Logo close icon
Section navigation
Main Baner Image

Business Information Systems Management MSc

Manage and improve business information systems and practices, to optimise businesses for success. And leverage your skills for a range of career opportunities
Code
PGG502
Start
September 2024
Duration
1 year full-time
2 years part-time
Attendance
Full-time
Part-time
Fees
£11,000 (UK) *
£17,300 (INT) *
Course leader
Carlisle George
" "

Business information, and using it to increase profitability, is becoming an ever more essential part of running any organisation. This course will train you to design and develop information management systems and make the best use of them in the workplace – a highly sought-after skill in today's competitive market.

Why choose Business Information Systems Management MSc at Middlesex?

Using business information to increase profitability is vital to running a successful business. Learn how to manage and improve business information systems and practices – a highly sought-after skill in today's competitive market.

The university's close links with industry have allowed us to develop a highly practical course, focusing on the skills employers tell us they want.

We work with companies such as Microsoft and Siemens, and we are a Cisco local academy and a Xilinx university partner – hence providing you access to industry-standard software/hardware, in our award-winning technology centre.

This course is accredited by the British Computer Society for Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status.

What you will gain

On our Business Information Systems Management MSc you will learn how to:

  • Manage systems and strategies, including quality management
  • Use models to evaluate processes and products and their impact on an organisation
  • Apply relevant regulatory frameworks that govern electronic commerce
  • Apply concepts/methods and technologies to develop business strategies for Internet enterprises
  • Apply concepts/theories (decision-making, data analytics) to manage large amounts of data
  • Apply theories/practices in knowledge management.

You will learn using the latest relevant technologies, and guest speakers from industry.

We will encourage you to publish your research and present your work at public conferences.

Accreditations

This course is accredited by the British Computer Society for Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status.

3 great reasons to pick this course

  • Excellent Reputation
    We have an excellent reputation in Business Information Systems Management, manifested by careers that our graduates have pursued with leading industry companies
  • State-of-the-art internetworking labs
    Take advantage of Cisco units, Blade servers, high-end simulation software, Industry-standard telecommunications equipment
  • Excellent employment prospects
    Students can leverage our links with industry giants like Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Mitsubishi, BAE Systems, IBM, Festo and Siemens.

Find out more

Sign up now to receive more information about studying at Middlesex University London.

On the MSc Business Information Systems Management, full-time students will complete four taught modules, and after a research project module.

You'll learn the technical skills you’ll need to introduce, manage and improve information systems and knowledge management programmes within an organisation to increase its profitability.

You’ll look at how information systems benefit an organisation, how to assess a company’s IT needs and choose appropriate technologies and methods for setting up a system. You’ll also explore business, management and decision-making theory, recent developments in information systems, and the legal, regulatory, ethical and professional issues surrounding the sector such as consumer protection, privacy, and intellectual property, copyright and trademarks.

Modules

  • Compulsory

    • Regulation of Electronic Commerce and Information Technology (30 credits)

      This module focuses on the regulation of electronic commerce activities and associated technologies.

      It gives you an understanding of regulatory frameworks for electronic technologies and the underlying legal principles that govern electronic commerce.

      The module critically examines the role of regulation in the commercial context of electronic transactions and how such regulation applies to these transactions.

      Legal and regulatory issues related to intellectual property, conducting business online, privacy, jurisdiction, taxation, cyber crime, dispute resolution are among many topics covered.

      In addition to the above, the module covers regulation in the broader context of professional and ethical issues relevant to the use of information technology.

    • Postgraduate Individual Project (60 credits)

      This module will give you an opportunity to:

      • Identify an appropriate topic area, taking account of the nature of the course of study (BISM or ESDF) and the student’s own particular interests and within the area, select a suitable research problem for investigation and solution
      • Critically place the problem and its solution within the context of the body of knowledge within the topic area
      • Plan and execute a professional project so as to accomplish its set goals within the allotted time and with given ethical guidelines
      • Apply previously-learned knowledge and techniques to the solution of the problem and to the management of the project
      • Critically evaluate the results and/or conclusions of the work completed.

      On completion of this module, the you will be able to:

      • Present a satisfactory written account of how the project was completed and what was found or produced
      • Use information tools and resources effectively
      • Work independently and take responsibility for your work.
    • Information Systems Quality Management (30 credits)

      The main aim of this module is to provide you with the knowledge and skills to better understand the quality management of information systems within organisations.

      Once successfully completing the module, you should have an excellent grounding to support further development within industry in information systems quality management, or in job roles such as business systems analyst.

