Business Information & Analytics Systems

Course Outline
Our MSc Business Information & Analytics Systems (BIAS) programme is offered by the College of Business & Law. It provides students with a portfolio of business and analytical methods for solving problems and supporting decision making.

This programme will provide you with a specialism in business analytics as well as an extensive knowledge of business and information systems.

At the core of this programme is a selection of topics covering cloud technologies, business intelligence and business analytics, IT performance management, data management and IT project management. A research project allows you to explore and develop an IT solution to a specific business problem in an area specific to the Business Information and Analytics area.

Course Practicalities
The course normally requires attendance to 16 lecture hours per week, with 2 hours of lab work per week. Between 3 and 5 field trips are normally organised throughout the year. (These trips are not covered by the course fee.)

Group project work continues to early July at the latest, concluding the formal course content. However, students may be required to complete an individual essay in their own time up until the end of July/early August.

The course is taught by academic staff from the Cork University Business School and are experts in their field. These lecturers all have PhDs and/or significant industry experience. Several of the Faculty have worked previously at leading IT organisations, major banks, and research agencies. Our academic staff are also engaged in research with involvement in or leadership of research centres in UCC and publish regularly in international peer-reviewed IT/IS and business journals.

Why Choose This Course
Students develop a skill set appropriate for roles such as business analyst, data analyst, consultant, project management, and IT manager. This course is strongly associated with business where data and information play a critical part. Active input on course content and specialisms is continuously incorporated from multinational industry leaders. The MSc BIAS considers the technical enabling capability of IS and the behavioural aspects of management that support informed decision-making. The course places an emphasis on design thinking and a cognitive approach to decision making.

Connected Curriculum
We encourage innovative teaching and learning practices at UCC and this is embodied in the online delivery of this programme. Our accessible learning approach reflects our commitment to the Connected Curriculum where we emphasise the connection between students, learning, research and leadership through our vision for a Connected University. Our staff from the Cork University Business School have made significant contributions to their discipline and will support you in making meaningful connections across the disciplines of business, data, and technology.

Programme content
Students take taught modules and a group project (IS6611) to the value of 90 credits as follows:
Part I (60 credits)
• IS6017: Enterprise Business Processes and Applications (5 credits)
• IS6025: Design Thinking for Business Analysis (5 credits)
• IS6026: Business Analyst Skills (5 credits)
• IS6027: Information Systems Project Planning (5 credits)
• IS6028: Information Systems Project Tracking and Oversight (5 credits)
• IS6050: Business Data Strategy and Management (5 credits)
• IS6051: Business Data Visualisation (5 credits)
• IS6052: Descriptive and Predictive Analytics (5 credits)
• IS6053: Decision Making and Decision Support Systems (5 credits)
• IS6055: Prescriptive Analytics (5 credits)
• IS6060: Cloud Technologies (5 credits)
• IS6061: Secure Data Acquisition and Management (5 credits)

Part II (30 credits)
• IS6611: Applied Research in Business Analytics (30 credits)
We have provided core modules that expose you to the technical skills and techniques needed by organisations to explore organisational issues and support decision-making within a business context. These skills are essential in any organisation where IT is integral to the success of the business.

A group research project facilitates students in the practical application of the Information Systems and Business analytical skills that are acquired during the programme.
Please consult the University Calendar (Business Information & Analytics Systems) for more information on the course content of this programme.

Modules
Further details on the modules listed above can be found in our book of modules. Any modules listed above are indicative of the current set of modules for this course but are subject to change from year to year.

University Calendar
You can find the full academic content for the current year of any given course in our University Calendar.

Applicants must to have a Second Class Honours Grade 2 in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) with appropriate information systems or computing technology skills content.

Typically students are from technical disciplines such as Management Information Systems (MIS) or Business Information Systems (BIS), engineering, computer science and mathematics. However business and humanities graduates who have studied Computer Science and Business Information Systems (BIS) subjects and who have some object-oriented programming knowledge are also eligble to apply.

An applicant may also be admitted to the course on the basis of extensive practical or professional experience, as deemed appropriate by the Professor of Business Information Systems and Cork University Business School under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university approved English language requirements available at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/comparison/english/postgraduate/

For applicants with qualifications completed outside of Ireland
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements, available at https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/comparison/

International/non-EU applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure please visit our how to apply pages for international students. In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

Not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above.

For more information please contact the International Office.

Closing Date: Non-EU Closing Date: 15 June

Open for EU applications, check rounds closing dates under
How to Apply - Application Date Weblink below.

How Do I Apply
1. Choose Course
Firstly choose your course. Applicants can apply for up to two courses under one application. Details of taught courses are available on our online prospectus.

2. Apply Online
Once you have chosen your course you can apply online at the online application portal. Applicants will need to apply before the course closing date. There is a non-refundable €50 application fee for all courses apart from the Education - Professional Master of Education - (Secondary School/Post-Primary Teacher Training) which has a €100 application fee.

Applicants for the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Nursing must apply on the PAC website when the programme opens for applications.

3. Gather Supporting Documents
Scanned copies of the following documents will need to be uploaded to the online application portal in support of your application. Applicants may need to produce the original documents if you are accepted onto a course and register at UCC.
• Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC
• Any supplementary items requested for your course.

Please log into the online application portal for more details.

4. Application processing timeline
Our online application portal opens for applications for most courses in early November of each year. Check specific course details.

5. Rounds
For courses that are in the rounds system (Irish and EU applicants), please check the rounds closing dates.

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:
• You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.
• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.
• Please upload your CV.

A hybrid approach to assessment is used in this programme. Assessments methods include formal written exams, essays, group and individual project work and some lab practicals. Some modules are 100% continuous assessment and most modules have a minimum of 40% continuous assessment. During the programme, students will work individually and in groups. A strong emphasis is placed on oral presentation of work.

12 months full-time

Start Date: 7 September 2020

Skills and Careers Information
This MSc BIAS programme is designed to provide you with the skillset to be successful in such roles as Business Analyst and Project Manager – two of the most highly sought-after positions in the Information Systems/Information Technology sector.

Organisations today need people who know how to manage and store data that helps them make better business decisions, compared to years ago when businesses didn't have data management at their fingertips to review and analyse to help them drive the business forward.

What can I do after I graduate with an MSc in Business Information and Analytics Systems?

Consultancy firms, financial services firms, manufacturing, and services organisations all require graduates who are data-savvy and who can analyse data and draw conclusions. The MSc BIAS will focus on the development of these skill sets. Typical roles include business analyst, business analytics specialist, data specialist, consultant, project manager, operations research, and IT manager.