Course details

Summary

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) is Otago's most flexible undergraduate degree programme, enabling students to study from a selection of more than 40 arts and social science subjects, as well as papers offered elsewhere in the University. Academic breadth is complemented by in-depth knowledge gained through majoring in one or two subjects with the option of minors in one or two others.

Students are taught by research-active scholars, are expected to undertake a diverse range of learning tasks and are challenged to develop their intellectual independence. Graduates of the programme are well-informed, versatile, independent thinkers with the information literacy, communication, research and interpersonal skills necessary for a career or further academic study. The completed BA is an entry qualification for the PGDipArts in the major subject of the degree.

Information Science

Information Science refers to the study of computer-based information systems, problem-solving techniques, and the application of these to a wide range of commercial, scientific and industrial settings.

Topics include the study of specific programming languages and environments, database design and implementation, information system development, human-computer interaction, distributed systems and the application of fuzzy systems, neural networks and spatial systems. Management issues relating to the development and operation of information systems are also studied.

Programme Requirements

100-level

• COMP 101 Foundations of Information Systems
• COMP 160 General Programming

In exceptional circumstances (such as having prior programming experience) and with approval from the Head of Department, the normal prerequisite may be waived or replaced with COMP 150.

200-level

• INFO 201 Developing Information Systems 1
• INFO 202 Developing Information Systems 2
• INFO 203 Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience
• INFO 204 Introduction to Data Science

300-level

• INFO 301 Applied Project
• INFO 302 Information Systems Strategy and Governance
• two further 300-level INFO papers

Plus

180 further points (it is recommended that BSNS 112 or STAT 110 be included); must include 36 points at 200-level or above.

Up to 90 points may be taken from outside Arts

Entry criteria

The minimum requirement for students is the completion of a high school qualification plus satisfactory completion of one year's study at an approved tertiary institution or successful completion New Zealand Foundation Year programme.

We also accept the following International qualifications: International Baccalaureate: IB Diploma with a minimum of 26 points; GCE Advanced Levels: minimum grade of 8.

English Language Requirements:

IELTS score of 6.0 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); Internet-based TOEFL Score of 80 (writing 20); Paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 (TWE 4.5); CIE Cambridge International Examinations Grade E or better in AS English; Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) - Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) - Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); GCE 'A' Level or 'AS' Level English Language or English Literature - grade C or higher; GCE 'AS' Level General Paper (English) - grade C or higher; APIEL (Advanced Placement International English Language) Examination - grade 3 or higher; IB International Baccalaureate - English at Higher or Standard level in Language A: literature, Language A: language and literature, or at Higher level in Language B; Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 58 with no communicative skills score below 50.