      The module covers the different approaches to the software development lifecycle and also overviews the project management lifecycle.

      It considers operational business processes within organisations and the impact of change, discussing organisational structures. It includes teaching business process modelling.

      The development and key theories of quality management within organisations is presented showing how quality management has evolved since the 1980s.

      Various different quality management methods are introduced and their cost-effectiveness is assessed. The quality evaluation and certification of products and processes are also covered.

  • Optional

    • Data Management for Decision Support (30 credits)

      This module covers the concepts and theories of managing large data, i.e. data warehouse and data mining.

      It also explores technologies and algorithms for handling a large amount of data, i.e. data modelling, data projection and data transformation to discover knowledge from large data sets.

      The module is designed to apply the theories of decision-making and data analytics using some of the most widely used contemporary methods enabling modern decision support systems.

      In particular, the module applies theories and practices of enterprise decision making, for example, statistical modelling, forecasting and trend analysis to tackle the challenges of uncertainty.

    • Knowledge Management Strategies (30 credits)

      It is widely recognised that knowledge has become one of the most important resources in modern economy. However, understanding of how to measure and manage this resource is not straightforward.

      Knowledge management is a quickly evolving multidisciplinary field of research combining elements of organisational science, information technology and even artificial intelligence aimed at developing new strategies for management and fostering knowledge in organisations.

      To maintain competitive advantage in the knowledge economy, organisations have to invest into these knowledge management strategies.

      The aim of this module is to enable you to draw upon the latest theory and practice in knowledge management to be able to assist organisations in developing knowledge management systems that nurture and exploit business, social and technological aspects of the organisation.

To find out more about this course, please download the Business Information Systems Management MSc specification (PDF).

How we'll teach you

As well as doing practical work in our laboratories, you’ll attend interactive lectures, where your teachers will introduce you to concepts and principles and demonstrate models and tools. You’ll also attend seminars, workshops or tutorials, where you’ll analyse systems, work on real-life case studies and problem-solving exercises, take part in discussions and give presentations. You’ll support this with your own independent study and research. You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

The number of students in seminars is usually 20-30 students.

Where will I study?

You will be based at our north London campus.

Teaching vs independent study

In a typical year, you’ll spend about 1200 hours on your course.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.

Timetable

Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on campus sessions.

Typical weekly breakdown

Each of the four taught modules is allocated 3 hours of teaching per week and 9.5 hours for independent study.

Learning terms

On-campus: This includes tutor-led sessions such as seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations as well as student-led sessions for work in small groups.

Independent study: This is the work you do in your own time including reading and research.

Part-time study

You can also study this course part-time over two years. You will complete two taught modules per academic year.

Academic support

We have a strong support network online and on campus to help you develop your academic skills. We offer one-to-one and group sessions to develop your learning skills together with academic support from our library, IT teams and learning experts.

Coursework and assessments

You will be assessed100% through coursework and your research project. Assessments may include research papers and extended abstracts, essays, reports, critical analyses of research issues, database exercises, posters, presentations and case study assignments. Some assessed work will be done in groups and you’ll receive regular feedback on all work.

For your independent computing project you will plan, conduct and produce an original piece of research relevant to the industry. You will be assessed on your written report and possibly via an oral examination.

Feedback

You'll evaluate your work, skills and knowledge and identify areas for improvement. Sometimes you'll work in groups and assess each other's progress. Each term, you'll get regular feedback on your learning.

Facilities

Students will use up-to-date technologies for teaching and learning including software and labs.

The Sheppard Library

Our library is open 24 hours a day during the term and includes:

  • Over 1,000 study areas with rooms for group study and over 600 computer spaces
  • 350,000 books and e-books and more than 24,000 online journals
  • Free laptop loans, Wi-Fi and printing.

Student support

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Financial support

You can apply for scholarships and bursaries and our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.

We have also reduced the costs of studying with free laptop loans, free learning resources and discounts to save money on everyday things. Check out our guide to student life on a budget.

How can the Business Information Systems Management MSc support your career?

You will graduate from this course with excellent career prospects for roles such as - IT manager, project manager, business analyst, quality assurance engineer, information systems auditor, or web developer, due to the high demand for well-qualified IT professionals.

Career paths

Recent graduates have gone on to hold such positions as:

  • IT officer with the National Bank of Greece
  • Senior technical expert with Dell International Services
  • Network engineer with Logic on Solutions
  • Technical director at Manchester University.
  • Microsoft SQL server database administrator
  • Project manager at LUL - Transport for London
  • Network program manager, Microsoft
  • Senior bidder development manager at Verizon Media
  • Senior bidder development manager, EMEA, Yahoo
  • Demand services manager, AOL platforms.

