Master of Business Administration – Information Systems Major

Program Aim

This program provides students with specialised cognitive and technical skills to demonstrate expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner or learner in the discipline of information and communications technology.

Program Rationale

Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a graduate degree that provides theoretical and practical knowledge about business and management. This program is designed to help graduates gain a better understanding of general business management functions. The MBA program has a general focus (without major) or a specific focus in fields such as accounting, information systems and project management (with major). This program is aimed at developing graduates with analytical and decision-making skills which will enable them to demonstrate advanced judgement and enable them to be responsible practitioners or learners. The graduates of the proposed MBA program are expected to go on to develop careers in the management of large, medium, and small businesses in government and private sectors, both domestically and internationally.

Program Learning Outcomes

Master of Business Administration graduate will be able to:

  • Apply contemporary management practices in a manner consistent with organisational sustainability and ethical management behaviour;
  • Research and present theoretical concepts and complex ideas in both written and verbal formats appropriate for a range of stakeholder audiences;
  • Critically analyse, integrate and reflect advanced theoretical, technical and practical knowledge of business disciplines and professional practice;
  • Demonstrate mastery of discipline-specific knowledge and technical and research skills relevant to business decision making and the management of organisations and engage in lifelong learning;
  • Apply discipline-relevant knowledge and skills to challenges relevant to professional practice in a substantial project;
  • Work individually and in groups to propose collaborative, innovative and responsible solutions to complex real world business challenges.

Industry Needs

Master of Business Administration (MBA) has developed into an internationally recognised degree designed to develop the skills required for careers in business and management and has strong industry demand from a wide range of sectors. It is expected that CIM MBA program will prepare students for senior-level management and leadership positions with intellectual, analytical, organisational and interpersonal skills. A Master of Business Administration graduate will be qualified to pursue a range of exciting domestic and international career opportunities, which include business planning and management, marketing management, marketing, financial management, business consultant, market research, business analysis, project management, and many others.

Graduate Career Outcomes

A good career path for an MBA graduate is one where qualification keeps delivering value. The Canterbury Institute of Management (‘the Institute’) qualifications are aimed at providing a broad-based foundation for graduate positions that can lead to a wide range of rewarding careers. MBA graduates upon their graduation at CIM will be eligible for following roles:

  • Business Development Manager
  • General Manager
  • Business Analytics Consultant
  • Operations Manager
  • Finance Manager
  • Product Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Program Manager

Program Structure

The Master of Business Administration program will have the following delivery structure:

  • 2 years full-time, face to face classroom-based teaching in delivery over 4 semesters;
  • No work-based training involved;
  • Each semester will run over 12 weeks;
  • 12 courses;
  • Each course has 4 contact hours per week broken down into lecture and tutorial components (2 hours lecture + 2 hours tutorial);
  • 20 credit points (cps) per course;
  • 240 credit points to complete the program.

Program Location

This program is offered at our campuses in Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin.

Program Progression Rules

Semester 1

  • Contemporary Management & Leadership
  • Accounting and Financial Management
  • Strategic Management

MGMT401

Course Information

Professionals in this field need to be able to demonstrate an advanced understanding of leadership theories, concepts, and practice, including both traditional and contemporary forms of leadership and management.

This course provides you with essential theoretical and conceptual knowledge relevant to organisational theories and practices in the context of the contemporary business environment. It will cover topics related to management theory, management processes, leadership, managing people and contemporary issues in management.

You will develop abilities to effectively communicate and apply relevant leadership principles to address the diverse needs of various stakeholders. You will be able to think critically about core management theories and evaluate and communicate their relevance to contemporary management practice in a complex, diverse and rapidly changing globalised workplace.

The aim of this course is to develop your understanding of the role of leadership in shaping the organisational vision, strategy, culture & values for successful and sustainable management relationships.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Explain how key management concepts, principles and theories can support ethical, inclusive and sustainable management practices in culturally diverse workplaces.
  2. Effectively disseminate outcomes to various stakeholders using highly developed communication skills as an individual or as a part of team
  3. Source and evaluate empirical scholarship reporting on contemporary management issues.

ACCT401

Course Information

Professionals in this field need to be able to conduct measurement of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses, and income in day-to-day operations and explain their relevance to business decision making.

This course develops your understanding of the accounting and financial management discipline in an integrated manner dealing with financial accounting, management accounting, social and environmental accounting, finance, and business decision making using quantitative and qualitative information technology and business communication skills. You will gain an understanding of the accounting principles underlying the accounting process and the uses and limitations of financial statements published by business entities. Accounting and financial management issues faced by management and some of the techniques used by managers in decision making will also be addressed.

