Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Course

The Master of Business Information Systems (MBIS) is part of a program which comprises three degrees: Master of Business Information Systems, Master of Business Information Systems Professional and Master of Business Information Systems (Honours).

This course prepares students with previous qualifications in any discipline, for careers in IT management, applications development, business information systems, information systems, information management, or knowledge management.

Seven specialisations are offered within the Master of Business Information Systems (although not all specialisations may be offered in any one year).

The objectives of this course are to:

• provide students with knowledge and understanding of fundamental principles in the disciplinary areas that underpin the information technology field
• provide students with knowledge, understanding, and experiences that transcend technologies and are robust over time so that students are well placed to deal with ongoing, rapid changes in the information technology field
• develop students' understanding of a significant area of business information systems to a level of depth and sophistication consistent with senior professional practice
• enable students to complement their detailed studies of a significant area of business information systems with elective study from a wide range of disciplines.

This course has been accredited by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) as meeting the standard for professional-level membership. Students who successfully complete the MBIS may, depending on their unit choice, be eligible for professional accreditation/recognition by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA), or the Records Management Association of Australasia (RMAA).

The course consists of 12 approved masters level units.

Students complete:

(i) four MBIS foundation units (24 points) as listed below

(ii) four units (24 points) from the MBIS specialisations listed under "Areas of Study"

(iii) four elective units (24 points)

MBIS foundation (core) units

• FIT9003 Database systems design*
• FIT9004 Computer programming for business or FIT9017 Foundations of programming*
• FIT9005 Computer architecture and networks*
• FIT9006 Information technology management*

* Units offered by off-campus learning (OCL) mode.

MBIS specialisations

Students can choose to complete one or two MBIS specialisations or select units from a number of these and complete the course without a specialisation. It is highly recommended that students specialise by completing all the units in at least one specialisation.

MBIS elective units

Students can take electives from the following:

• FIT5098 Industry based project (12 points)*
• FIT9058 Chinese language information technology
• level four and five units from 3309 Master of Applied Information Technology and 2402 Master of Information Technology
• units within the MBIS specialisations or from other postgraduate units within Monash, subject to the approval of the course coordinator.

* This unit involves partnership with industry. Entry to FIT5098 is competitive and requires a distinction average in 48 points on MBIS study. Final selection is by interview.

Areas of Study

• Business application development
• Business intelligence
• Business systems
• Corporate information and knowledge management
• Enterprise systems
• Library, archival and recordkeeping systems
• Project management

Graduates of the MBIS will not automatically qualify for entry into a PhD program. High performing students may study a minor thesis by enrolling in course 3343 MBIS (Honours), and with appropriate grades they could progress to a research degree.

Students wishing to exit this course early may apply to graduate with one of the following provided they have satisfied the requirements for the award:

• Graduate or Postgraduate Certificate in Business Information Systems after successful completion of 24 points of study;
• Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma in Business Information Systems after successful completion of 48 points of study;
• Graduate Diploma in Information and Knowledge Management after successful completion of 48 points of study.

Master of Business Information Systems