Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Information Systems

Purpose

Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT) is a major international growth area, and there is a worldwide shortage of qualified and trained IS professionals. This qualification aims to develop the necessary skills, practical experience and knowledge in learners to enable them to meet this challenge. The qualification modules build on the IS '97 curriculum, the most widely accepted international standard for IS education to learner level. It aims to provide learners with the necessary mix of technical, organisational and management knowledge and skills to qualify them as IS professionals.

The qualification will go in more depth into the core areas of the international IS '97 curriculum but will add a major IS management component and cover IS practice in industry. There will also be opportunities for specialisation, by choosing from alternative elective options that will further develop the skills and knowledge relevant to the business and systems analyst, IT specialists, application developers and project managers, IS change managers and general IS management.

The qualification will enhance their understanding of the broad IS body of knowledge and will give them additional experience in group work, oral presentations and discussions, problem-solving, system development, project management, report writing and the research process.

The qualification will produce learners suitable for entry level positions as analyst/programmers, business analysts, IS or management consultants, IS specialists, IS entrepreneurs, and IS managers, and equip them well for further management responsibilities.

Rationale

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution conducts RPL in terms of the policy and guidelines of the institution to recognise other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience.

In cases where learners do not comply with the formal admission requirements, the institution applies its RPL policy.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Appropriate Bachelor qualification, NQF Level 7.

1. Understand and manipulate qualitative and quantitative data within an area of specialisation;
2. Design and conduct research in his or her area of specialisation;
3. Produce academic papers that reflect an ability to interrogate the professional literature and engage in critical debate;
4. Find information of professional relevance efficiently and independently;
5. Use information-technology efficiently and independently;
6. Embark on Masters level research study under supervision;
7. Articulate an understanding of an area of specialisation at a high level of abstraction;
8. Independently apply discipline-based knowledge and practices to an understanding of conceptual and practical problems;
9. Design and conduct research utilising the methods of the discipline;
10. Apply the theory and research methods of the discipline to the development of research questions;
11. Produce theoretical and research communications that draw on a range of information bases.

The following associated assessment criteria apply across all Exit Level Outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge of the most important recent findings and discoveries in the discipline they are studying;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the principal academic issues and controversies being debated by academics in their field of study;
• Demonstrate appropriate levels of technical competence in the application of quantitative and computer-assisted problem solving;
• Have the ability to read and discuss some of the important articles that appear in the relevant academic journals;
• conduct a literature search and construct a catalogue raisonne of the principal academic works relating to a particular subject matter;
• Apply their specialist knowledge to real-life commercial situation in South Africa and globally;
• Participate in discussions of normative issues relevant to the conduct of research and the conduct of business.

Integrated assessment

A learner will be assessed specifically on reflexive competencies in the ability to integrate and self-consciously appraise performance (by him or herself and others) in al foundational and practical competencies through participation in the Group Systems Development Project and the Empirical Research module. The systems development project requires small groups of learners to find an outside organisation requiring the computer-based solution of a real-world business or social problem. They will be expected to work together on an intensive basis over a period, meeting regularly with users, and with a member of staff. They will be assessed on their ability to carry out the tasks expected of an industry project team, using criteria such as correctness of problem analysis and definition; effectiveness and imagination of system criteria such as correctness of problem analysis and definition; effectiveness and imagination of system design; success of project estimation, planning and management; depth, clarity, presentation and usefulness of a range of documentation; robustness, functionality, innovation and ease of use of the working computer system, and presentation skills. Learners will be assessed in their performance on defining and scooping the IS project using formal IS project techniques, performing feasibility and risk analyses, determining user requirements, building a working computer system, and designing and executing a plan for testing it. They will also be assessed on a range of user, technical and project documentation, progress reports, the allocation and scheduled use of their resources, how effectively they manage themselves as a team, and formal oral presentation and demonstration of the complete project. These abilities will be assessed through regular, feedback-driven observations and commentary.

In their empirical research they will be rated using the range of criteria listed above on their ability to produce a literature survey on a given topic, identify an appropriate research methodology, perform the research, and produce a research report to the standard of a first cut of a publishable journal article.

The technical skills required of a BCom Hons (IS) learner will also be integrative assessed through written examinations covering the major body of knowledge of IS. Learners will be assessed on the basis of their ability to apply knowledge in an integrated fashion to questions on case studies and real-world situations that have not been explained to them in advance.