MSc Information Systems (Integrated)

Course detail
Teaching consists of lectures, seminars and laboratory work to provide a basis for the intensive individual study you need to undertake to maximize your investment of time and potential outcomes from taking the course.

This is an indicative listing of modules for the course:
To qualify for the award of MSc Information Systems (Integrated), candidates on the integrated pathway must study five level 6 modules consisting of 20 credits each and two 10 credits each, and six level 7 modules consisting of 20 credits and a 60 credits dissertation module.

Year One (Level 6)
Strategies and Systems or Advanced Business Systems
Development Methodologies
Computer Security
Advanced Databases
Project Preparation
Project
IT Industry
Year Two (Level 7)
Project Management
Consultancy and Technological Innovation
Enterprise Architecture
Knowledge Management
Learning and Professional Development
Employability Skills and Employment
HCI for Information Systems (optional)
Mobile Applications Development ( optional)
Data Architectures ( optional)
UML Component Modelling(optional)
Security Management ( optional)
Research Methods
Dissertation
Note: students select one option from the list offered

Level 6 (Year 1)

Modules

Strategies and Systems
This module sets IS in the business context. It examines approaches to the development of business strategy and its alignment to the organizational strategy and IS strategy and shows how strategy can be converted to architecture and infrastructure via a portfolio of projects. Key technology developments and their effects on job design are reviewed and in particular the trends in globalization of business and the coming together of IT, telephony and document management. Key organizational changes and their underlying causes are explored from functional management to a process based view of business. and the implications for business systems are discussed including Business Process Re-engineering and ERP systems. The various types of systems are reviewed and the implications for the nature management of such systems.
Advanced Business Systems
This module enables students to apply the learning outcomes from the course to a number of selected specialist business domains. Students will be facilitated to work in groups to investigate and document the latest approaches to the use of information systems in TWO of the following business areas: healthcare, financial / banking, logistics / transport, sales and marketing, law, public relations and contact centres. Alternative areas will be considered. Students will work in groups to analyse requirements, identify key technological and social issues and document current solutions.

Development Methodologies
This module is designed to bring together the tools and techniques covered in earlier modules in industrially recognised developmental frameworks that incorporate prototyping. It draws upon concepts from object oriented and relational design. It looks at the problems of adopting different process models for software development, in particular it addresses the issues raised by following iterative and incremental development. It explores two different methodological approaches to solving problems such as risk management, ensuring rapidity and quality when following Rapid Application Development. The aim is to take a practitioners approach to the problems of developing applications for relational database design using these approaches. This module attempts to raise an awareness of the appropriate methodology required for the business for given contexts.
Computer Security
This module addresses many important issues concerning security in computer systems. The relevance and topicality of this subject area to the computer and business industries is beyond dispute. Annual costs estimates vary but undoubtedly run in to the billion pound arena worldwide. Ever more sophisticated techniques are available to both the defender and the attacker as they play out a deadly game. Surprisingly, non-malicious security accidents account for a larger proportion of costs than malicious incidents. The recent explosive growth of internet based e-commerce has only added to security problems. The syllabus will invite the student to identify and analyse a range of security issues and strategies from the perspectives of both attack and defence
Advanced Databases
This module extends your existing knowledge of relational database developed in previous studies by covering important topics such as distributed databases, object oriented and object relational databases, data warehousing and data mining. You will be introduced to advanced database applications, their requirements, design and implementation issues.
Requirements Engineering
Information systems are increasingly complex and stakeholders often have conflicting interests. Requirements engineering helps to facilitate a shared understanding of stakeholders needs, to analyse those needs, and to specify, manage and validate requirements based on those needs.
This module examines a disciplined approach to the process of eliciting; analysing, communicating and agreeing requirements as the essential first step in the development of information systems. The module discusses the options appropriate for a range of information system development processes such as waterfall and agile process.
IT Industry
This module aims to provide an understanding of the roles and activities of a modern IT function and to critically review the roles and activities. It deals with the organization of both the industry and a typical large IT function, together with the skills in managing an IT function including in-sourcing, outsourcing, partnering, sub-contracting and systems integration. Students will gain an appreciation of the IT marketplace and how the skills acquired in other modules are applied and fit together in the business context.

