Business & ICT
2008 - 2009 curriculum of the Degree Programme in Business Information Technology, BBA
Basic studies
3I1021 Learning Skills and the Professional Growth, 3 credits
Objective and subject matter of the course: The basic goal of this course is to train the students for studying, offer information about study techniques and deepen their knowledge of personal characteristics. The course includes information about study techniques, personal analysis, entrepreneurship, career building and goal setting in general as well as investigative orientation into the learning topics.
Learning methods: Lectures, assignments and exercises.
Literature and additional material: Janasz, Suzanne C., Interpersonal skills in organizations. New York, McGraw-Hill, 2002.
Assessment: Learning diary will be assessed on the scale 0 - 5.
Note: Lectures and tutorials are compulsory.
3I1022 Project and Teamwork, 3 credits
General description and objectives: The main objective of this course is to train the student for project based learning, offer tools for team and project work. This course also introduces the students to software project management explaining the structure of the process, stages, organization of project management, observing the progress, and reporting. The emphasis is put on training of teamwork skills and understanding personal and group responsibility for the result. The course will cover the following topics: basics of project work (concepts, scheduling, tasks and activities, docreditsmentation), team formation, conflicts within a team, communication, and feedback, project management problems, and risk analysis.
Instruction method: The instructional method is lecturing coupled with discreditsssions and small exercises during the sessions. Students are also expected to do some assignments.
Assessment: Students are expected to attend at least 80% of lessons. Furthermore, active participation in class sessions will be taken into account (30% of the grade).
Literature: Literature will be provided at the beginning of the course.
3I1023 Introductory Project, 6 credits
Objective and subject matter of the course: After the first project students know basics of team and project work. They are also aware of the skills needed in information technology and opportunities offered by the local companies. The first project helps the students to train working in teams, practice information retrieval and develop their oral and written language skills in English. More detailed description of the firs project is defined in the project teaching plan.
Learning and teaching methods: team and project work, exercises and assignments
Literature and other materials: literature used in course 3I1022
Assessment: individual project work 50 % (assignments, oral and written examinations), teamwork 50 % (project report, presentations)
2B1107 Computer Technology Project, 6 credits
Objective: To give a basic understanding of computing concepts and to introduce common business information technology. To install computer hardware and software. To install operating systems. To learn using computers and operating system. To connect desktop computers to the network. Seminar presentation of self supervised work related to computer technology.
Learning and teaching methods: lectures, assignments, virtual learning environment
Literature and other materials: handouts, manuals, help files and Internet sources
Assessment: self supervised work, reporting, oral presentation and exam
2B1202 Programming Techniques, 3 credits
Objective: Student is able to design logically consistent software using a modeling environment.
Content:
- basic structures of programming
- algorithms
- top down design
- object oriented design
- modularity and testing
Learning and teaching methods: Lectures for theoretical parts. Practical training on software modeling.
Literature and other materials: lecture materials and Internet sources
Assessment: 60 % written examination, 40 % assignments
More information: MS Visio is used in this course.
2B1209 Information Systems Analysis and Design, 3 credits
General description and objectives: The overall objective of this course is introducing to students the main concepts and skills related to analysis and design of information systems. We will identify the key components of an information system and consider examples of their influence on today’s business environments. The course gives an overview of the system design and planning process, including requirements engineering, information system life cycle, and architectural design. After this course, students should know the main concepts of system analysis and design, different stages of this process, most typical and commonly used approaches to system construction, system architectures, composition and control styles. Students should be able to plan the system analysis and design process, to analyze the requirements to the system, to select and motivate the appropriate system architecture or composition style, and to apply common system design approaches practically.
The course will cover the following topics:
- Introduction to information systems and their business application
- Information systems development (life cycle, the process and data models)
- Requirements analysis and system design (types of requirements, eliciting requirements and their management)
- Architectural design (system architectures, composition and control styles)
Instruction method: The course includes a great deal of traditional lectures coupled with practical work (exercises). Students will be asked to do small exercises, present and discreditsss their findings during sessions. Also, several home works will be assigned. The course assumes that students will read relevant literature as well as the papers assigned by the instructor.
