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.

The UC Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a research-only degree carried out under expert supervision and using world-class facilities.

A PhD involves extensive, sustained and original research and study in your chosen subject, with the results being presented in a thesis that will contribute to intellectual knowledge of the field. It is a mark of intellectual ability, self-discipline and commitment. A PhD prepares you for a number of careers, including as an academic.

The minimum period of enrolment for a full-time candidate is two years and the maximum period four years; most PhD students take between three and three-and-a-half years.

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

Enrolment in a PhD requires completion of a research-focused honours or master's degree at first-class or second-class division 1 level (or equivalent qualifications). Applicants with qualifications from outside New Zealand must have been granted admission to the University.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.