Caulfield campus
Course code: 1545
Course coordinator: Mr Brett Hodgson
The Bachelor of Information Systems is offered by the School of Information Management and Systems. The aim of the Bachelor of Information Systems is to provide undergraduate students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential to the analysis and design of computer-based information systems to address business problems. The course focuses on the application of technology to the solution of problems, rather than on the technology itself. It prepares students for careers as specialist systems analysts who work with users and business managers to identify the nature of their problems and design systems which make use of technology to solve them. This emphasis differentiates the course from the Bachelor of Computing which allows less specialisation in information systems.
The course structure is based around a core of information systems subjects which teach the skills and techniques needed to identify information problems and to design and implement solutions. Corequisite subjects in business, project management, computer systems and software development are specified to complement the information systems subjects. The course structure and content is monitored by a course advisory committee to ensure that it retains its professional relevance. Membership of the committeee comprises academics and representatives from industry, including some of the most senior information systems practitioners in Australia.
The course has been designed such that the first year has a similar structure to the Bachelor of Computing. This common first year allows greater flexibility of course progression and transfer, as Bachelor of Computing students may apply for admission to the Bachelor of Information Systems after their first year and vice versa.
Entry into the Bachelor of Information Systems will require completion of the Victorian Certificate of Education (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of C in English at levels 3 and 4. Mature-age applicants are considered on the basis of their employment history, educational background and career objectives. A lack of formal qualifications should not discourage inquiry. Applicants usually need to sit a STAT test. For further information, please refer to the `Information for students' section at the front of this handbook.
Bachelor of Computing students may apply for transfer to the Bachelor of Information Systems at the start of second year providing they meet the Bachelor of Information Systems English entry requirements and have achieved distinction grades in their first year information systems subjects.
The Bachelor of Information Systems will prepare students for careers as specialist systems analysts. In this role graduates will not be responsible for working with users to identify the nature of their problems and designing systems that can be implemented by other technical professionals. The course has a strong practical orientation, and will be ideally suited to meet the needs of industry, government and business.
For course map details please refer to the `Undergraduate course maps' section.
The pass degree for the Bachelor of Information Systems involves 144 credit points of study comprising:
The compulsory minor sequence from another faculty will comprise subjects in one discipline comprising at least twenty-eight points. The choice of electives must include at least two subjects from the Faculty of Business and Economics. These required business subjects may be counted toward the minor, in which case additional electives must be studied; they may be taken either from Faculty of Information Technology offerings or from outside the faculty. With careful choice of electives students may complete a major sequence in a business discipline.
Students may study the information systems subjects in the evening at Caulfield and during the day at Caulfield or Clayton. The non-computing minor may be studied at Caulfield or Clayton.
The first-year subjects serve as a general introduction to information systems and the system development process. Identifying user requirements is a major concern, and both first-year subjects emphasise the need for appropriate communication with the future end users of information systems.
The first-semester subject SYS1001 introduces students to the core aspects of the information systems curriculum. For each of these aspects the subject explains the key concepts, discusses their relevance to the task of developing an information system and indicates some of the main areas for further study and research.
The second-semester subject SYS1002 provides students with a detailed understanding of the information systems development process and the part which the systems analyst plays in it. The subject describes and contrasts four models of the systems development lifecycle. For each model it discusses the phases, activities and outputs of the development process, and the role, skills and characteristics required of the systems analyst.
The computer technology subjects (COT1130 and COT1140) and the software development subjects (SFT1101 and SFT 1102) provide the student with the basic grounding they need in computer hardware and programming.
Second year develops further information systems knowledge and skills. In second year there is an emphasis on the techniques of systems analysis and design which build on to the basic concepts of systems development which were studied in first year.
SYS2001 provides students with a detailed understanding of some of the mainstream techniques of systems analysis and design. These techniques are described and evaluated within the context of the system development process. The subject emphasises the technical aspects of the techniques and examines their application in practice.
SYS2002 introduces advanced concepts in systems analysis and design techniques. The subject builds on the basic techniques studied in SYS2001, and extends them to include techniques for complex systems, and socio-technical issues in analysis and design. The development and application of these techniques in practice are examined in the light of the changing role of systems and systems analysts in modern organisations.
SYS2003 provides students with a detailed understanding of the role and responsibilities of the systems analyst in professional practice in modern organisations. The subject examines the changing nature of the tasks of the analyst and the skills required to carry them out. There is a strong emphasis on the use of case studies of professional practice to illustrate the concepts discussed.
BUS2176 provides students with a detailed understanding of the principles, methods and techniques of project management in contemporary organisations. The subject examines the people and tasks involved in project management and the tools and techniques required to support it. It gives students the skills needed to manage a project in a business environment.
The third-year subjects consolidate the students' understanding of system development theory by giving them the opportunity to apply it in practice, and introduce them to a range of advanced topics in information systems.
SYS3500 (Information systems project) is an exercise in applying the skills and knowledge developed in the first two years of the course to a real-world problem where students can begin to appreciate the complexity of the system development process. Under the supervision of an academic staff member, students work in groups to build a system for a client who may be from within or outside the university. Successful completion of the project is a rewarding experience and one which prepares students well for employment as a systems analyst.
SYS3001 provides students with an introduction to the development and usage of systems to support managerial decision-making. The subject outlines the theoretical basis for these systems and describes the techniques and technologies available to the system builder. There is a strong emphasis on practical work in the development of small prototype systems to illustrate the theoretical concepts.
SYS3002 provides students with an introduction to the key concepts and contemporary issues in information systems management, and the tasks involved in overseeing the development and application of information systems in modern organisations. It examines recent developments in the changing usage of information systems by organisations and discusses their impacts on the information systems management function.
In addition to these compulsory subjects, students choose twenty-four credit points of study from a wide range of electives, either in information systems or in another discipline of their choice. Elective units are offered at both the Caulfield and Clayton campuses. Within information systems, students can choose to deepen their knowledge of aspects of information systems by taking elective subjects in advanced topics.
Coordinator: Ms Danielle Fowler
The honours year is designed to allow students to study an area of information systems in depth. Central to honours study is applied research leading to the presentation of a minor thesis. This not only prepares students for a research or academic career but develops important analytical skills for professional practice. Students are expected, where possible, to conduct their research within one of the school's research groups.
Students undertaking the honours program are enrolled in a single subject, namely SYS4000 (Information systems honours). This subject requires the completion of twenty-four points of coursework at fourth-year level and a minor thesis (twenty-four points). Students must take SYS4020 (Research methods) which teaches the overall principles and practice of academic research. They select the remainder of their program within the prerequisite structure as approved by the honours coordinator. Students can study up to twelve credit points of their coursework from other schools subject to the approval of the head of school.
Satisfactory results in the four coursework subjects is a hurdle requirement for completion of the honours year, but the overall SYS4000 grade of HI, HIIA, HIIB or HIII or N is determined by combining the coursework and thesis grades.
The information systems subjects at fourth-year level are: