Bachelor of Information Systems

Program Overview

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Bachelor of Information Systems

Quick Details

• Mode of delivery: On Campus
• AQF Level: 7
• Duration: 3 Years Full-Time
• Location: Sydney NSW, Melbourne VIC
• Course Fees: See Fees
• Upcoming Intake Date: 3 March 2025, 28 April 2025, 7 July 2025, 1 September 2025, 10 November 2025

Course Description

The Bachelor of Information Systems (BIS) program is designed to provide students with comprehensive knowledge and applied hand-on skills across a broad range of key areas of information technology and business systems. The course prepares graduates to enter the exciting and ever-evolving fields of information systems and information technology. The BIS features opportunities to study in contemporary and crucial areas of cyber security, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

The course covers design thinking, agile systems development methodologies, and various aspects of enterprise systems so that graduates enter the workforce ready to work in modern organisations.

The course is characterised by an end of program capstone unit that provides students with the valuable experience of working on a real-world project drawing together the knowledge and skills acquired over the entire BIS course. Importantly, the course has been designed to meet the Australian Computer Society (ACS) requirements for graduate employment in areas of information technology and information systems.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Information Systems Course will have demonstrated achievement of the following Course Learning Outcomes and be able to:

• CLO 1: Demonstrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge in Information technology and information systems.
• CLO 2: Critically apply cognitive, analytical and technical skills to design, implement, evaluate and operate Information Systems to address organisations’ problems.
• CLO 3: Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences within and across organisations, using written and oral communication tools.
• CLO 4: Demonstrate the capacity to plan, problem solve and work on information systems individually and collaboratively in diverse teams, in a socially responsible manner.

Career Opportunities

The Bachelor of Information Systems aims to provide graduates to the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry, particularly Computer Systems Designs and Related Services.

Bachelor of Information Systems graduates may seek employment in a number of information systems and information technology related areas including:

• Cyber Security Analyst
• Database Administrator
• Data Analyst
• ICT Business Analyst
• IS Project Manager
• Software Tester
• Systems Analyst
• Technical Support Officer

Course Duration

Full Time

The course is 3 years full-time comprising of 24 units (240 Credit Points) where a full-time student undertakes 4 units of study per study period.

International students on a student visa are required to study full time (i.e. must complete a minimum of 1.0 Equivalent Full Time Study Load (EFTSL) of study per year). At Apex, 1.0 EFTSL is defined as 80 credit points a year (8 units where each unit is 10 credit points).

Part Time

The course can be undertaken part-time for domestic students only. The course is 6 years part-time comprising of 24 units (240 Credit Points).

A study period means the intake semester (or intake Summer School) and each subsequent semester.

Units and Study Load

Mode of Study and Study Workload

Full-time students normally undertake four (4) units (subjects) of study during a semester.

Each semester is divided into two half-semester blocks/terms and students normally take two (2) units per block/term.

Each unit consists of 12 hours of online classes + 24 hours of face-to-face classes over a 7-week block/term (exclusive of any exams or additional assessment week).

Students are also expected to spend approximately twelve (18) hours per week in private study and completing assessments for each unit they undertake along with attending all online and face-to-face classes.

Course Structure and Sequence

The Bachelor of Information Systems consists of 24 units. In the course there are 16 core units and 8 unrestricted electives. For the electives students may select from any undergraduate unit offered by Apex Australia Higher Education or students may select specific groups of units from specific ‘streams’ that prepare them for a specific career with the broad field of information systems (IS).

The structure of the BIS is as follows:

First Study Period

• BIS101 Business Information Systems
  • Unit Description: This unit provides an overview of Information Systems (IS) and its role in organisations and contribution to business decision-making processes.
• BIS102 Programming Fundamentals
  • Unit Description: This unit introduces students to the basics of programming.
• BIS103 IS Networking Essentials
  • Unit Description: In this unit, students will learn about fundamental networking topologies and protocols.

Second Study Period

• BIS104 Operations and Technology Management
  • Unit Description: Managing operations and technology is critical for every business that is concerned with delivering value to its customers.
• BUS107 Applied Statistics
  • Unit Description: This unit aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the principles and practical skills necessary for the application of statistics in the business context.
• BIS105 Database Management Systems
  • Unit Description: Digital information systems produce vast amounts of data, and appropriate management of this data is essential for decision making and value-adding.

