Digital Transformation (MSc)

Digital transformation is an innovative msc degree course designed for those who want to pursue careers as managers and leaders in implementing technology-based information systems solutions and managing technological transformation within organisations. 

What's covered in this course?

• Digital Transformation Specialists must understand the complex relationships between people, information, processes and technology in order to support business with digital development. The course will equip you with the requisite multi-dimensional skillset necessary to help organisations unleash their potential to thrive in an inclusive digital society aligned with the innovative application of digital technology to transform organisations, industries and societies.

You will learn:

• Strategic IS Planning: How to develop a strategic IS/IT plan that is aligned to the strategic information needs of the business.
• Enterprise Systems: How to manage the business processes to support the organisation to gain competitive advantage, improve performance, reduce operational cost, implement efficient business processes, and improve real-time decision-making capabilities via Enterprise Systems (ES), which incorporates ERP, CRM, SCM, and so forth.
• Technology Optimisation and Integration: How to analyse the current business IT status, plan technology solutions and develop a roadmap for legacy systems migration.
• Digital Change Management: How to address the socio-technology challenges of leveraging value from the IS/IT in the digital society using agile methods. This involves making sense of the business requirements in order to ensure the end products will solve the business problem.
• Business Intelligence and Technology Entrepreneurship: How to manage and apply a range of visualisation tools to analyse and make business sense of data lakes, and to exploit data to construct informed business decisions.
• Principles of Project Management: How to deliver strategic value within an organisation and ensure the project (or business solution) is completed on time, within budget, within scope and at the desired performance level.
• Individual Master’s Project: A practice-based module working in collaboration with an organization or research-based project within the Socio-Technical Systems Research group to apply multi-disciplinary skills to design innovative solutions to the challenges of digital transformation.
• To further recognise the significance of employability and to complement the academic content of this programme you are also provided the opportunity to undertake SAP Certification in Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP).

Graduates from the course will be equipped for careers in a range of sought-after positions including: Junior Consultant, Project Manager, Change Analyst, Digital Transformation – Business Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst and Digital Transformation Leader.

Tailor your degree

• The Professional Placement version of the course is optional and is offered as an alternative to the standard version of the course. This will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.

Why Choose Us?

• You will have the opportunity to work in teams and collaborate on projects.
• You will learn through case studies, live briefs, discussion and plenary to develop a greater understanding of current challenges facing business and enterprise.
• You will develop management and consultancy skills through critical thinking, appraisal and analysis.
• You will enjoy a high-quality learning experience aligned to real-life business development challenges.
• Graduates of this course are highly sought-after with the multidisciplinary skills necessary to manage strategic and high impact enterprise change.
• The Faculty is a member of SAP University Alliance. This programme provides you with the opportunity to undertake SAP certification in a number of key areas including Enterprise Resource Planning and Business Warehouse.

Essential Requirements

• A good UK honours degree at 2:2 or above/equivalent in computing, information systems, information technology, business information systems, business information technology, business technology, business manufacturing technology, or any other degree in computing and IT subjects.
• In exceptional circumstances, if you have relevant professional experience, you may be invited to an interview and test, at which you will be required to demonstrate the necessary knowledge and understanding for entry onto the course.

Additional information for EU/International students
Essential

• An equivalent overseas qualification in computing, information systems, information technology, business information systems, business information technology, business technology, business manufacturing technology or any other degree in computing and IT subjects.
• If you do not possess the above qualifications, you may also be considered if you can provide evidence of the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully complete the course.
• Overseas students need to demonstrate a good command of English. IELTS 6.0 or equivalent is needed before you can enrol in this programme.

Module
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):

• Enterprise Systems 20 credits
• Technology Optimisation and Integration 20 credits
• Strategic Information Systems Planning 20 credits
• Digital Change Management 20 credits
• Business Intelligence and Technology Entrepreneurship 20 credits
• Principles of Project Management 20 credits
• Individual Master’s Project 60 credits

Our teaching philosophy revolves around you both ‘learning by doing’ and also transferring acquired knowledge to others. Activities will be conducted both individually and in teams, with tutors providing leadership and mentoring aimed at supporting your transition into independent learners. In this partnership, we will be encouraging you to become proactive, so that you can develop your confidence to undertake a range of progressively complex and challenging tasks.

We expect you to attend all teaching sessions, as well as to read and prepare before these sessions. Good preparation will enable you to get the most from your contact time and will help you become an autonomous learner. Advanced preparation is also a critical skill which you must develop if you wish to succeed in business or professional practice. Teaching sessions will include lectures and small group interactive seminars.

You will be assessed in a number of different ways, including coursework, patchwork assessment, examinations (seen and unseen, open and closed-book), presentations, practical assignments, vivas, online forums, podcasts and project work.

Professional Placement option

• The Professional Placement option will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.  Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
• You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement.  The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study.  You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School. 
• Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course.  All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.

Enhancing your employability skills

Birmingham City University programmes aim to provide graduates with a set of attributes which prepare them for their future careers. The BCU Graduate:

• Is professional and work-ready
• Is a creative problem solver
• Is enterprising
• Has a global outlook.

The University has introduced the Birmingham City University Graduate+ programme, which is an extracurricular awards framework that is designed to augment the subject-based skills that you develop through your programme with broader employability skills, enhancing your employment options when you leave university.

The programme will help you with crafting your CV, personal statements, covering letters and presentations, and will also help you seek part-time work experience and voluntary placements.