You could also start your own business.

MDXWorks

MDXworks, our employability service, will help you make the most of your experience and connections to achieve your career goals. You'll have unlimited access to one-to-one advice and support from specialists in your sector plus 24/7 online support. You can also make the most of events and networking opportunities, on and off campus.

Global alumni network

You’ll be studying with students from 122 countries who’ll become part of your personal global network. You'll learn how to work with a global mindset and make invaluable connections on your course for your chosen industry.

  1. UK entry
  2. International entry
  3. How to apply

The fees below are for the 2024/25 academic year:

UK students1

Full-time students: £11,000
Part-time students: £73
Part-time students: £37

International students2

Full-time students: £17,300
Part-time students: £117 per credit
Part-time students: £59 per dissertation credit

Additional costs

We cover your costs for the day-to-day things that you need to do well in your studies.

  • Free – laptop loans, Wi-Fi and printing
  • Free specialist software for your course
  • Free online training with LinkedIn Learning.

The following course-related costs are not included in the fees, and you will need to budget for these:

  • the cost of books that you might wish to purchase.

Financial support

We offer lots of support to help you with fees and living costs. Check out our guide to student life on a budget and find out more about postgraduate funding.

Postgraduate scholarships

You may be eligible for one of our scholarships including:

  • The Alumni Postgraduate Award – for all UK/EU Middlesex alumni a 20% fee reduction
  • The Commonwealth Scholarship – full course fees, airfares and a living allowance
  • The Chevening Scholarship – full course fees
  • The European Academic Awards – £1000 to £7000 for students showing academic excellence
  • Regional or International Merit Award –up to £2,000 towards course fees

For international students, we also have a limited number of other awards specific to certain regions, and work in partnership with funding providers in your country to help support you financially with your study.

Find out more about our postgraduate scholarships.

Help from your employer

Your employer can contribute towards the cost of your postgraduate study as part of their staff development programme.

Work while you study

If you are not currently working, we can help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase postgraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

Dr Carlisle George
Programme Leader / Module Leader

Dr. Carlisle George is computer scientist and lawyer (barrister). He was called to the Bar of England and Wales at Lincoln's Inn (London) and the Bar of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (St Lucia). Among other qualifications, he holds a doctorate (PhD) in Computer Science from the University of London (Goldsmiths), a Masters degree (LLM) in Information Technology & Communications Law from the London School of Economics  and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Middlesex University. Dr George has a wealth of experience in academia. At Middlesex, he is an Associate Professor,  Programme Leader, Chair of the Computer Science Research Ethics Committee, Convenor of the ALERT (Aspects of Law and Ethics Related to Technology) research group, and Director of Studies (Supervisor) for several PhD students.

Dr Roman Belavkin
Associate Professor / Module Leader

Roman Belavkin obtained MSc in Physics from the Moscow State University and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Nottingham.  His research interests span several areas including geometric analysis of optimal and learning systems, dynamics of information, value of information, quantum information, topology of information, geometry and combinatorics of mutation and recombination of sequences, optimal control of evolutionary algorithms, cognitive modelling.

Roman joined Middlesex University in 2002, where he participated in several research projects and organized research seminars of the Artificial Intelligence group. Since 2009 Roman has been the Principle Investigator of the EPSRC project `SANDPIT: Evolution as an Information Dynamic System', which was led by Middlesex University in collaboration with Universities of Manchester, Keele and Warwick. Roman's current work is on geometric and dynamic value of information theory, which has applications in parameter control and optimization of learning, adaptive and evolving systems.

Prof Juan Augusto
Professor / Module Leader

Programmer (1982), System Analyst (1985), Licentiate in Computer Science (1992), Ph.D. in Computer Science (1998), M.Sc. in Higher Education Practice (2009).

Prof Augusto is interested in developing innovation of services supported by the use of sensing devices.

Dr Harjinder Rahanu
Senior Lecturer / Module Leader

Module leader:

  • BIS2000 - Business Information Systems (Module Leader)
  • BIS1215 - Business Information Systems (Module Leader)

Research Outputs and interests:

  • Social, legal and ethical issues of computing
  • Technology supported learning

Dr Stelios Kapetanakis
Module Leader

Sami Kafala
Module Leader


We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

Other courses

Network Management and Cloud Computing MSc

Start: September 2024

Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Code: PGG42G

Computer Science MSc

Start: September 2024

Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Code: PGG404

Back to top