Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Course

This degree focuses on the applications of IT to model and solve business problems and leads to a career in business information technology. The curriculum has been developed in consultation with industry partners of the faculty, that regularly employ graduates of the program. It is a broad-based degree, with core units ranging from computer programming to business analysis. Students develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes in the broad areas of business programming, business information systems, e-business, business analysis and decision support.

The course has two major aims; to provide students with an understanding of information technology's role in business and to prepare them for leadership and consulting roles.

The course teaches fundamental concepts as well as the application of information technology in business. In addition, graduates should be able to relate their university studies to the world of business and to offer employers a competitive advantage in business operations.

Specifically, graduates will have knowledge of:

• how information technology is used within organisations
• the fundamentals of business programming; the techniques used to develop business information systems
• current business information systems
• business processes
• and business analysis.

Graduates will also have an understanding of:

• the applications of information technology in industry
• the analysis and interpretation of business data
• business systems development within organisations
• how information systems can support business processes and decision making within organisations
• and project management.

Graduates will have the skills to:

• develop business applications
• analyse and interpret business data
• solve quantitative business problems
• rapidly learn and apply emerging technologies
• improve business productivity using information technology
• and communicate at a professional level with clients, system users and peers.

They will also have developed attitudes which allow them to:

• produce work to the very best of their ability
• work effectively in a team environment
• and interact effectively with clients, system users and peers.

Graduates obtain employment in a wide range of roles including business analyst, project manager or IT consultant.

Industry Based Learning Program

The Industry Based Learning (IBL) program is available to Australian citizens and Australian permanent resident visa holders and applicants who qualify are awarded a scholarship (currently valued at $36,000 over three years) and undertake two 22-week industry placements with participating companies as directed by the University. The student's work during the placement will be structured and assessed as part of the degree. IBL stream students are required to be available during the normal vacation period in summer and winter for special units and industry based learning placements.

There are two intakes into the IBL stream each year. Students can be admitted prior to the commencement of first year or at the end of their first year of study. For further information on IBL, including post-admission application deadlines please visit http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/ibl.

This course is accredited by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) as meeting the standard of knowledge for professional-level membership.

The course includes compulsory (core) and optional (elective) units selected from the Faculty of Information Technology, plus units chosen from those offered by other faculties.

Two streams are offered - the coursework stream and the industry based learning (IBL) stream. A major in business decision modelling may also be taken.

The Bachelor of Business Information Systems degree consists of units to a total value of 144 points. A maximum of 60 points of first-year units may be counted towards the degree. Students must complete at least 36 points of second-year units and at least 36 points of third-year units.

Students must complete the course requirements for the relevant stream as specified below.

Coursework stream

All units are 6 points, unless otherwise specified.

First year

• FIT1001 Computer systems
• FIT1002 Computer programming
• FIT1003 IT in organisations
• FIT1004 Database
• FIT1005 Networks and data communications
• FIT1006 Business information analysis

Second year

• FIT2001 Systems analysis and design
• FIT2002 Project management
• FIT2006 Business process modelling and workflow
• FIT2011 Decision support systems fundamentals
• FIT2013 e-Business technologies
• FIT2017 Computer models for business decision making

Third year

• FIT3003 Business intelligence and data warehousing or FIT3022 Intelligent decision support systems
• FIT3009 e-Business systems or FIT3012 Enterprise systems

Elective units*

• two (6-point) third-year BBIS electives chosen from a schedule published by the Faculty of Information Technology
• three (6-point) electives from the Faculty of Business and Economics
• five (6-point) electives chosen from any faculty or school of the University

Industry Based Learning (IBL) stream

All units are 6 points, unless otherwise specified.

First year

• FIT1001 Computer systems
• FIT1002 Computer programming
• FIT1003 IT in organisations
• FIT1004 Database
• FIT1005 Networks and data communications
• FIT1006 Business information analysis
• FIT1013 IT for business

Second year

• FIT2001 Systems analysis and design
• FIT2002 Project management**
• FIT2006 Business process modelling and workflow
• FIT2011 Decision support systems fundamentals
• FIT2013 e-Business technologies
• FIT2017 Computer models for business decision making
• FIT2032 Industry-based learning (18 points)
• FIT2035 Communications for IT professionals

Third year

• FIT3045 Industry-based learning (18 points)
• FIT3003 Business intelligence and data warehousing or FIT3022 Intelligent decision support systems
• FIT3009 e-Business systems or FIT3012 Enterprise systems

Elective units*

• one (6-point) BBIS elective chosen from a schedule published by the Faculty of Information Technology
• one (6-point) elective from the Faculty of Business and Economics

* Electives in both the coursework and IBL streams are subject to the requirement that a maximum of 60 points be obtained in the first year, and a minimum of 36 points be obtained in the second and third year.

** IBL students should complete FIT2002 Project management over summer semester of first year or will be required to overload in their final semester.

Business decision modelling major

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Business Information Systems with a major in business decision modelling, students must complete the units listed below whilst fulfulling the requirements of the coursework or the Industry-based learning stream. All units are six points, unless otherwise specified.

Compulsory units

• FIT1006 Business information analysis
• FIT2011 Decision support systems fundamentals
• FIT2017 Computer models for business decision making
• FIT3003 Business intelligence and data warehousing or FIT3022 Intelligent decision support systems

Elective units

Students must complete four of the following units (at least one of which must be at third-year level):

• FIT1013 IT for business
• FIT2032 Industry-based learning (18 points)** or FIT3045 Industry-based learning (18 points)**
• FIT3003 Business intelligence and data warehousing (if not completed as a compulsory unit above)
• FIT3022 Intelligent decision support systems (if not completed as a compulsory unit above)
• FIT3051 Decision support systems for finance or AFC3540 Modelling in finance
• FIT3102 Operations management systems
• ETC2410 Introductory econometrics
• ETC2440 Mathematics for economics and business
• ETC2450 Applied forecasting for business and economics
• ETC3490 Business simulation

** These units are only available to industry-based learning stream students.

Bachelor of Business Information Systems