Top-up your degree from anywhere in the world.
The demand for IT specialists is rising, so a top-up information systems course could be exactly what you need to succeed in your chosen career.
This one-year course is ideal for students who can work remotely but are looking to gain an excellent understanding of information systems alongside the skills required to succeed in the design, analysis, development, and management of IT.
You’ll be taught through distance learning by experts who also carry out research and industrial collaboration in their specialist areas.
Our information systems degree will provide you with key training in all the latest IT skills and concepts. This includes software development, design for end users, and design for multiple platforms like web and computing. Your existing technical skills will be complemented by new learning, including communication, organisation, teamwork, application, and many more.
Middlesex University's ranked 176-200 in the world for computer science (THE World University Ranking, 2019).
You will develop competencies for specifying, designing and constructing effective implementation strategies for computer-based systems consistent with a range of business needs. You will also develop the ability to form effective dialogue with various stakeholders (a range of audiences) in electronic as well as written and oral forms for effective dialogue with various stakeholders.
You will be trained in identifying and managing resources necessary for all stages of projects – analysis, planning, estimation, execution and improvement – of individual systems development to ensure technical, financial and quality targets are met.
Your numerate and computational skills will be honed and advanced through practical exercises. The modules also support the development of generic computational skills such as processing and representing data, and internet communication
The course will help develop key academic writing skills, notably through report writing and documentation of practical coursework.
Our multidisciplinary programme gives you the chance to top up your currently existing qualifications to a full BSc degree. You’ll also have the opportunity to continue to postgraduate research once you finish the course.
We have 145 years of experience delivering professional, creative and technical education that prepares students – like you – for success in global careers.
The information systems course includes a range of practical and development exercises to give you confidence in applying what you’ve learned. You’ll work on projects like learning and data analytics, using data collected as part of the department’s various projects. You’ll get the chance to attend workshops by Information La and learn about data visualisation with Tableau.
Some of the projects you’ll be part of will focus on how individuals with different personalities learn, the visualisation of stress and emotion during presentations and even investigations of educational technologies.
Our industry links mean you’ll be taught the latest industrial practices, maximising the chances of employment once you graduate. The course will prepare you for a range of different roles like systems designer or developer, IT project manager, user experience architect, and many more.
You’ll work with a supervisor who has specialist knowledge of their field to choose and pursue a theme that suits your interests and career goals. It’ll give you the chance to problem-solve, just like you would in a place of work.
Sign up to receive the latest information about studying at Middlesex University London.
Our communications are designed to support you in deciding your future and keep you up to date about student finance, employment opportunities and student activities available at Middlesex University.
The course teaches decision making and strategic planning skills for effective use of information technology, and the appropriate use of key implementation strategies for computer-based systems consistent with a range of business needs.
It also includes a range practical design and development exercises. These include the design and implementation of prototype solutions and their iterative development combined with practical user research and the deployment of formative evaluation techniques.
Theoretical concepts will be introduced which can be applied to method selection, strategic planning problem-solving in IT domains. This includes learning how key theories from various core disciplines relevant to design and development, and an understanding of how they can be applied.
The module aims to introduce the theories and methods associated with user-centred design, providing theories and models of the way users think and work that have impact on user interface design. The module provides an understanding of the underlying processes of human perception, information processing, and collaborative, socially organised action. You will learn how to construct interface designs that match users' needs.
This module aims to introduce the major Software Engineering Methodologies that underpin Information System Development (ISD) and to examine critically issues related to their application in commercial and organisational contexts.
This module aims to provide you with knowledge and skills relevant to the management and planning of Information Systems within modern organisations in Industry. You will learn techniques for planning and controlling IT projects, managing risk and quality and dealing with various organisational aspects.
This module investigates three modern technological enablers of BIS: Web Services, Mobile Applications and Cloud Computing. These mechanisms power global e-Commerce. The module will first look at Web technology starting with Web protocols, languages and Web standards. It then moves on to issues of design, accessibility, usability and security of Web Services. The Mobile Computing component of this module is focused around building applications. It first explores the use of Software Development Kits (SDKs) such as the Android SDK and Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) such as Android Studio and ECLIPSE. The module then investigates how applications are managed and deployed and then proceeds on to memory and storage management as well as performance issues. Cloud Computing is the last segment of the module and will start with examining the uses of the cloud for computing, database, storage and networking. Types of Cloud paradigms such as IaaS, PaaS and SaaS are then explored. The implementations of Cloud Computing Environments such as OpenStack, AWS and Microsoft Azure are then investigated. Finally, issue of deployment, monitoring, automation and security of Cloud operations and facilities are discussed.
To find out more about this course, please download the Information Systems (Top-up) specification (PDF).
This course is an online distance learning programme, so all teaching and learning is done online. Your lectures will be pre-recorded for asynchronous online delivery. Your seminars, labs and workshops will be delivered online synchronously.
Each module syllabus is divided into topics and a schedule of weekly learning tasks covering those topics broadly in order. The learning tasks comprise a combination of tuition events and learning activities.
Work is divided into credits of approximately 10 hours of study time. You will need to complete 120 credits per year, which are broken down into modules of typically 30 credits.
For distance learning courses, you can study from anywhere with an internet connection.
Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments with time for work, life commitments and independent study.
During your first year, your weekly timetable will typically consist of:
Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.
Here is an indication of how you will split your time.
Percentage | Hours | Typical activity |
20% | 240 | Teaching, learning and assessment |
80% | 960 | Independent learning |
Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop your skills from research and practical skills to critical thinking. Our Sheppard Library is open 24 hours a day, either online or on campus, during term time.
Your learning will be assessed regularly and is made up of 100% coursework.
Every module on this course is an individual portfolio of assessed coursework compiled for the module. Each coursework assignment is accompanied by a marking scheme to assist you in structuring and scoping your work.
To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback.
Our library is open online 24 hours a day during the term and includes:
We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health and disability support.
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.
Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions and useful guides.
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.
Our degree prepares you for a wide range of varied careers. As a graduate you will have excellent career prospects and the range of potential employers will be vast across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. There is also the potential to work as a self-employed director of your own business. This course will appeal to students considering careers as IT consultants, application developers, Internet and web designers, or in computer support.
Graduates can progress into careers in organisations such as:
In addition to the specific technical skills that are required for each job role, IT graduates who take this top-up also develop a number of transferable skills that are valuable in any workplace. These skills include:
Our employability service, MDXworks will launch you into the world of work from the beginning of your course, with placements, projects and networking opportunities through our 1000+ links with industry and big-name employers in London and globally.
Our dedicated lifetime career support, like our business start-up support programme and funding for entrepreneurs, has been recognised with the following awards:
The top 20 UK universities for business leaders and entrepreneurs – Business Money, 2023
A top 10 university for producing CEOs – Novuana, 2023
Want to be your own boss? You'll have the chance to pitch your business to gain mentoring and grants of up to £15,000.
You’ll study with students from 122 countries who’ll hopefully become part of your global network. And after you graduate, we'll still support you through our alumni network to help you progress in your chosen career.
The fees below differ depending academic year:
Full-time students: £6,000
Full-time students: £6,600
The following study tools are included in your fees:
The following course-related costs are not included in the fees, and you will need to budget for these:
Computer and reliable internet connection.
To help make uni affordable, we do everything we can to support you including our:
Find out more about undergraduate funding and all of our scholarships and bursaries.
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 Springett has 30 years’ experience working in the area of interaction design, both in industry and academia. He is a member of the British Computer Society Human Computer Interaction Group.
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.