This course develops your abilities to critically evaluate and analyse key interpretative techniques used in accounting and financial management. You will develop knowledge and skills in analysing, evaluating, and implementing business decisions related to capital investment appraisal, financing alternatives, capital structure and dividend policies.

The aim of this course is to provide you with the accounting knowledge to understand the principles of accounting and how it relates to the internal and external financial decision making of an economic entity in Australia and internationally.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Explain accounting principles and how they relate to the financial decision making of an organisation in Australia and internationally.
  2. Critically analyse how financial information is used by organisations to make socially and environmentally sustainable decisions.
  3. Critically evaluate accounting and financial management issues faced by management and the key techniques used by managers in decision making.

MGMT402

Course Information

Professionals in this field need to be able to review and evaluate the evolution of ideas and practices leading to the development of strategic management and its relationship to other management practices and principles.

This course provides you with essential theoretical and conceptual knowledge relevant to strategic management. It provides an overview of the debates in strategic management; Strategy analysis (i.e., the external environment analysis, the internal environment analysis); Strategy formulation (i.e., business- level strategy, corporate-level strategy); Strategy implementation and evaluation (i.e., strategies for change, leadership requirements for strategic change, implementation and evaluation of strategic change)

You will develop abilities to demonstrate critical thinking, logical thinking, and analysis through identification of and capacity to propose solutions to unpredictable and complex problems in the key components of the strategic management process. You will develop abilities to evaluate the importance of developing strategically appropriate relationships between people, processes, functions, structures and even organisations.

The aim of this course is to develop your understanding of how effectively managing the diverse range of technology and integrated business management disciplines helps to be more effective in achieving the organisation’s strategic goals in a rapidly changing and technologized organisational environment.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Analyse the internal and external environments in which businesses operate and assess their significance for future initiatives.
  2. Apply the theories, concepts and tools that support strategic management in organizations.
  3. As an individual and/or member of a team, critically evaluate and argue the importance of developing strategically appropriate relationships between people, processes, functions, structures and organisations.

Semester 2

  • Corporate Governance, Ethics & Sustainability
  • Economics for Managers
  • Marketing Management & Research Methods

CGES401

Course Information

Professionals in this field are required to identify and practice good corporate governance principles, comply with regulatory processes whilst promoting ethical practices. Professionals will be required to demonstrate their ability to chart sustainable business and corporate socially responsible practices.

This course will develop your comprehension of the requirements for corporate governance, whilst furthering your ability to consistently apply corporate governance principles that promote ethical and socially and environmentally sustainable business practices in a global environment. The core concepts of leadership, stewardship, accountability, transparency, conflicts of interest, effectiveness, roles and responsibilities, participation, diversity, environmental, social, and economic development will be addressed.

You will develop knowledge of the legal regulation of companies and skills to pro- actively identify and evaluate the legal and ethical challenges arising in the corporate world and respond to them in a sustainable manner, with an emphasis on strong corporate governance.

The aim of this course is to develop your abilities to navigate and apply matters of corporate governance, ethics and sustainability in relation to the organisations you govern within the society and environment they operate.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Recognise the corporate governance, ethics, and sustainability frameworks available and explore their impact on organisational management and leadership.
  2. Recognise the corporate governance, ethics, and sustainability frameworks available and explore their impact on organisational management and leadership.
  3. Apply different business strategies that promote corporate governance, ethical, social, environmental, and economic sustainability.
  4. Critically reflect on your own values and practices and your role as a potential agent of positive change.

ECON401

Course Information

Professionals in business management need to be able to demonstrate an understanding of the economics model of decision making, particularly pricing and investment decisions in contexts characterised by uncertainty.

This course introduces you to a problem solving and business decision making approach to become informed regarding practical managerial pricing and firm investment decisions. The course emphasises the relevance of the conventional economics model to the formulation of sound business decisions on pricing and investment when an understanding of consumer and rival firms’ behaviour is necessary. A comprehensive explanation of firm profit maximising pricing behaviour in various market structures and under different market conditions is presented and critiqued.

You will develop abilities to organise and analyse conventional economics models and communicate key messages appropriate to audience, purpose and medium. You will develop skills in critical thinking and problem-solving which will assist you in sustainable decision-making.

The aim of this course is to develop your understanding of pricing decision making in the conventional economics model of choice and apply the model in a real-world business context.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Research and apply the economics model of decision making, particularly pricing and investment decisions in contexts characterised by uncertainty.
  2. Evaluate core principles of market structures and factors shaping microeconomic and macroeconomic environments in which businesses operate.
  3. Analyse critically real-world issues that affect national economies, including economic growth, unemployment, inflation, and monetary and fiscal policies.
  4. Investigate relevant economic theory and related information for making informed business decisions using highly developed communication skills.

