Bachelor of Business Information Systems

Purpose

The Bachelor of Business Information Systems is designed to equip qualified learners with the skills necessary to function as a (junior) business analyst, software developer or tester, database manager, or information technology (IT) risk manager, thus addressing the need that an effective information system must be designed, developed and implemented in such a way as to support the strategic goals of the organisation within which it will be used, while at the same time providing security, maintainability, and ease of use.

Learners will be expected to apply analytical and logical thinking skills in order to identify and analyse business problems, document business processes, develop creative solutions, manage data and information, and communicate effectively with team members and project stakeholders. They will also gain limited experience in the fields of project management, database management, risk management, and network security. A research project accompanied by a related practical systems development project will be undertaken in the final year of the qualification, providing learners with valuable real-world experience.

Learners who successfully complete the qualification will demonstrate competence in both theoretical knowledge and practical application, through a combination of case studies and practical software development projects. The qualification will prepare learners to embark on a journey towards becoming specialists or leaders in their field, with the expertise needed to ensure that the information systems function is fully integrated into the organisation, and that IS projects are appropriately aligned with the organisation's operational and strategic goals.

Upon completion of this qualification, qualifying learners will be able to

• Gather, evaluate, and validate information obtained from project stakeholders, in order to determine organisational needs and/or the factors contributing to current problems, so that the organisational context and the project goals can be accurately defined.
• Conduct research into similar existing systems, in order to identify factors that are likely to have either a positive or a negative impact on project success.

> Integrate knowledge of information systems with relevant elements from the fields of management, accounting, law, and economics, in order to analyse a business, identify stakeholder requirements, create a detailed technical specification, and develop and implement an appropriate solution.

• Manage a systems development project involving multiple stakeholders and project team members, from inception through to the post-implementation review.
• Demonstrate a variety of communication and documentation skills ranging from individual stakeholder interviews to formal meetings and review sessions, to highly technical specification documents for the system that is to be developed and implemented.
• Demonstrate accountability for decisions made during the systems development and implementation process and be able to justify the ethical values that underpin them.
• Apply secure computing principles and techniques in order to identify and assess potential risks affecting the security of networks, information assets, and data communications.
• Analyse business and operational data in order to monitor the performance of the system and proactively provide the organisation with insight into potential business problems and/or opportunities.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution has an approved Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy which is applicable to equivalent qualifications for admission into the qualification. RPL will be applied to accommodate applicants who qualify. RPL thus provides alternative access and admission to qualifications, as well as advancement within qualifications. RPL may be applied for access, credits from modules, and credits for or towards the qualification.

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations should they be allowed entrance into the qualification.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL from credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, granting access to Bachelor's degree studies.

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational), NQF Level 4, granting access to Bachelor's degree studies.

Or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, with endorsement.

Or

• Higher Certificate in Information Technology, NQF Level 5.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5, 6, and 7 totalling 369 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5,145 Credits

• Fundamentals of Information Technology, 10 Credits.
• Technology and Society, 10 Credits.
• Computational Thinking and Introduction to Programming, 20 Credits.
• Introduction to Databases, 10 Credits.
• Software Engineering, 10 Credits.
• Object-Oriented Programming, 15 Credits.
• Information Security for IS Practitioners, 10 Credits.
• Introduction to Business Management, 20 Credits.
• Principles of Accounting, 20 Credits.
• Principles of Microeconomics, 20 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6,104 Credits

• Web Systems and Technologies, 20 Credits.
• Introduction to Business Analysis and Technical Communication, 20 Credits.
• Object-Oriented Analysis, 10 Credits.
• Object-Oriented Design, 20 Credits.
• Information Systems Project Management, 20 Credits.
• Business Law, 14 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7,120 Credits

• Information Systems Literature Review, 10 Credits.
• Information Systems Development Project, 30 Credits.
• Human-Centric Design, 10 Credits.
• Electronic Commerce, 10 Credits.
• Business Process Management, 10 Credits.
• Risk Management and Disaster Recovery, 10 Credits.
• IT Governance, 10 Credits.
• Business Intelligence, 10 Credits.
• Emerging Technologies, 10 Credits.
• Technology Start-Ups, 10 Credits.

