Postgraduate handbook 2004
Information Technology

Master of Information Management and Systems

Course code: 2401 + Caulfield + Course director: Ms Kerry Tanner

The Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) is offered by the School of Information Management and Systems (SIMS). The program aims to prepare students for careers in information systems and information management. Graduates of the MIMS are expected to play leading professional roles in Australia and other countries. The course attracts students from a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds. MIMS can be studied in full-time and part-time modes, and a number of units are available by off-campus learning (OCL). Each MIMS student is required to specialise in at least one area of information systems or information management.

Entry requirements

The normal entry requirement is a degree that is equivalent to an Australian bachelors degree. Candidates without formal tertiary qualifications will enter via the faculty's Executive Certificate in Information Technology, except in exceptional circumstances as approved by the head of school.

Course structure

To qualify with the MIMS, students must complete 72 points of graduate units - a minimum of 60 points from SIMS and a maximum of 12 points of free choice electives, which can be taken from any graduate program in the Faculty of Information Technology including SIMS or, with the approval of the course leader, from other faculties of the university. The SIMS units in the MIMS are shown in the list below. Each student's course of study must include four foundation units and at least one specialisation from information systems development, information technology management, knowledge management, business intelligence, library and information services, electronic recordkeeping and archiving or e-business. Students are also required to complete FIT9001 (Masters transition program). The requirement to complete FIT9001 is only applicable to on-campus students. FIT9001 is a 0point unit studied over four weeks (weeks three to six) through four two-hour workshops. This unit must be completed before students can enrol into their second semester of study.
Students should take careful note of prerequisites for the units in the specialisation they have chosen and complete these units early in their course. Many units have foundation units as prerequisites. The foundation units have been designed for students with little prior study in information technology.
Some electives are classed as `special entry', and admission requires the formal approval of the head of school. It may be possible for some students to complete more than one specialisation in their degree. The specialisations completed will be acknowledged on a student's official academic transcript.
Students who successfully complete 24 points of study from SIMS graduate units may exit the course with a Graduate Certificate in Information Management and Systems. Students who successfully complete 48 points of study, of which 36 points are from graduate units within SIMS, may exit the course with a Graduate Diploma in Information Management and Systems.

One compulsory unit

• FIT9001 (Masters transition program)

Foundation units

Select four units from the following list:

• IMS9001 Systems analysis and design
• IMS9003 Business information management
• IMS9043 Information technology in organisations
• IMS9049 ICT fundamentals for IS/IM professionals
• IMS9300 IS/IM fundamentals
• CSE9000 Foundations of programming or BUS9520 Business systems A (but not both)

Specialisations

Information technology management

Select four units from the following list:

• IMS5002 Information systems security
• IMS5007 Electronic commerce
• IMS5042 Information systems strategic planning
• IMS5052 Enterprise systems
• IMS5320 Managing IT risk

Information systems development

Compulsory units within the specialisation:

• IMS5006 Information systems development practices
• IMS5024 Information systems modelling
• IMS5302 Human factors and usability
• IMS5401 Web-based systems development

Business intelligence

Compulsory units within the specialisation:

• IMS5004 OLAP and business intelligence
• IMS5005 Decision support systems
• IMS5026 Data warehousing

Plus one of the following:

• IMS5027 Knowledge management principles*
• IMS5028 Customer relationship management systems

Knowledge management

Compulsory units within the specialisation:

• IMS5027 Knowledge management principles*

Plus three units selected from the following:

• IMS5005 Decision support systems
• IMS5023 Information enterprise management and marketing*
• IMS5033 Electronic document management and recordkeeping systems*
• IMS5048 The information continuum*
• IMS5330 Knowledge management systems development

e-Business

Compulsory units within the specialisation:

• IMS5004 OLAP and business intelligence
• IMS5007 Electronic commerce
• IMS5401 Web-based systems development

Plus one of the following:

• IMS5027 Knowledge management principles*
• IMS5028 Customer relationship management systems
• IMS5033 Electronic document management and recordkeeping systems*

Library information services

Compulsory units within the specialisation:

• IMS5015 Professional practice*
• IMS5016 Information access*
• IMS5017 Information organisation*

Plus one of the following:

• IMS5027 Knowledge management principles*
• IMS5031 Managing virtual libraries*

Electronic recordkeeping and archiving

Compulsory units within the specialisation:

• IMS5010 Evidence and metadata*
• IMS5011 Recordkeeping, archiving and the internet*
• IMS5015 Professional practice*
• IMS5047 Managing business records*

The additional elective units are:

• IMS4036 Introduction to information management and systems research
• IMS5022 Contemporary issues in the information society*
• IMS5036 Information management and systems research methods

The special entry units are:

• IMS5021 Reading unit
• IMS5037 Research topic

* Units offered on-campus and by off-campus learning.

Course length

The course duration is three semesters full-time or six semesters part-time.

Advanced standing

Students who have completed a graduate qualification with a recognised specialisation in information systems or information management may be granted credit or advanced standing. The granting of more than 24 points of credit or advanced standing is rare. Students who have been granted credit or advanced standing must still meet the specialisation and foundation unit requirements in order to complete this course.

Professional recognition

Students who successfully complete the MIMS may, depending on their unit choice, be eligible for professional accreditation/recognition by the Australian Computer Society, the Australian Library and Information Association, the Australian Society of Archivists, or the Records Management Association of Australia.

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