MGMT403

Course Information

Professionals in this field need to be able to identify, evaluate and develop relevant marketing tools and processes that apply marketing theories and principles to resolve business challenges and promote business development.

This course develops students’ abilities to understand the role of market research and metrics in the formulation of marketing strategy in response to specific market conditions. It will address principles and practices of marketing management, both local and international and the role of marketing in business as well as non-business settings. The Course will also cover the tools of marketing such as positioning, segmentation, targeting, pricing, distribution, and promotion. Students will develop abilities to communicate professionally about marketing related issues in a range of modes to achieve targeted outcomes. They will develop confidence and autonomy in making evidence-based marketing decisions as well as the capacity to work collaboratively in problem-solving and delivering a coherent professional marketing communication.

The aim of this course is to develop students’ abilities to understand foundational principles and elements of marketing and research methods from a management perspective in the context of a global and rapidly changing environment.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Analyse critically research methods in marketing from a management perspective in the context of a global and rapidly changing environment.
  2. Apply market research and metrics to the formulation of marketing strategy in response to specific market conditions.
  3. Synthesise and evaluate research problems, develop a research proposal for that problem and recommend appropriate research methodologies for domestic, international, and indigenous business enterprises.
  4. Effectively disseminate research outcomes in oral and written contexts about marketing related issues in a range of modes to achieve targeted outcomes.

Semester 3

  • Information Systems and Strategy
  • Networks and Communications
  • Data Modelling & Database Development

MBIS401

Course Information

Information Technology professionals need to be able to demonstrate applied knowledge of people, technology, and management skills in practice across global contexts of change and apply these to organisational systems and processes.

This course introduces you to the development, implementation, and maintenance of various types of information systems, with emphasis on systems relating to enterprise applications, customer relationship and supply chain management, executive support and knowledge management, and global systems. You will further gain a foundational understanding of the underlying information technologies from the perspective of management. Topics such as wireless, data storage, telecommunication services and internet technologies will also be discussed. You will develop abilities to solve complex organisational problems theoretically and practically and critically reflect on the effectiveness of management processes responding to real-world problems.

The aim of this course is to develop your in-depth understanding of how information systems are used to support the organisation’s business processes, provide an edge over its competitors, and facilitate the decision-making of its managers and staff.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Research and interpret the principles and information technologies used in contemporary businesses to present to a non-specialist audience.
  2. Individually and as a member of a team, research, critically analyse, and communicate the relationship between information technology and business performance.
  3. Research and critically analyse the key technical and organizational issues in the development of information systems for organisations.
  4. Research and critically evaluate the social, ethical, and legal responsibilities that an organizational information system must satisfy.

MBIS404

Course Information

Information Technology professionals need to be able to apply theoretical and practical knowledge of networks and communication fundamentals to undertake problem identification, formulation, and solution.

This course requires you to explore the current range of computer networks, reviewing the types of networks in use today, the communication protocols used and their arrangement into modular stacks, how problems are solved using networks and protocols, and an exploration of common network security issues.

You will develop abilities to work as an individual or in small groups on networking problems applying an advanced understanding of networks and communications systems from a systems perspective. You will be able to design, build and operate networks using switches and routers.

The aim of this course is to develop your understanding of the critical principles of communication network design, the layered architecture and network protocols to enable them to design communication networks to achieve business performance objectives.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Research and reflect on different protocols and layered architectures in developing computer networks.
  2. Assess and recommend changes to different network components, including different topologies and technologies to meet business requirements.
  3. Individually and as a member of a team, critically evaluate major challenges and propose sustainable and ethical solutions for securing networks.
  4. Design techniques for managing, documenting and troubleshooting computer networks.

MBIS403

Course Information

Professionals in this field need specialised technical and theoretical knowledge necessary to construct data models that engage and reflect relevant, conceptual, logical and physical components derived from real-world, natural language requirements documents and apply data normalisation to these models.

This course engages students with databases and data modelling from a data management perspective. It covers topics such as; the managerial view of data, information and knowledge; conceptual, logical and physical data modelling; normalisation and de-normalisation; the Structured Query Language (SQL) language; data integrity; transaction processing, data warehousing, web services and organisational memory technologies.

Students will develop abilities to make informed decisions about database systems and appropriate modelling techniques for the structured informational needs of modern organisations. Students will be able to transform real-world, natural language business requirements into data models that resolve complex business problems.

