a good degree, work experience is more vital than ever. Due to its very nature a placement year is the best and most involving type of work experience you can do during your time at university. As such, a placement will help insure you are as employable as possible upon graduation.

The Portsmouth Business School Placements Office will support you not only during your placement search and the subsequent recruitment processes, but also once you secure your placement and are working away from the University. Our students have gained much from their work placements – listen to some of our students' experiences.

Final year

Drawing on the skills and knowledge developed in earlier stages of the course, the focus in your final year moves to the strategic use of information systems and technologies and the management of business information systems. You will also complete an individual project that involves the study of a business/IT issue or problem in order to produce a written report of 10,000 words.

Options include:

• Issues in the Networked Society
• Advanced Systems Analysis
• Business Intelligence

Teaching and assessment

The University of Portsmouth has a long and distinguished record of running very successful degree courses. Our staff maintain close links with the world of work, both locally and further afield, ensuring that our courses always reflect the current and future needs of commerce and industry.

You will be taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical workshops and project work. Wherever possible, opportunities for work-based learning are incorporated. Lectures introduce the fundamental issues and concepts that are important to a unit. You will have the chance to practise and discuss methods, techniques and theories in smaller seminars, tutorials and workshops. Surgery sessions are sometimes run if students are having difficulties in specific areas. Students receive an average of 12 hours' class contact per week.

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.

Each student has an allocated Personal Tutor and the course is managed by a Course Leader. In addition, academic and pastoral support is provided by a full range of dedicated student services including counselling, study skills, careers and recruitment, housing and finance.

Career prospects

This course aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills to work within a technical environment, particularly IT Service Management. The employment record of students completing this course is excellent, with more than 80 per cent finding relevant posts within six months of completing the course. It prepares you for work in:

• public or private sector
• large and small organisations
• manufacturing and service industries
• both IT-related work and more general business careers

Graduates have entered careers in retail management, manufacturing management, education, marketing and financial services, all of which require both business and IT skills.

Every year a number of students choose to further their studies at postgraduate level before seeking employment. You will be well equipped to enrol on a variety of Master's degree programmes. A number of our students have also taken up research assistant posts.

Facilities and features

The University offers a wealth of up-to-date IT, computing and network resources including open access computer suites, wireless networking and intranet access from halls and from home. Software and hardware are continually updated. Knowledgeable staff are always on hand and all students have full access to the Web. A virtual learning environment is used to supplement face-to-face teaching and provide additional learning opportunities.

The University Library is at the centre of academic life and is only a short walk away from the School. Open from 8am until midnight every day during term-time, it provides a variety of information to help with study and research. It has also invested heavily in the purchase of electronic resources. There are thousands of electronic journals available, together with thousands of ebooks which can be accessed across campus, from home or wherever there is an internet connection.

Entry requirements

View all the entry requirements for BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology for the academic year 2013/14 (opens in new window).