Information Technology with Business Studies with Foundation Year

This module introduces basic computing knowledge and skills to a level that will give you confidence you can study and practice computing at Honours level.   

Indicative Content 

• Essential concepts of computer programming  
• Database queries 
• Web technologies   
• Basics of how computers and computer networks operate    
• Issues of Security 
• Awareness of own pace of learning, and how to learn effectively. 

The focus of the module is on helping you gain a well-rounded understanding of computing, on able to see common threads in development methods, and being able to apply your learning about computing, and your learning about study approaches into project work on other areas on the course. 

This module extends on “Foundations in Computing 1” (and has study of that module as a prerequisite). You will explore computing to a greater depth - for example further program design and implementation, and explore wider uses of computing used in business, social contexts and embedded into other technologies. . 

Indicative Content:

• Programming simple programs effectively 

• Understanding example application areas (e.g. IoT, Games) 

• Understanding how computing supports businesses 

• Further practise of skills in a topic area you are considering selecting for Honours studies 

The module maintains the ethos of its prerequisite (Foundations in Computing 1), by provide you with a broad but largely integrated understanding of computing. A further strong aim is to help you make a properly informed choice as to which branch(es) of computing you wish to follow for study at Honours level. 

This module develops your mathematics skills relevant to the IT discipline. You choose whether to target an “Advanced” level (which includes topics relevant to degrees in the Computer Science area), or “Standard” level (which includes topics that can occur in any IT-related studies). 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Fractions and decimals 

• Percentages, rounding, estimations 

• Standard form, metric units, indices, powers 

• Algebra and solving linear equations 

• Factorisations 

• Matrices 

• Logic gates and truth tables 

• Binary number system 

• Statistics 

Indices and powers (advanced level) 

• Factorising and solving quadratic equations (advanced) 

• Simultaneous equations and matrices (advanced) 

• Correlation and linear regression (advanced) 

This module is specifically designed to help support students on the Foundation Year of a BSc Honours course in a computing area.  You will develop an understanding of, and practise, skills needed for study at Honours level and for eventual employment. 

Indicative Content 

• Disability and Inclusiveness 

• Understanding learning processes and its relationship to success in assessment 

• Finding appropriate information 

• Effective communication 

• Effective use of IT Tools for clear communications and personal professional organisation 

• Academic Integrity 

An underlying theme of the module is to help you gain an ability to see for yourself where your study skills lie, and which areas you can make further improvements.  

This module develops the skills needed to analyse competitive market situations to better understand customers, competitors and marketplace developments.  You’ll create market responses in terms of the product or service solutions required through a market-led analysis approach that considers customer and competitor changes. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Changing roles of consumers 
• Marketing environment  
• Market research / market information  
• Segmentation, targeting & positioning 
• Consumer decision-making process 
• Marketing mix  
• Competitor analysis  
• Consumer psychology & consumer retention 
• Customer demographics  
• Customer orientation   

This module develops your ability to analyse the external and competitive environments of organisations and how to evaluate their internal resources and functions.  You will also reinforce your academic and employability skills as you develop your digital citizenship. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

 
Resource conversion processes 

• Composition of external and competitive environments 
• Analysis of the external environment 
• Analysis of the competitive environment 
• Identification of and analysis of stakeholders 
• Organisational structure and organisational culture 
• Functional areas of a business: marketing, finance, human resources management and operations management 
• Change in an organisation and the impact of the external environment on change 

Report writing and research 

• Critical thinking 
• Effective communication, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, organisation and management, conflict management and resolution
• Professional CVs and social platforms (e.g. LinkedIn) 
• Personal and Professional Development Plans (PPDP) 
• Effective group work 

This module introduces the complete development cycle from modelling and agreeing user requirements through to implementation and delivery of a prototype software system.  It will progress your understanding of the importance of group working as you develop an information system using CASE tools design software. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Functional activities and business processes and their supporting documentation 

• Communication and information flows within organisations and the role of the information systems that support them 

• Computer-based information systems, the problems involved and the need for systems concepts methods and tools to address these problems 

• Analysis and modelling of information systems requirements and tools for the design of a database system to support information needs 

This module introduces computer technology and how it can be used to collect and analyse data. 

