Information Systems and Business Management

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The idea of managers who can 'bridge' between different areas is one that has been promoted by the British Computing Society (BCS) for some time. The 'bridger' has to have a wide perspective and be equipped with the organisational and people skills to break down the barriers between IT and business.

The aim of this course is to develop you to be a leader in your organisation, enabling the full benefits of modern technology to be realised. The course is interdisciplinary and you will learn about information systems alongside the core areas of business and management which are at the heart of this course.
The course will prepare you to make critical high-level decisions and to back these up with the best information gathering and deployment methods. You will also develop your ability to analyse problems logically and apply appropriate decision-making skills and knowledge to reach feasible, realistic conclusions.

There is a widely-recognised shortage of managers who are knowledgeable about infomation systems but who also have a strong understanding of business. On successful completion of this course, you will be well-placed to start a career in general management or in areas requiring a strong foundation in information systems.

During the course you will:
* Experience a course designed to help graduates who are not business specialists
* Gain a valuable insight into business and management, and enhance yout employability
* Learn with other postgraduate students from around the world in a unique environment
* Have opportunities to attend high-profile business events run by the University's Knowledge Hub
* Experience one of very few Master's courses combining business and information systems
* Benefit from state-of-the-art computing systems

Areas of study you may cover on this course include:
* Business communications
* Financial analysis
* Marketing
* Business data analysis
* Managing people
* Digital business management
* Strategic management of information systems
* Web analytics
* Applied management project

Assessment
Assessment within this course is designed to recognise the diverse nature of the student background and experience, and to ensure there is alignment between the assessment strategy and the learning outcomes of this course. The assessment strategy will incorporate the blended learning approach coupled with a variety of assessment styles in order to make the most feedback opportunities in both formative and summative methods.

A range of assessment methods are used throughout the course. You will be required to undertake a variety of group and individually based assessments. These assessments include individual essays, reports presentations and examinations, and group based reports and presentations. The assessments are designed to test knowledge and understanding of the appropriate subject matter, but also to demonstrate the range of skills identified in section 3 above.

The assessment strategy underlines the programmes concern with research and independent thinking, critical knowledge of theory and practice, the ability to make information decisions and communicate these under time pressure and, finally, the all-important skills of teamwork and oral communication of ideas.

The written assignments and group reports contribute to the learning outcomes focusing on your ability to research and critically evaluate elements of the curriculum in depth. They generally allow you to use a variety of named sources to support your viewpoints.

The end of unit examinations focus primarily on critical discussion of theory and current practice and provide the reassurance of guaranteed student authorship, and a true measure of your own ability and understanding.

The time constrained tests will be more cursory in nature, generally assessing awareness, understanding and application of elements of the curriculum.

The significant weighting given to individual and group presentations stresses the primacy of team work and of effective oral communication based on research and creative, holistic thinking about organisational, media and stakeholder issues.

Educational Aims
This programme of study aims to achieve the following:

* To enable you to successfully support an IT-related business in a management role within an organisation upon completion of the programme
* To enable you to gain knowledge and skills relevant to information systems and business management and appreciate the integrated nature of information systems and business management
* To be aware of the changing nature of information systems and the impacts on managerial and organisational performance
* To select and apply relevant theories, models or frameworks to the principles, concepts and applications of IT / IS for business management
* To develop new skills and knowledge in the effective planning, development implementation and management of information system
* To understand the key concepts, regarding digital business and web analytics measures, their implications and their role in an organisations online strategic development
* To develop a good grounding and knowledge in the strategic management of information systems and bridge the gap between IT and management
* To be aware of ethical, legal and social issues in information systems and business management

* You should have at least a second class Honours degree, or equivalent. * Candidates who are non-native speakers of English will need to have an English Proficiency level of at least IELTS 6.0, or equivalent. English Language Requirements CAE score: (read more) Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) is part of the Cambridge English suite and is targeted at a high level (IETLS 6.5-8.0). It is an international English language exam set at the right level for academic and professional success. Developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment - part of the University of Cambridge - it helps you stand out from the crowd as a high achiever. 60 (Grade C)