Assessment: Students are expected to attend at least 80% of classes. There is a final examination at the end of the course. Also, active participation during lessons will affect the final grade.
Literature:
- Whiteley, D., 2004, Introduction to Information Systems, Palgrave MacMillan.
- Avison, D. and Fitzgerald, G., 2003, Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools, 3d Edition, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.
- Maciaszek, L., 2004, Requirements Analysis and System Design, 2nd Edition, Pearson Education.
- McNurlin, B. and Sprague, R., 2002, Information Systems Management in Practice, 5-th Edition, Prentice Hall.
2B5208 Operating Systems, 3 credits
Objective: The course will teach knowledge of different types of operating systems, their architecture and function. Students learn how to install, configure and to operate the most commonly used desktop operating systems.
Topics: Installation, updating, troubleshooting, creditsstomization, hardware and application management, storage and file management, networking, system maintenance and recovery.
Learning and teaching methods: Lectures for theoretical parts. Practical training in laboratory for installations, configurations and operating practices.
Literature and other materials: handouts, operating system manuals, help files, internet sources
Assessment: written examination, participation in lectures and exercises
12B040 Finnish for Foreigners or 12B042 Swedish, 3 credits
Objective: The course will introduce the student to Finnish language and help to manage in everyday situations.
Learning and teaching methods: lectures
Literature and other materials: will be informed later
Assessment: written exam
2B1102 Discrete Mathematics, 3 credits
General description and objectives: Solid knowledge in discrete mathematics is vital competence of a professional software engineer. Without that it is impossible to make correct specifications of software systems in many areas, to understand the complexity of algorithms and to design efficient programs. The most important objective of this course is to acknowledge you with the basic concepts and definitions of discrete mathematics important from the software engineering point of view. We further aim at developing practical skills in applying that knowledge. Finally, this course is teaching you to think using abstract categories and symbolic forms, thus developing logical and analytical thinking which are indispensable in the selected profession.
This course covers the following topics:
- Set theory (notion of a set, defining sets, Venn diagrams, intersection, difference, union, and compliment of sets, laws of set algebra)
- Logic (simple and compound statements, logical operations disjunction, conjunction, negation, and implication, truth tables, logical equivalences, quantifiers)
- Graph theory (representation of graphs, Euler circreditsits and paths, Hamiltonian cycles and paths, shortest path and distances, colouring a graph)
- Combinatorics (permutations and combinations, arrangements and selections with repetition).
Instruction method: Instruction method is lecturing coupled with problem-solving during every session. Students are also expected to do homework.
Assessment: Students are expected to attend at least 80% of classes. There is a final examination at the end of the course. Also, active participation during lessons will affect the final grade.
Literature:
- Dossey, J., 2006, Discrete Mathematics, 5th Ed., Pearson Education, Addison Wesley.
- Johnsonbaugh, R., 2005, Discrete Mathematics, 6th Ed., Pearson Education, Prentice Hall.
- Anderson, J., 2003, Discrete Mathematics with Combinatorics, 2nd Ed., Prentice Hall.
2B2103 Computing English, 3 credits
The aim of this course is to provide students with basic writing skills utilising computing topics and vocabulary.
The contents of the course comprise a number of graded lessons describing various areas of computing as well as some online study material and exercises to acquaint students with the basic concepts of writing a properly structured text. Subject matter and writing skills are combined in various writing assignments, including paragraphs, a summary and an essay.
The instructions and study material will all be available in Moodle.
The assessment will be based on the following:
- Successful completion of all lessons
- Handing in of all individual assignments by the deadlines
- A short paper written as pair task
The above requirements must be met in order to successfully acquire a passing grade for the project. Note that in course work the rule is "always write in your own words (and in complete sentences) and always list your sources"! Whenever outside sources are used, they must be listed properly. Copying and pasting material, or using information without source reference, is not acceptable. If you should have any questions about the course, please direct your questions to the teacher.
