Postgraduate

MSc in Strategic Management of Information Systems

On this page

• Description
• Planning your studies
• Career relevance
• Courses
• Learning outcomes
• Credit for previous study elsewhere
• On completion
• Regulations
• How to register

Description

This specialist degree is designed for individuals who wish to develop their ability to make an effective contribution at a strategic level in the field of the management of information systems, internally or as an external consultant.

The programme starts with a one-year course on management that reflects a wide range of contemporary practices and challenges. This is followed by three modules, one on developing organisational strategy, which can be studied from public, private or technological perspectives and the other two on strategic aspects of information systems theme. The programme then offers an opportunity to study key issues relating to information systems and knowledge management, by choosing from a suite of options. The programme is rounded off with a project of the student’s choosing. The approach is practical rather than theoretical.

The programme is intended to enable individuals to build competencies in the management of information systems in organisations, which enable them to perform senior management roles, in particular to ensure that information systems underpin the strategy of an organisation.

The OU Business School is accredited internationally by the European Foundation for Management Development, through its EQUIS programme; and by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Planning your studies

All entrants to this MSc in Strategic Management of Information Systems must have a minimum of three years’ experience in a managerial, professional or technical role. Usually this means that they are at least 25 years old.

The MSc in Strategic Management of Information Systems is in two stages. You must expect to successfully complete Stage 1 before you enrol on Stage 2.

Stage 1

There are three routes through Stage 1.

Route 1 – if you already have a bachelors level qualification

To follow this route, you must have at least a bachelors level qualification from a recognised university in Europe, the Commonwealth or rest of the world or the equivalent. Further details are set out under Approved Minimum Entry Requirements below. If you are eligible for this route, you can complete Stage 1 either by taking the Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration course, Fundamentals of senior management (B713) or, if your qualification is in the business studies area, you can study the Professional Diploma in Management course, Managing performance and change (B700) (see under Approved Minimum Entry Requirements below for more about which course you are eligible for given your qualifications). Both B713 and B700 involve 600 hours of study over 12 months.

Route 2 – if you already hold the Professional Diploma in Management or a postgraduate qualification; or have partly completed some postgraduate study

If you have our {Professional Diploma in Management [D64]  you can count this as Stage 1 of the MSc.

If you have already passed any of the constituent courses of this MSc degree, probably taken as part of an MBA or MPA degree, they can also be counted towards this award. The minimum amount of new study required for this MSc is 60 points.

Alternatively, if you have a postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma in accounting, finance, management or business administration, or a masters degree in a related area from elsewhere, or have partly completed such a degree, you can apply to transfer credit. You should do this urgently because, if your application is successful, it may mean that you can count the credit you are awarded at the MSc Stage 1 – permitting you to continue to Stage 2. Alternatively, or even in addition, it may result in some credit for Stage 2, reducing the amount of study needed at that stage. Not applying promptly may mean that you end up studying a course unnecessarily. You are advised to look at our Credit Transfer website.

Route 3 – if you are experienced in managerial work

If you are experienced in managerial work but not eligible for Route 1 or 2, you can take our Professional Certificate in Management (C31) prior to entering Stage 1. When you complete that Certificate, you are then eligible to study our Professional Diploma in Management (D64) as Stage 1 of the MSc. The Certificate followed by the Diploma will take two years.

If you need advice about entry to the programme, please ask our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

Stage 2

Your first Stage 2 course should be either Strategy (B820), Technology strategy (T846) or Shaping public policy: contexts and processes (B856). Once you have completed one of these you are then able to continue with the rest of Stage 2, comprising the two compulsory courses, Exploring information systems (T850), Learning from IS failures (T852), either one or two elective course chosen from The information systems toolkit (T851), Information systems legacy and evolution (T853), Software requirements for business systems (M883), Information security management (M886), Managing knowledge (B823). The final course should be the compulsory project, The technology management project (T842).

You must complete all the required courses to gain your MSc, passing at least one course every two years. If you fail or withdraw from a course you are allowed to retake it only once. We cannot guarantee that the same programme of courses will continue to be available throughout your study period but we are committed to providing suitable equivalent courses at all times. You must normally complete the required credit your award within ten years.

