Business Information Technology Masters (MSc)

Information technology (IT) has become intrinsic to business and project management. Organisations in all sectors and industries rely upon their IT and business systems to operate effectively. They need IT managers and consultants that are equally capable in both disciplines. That's where you come in. As a Business Information Technology MSc student you bridge the gap between business and IT.

Kingston's Business Information Technology MSc equips students with a practical understanding of IT from a business perspective. Our graduates possess a strategic blend of IT and business competences and are ready to spring into rewarding careers in IT management and consultancy.

IT knowledge in a strategic business context

The Business Information Technology masters course is delivered by specialist IT and business lecturers in a business school environment. This provides students with the best of both disciplines – it's not merely a business course with a bolt-on IT module or a computing course with business bolted-on, but a wholly integrated business and IT postgraduate degree.

All of the examples and situations you will study are business-based. The variety of modules offered, and the theories and knowledge you learn, are all embedded into actual practice. This enables you to prepare for new developments in digital business, and equip yourself with knowledge highly relevant to these emerging technologies.

Real consultancy experience

All students take on a live group consulting project for an actual company with a business issue to solve. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience working in a business IT environment, and to prepare and present reports to real management teams.

The consulting project can be very flexible. For students with relevant experience it might involve developing an IT product or prototype, for others it might involve preparing an IT plan that integrates computing and business systems. It's a great opportunity to show future employers just what you are capable of achieving.

Multi-level project management

Organisations need IT managers and consultants who can design and report on a project in its entirety. As a Business Information Technology MSc student you will develop a working knowledge of low level technologies, such as the systems which enable the internet to function. You will identify which technologies are applicable for particular projects and situations. And you will understand the impact these technologies have for the IT project, the information architecture and for the broader business systems into which it will fit.

Plan, design and predict new document management applications. Investigate how current technologies are used to provide more-effective management systems. Comprehend e-business web programming and related security issues. Form strategies for the exploitation, management and implementation of Internet and e-commerce applications.

The strategic and granular view you develop during the course enhances your career opportunities.

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.

Core modules

• Strategic IT Management and Consultancy

• Strategic IT Management and Consultancy

  Understand theory and practice in organisational strategy and IT management consultancy, with a particular focus on technology based solutions. Place strategic management models into practical settings, blend management strategy with people and technology, and analyse problem situations in organisations. This module covers:

  • the business initiation process, including initial concept construction, market research and identifying a gap;
  • the consulting process, including initial contact, project initiation, objective definition, project proposal, project progression and communicating findings;
  • corporate strategy and planning topics, including organisational aims, objectives and mission, resource analysis, management structures, forms of strategic organisation and styles of corporate cultures;
  • strategy formulation and control scenario topics, including alternative competitive strategies, strategy formulation, analysis and implementation, strategy selection and evaluation, and budgetary control systems and metrics; and
  • models of strategic analysis, strategic tools and their limitations.
  
   
• Business Internet Technologies and Services

• Business Internet Technologies and Services

  Investigate the processes required in analysing, designing and building a Web based server-side application. Learn the advantages of a structured analysis and design approach and how modern web based software development combines development tools, programming languages, mark-up technologies and environments. Prepare to use emerging technologies like Web Services and the Semantic Web to transform mobile apps and service based information systems. This module covers:

  • system development strategies and methodologies, including assessing the appropriateness of a system/methodology to the development of an internet based systems, business internet models and open source;
  • design topics such as using UML with the relational and object model, normalisation and the web implementation interface;
  • technologies including database query and programming techniques; tools for web based systems, mark-up languages and XML;
  • document and data modelling areas including DTDs, transformation technologies, Web Services and REST; and
  • new and emerging technologies, including web-based systems implementations, new mark-up languages and cloud technologies.
  