3I1006 Business and Innovations, 3 credits
Objective: The main objectives of this course is to courage students to consider entrepreneurship as a carrier option. During this course students become familiar with technical innovations and the innovation process as a whole.
Content:
- main principles of business planning
- searching for the market niche
- developing and evaluating the business idea
- creating the business plan step by step: company information, management, finance, manufacturing and marketing management
Learning and teaching methods: lectures
Literature and other materials:
- Burns, P. 2001. Entrepreneurship and Small Business. Houndmills Palgrave.
- Mohr, Jakki. 2005. Marketing of high-technology products and innovations. NJ Pearson Education.
Assessment: written exam
2B1203 Accounting and Financial Planning, 3 credits
Objective: To introduce the most common forms of business organization and to discreditsss the principal sources of finance. To understand the reasons why people need accounting information, the nature of accounting information. To enable students to understand how a balance sheet and a profit and loss account are prepared and how to interpret financial information. To help students to understand the key issues involved in the planning and control process. To develop understanding of ways in which performance is measured and reported within the firm.
Content:
- to know about the most common sources of business finance for start-ups
- to know about the principal characteristics and features of accounting information
- to be able to draw up a balance sheet and a profit and loss account and explanatory notes and be able to interpret financial information
- to understand the business planning process and the role of a financial plan
- to be able to prepare straightforward budget statements for a small business
- to be able to evaluate actual outcomes against budget plans
- to understand the nature of financial and non-financial measures within organisations
Learning and teaching methods: lectures
Literature and other materials:
- Berry & Jarvis. 2006. Accounting in a Business Context. Fourth edition.
- Gowthorpe. 2005. Business Accounting and Finance for non-specialists. Second edition.
- Drury. 2005. Management Accounting for Business. Third edition.
Assessment: written exam
2B1204 Introduction to Marketing Management,3 credits
2B1205 Business Law,3 credits
2B1206 Business Enterprise Project, 6 credits
Objective: The main goal of this course is provide students with knowledge and skills necessary to establish a new business.
Content:
- different forms of enterprises
- basics of strategic management
- business vision and mission
- external and internal assessment
- implementing strategies
- financial statement and key ratios
- accounting and financial issues of an enterprise
- marketing and pricing
- business plan
- business networks and operations
- information management
- managing people
- project management
- quality management
Learning and teaching methods: instructional methods: lectures, individual and group assignments, and the course project
Literature and other materials: Lcture materials
- David, F. 2005. Strategic Management. 10th Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall.
- Deakins & Freel. 2003. Entrepreneurship and Small Business. McGraw-Hill.
- Barrow, C. 1998. The Essence of Small Business Prentice Hall. 2nd edition.
Assessment: There will be a written examination at the end of the course. The course includes also several assignments and the course project. Attendance is required.
More information: Students will get the basic understanding of business processes and questions related to the functioning of an enterprise. The course is good for anyone interested in business, or a person intending to start his/her own enterprise.
2B107 Finnish for Foreigners 2 or 2B108 Swedish 2, 3 credits
2B1106 Strategic Management, 3 credits
General description and objectives: Strategic management is the art and science of formulating, implementing and evaluating cross-functional decisions that will enable an organization to achieve its objectives (F.David). It is the process of specifying the organization’s objectives, developing policies and plans to achieve these objectives, and allocating resources to implement the policies and plans to achieve the organization’s objectives. Strategic management, therefore, combines the activities of the various functional areas of a business to achieve organizational objectives. It is the highest level of managerial activity. Strategic management provides overall direction to the enterprise. The main objective of this course is to familiarize students with the process of strategic planning, activities associated with it (such as information gathering and analysis), and, finally, skills and abilities necessary for strategic management of an enterprise.
Instruction method: The instructional method is lecturing coupled with discreditsssions and small exercises during the sessions. Students are also expected to do some homework.
Assessment: Students are expected to attend at least 80% of lessons. There is a final exam at the end of the course (70% of the grade). Furthermore, active participation in class sessions will be taken into account (30% of the grade).
Literature:
- David, F., 2005, Strategic management, 10th Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall.
- The Internet sources will be suggested in the course.