 
You’ll study topics such as: 

• Computer technologies 
• Emerging digital technologies  
• Internet of Things (IoT) 
• Technology-driven automation of processes and data collection 
• Understand ‘data’ and analysis 
• Strategic business decision-making 

This module develops your knowledge and practical business analyst skills that contribute to the implementation of enterprise systems using appropriate tools. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Business process and business functions 

• Business analysis – theoretical foundation, tools and techniques 

• Business analysts – requirement analysis 

• Enterprise system (ES) benefits 

• Implementation and Critical Success Factors (CSF) 

• The future, intelligent ERP, and smart technologies 

• SAP S/4 HANA and Fiori 

This module develops your professional portfolio and employability skills.  It will build your confidence in understanding and undertaking assessments and interviews as you work on real-life project briefs and deliver business cases. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

Business case fundamentals to analyse and resolve business or service problems 

• Project planning and management 

• Professional skills and behaviours through management of the project and working with people 

• Communicate skills 

• Reflection and recognising professional behaviours 

This module introduces you to the cloud and emerging technologies including available services and deployment models as well as applications on the cloud. It will contextualise cloud computing within the current business environment and awareness of management principles associated with delivering cloud solutions. You will also be introduced to content management systems (CMS) and develop knowledge in designing, configuring, installing and building a web-based system.  

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Cloud computing analysis within business context 

• Advantages and disadvantages of contemporary deployment models 

• Cloud migration plans 

• Evaluation of cloud design solutions: reduced energy consumption, cost savings, flexibility, scalability, risks, legal ownership of data, privacy, security, and accountability 

• Cloud service layers and services 

• Cloud providers 

• Management of cloud projects 

• Emerging technologies 

• Content Management Systems (CMS) 

• HTML & CSS 

This module develops your understanding of IT service management through recognition and application of the information technology infrastructure library (ITIL) best practice standards within a business environment.  You will build your understanding of service operation and service transition of the ITIL framework and critically evaluate and reflect upon real-life IT infrastructure scenarios and present solutions within the context of ITIL. 

You’ll study topics such as: 

• Service management 

• ITIL framework 

• Service operation and transition 

• Service desk 

• Access management 

• Incident management 

• Problem management 

• Request fulfilment 

• Service asset & configuration management 

• Change management 

• Release & deployment management 

• Service validation & testing 

Module aim:    

The aim of this module is to enhance students’ professional development through the completion of and reflection on meaningful work placement(s).  

A work placement will provide students with opportunities to experience the realities of professional employment and experience how their course can be applied within their chosen industry setting. The placement will: 

• Allow student to apply the skills, theories and behaviours relevant and in addition to their course 
• Enable students to enhance their interpersonal skills in demand by graduate employers – communication, problem-solving, creativity, resilience, team work etc.  
• Grow their student network and relationship building skills. 
• Provide student with insights into the industry and sector in which their placement occurs 
• Help student make informed graduate careers choices. 

Indicative Content:  

In this module students undertake a sandwich placement (min 24 weeks / min 21 hours per week) which is integrated, assessed and aligned to their studies.  

Their personal Placement Academic Supervisor (PAS) will be their key point of contact during their placement and will encourage and support students to reflect on their experience, learning and contribution to the organisation they work for.  

To demonstrate gains in professional development, students will be required to share their progress, learning and achievements with their Placement Academic Supervisor and reflect on these for the summative piece of work. 

Aims: 
To familiarise students with Business Intelligence tools and techniques, specifically Data Mining and Data Visualisation.  

Indicative Content 

A range of Business Intelligence tools and techniques with associated technologies that will include some or all of the following:  

Exploratory data analysis and visualisation of large data sets  

Basic statistics and manipulation of data  

Unsupervised and Supervised learning techniques 

Evaluation of Business Intelligence tools and techniques 

Application areas may include customer retention, finance and fraud detection and others 

The discussion and evaluation of Business Intelligence and its application to various areas of decision-making within an organisation 

This module develops your skills across business modelling, strategy development, enterprise technologies and architecture methodologies. Business architecture enables businesses to develop a formalised description of how they can utilise their competencies, in order to manifest their strategy and objectives.  

You’ll study topics such as: 

● Enterprise architecture frameworks 

● Evolution of the discipline and its relevance to industry 

● Industry demand 

● Solutions and problems addressed by business architecture 

● Objects and relationships 

● Artefact development 

● Modelling principles and development 

● Engineering principles and development 

● Business ontology and semantics 

Aims 

This module provides an opportunity for an in-depth study, at level 6, of a topic within an area appropriate to the student's overall course, which will culminate in the submission of a final written report which adheres to the normal academic conventions for dissertations.  

Indicative content 

The content of the dissertation will be dictated by the student's course of study, experiences and interests and will be negotiated at the start of the module. 

The outcome of this work will be a project report (dissertation) that describes, reflects on, and evaluates the work undertaken. Students will also be expected to critically assess the experience by reviewing what has been learned and the skills they have developed.  

This module is your work experience for this level of study – an employer-led research project. You’ll develop entrepreneurial capabilities to enable you to undertake real-world consultancy. 

You’ll apply skills and learning such as: 

• Business and strategic management concepts  

• Exploration of the client’s business or service challenge  

• Research analysing and developing strategic change  

• Solutions towards ‘real’ business/service problems  

• Deliver solution and change resolutions to the client  

• Presentation of a report demonstrating knowledge