Course details

Summary

We live in an ‘Information Age' where access to information, information systems and digital technology play a major role in organisations. With information systems we can change how we work, how we communicate, and how we do business.

Information Systems (IS) is about how businesses use information technology to become smarter, better, faster, and achieve their strategic goals. IS enables businesses to create value, provide solutions to business problems, and use technology to innovate and create new business opportunities. Information Systems addresses the design, development and delivery of solutions to business problems, and the management of IS projects, IS personnel and IS resources.

Students completing a BCom in Information Systems will take courses across a range of business disciplines, including Accounting, Economics and Management. These courses help IS graduates gain a broad understanding of the world of business. Thus they will be both 'business savvy' and 'tech savvy'. This mix of skills means that IS graduates are more likely to become business analysts rather than software developers or system designers. IS graduates have a choice of highly paid and exciting careers.

‌The Certificate in Commerce (CertCom) is an option if you want to add commerce content alongside your non-commerce degree, or do not want to study the full Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Qualification structure and duration

The certificate is made up of four standard courses (a minimum of 60 points) from any course in the Bachelor of Commerce Schedule C.

The CertCom can be completed in up to four years.

Credit from your completed courses can be transferred to the Bachelor of Commerce (and some other degrees), as long as you have not graduated with the certificate beforehand.

Further study

The Certificate in Commerce is good preparation towards the full Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Recommended preparation

No specific prior knowledge or experience is required for those wishing to study Information Systems. An interest in technology and how it is used on the job and in business is beneficial.

Good English language skills, both written and spoken, is also important.

Career opportunities

Information Systems is one of the fastest growing areas for study and employment. It is on the long-term skill shortage list for New Zealand and there is also a global shortage in this area, ensuring high demand and salaries for graduates. IS graduates with a good mix of business and technical skills and knowledge would be well-placed to take up these opportunities.

For IS graduates there are many exciting career options: business analyst/consultant, business process analyst/consultant, business intelligence analyst, systems analyst, IS implementation consultant, IT project manager, IS manager.

IS expertise is marketable worldwide and can open the door to even more exciting and challenging careers. Many of our graduates are now in key positions all around the world including the UK, USA, Hong Kong and Australia.

If you take Computer Science/Software Engineering with IS, your options also include: solutions architect, software engineer, applications developer, programmer/analyst, database administrator, and website designer/developer.

Entry criteria

Admission to UC with University Entrance, or equivalent, is required to enrol for a Certificate in Arts. Applicants must have completed New Zealand University Entrance through NCEA; or Cambridge International Examinations (CIE); or International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) or any other equivalent overseas qualification.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 550 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum C+ grade; CAE or CPE minimum score of 169 with at least 162 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 57 and no PTE communicative skills score below 50.