The aim of this course is to develop students’ understanding of role of data modelling and database management systems and their importance to business organisations.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course. The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below. The CLOs are:

  1. Exhibit advanced understanding of the purpose and technical foundations interrelated to database technology and data modelling
  2. Analyse critically the processes undertaken during identification of functional dependencies and normalisation.
  3. Investigate the issues related to data integrity, security and concurrency control in a multiuser database environment and the database industry trends.
  4. Design and formulate a small database and queries using a modern Database Management System (DBMS) and Structured Query Language (SQL).

Semester 4

  • System Development Methodologies
  • Programming Fundamentals and Techniques
  • Business Intelligence - Capstone

MSIT401

Course Information

Information Technology professionals need to be able to compare and contrast various systems development methodologies in terms of their suitability for, and alignment with, a given organisational scenario.

This course provides you with knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues in systems development. It dissects various systems development lifecycles, methodologies, techniques and tools, exploring contexts in which they succeed and fail. It will examine factors affecting the success of these methods along with comparisons of the values and principles that underlie these methods.

In this course, you will develop abilities to critically interpret current issues in system development methodologies including agile methods and change management and assess their impact on projects from a human perspective, as well as a technical point of view.

The aim of this course is to develop your understanding of the elements of system development theory and practice involved in the implementation of commercial systems along with options and risks faced in implementing new systems.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Assess as advanced and applied understanding of system requirements and specifications employing core principles of information system analysis and design.
  2. Critically evaluate and analyse on the alternative methodologies used in developing business information systems.
  3. Implement different modelling techniques for developing business information systems.
  4. Individually and/or as a member of a team, design information systems to meet client briefs ensuring problem-solving ethically.

 

MBIS402

Course Information

Professionals in the field of IT need to be able to apply advanced programming practices and implement problem solving strategies in accordance with industry standards and professional ethics.

This course provides you with knowledge of developing software with an emphasis on procedural programming. You will learn about data structures, the concept of algorithms, fundamental programming constructs, common programming language features and functions, program design and effective programming style. A high-level programming language is combined with a highly visual framework to teach problem solving using software.

As part of your assessment, you will develop abilities to solve moderately complex problems with computers and be able to demonstrate proficiency in designing and writing programs. You will be able to apply a range of data structures and algorithms in problem solving.

The aim of this course is to provide you with an overview of programming and its role in problem solving and strategies for designing solutions to programming problems.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course.  The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below.  The CLOs are:

  1. Critically reflect on basic concepts, syntax and control structures in programming.
  2. Interpret and design suitable algorithmic solutions to computing problems according to specific requirements and develop programs, debug, and test them.
  3. Apply problem solving, design thinking and decision-making methodologies in new contexts or to novel problems, source data from multiple sources and manipulate data for analysis and visualisation.
  4. Research and formulate maintainable and reusable software solutions using the object-oriented programming paradigm.

MBIS405

Course Information

Business professionals need to be able to conduct analysis of business operations by providing vital support to the business by using data analysis and reporting to drive insights and decisions that improve revenue and operation.

This course provides students with an understanding of how BI helps information discovery and how to analyse multidimensional data. Business intelligence technologies and visualisation tools comprising business analytics, data mining, text mining, neural networks, and business performance management are examined regarding their application in organisations. These practical skills, combined with in-depth analytical skills enable students to assist any organization (regardless of its size and industry domain) to derive more intelligence from its data, improve its performance and ultimately, compete on analytics.

In this course, students will recognise and apply the tools, technologies and models available to assist in managerial decision making according to organisational requirements and resources. Students will cultivate the skills to collect, analyse and interpret data in strategic data planning and management and will learn to apply those skills to business problems in order to form an actionable strategy.

The aim of this course is to provide students with an overview of current concepts, processes and technologies in business intelligence and will be equipped to interpret solutions to business related problems, and to provide relevant business advice.

Course Level Aims and Learning Goals

The Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) specify what you should know and be able to do by completion of this course. The CLOs aim to contribute towards your attainment of the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) and Graduate Attributes (GAs), discussed further below. The CLOs are:

  1. Research and present to key audiences the recent developments in Business Intelligence (BI) processes and technologies to make appropriate managerial decisions in real-life situations.
  2. Individually and as a member of a team, critically analyse the use of BI technology for strategic advantage, and to provide practical understanding of the BI concepts and technologies in business organisations.
  3. Investigate available relevant research and communicate findings in BI systems and technologies for business environment.
  4. Articulate advanced understanding of ethical and social issues, implement the tools, technologies and models available to assist in managerial decision making.
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