Master of Business Information Systems

Unit Description

MBIS4001 Information Systems Applications in Business provides an introduction to the subject of information systems (IS) by presenting the most relevant concepts used to manage the integration of IS into business and society. The purpose of the unit is to facilitate proficient ways to simplify the use of technology in complex IS business environments and, by using case studies together with examples from industry, students will develop both a theoretical and a practical understanding of business information systems in order to achieve this.

More, this unit aims to build students’ awareness of the relationship between the functionality of IS and the requirements of business processes. In this way, students will learn how business organisations use IS to process data into information which can then be used for critical decision- making in the quest for competitive advantage.

Unit Description

Database management systems are ubiquitous. Almost all organisations adopt them to organise, analyse, extract, transform and load data in order to make effective decisions. This positions MBIS4003 Database Management System as an essential unit as it introduces students to the fundamentals of relational databases. Unit learning outcomes are attained through authentic assessment; that is, the application of relevant concepts, techniques and methodologies related to database management along with practical exercises.

This unit also covers data modelling associated with using entity relationship diagrams and other advanced concepts such as structured query language (SQL) and procedural language (PL). These will be completed in the weekly workshops.

Additionally, data analysis, sharing options and database systems security concepts are covered. Distributed database management systems and data mining are also included in the unit’s topics.

Unit Description

In this unit, MBIS 4003 Software Development, students will learn the fundamentals of software development. Students will investigate a client’s application software problems, evaluate approaches, and then design a solution using a programming language such as Python. The unit takes students through the lifecycle of a software development project including writing specifications, testing and design. Students will gather and analyse customer software needs and requirements, learn core principles of programming, develop software specifications and use appropriate reference tools. Upon successful completion of this unit, students will have the ability to assess, understand and design code.

Unit Description

MBIS4004 Systems Analysis Design covers the principles of analysis and design for information systems. Students will learn techniques in data requirements gathering and analysis along with methods to model data needs. Modelling of data will occur at the conceptual, logical, and physical levels along with an ability to compare and contrast different approaches.

Additionally, students will understand the importance and constraints imposed by the domain of the information system, along with business rules that guide the design of business information systems. This unit also addresses the role of functional dependencies and domain normalisation as part of requirements analysis and design using a user-centred design approach. At the end of this unit, students will have a sound understanding of the techniques required to model an information system.

Unit Description

MBIS4009 Professional Practice in Information Systems educates students about the ethical, legal and social issues that they are likely to meet as future information system (IS) professionals. Viewed through the lenses of current IS practice and professional codes of ethics, these issues include privacy, confidentiality, cybercrime and internet fraud. On successful completion of this unit, students will have become aware of the ethical and legal obligations within IS and will have developed their critical thinking skills sufficient to make ethical and professional decisions in preparation for their future role as IS professionals

Unit Description

MBIS4006 Information Systems Security provides a comprehensive study in the field of information systems security and an overview of professional, legal, and ethical issues faced by information system professionals in modern society. Students will demonstrate their ability to identify security threats to the infrastructure and information kept by commercial and government organisations which have economic value and are critical to public safety. Students will gauge the subsequent risks of various threats and develop risk management plans.

On successful completion of this unit, students will have acquired knowledge and skills necessary and sufficient to mitigate various security threats and attacks on contemporary information systems.

Unit Description

MBIS4007 Big Data and Data Visualisation introduces students to the concepts that inform big data analytics and visualisation. It will help students gain insights on how big data drives and supports an organisation’s strategy and how data centricity helps to make better business decisions.

The unit provides in-depth coverage of business motivations and drivers for big data adaptation, enterprise technologies and big data business intelligence. Topics covered will also include algorithms and machine learning techniques for big data and data science.

Furthermore, students will develop an understanding of data visualisation tools and techniques that will help them present information and data using appealing and informative dashboards. In summary, this unit aims to provide students with an ability to discover trends and outliers in the data using big data and visualisation principles, concepts, tools and techniques through hands-on practice.

Pre-requisite: MBIS4002 & MBIS4003

Unit Description

MBIS4008 Business Process Modelling facilitates students in examining and improving business operations. Informed by conceptual frameworks, students will use business process modelling software tools to make informed recommendations aimed at solving complex business problems as well as attendant improvements to organisational effectiveness and efficiency. This unit provides an opportunity for students to develop knowledge and skills necessary and sufficient to analyse and design business processes in a variety of business contexts.