   
• Strategic Project Management and Practice

• Strategic Project Management and Practice

  Develop your knowledge of project management concepts with an emphasis on business related tasks. Planning, monitor and control project resources, using standard and popular project management techniques. Investigate projects that are critically important for an organisation's sustainable competitive advantage, and focus on how to manage complex projects which are closely aligned with business strategy. This module covers:

  • project management practice, including project approaches, individual activity and project planning, management and evaluation, risk management and quality assurance, managing resources, people and teams, standards and popular methods and quality assurance;
  • linking projects with business strategy: definitions, factors, principles and approaches, and programme management in business strategy context;
  • managing a portfolio of projects, including contracts, project portfolios specifics, balancing priorities and resources and achieving maximal added value across portfolios;
  • resolving programme obstacles and conflicts, through risk management, quality assurance and contingency planning;
  • monitoring an organisation's change capability and readiness, including gearing organisations to efficient change management, and how roles, competencies and capabilities link to organisation strategy;and
  • realising end-point business value, comparing deliverables-oriented to outcomes-oriented approaches, mapping a project portfolio to business strategy and achieving sustainable competitive advantage.
  
   
• E-Commerce Operations

• E-Commerce Operations

  Examines the key concepts and approaches businesses face in the development of e-commerce operations and internet presence. Critically evaluate the key strategic models used in successful e-commerce designs. Define the processes and procedures required to translate this into an effective e-commerce business process. This module covers:

  • the e-commerce environment, from origins to present day, and its impact on changing management structure in the functional areas of business, setting management goals and objectives, and current issues and perspectives;
  • trends and developments, including the restructuring of the relationship between consumers, supply-chain and manufacturers, operational challenges and barriers to the development of solutions;
  • marketing topics, including targeting and segmentation, managing the consumer services product offering, communication issues and opportunities and managing service delivery and total product offering;
  • supply chain management topics, including the supplier relationship, buying strategy, supplier selection and sourcing, Efficient Consumer Response, Electronic Data Interchange systems and electronic trading network;and
  • future issues in e-commerce strategy and planning, including competitive advantage, new directions in emerging technologies and markets, customer service solutions, e-commerce management strategies.
  
   
• Business Information Architecture

• Business Information Architecture

  Investigate the changing landscape of enterprise information architecture and information resources management. Recognise the effect technologies have on organisational practices and business processes. Understand business process management, the management of IT investments in an enterprise, the use of service oriented architectures and the commoditisation of IT and Cloud-based services. Make effective decisions from technological and managerial perspectives. This module covers:

  • resources management and information architecture philosophy, current trends, knowledge management and flow practices, designing a knowledge management infrastructure and procurement and pricing;
  • technology and information systems architectures, including enterprise stacks and common components (ERP, CRM, SCM), commoditisation and cloud-based services, accounting and management information systems, customisation and integration;
  • IT governance frameworks, such as performance measures; IT investment portfolio management and governance, assessing enterprise value of IT investments, the Val IT framework and value measuring methodology; and
  • ethical and legal issues, including principles and behaviour, etiquette, privacy and confidentiality, intellectual property rights and disclosure.
  
   
• Dissertation

• Dissertation

  The following themes will be covered.

  • Defining scientific research
  • Definitions of ‘paradigm' and ‘normal science'
  • The ‘research wheel'
  • Induction v. Deduction
  • Types of research
  • Selecting the research topic (Objectives, Theory, Methodology, Access, Timing)
  • Research design and methods (Purpose of study, Business and research problem definition, Context of research and ethical consideration, Overview of Qualitative and Quantitative approaches, Measures and Measurement, Data collection method qualitative and quantitative, Time horizon and project planning)
  • Quantitative versus qualitative research data collection strategies and analysis techniques
  • Choosing a supervisor
  • Relationship with supervisor
  
   

Attend an open day at Kingston Hill campus to find out why Kingston Business School is the perfect choice for your postgraduate study. 

If you are combining work and study, there are many ways that your workplace could gain from this course.

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