Business Information Systems - MSc

The innovative Business Information Systems course provides you with sound, theoretically informed and relevant knowledge of modern information and communications technologies and its use in key business and organisational settings. Graduates will have the specialist scientific and technological expertise as well as research skills to be able to develop or further their careers as business IT practitioners, “hybrid” managers or multidisciplinary researchers. This programme is suitable if you don’t have a management or technology based qualification.

Through the course you will understand and appreciate the strategic value of technologies and processes as a source of competitive advantage, both nationally and internationally and find out how to respond to the increasing need for greater understanding of the role advanced information and communication technologies plays in the workplace and at home.

The multidisciplinary curriculum spans a variety of topics, such as: technology management, system design, organisational behaviour, business strategy, and marketing. You will learn about the central issues in designing and managing business information systems and in assessing the role of IT in the globalisation of business activities; as well as develop an understanding and appreciation of the strategic value of technologies and processes as a source of competitive advantage, both nationally and internationally.

You will join an intellectually stimulating, friendly and supportive research environment and will work closely with our expert and experienced academic staff.

• Unique programme which combines the management knowledge and technical skills required by successful hybrid managers in contemporary organisations.
• Flexibility to tailor your studies to suit your specific areas of interest, such as; enterprise systems e-business, knowledge management, business intelligence and cyber crime.
• Latest thinking and exciting intellectual challenges provided by academics who are at the frontiers of their subjects.

Course structure

Pre-course preparation

• Foundations of Modern Management and Organisational Analysis

Core modules

• People and Technology
• Information System Design, Development and Management.
• Information Systems Theory and Practice
• Database and Web Technologies 
• Dissertation Preparation and Research Methods
• Dissertation

Optional modules

In addition to these mandatory course units there are a number of optional course units available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course units that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new units may be offered or existing units may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

• Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
• Cyber Crime
• Enterprise Systems Management
• E-Business

Teaching & assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, examinations and a dissertation.

Your future career

Graduates with a MSc in Business Information Systems from Royal Holloway will have enhanced and widen their career prospects. The programme provides an excellent preparation for both managers and business IT practitioners and those who intend to embark on a research degree. The programme will help you to use your existing skills in the burgeoning field of information and communication technologies, as well as increase your degree of confidence in communicating with other people.

Graduates in recent years have entered many different business information systems-related areas, including: Business Analyst at Ford Motor Company, Information Security Consultant at Barclays, SAP HR Functional Consultant at Satyam Computer Services, Business Analyst at Oracle,Technology Consultant at Hewlett Packard and as Microsoft Dynamics CRM Applications Analyst at Whitbread.

Visit the Business Information Systems - MSc page on the Royal Holloway, University of London website for more details!