Your MSc qualification must include at least 60 credit points from OU courses that have not been counted in any other OU qualification you have been awarded.

Career relevance and employability

This degree contributes to career development by enabling individuals to bridge the roles of IT specialist and general manager. It is designed for those who are from IT or general management backgrounds but who wish to develop broad based management and leadership development skills enabling them to develop and implement IT/IS strategies for organisations. While the academic level is masters, there is a strong practical and professional orientation to the curriculum.

For planning your next career steps, visit the OU Careers Advisory Service.

Courses

For this 180-point masters degree you require:

Stage 1 – 60 points from the following compulsory courses:

Stage 2 – 30 points from the following optional courses:

And 30 points from the following compulsory courses:

And 30 points from the following optional courses:

And 30 points from the final compulsory course:

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:

• Knowledge and understanding
• Cognitive skills
• Practical and professional skills
• Key skills

Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.

Credit for previous study elsewhere

If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards this Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of courses so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.

Credit transfer details for this qualification:

• Essential Information Sheets - MSc in Strategic Management of Information Systems

On completion

On successful completion of 180 points' worth of required courses you will be awarded an MSc in Strategic Management of Information Systems entitling you to use the letters MSc SMIS (Open) after your name. You will have the option of being presented at a degree ceremony.

Approved minimum entry requirements

Route 2 entry for the MSc via the Professional Diploma in Management, an MBA, MPA or another postgraduate qualification is explained under Planning your studies above.

The higher education awards and professional qualifications listed below meet the Route 1 entry requirements; some that contain postgraduate study may entitle you to credit transfer for part of you MSc (see Credit for previous study elsewhere). If you are not eligible for either of these routes, then you can still embark on a study programme leading to the MSc in Strategic Management of Information Systems via Route 3 (see Planning your studies).

Awards from higher education institutions (including the OU)

A bachelors or masters degree from a university or other recognised degree awarding body in Europe, the Commonwealth or the rest of the world.

*N.B. if your degree specialism or major is in business studies, management or a closely related discipline, you can choose B700 for Stage 1. If not, then you should choose B713 for Stage 1.

Your degree must be at least equivalent to a bachelors degree from an English, Welsh or Northern Irish university. In those countries, these are commonly referred to as bachelors degrees with honours or honours degree, as distinct from foundation degrees, ordinary degrees and pass degrees. They comprise at least 360 CATS points at undergraduate level, of which at least 120 must be at or above undergraduate level 3, and would normally involve a minimum of 3 years equivalent full-time study. (N.B. This specification is based in the Bologna agreement regarding 3 years of full-time higher education study giving rise to a bachelors qualification). The following is a list of degree names recognised as bachelors level or above in European jurisdictions other than England, Wales and Northern Ireland:

AUSTRIA
Diplomstudium/Magister

BELGIUM
Licencie/Licentiaat/Ingenieur Industriel/Industrieel Ingenieur

CZECH REPUBLIC
Magister

DENMARK
Candidatus Philosophiae (CandPhil)
Candidatus Magisterii
Magisterkonferens (Magister Artium/Magister Scientiarum)

FINLAND
Until 1996:
Kandidaatti/Kandidat (Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti, Proviisori) (NB: course lasts longer than 3 yrs)
Licentiate (Lisensiaatti/Licenciat)
New system implemented from 1993 to 1996:
Maisteri/magister (5 years)