Project Preparation (if required for those not proceeding to level 7)
Project Preparation provides the opportunity for you to identify an appropriate research and /or development exercise which addresses and academic issue. It will enable you to identify and in-depth investigation of a topic of particular interest to you in the field of computing and information systems. The investigation may include a literature survey of the topic, selection of appropriate software and / or systems and the identification of a methodology that would be used in the project itself.
Project (if required for those not proceeding to level 7
The Project provides the opportunity for you to carry out an appropriate research and /or development exercise which addresses an academic issue. It will enable you to identify and in-depth investigation of a topic of particular interest to you in the field of computing and information systems. The investigation may include the development of software and / or systems analysis following a standard methodology and may be associated with work done for an organization as part of a job, placement or internship.
C and Java Support
These additional learning support classes are provided for all students who need them.
Level 7 (Year 2)

Project Management
Project management related to information systems is growing in importance within a wide range of private and public sector environments, where the need for efficiency, budgetary control and timely completion is increasing. This module will give you a comprehensive understanding of good project management practice, the skills and professional techniques needed, and the interactions within, or associated with, commercial project teams. The life cycle of any project needs to be appreciated by all stakeholders, and you will learn how to support and encourage others to aim for successful completion.

Consultancy and Technological Innovation
This module gives you the skills to understand, and work in, the complex multi-sourced environment that supports business change, applying global technologies to a real-life case study using programme management concepts. Focusing on the strategic management of leading-edge technology, you will examine the organisational structure of IT, including systems integrators and consultancy, and gain an overview of the IT consulting world, its principles and practice.

Enterprise Architecture
Successfully managing IT on the enterprise level is getting increasingly important, but due to the size, complexity and sheer amount of information systems this can be challenging for organisations. Enterprise architecture is a discipline that provides for enterprise wide business and IT alignment. This module focuses on recent paradigms that have impact on how organisations manage their information systems in order to achieve business and IT alignment from an enterprise point of view. The module will review some of the enterprise architecture principles, frameworks and methods.

Knowledge Management
In this module, you will explore the widely accepted theories and frameworks for knowledge management - and their application in technologies and learning organisations. On completion, you will understand the way knowledge from these diverse disciplines is used within the development of Decision Support Systems (DSS).

Learning and Professional Development
This is a preparatory module for all students enrolling on the MSc Information Systems. Learning and Professional Development (LPD) is designed to orientate new masters students and especially international students to masters level study. It is delivered on a weekly basis in two hour sessions to provide regular support in areas of content, competence and development. The module is preparatory for Research Methods in a subsequent semester which then forms the basis for the dissertation.

Employability Skills and Employment
This additional learning support module aims to provide students with an opportunity to prepare for employment and further develop skills proportionate with postgraduate study and industry requirements in preparation for a professional career.
HCI for Information Systems (optional)
With this module, you will gain a good understanding of user-centred design (UCD) principles and frameworks. You will cover various requirement elicitation and evaluation techniques involving users, including taking a socio-technical approach to designing interactive systems. This module describes, critically analyses and exemplifies all phases of the process.

You will explore practical exposition UCD techniques through low-fidelity prototyping scenarios, and will cover the integration of UCD with new software development methods, such as Agile. On completion, you will understand the way UCD and prototyping techniques are used within the general practice of software engineering.

Mobile Applications Development (optional)
This module has been developed in conjunction with industry to provide hands-on experience developing software for mobile devices. An open source approach to software development will be used throughout the module. Students will gain experience using relevant industry standard tools to support their work.

Data Architectures (optional)
This module introduces the concepts and techniques required to support Component Based Development. Modern distributed architectures rely increasingly on the use of software components to construct and deploy applications. This module describes the conceptual framework underpinning application assembly from components and outlines the supporting software processes. Students are provided with practical experience in modelling component specifications as well as an indication of future development in this area.

UML Component Modelling (optional)
This module introduces the concepts and techniques needed to support component-based development. Modern distributed architectures rely increasingly on software components to construct and deploy applications, and here you will cover the conceptual framework underpinning application assembly from components, and the supporting software processes. You will gain practical experience in modelling component specifications and consider future development in this area.
Security Management ( optional) * new module to be offered from September 2014
This module provides a general introduction to assuring the security of systems, networks, data and user identities. New threats are emerging as digital technologies permeate into most aspects of social life and in transactions between parties opening potential for fraud, deception and corruption.

Research Methods
This module gives you the skills to acquire and distil knowledge, preparing you to carry out applied research in the area of information systems, and in computing in general. You will learn to use appropriate data collection and statistical methods and tools to support your research ideas.
Dissertation
With this module, you have the opportunity to carry out an original piece of research, adding to existing knowledge and demonstrating an ability to select, define and focus on an issue at an appropriate level. You will also develop and apply relevant methodologies to analyse your topic areas, and to develop recommendations and logical conclusions in the context of existing work in the area. Your dissertation can be the design and implementation of a complex software application, a literature-focused study, or a research-focused empirical study.