1. Gather, evaluate, and validate information obtained from project stakeholders, in order to determine organisational needs and/or the factors contributing to current problems, so that the organisational context and the project goals can be accurately defined.
2. Conduct research into similar existing systems, to identify factors that are likely to have either a positive or a negative impact on project success.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of financial, legal, tax-related and employment issues that would need to be considered when implementing an IT-based solution within the South African context.
4. Manage a systems development project involving multiple stakeholders and project team members, from inception through to the post-implementation review.
5. Demonstrate a variety of communication and documentation skills ranging from individual stakeholder interviews to formal meetings and review sessions, to highly technical specification documents for the system that is to be developed and implemented.
6. Demonstrate accountability for decisions made during the systems development and implementation process and be able to justify the ethical values that underpin them.
7. Apply secure computing principles and techniques in order to identify and assess potential risks affecting the security of networks, information assets, and data communications.
8. Analyse business and operational data in order to monitor the performance of the system and proactively provide the organisation with insight into potential business problems and/or opportunities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Identify and apply appropriate methods for gathering information and delivering feedback.
• Investigate business problems and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Elicit and prioritise solution requirements, describe potential solutions, and evaluate their feasibility.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Conduct a systematic literature search centered on the features and capabilities of an existing category of the software product.
• Analyse the literature search results to identify issues affecting the usability and usefulness of the selected software product.
• Write a literature review ('domain analysis report') that evaluates how the software product has been or is currently being used; and suggests how the software product could be improved to be more efficient, reusable, customizable, or marketable.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Demonstrate an understanding of the responsibilities of governing bodies in monitoring the use of IT within an organisation.
• Create and manage a project budget, including appropriate financing options.
• Integrate knowledge of information systems with relevant elements from the fields of management, accounting, law and economics, in order to incorporate best practices in respect of IT governance and risk management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Participate in a software development team, based on agreed roles and responsibilities.
• Elicit, analyse, and document the solution requirements, in a way that supports their ongoing management and traceability.
• Create a detailed design document that specifies the overall solution architecture, as well as the detailed design of the system.
• Develop, implement and demonstrate a working prototype, and conduct a post-implementation review

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Identify and apply appropriate methods for gathering information and delivering feedback.
• Create a well-structured technical document and prepare and deliver a technical presentation.
• Model a software system using appropriate object-oriented techniques for systems analysis including relevant UML diagrams.

Construct UML structure, interaction, and behaviour diagrams to support the design phase of systems development.

• Create and maintain project documentation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of ethical practice within the Information Systems domain.
• Demonstrate an understanding of biases that may influence management decision-making.
• Contribute to the maintenance of a just internet and world of technology.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Identify common threats affecting information security at the human, physical, network and application levels; and outline preventative measures that can be used to eliminate or manage these threats.
• Outline the steps that should be taken in order to resume operations after a disaster affecting a specific organisation's IT systems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Use clustering, differentiation, and classification techniques to identify groups of entities that share similar attributes, and to ascertain the key characteristics that define different groups.
• Use regression analysis to derive the optimal weighting of predictor variables that are used to estimate the value of a specified result variable.
• Suggest ways in which data science techniques can enhance organisational decision-making and contribute to competitive advantage.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Assessment is mostly conducted through formative, submitted assignments, tests, discussion forums, presentations and/or projects (which together contribute 40% of the final result for the module) and one summative assessment, consisting of either an open or closed book invigilated sit-down exam, an open book proctored take-home exam or a project/submission (weighted 60% of the final result for the module).

To ensure that the process results in a fair and valid assessment, the entire assessment process is subject to a layered checking and re-checking process that ensures the integrity of the overall assessment and its place in the qualification as a whole. This includes internal and external moderation, as per our policy. Learners are guided at the beginning of the semester with regard to the assessment structure of each module in order to set expectations. The formative assessment tasks include self-assessment mock tests and written, invigilated tests and the summative assessment tasks include examinations. Substantive formative assessment feedback is given on an individual basis.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment of this qualification provides learners with feedback related to

• Activities.
• Class participation.
• Mock exams.
• Project-based learning assignments.

Feedback

Feedback is recognised as an essential component of the learning process. However, the type of feedback given to learners will vary depending on the type of assessment task being assessed. Feedback is provided during mock test feedback sessions and in the form of written comments on test scripts, focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of the learners. For all assessment tasks, learners are provided with information as to how marks are allocated, while model answers help learners to improve their understanding of the content that was assessed.

Summative assessment

The final summative assessment may be based on any of the following formats

• An invigilated, venue-based examination (either open-book or closed-book) testing learners' knowledge and competency with regard to all associated module outcomes, as well as exit level outcomes where applicable.

>A comprehensive research or systems development project accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation and/or an oral presentation, demonstrating learners' knowledge and competency with regard to all associated module outcomes, as well as exit level outcomes where applicable.

• An open-book 'take-home' examination based on a complex organisational case study, that requires learners to write a project proposal explaining how a technology-based solution could address the business problems described in the case study, demonstrating learners' knowledge and competency with regard to all associated module outcomes, as well as exit level outcomes where applicable.