FRANCE
Maîtrise
Diplôme d’Ingénieur/Magistere

GERMANY
Diplom/Erstes Staatsexamen/Magister Artium
Staatsprüfung/Lizentiat

GREECE
Ptychion (Bachelor degree) awarded by an AEI

HUNGARY
Egyetemi Oklevel

IRELAND
Bachelors
Masters

ITALY
Diploma di Laurea

LIECHTENSTEIN
Mag Phil from the International Academy for Philosophy

NETHERLANDS
Doctoraal

NORWAY
Candidatus Magisteri
Candidatus Realium, Candidatus Philologiae

POLAND
Magister

PORTUGAL
Licenciado/Diploma do ciclo especial/DESE

SCOTLAND
Bachelors
Masters

SLOVAKIA
Magister/Inzinier (formerly Absolvent Vysoké Skoly)/Professional title

SLOVENIA
Univerzitetna ali visokošolska diploma

SPAIN
Licenciado/Titulo de Ingeniero/Titulo de Arquitecto

SWEDEN
Masters degree/Magisterexamen

SWITZERLAND
Diplom/Diplôme/Lizentiat/Licence/Staat sdiplom/Diplom d’Etat

Awards from professional bodies

Professional qualifications, Accountancy

*Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA, FCCA)
*Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (ACMA, FCMA)
*Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountants (CPFA)
*Institute of Chartered Accountants (England & Wales) (ACA, FCA)
*Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (CA)
*Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland (ACA)
Chartered accountant or certified public accountant members of one of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants in Australia (CA), Canada (CA), Malaysia (CA), New Zealand (CA) or South Africa (CA), or Institutes of Certified Public Accountants of America (CPA), Australia (CPA), Hong Kong (CPA), Malaysia (CPA) or Singapore (CPA).

Professional qualifications, Engineering

The equivalent of Chartered Engineer (CEng) or Incorporated Engineer (IEng) members of bodies in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America that are signatories to the Washington Accord (see www.washingtonaccord.org).

Note: It is recognised that members of various bodies (e.g. Institution of Mechanical Engineers MIMechE, British Computer Society MBCS) do hold the above qualification. However, what is important is the holding of one of the above qualifications rather than being a member of a particular body.

Professional Qualifications, Other in the UK and Ireland

Army Office Training (Junior Officer) Training and Education Scheme Parts 1 and 2
Chartered Building Societies Institute (ACBSI, FCBSI)
*Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB, FCIB)
*Chartered Institute of Bankers of Scotland (MCIBS – not ACIBS)
Chartered Institute of Building (MCIB, FCIB)
*Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCInstM, FCInstM)
*Chartered Institute of Marketing, Professional or Postgraduate – Diploma (see note)
*Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) (see note)
Chartered Institute of Transport (MCIT, FCIT)
Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII)
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (MCSP)
Institute of Actuaries (AIA, FIA)
Institute of Biology (MIBIOL)
Institute of Bio Medical Science (FIBMS)
Institute of Data Processing Management Graduate Diploma (IDPM)
*Institute of Marketing, Ireland - Graduateship
Institute of Medical Laboratory Scientists – Associate (AIMLS)
Institute of Physics – Member (MInstP)
Institute of Production Control – Member (MIPC)
Institute of Industrial Managers – Associate Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma (ADIIM, PDIIM)
Law Society
Library Association (ALA)
*Plassey Management Centre Diploma in Management
*Police Senior Command Course
*Professional Diploma of the Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management Association (post 1990 syllabus)
*RAF Officer Training – Officers’ Command Course, Individual Studies Course and Basic Staff Course
Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA)
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (ARICS)
Royal Society of Chemistry (GRSC)
Royal Town Planning Institute – Member (MRTPI)

Holders of items in the above professional qualifications list marked * may choose between courses B700 and B713 as the Stage 1 course for this masters degree. Otherwise, the choice is restricted to B713 on the grounds that you have not studied sufficient business and management at undergraduate level.

If you hold a qualification that is not on the list but that you believe is at bachelor level, you are advised to bring this to the attention of our Student Registration & Enquiry Service with full details. The OU Business School Masters Programme Committee is responsible for judging whether applicants’ qualifications meet the requirements for admission to any award.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Award Regulations and the Student Regulations.

Award Regulations

• Introduction to the Award Regulations
• General Award Regulations
• MSc in Strategic Management of Information Systems
• Schedule B to the Award Regulations

Student Regulations

The Student Regulations (including the Code of Practice for Student Assessment and the Code of Practice for Student Discipline) are available on our Policy Documents for Students website.

How to register

To register for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the course you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that course.

About this page

A postgraduate qualification in Business and Management and Computing and ICT.

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