Information Systems, BSc (Hons)

This course addresses the growing need for graduates with business-orientated and interactive computing skills. It teaches you how to design, develop and manage information systems with a strong focus on the business environment.

You will develop a range of sought after technical skills in information system and web development. You will also study the:

• way in which IT supports business processes
• difficult yet fascinating task of ensuring that this support is effective.

We have combined modules from the main computing courses with more business-orientated and interactive computing modules. Our aim is to ensure that you form the knowledge and skill set that commercial employers find attractive.

Why choose this course?

• It is accredited by the bcs, The Chartered Institute for IT to Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status. Recent research shows that professionals with BCS' CITP are the top earners in the UK IT industry.
• It shares a common first year allowing you the flexibility to review your pathway once you've started studying.
• This course is a partner in the Communications and Mobile Information Technology Faraday Partnership - which ensures all courses are relevant to industry and developing technologies.
• You will have the opportunity to undertake a yearlong paid work placement in industry, recent examples have included Hewlett Packard and Siemens
• Our student work can be ground-breaking, innovative and consistently attracts industry attention.

Questions? Just ask NTU
Telephone: +44 (0)115 848 4200

This cluster of Information Technology courses has the greatest breadth, covering to varying degrees of depth:

• networking and communications technology
• business and information systems
• interactive / multimedia development.

By sharing a common first year of study, you have the option to review your course and change your pathway at the end of your first year. Other courses within this cluster include:

• BSc (Hons) Digital Media Technology
• BSc (Hons) Information and Communication Technology
• BSc (Hons) Computing.

There are approximately 70 places available across the cluster.

What will I study?

Year One

• Foundation in Computing and Technology
• Web-based Programming
• Internet Technology
• System Analysis and Design with Professional Development

Year Two

• Information Systems Development
• Information and Database Engineering
• Internet Applications Development
• Techniques for Business
• Understanding the IT Industry
• Practical Project Management

Year Three
Optional work placement year.

Final Year

• Project
• Information Systems Management
• Business Analysis
• Interaction Design & Project Management

One from the following optional modules:

• Advanced Imaging and Display Technology
• Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing
• Serious Games
• Mobile Platform Development
• Communicating Science and Technology
• Professional Practice

For further information, download the module descriptions document

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed on a variety components including the following.

Coursework and Practical 77%

• Assignments
• Dissertation
• Group projects
• Oral presentations
• Laboratory exercises and reports

Written 23%

• Exams
• Written tests

How will I learn?

Scheduled contact time in lectures and seminars is around 12 hours per week. These will be held on Clifton campus. Lectures are spread across various buildings on campus, including:

• Erasmus Darwin
• George Eliot
• the Computing and Informatics Building.

See the Clifton campus maps and travel information.

What's included in the course fees?

Your course fees cover all the facilities and support you need to succeed.

• We provide extensive computing facilities. Some of these facilities are available twenty-four hours a day and include technician support. This will give you flexibility in your study time.
• Most major software is available across the campus machines, including Adobe Master Collection Suite (only exception is 3D studio Max which is housed in our specialist Games labs).
• We provide dedicated online storage to support backup of your work.
• We provide free or discounted personal copies of all software used on the course except Adobe.
• You will be have Microsoft Academic Alliance membership, which gives you free copies of all Microsoft developer software including operating systems, Visio and Project.
• We will provide you with a free personal copy of 3D Studio Max.
• Extensive equipment is available to loan for coursework and project work. For example, you can borrow cameras, phones, games consoles.
• Extensive free training software is available including tutorials on 3D Studio Max, Flash, Photoshop, TCP/IP Packet analysis, Java, Javascript, HTML5 and Oracle.

Who will teach me?

We have 35 full-time academic teaching staff in Computing and Technology. We and our students have excellent support from our four dedicated technicians.

We have a rich mix of knowledge ranging from software development for different types of system through to hardware aspects such as networking. This involves many uses of computing and considers all aspects including security and management. Our knowledge is built up and maintained through our:

• wealth of industrial experience
• industrial links
• research activity.

These are the ingredients for ensuring the relevance and vitality of your course.

Much of our research is internationally recognised, particularly in the areas of Games for Learning and in Security. For example, Prof David Brown leads several projects, funded by the European Union, in games and assistive technology while Prof Paul Evans’ innovative developments in security are supported by USA Dept of Homeland Security.

We also engage in the following activities:

• developing patents (for example, in voice signal processing)
• the GameCity Festival
• organising conferences on Interactive Technology and Games and on Intelligent Environments
• working with local companies on funded projects e.g. enhancing the capability of the press association to search their image database
• publishing novel findings in research publications on for example financial prediction, mobile communications, detection of human behaviour patterns.

For information on International student support or to see our academic terms times please visit our International student pages.

View the full course specification
Please note that course specifications may be subject to change

The School of Science and Technology is a stimulating and creative environment which equips students with the knowledge and transferable skills to put them ahead of the graduate crowd.

We provide facilities that enhance the quality of our education and push the boundaries of our research. Students have access to specialist centres including:

• games console laboratories
• networking and security laboratories
• human-interactive technology
• stereo-projection.

Students also enjoy working with the latest software. Examples include:

• EnCase
• 3D StudioMax
• XNA Xbox development suite
• the Adobe Creative Suite (Flash, After Effects, Photoshop)
• the Unreal and Half-life Games Engines.

Across NTU, we have a range of first-class facilities that you would expect from a university with high quality teaching and world-leading research. These include:

• a British Olympic Association-approved environmental chamber
• a crime scene training facility
• a host of sporting clubs and societies to get involved in.