Table of Contents

15. Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Information Systems (BCom/BIS)
    15.1. Course objectives
    15.2. Attributes of the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Information Systems graduate
    15.3. Duration
    15.4. Course requirements
        15.4.1. Commerce component
        15.4.2. Information systems component
        15.4.3. Balance of points


15. Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Information Systems (BCom/BIS)

The combined Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Information Systems course provides a course of study for students who want to understand information systems from a technological perspective, the organisational contexts in which these systems are developed, and the business environments which determine how the systems can be used to create value. Graduates of this course should readily find employment across a spectrum of knowledge-intensive careers, including accounting, consulting, and general management.

15.1. Course objectives

As for the Bachelor of Commerce (see Attributes of a commerce graduate) and the Bachelor of Information Systems (Objectives of the course).

It will be possible within the outlines of the BCom/BIS course to achieve either the approved undergraduate course of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICA) or the required subjects for associate status with CPA Australia.

15.2. Attributes of the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Information Systems graduate

In commerce/information systems at the University of Melbourne, we expect to educate our students with the fundamental skill of managing information, its transformation into knowledge and being able to integrate this knowledge into a business environment. These outcomes are fully consistent with the University's general ambition for our graduates, and emphasise the transferability of the skills practised in commerce and information systems.

Throughout their course, students will find that many of the abilities that they develop are shared by, and so are valued by and are applicable to, activities in all walks of life. In particular, these are the skills that are essential to providing leadership to the business and information-technology base of the Australian economy and culture.

Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Information Systems graduates have strong information technology skills with an awareness of the business environment. These graduates are able to:

From their training in information systems, graduates have five streams of knowledge and skills: information systems, information technology, organisations, analytical skills, and professional competencies.

These graduates comprehend the larger picture of how information systems collect, process, store, and distribute information so that it can be used to make decisions, keep track of resources, and plan for the future. In particular, they can imagine, specify, design, justify, build, implement, manage and use information systems to add value in a wide variety of public and private organisations.

They are familiar and comfortable working with computer hardware and software, telecommunications, databases and data structures, information technology architectures, and information technology infrastructures. They have practical experience in these areas enabling them to assess the current and future capability of information technology. They therefore know the potential of information technology to add value in an organisation, knowledge that is vital to the successful implementation and use of information systems.

A distinguishing characteristic of the Bachelor of Information Systems graduate is their ability to analyse and evaluate the organisational environment and its impact on information systems. They are able to implement information systems efficiently and effectively in organisations analyse and understand the functions, processes, environments, characteristics and cultures that give rise to a complete organisation.

Graduates also have a broad range of analytical skills, including data classification and modeling, information mapping and representation, systems analysis and design, and statistics. These and other analytical skills are essential for understanding, and communicating about, complex organisational situations and the potential and performance of information systems, to ensure that effective design, development, and implementation of information systems in organisations occurs.

Having been trained in professional skills within their program of study, graduates are able to interact effectively with people across the broad spectrum of technical and business interests and skills. The program gives graduates a set of personal competencies, including listening, collecting and synthesising information, writing, presenting, and working in teams, which are vital in any organisational context.

Their studies in commercial disciplines enable graduates to accept and deal with a level of uncertainty in problem solving and decision making, particularly when access to information is limited.

The need to manage the multiplicity of tasks (lectures, laboratory and assignment work), means that commerce/information systems graduates are aware of the need to structure and manage time effectively and efficiently, to retain balance and to prioritise their activities. They are able to juggle several tasks simultaneously, take responsibility for their own work, independently or within a group, and to plan their schedule appropriately.

15.3. Duration

The Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Information Systems course normally requires five years of full-time study, and may also be taken part-time.

15.4. Course requirements

Students must complete a minimum (and maximum) of 500 points. Within the 500 points, students must ensure that they satisfy the requirements of both the commerce component and the information systems component as specified below.

15.4.1. Commerce component

A minimum of 200 commerce points is required, which must include:

The 200 commerce points must be chosen from subjects taught by departments in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce, or subjects with a 732 prefix taught by the Faculty of Law.

15.4.2. Information systems component

A minimum of 212.5 points of information systems subjects is required, which must include:

Core information systems subjects:

100-level

615-110 Foundations of Information Systems

615-140 Technologies for Information Systems

615-145 Concepts in Software Development I

615-150 Organisational Processes

200-level

615-230 Database Concepts

615-237 Telecommunications Concepts

615-240 Concepts in Software Development II

615-245 Systems Analysis and Design

615-251 Organisational Analysis and Change

615-252 Electronic Commerce

300-level

615-346 Information Systems Architecture

615-355 Professional Issues in Info Systems

615-372 Project Management

615-373 Industrial Project

In no case may students receive credit for both a core subject and its alternative.

15.4.3. Balance of points

The remaining 87.5 points may be taken from subjects offered by information systems, economics and commerce, or another faculty.

Table 26: BCom/BIS course plan - example

Yr

 

Sem

 

Subjects

 

1

 

1

 

615-110

 

Commerce subject

 

Commerce subject

 

Commerce subject

 

2

 

615-150

 

615-140

 

Commerce subject

 

Commerce subject

 

2

 

1

 

615-145

(615-140)

 

615-251

(615-110)

 

Commerce subject

 

Commerce subject

 

2

 

615-237

(50 points of 100-level IS subjects)

 

615-252

(615-150)

 

Elective

 

Commerce subject

 

3

 

1

 

615-240

(615-145)

 

615-230

(615-145)

 

Elective

 

Commerce subject

 

2

 

615-245

(615-230, 615-240)

 

Information systems elective

 

Elective

 

Commerce subject

 

4

 

1

 

615-346

(615-245)

 

Information systems elective at 300-level

 

Elective

 

Commerce subject

 

2

 

615-355

(62.5 points of 200-level IS subjects)

 

Elective

 

Commerce subject

 

Commerce subject

 

5

 

1

 

615-372

(50 points of 200-level IS subjects)

 

Elective

 

Elective

 

Commerce subject

 

2

 

615-373

(615-372; corequisite 615-346)

 

Information systems elective at 300-level

 

Commerce subject

 

Commerce subject

 

Note: Prerequisites for subjects are noted in italics where appropriate

 

1. Students who commenced the Bachelor of Commerce /Bachelor of Information Systems prior to 2005 are not required to complete this subject.

Status:                   Official 2007
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