Pre-requisite: MBIS4004 (Co-requisite)

Unit Description

Analytics plays an increasingly important role in determining the success of organisations in the digital age. MBIS5009 Business Analytics introduces students to the concepts and techniques that are used to leverage an organisation’s data for effective strategy and decision-making. This unit covers topics on understanding different types of data, finding relationships among attributes, and predicting outcomes by applying techniques such as regression, time series, classification and clustering. Furthermore, students will learn how to use Natural language processing techniques to analyse text from social media to understand customer feedback better.

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to answer business-related questions by identifying and applying appropriate business analytics tools and techniques. As future managers, students will learn how to use Python and associated libraries as well as KNIME to generate insights from raw data. Students will also develop an ability to manage risks, achieve higher customer satisfaction and thereby achieve business objectives such as increased profitability, more significant market share and improved shareholder value.

Pre-requisite: MBIS4007

Unit Description
It can be argued that, in the digital age, project management is essential to facilitate an organisation in achieving its objectives. In MBIS5020 Information Systems Project Management, students will develop an in-depth understanding of information systems project management by focusing on the inputs, processes and outputs associated with project initiation, execution, monitoring and closure. This unit will also focus on the use of agile project management approaches in information systems projects and uses project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Trello and Monday.com.
In taking a practical perspective, students will be required to propose and implement solutions to a real-world case and deliver a comprehensive group report. Through practical application, students will show that they are able to work effectively in a team environment and integrate vanguard project management knowledge and concepts to ensure the success of a case-based project.

Unit Description

This unit introduces students to the relationship between an organisation’s business processes and Enterprise Systems (ES). ES architecture, design, implementation and support strategies are also discussed. Students will learn about various Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) cycles such as Order to Cash, Procure to Pay, Hire to Retire and Record to Report. The unit also aims to cover Supply Chain Management, Customer Relationship Management, Financials, Human Resources /Payroll and other modules in ERP systems.

In MBIS4011 Enterprise Systems, students will not only learn the key theoretical concepts of ES, but they will also investigate business processes. This is achieved using ES software in laboratory tasks where students will be executing processes and cycles listed above; that is, creating master data like customers, suppliers and employees as well as transaction data like sales orders and purchase orders. Students will also cover performance operations in business such as Manufacturing, Purchasing, Human Capital Management, Finance, Projects and other key areas that relate to ES.

Pre-requisite: MBIS4001, MBIS4003, MBIS4008

Unit Description

Strategic information systems play an important role in enabling organisations to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Therefore, MBIS4012 Strategic Information Systems aims to develop students’ abilities to critically analyse and evaluate the impact of information systems (IS) on an organisation’s strategic performance. The unit also encourages students to reflect on the global contribution that IS makes to the strategic development of industries.

Students are presented with IS tools, techniques and management frameworks needed to identify opportunities for strategic thinking. More, they will understand the significance of strategic alignment, IS as an enabler of business activities, and they will be able to discover how IS can be an essential factor in the implementation of an organisation’s strategic plan. Students will critically evaluate real-world case studies on the role of strategic IS in the industry.

Pre-requisite: MBIS4005

Unit Description

Sustainability and Enterprise 4.0 informs students how information systems (IS) may be deployed through business commitments that work towards both societal and environmental sustainability. Enterprise 4.0 is a digital age core element that also contributes to sustainable global businesses and economies. Key trends and challenges are discussed in this unit through the use of case studies and other real-world approaches; with critical analysis and evaluation resulting in relevant responses. On successful completion of this unit, students can expect to have acquired knowledge necessary and sufficient to make informed IS decisions regarding business sustainability.

Unit Description

MBIS5014 Leading People in Digital Organisations introduces students to modern leadership and management practices. Students will investigate and analyse how these practices are applied to organisations in managing digital transformations of technology-based business models to enhance their organisational performance and to satisfy the digital markets in which they operate. On successful completion of this unit, students will gain knowledge in leading and managing people to support the ongoing change processes as well as to develop an organisation’s competitive advantage in the digital era.

Unit Description

As well as providing students with further knowledge and skills, MBIS5015 provides the opportunity for students’ knowledge, skills and abilities gained throughout the Master of Business Information Systems programme to be applied in this Capstone Project; especially those acquired in the prerequisite unit, MBIS5012 Strategic Information Systems.

Working in small teams, students will research a real-world problem and develop creative, practical, unique and relevant solutions. They will be required to undertake research that includes the application of theory and frameworks for problem identification, justification of approach, and the development and presentation of solutions. Students will also demonstrate their communication skills, technical competence and expertise. All groups will present their project outcomes at a showcase for the industry and academic members both within and outside of the Information Systems discipline. Student projects will vary, but all will require advanced research to support project development, reflection and technical output from the project.

Pre-requisite: MBIS5012*

* Students must firstly complete 72 credit points (8 units) before they are eligible to undertake the MBIS5015 Capstone Project.