Third Study Period

• BIS201 Systems Analysis and Design
  • Unit Description: In this unit, students develop skills in systems analysis and design.
• BIS202 Cloud Computing
  • Unit Description: Cloud computing allows the provision of computing services such as software, storage, analytics, and intelligence over the internet.
• BIS205 Project Management and Agile Systems Development
  • Unit Description: This unit provides an introduction to managing information systems projects.

Fourth Study Period

• BUS206 Data Analytics
  • Unit Description: This unit deals with understanding data and how to analyse and present data in real-world scenarios.
• BIS206 IS Ethics and Professional Practice
  • Unit Description: This unit focuses on the ethical considerations in the field of Information & Communications Technology (ICT).
• BIS208 Cyber Security and Information Security
  • Unit Description: This unit provides a broad understanding of information systems security principles and practices in today’s modern enterprises.

Fifth Study Period

• BIS303 Enterprise Systems
  • Unit Description: Enterprise systems, pervasive today in all types of firms (large, small, and medium sized), have a strategic role in supporting the key business processes and decision making.
• BIS311 Design Thinking for IS Projects
  • Unit Description: Information Systems (IS) professionals are expected to develop Information Technology (IT) solutions to real-life problems.

Sixth Study Period

• BIS305 Capstone Project
  • Unit Description: On completion of this unit, students will be able to develop an information system as a real business project involving IT project management techniques and tools.
• BIS304 Information Systems Strategy
  • Unit Description: Information Systems (IS) Strategy focuses on the issues, concepts, and practical application of IS strategy management.

Electives and Streams

Students may select their eight (8) electives from a wide variety of units offered by the institute. Students may wish to select specific groups of units that prepare them for a specific career with the broad field of information systems (IS).

Suggested Electives:

• BUS101 Fundamentals of Accounting
  • Unit Description: Accounting is the process of identifying, measuring, and communicating information about business activity for decision-making.
• BUS102 Business Communication
  • Unit Description: This unit equips students with basic business and academic writing and presentation skills necessary for completing their course of study and for entry-level work-ready business positions.
• BIS204 Business Process Management
  • Unit Description: In today’s digital world, managing business processes is critical for improving performance, costs, decision making and customer orientation.
• BIS302 Data Mining and Business Intelligence
  • Unit Description: This unit provides a broad overview of the data mining and business intelligence techniques used by organisations to gain insights into their customers and competitors.
• BIS310 Software Development and DevOps
  • Unit Description: DevOps has emerged as a new paradigm since most modern enterprise systems run continuously while they also require patching/updates and new features.
• BIS306 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
  • Unit Description: This unit introduces students to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence with an emphasis on machine learning and its applications in business.
• BIS307 Mobile Applications
  • Unit Description: This unit provides a practical introduction to mobile application development.
• BIS308 Cyber Security Risks and Control Strategies
  • Unit Description: This Cyber Security Risks and Control Strategies unit first discusses the fundamentals of cyber risk assessment and management techniques.
• BIS309 Developing Secure Software
  • Unit Description: This unit, Developing Secure Software, covers the entire Safe Software Lifecycle by focusing on core ideas including trust, risks, mitigation, secure design patterns, and cryptography.
• BUS103 Introduction to Marketing
  • Unit Description: This unit presents the foundations and core principles of marketing for businesses including an appreciation of marketing concepts utilised by businesses in Australian and globally.
• BUS106 Fundamentals of Management
  • Unit Description: The unit equips students with the basic principles, fundamental practices and techniques required for effective organisational management.
• BUS203 Research Methods
  • Unit Description: This unit introduces students to business research problems and the ways business research is conducted.
• BUS204 Technology in Business
  • Unit Description: The increasing dominance of technology companies in the Fortune 500 warrants critical analysis and dissection of “technology” and “tech” businesses.
• BUS104 Fundamentals of Business Law
  • Unit Description: Students will study legal knowledge and related problem-solving skills appropriate to business through the three main sources of modern Australian law.
• BUS108 Economics for Business
  • Unit Description: This unit introduces an understanding of economic concepts and contemporary economic issues for analyses and arguments in business decision-making.
• BUS201 Accounting and Business Reporting
  • Unit Description: Accounting is the process of identifying, measuring and communicating information about business activity for decision-making by the users of the information.
• BUS202 Models for Business
  • Unit Description: This unit equips students to understand the significance of business models and explore the connections with business strategy, innovation and disruption management, digital technology and economic theory.

Admission Criteria

Specific Course Admission Criteria for Bachelor of Information Systems: None

General Academic Admission Criteria applies. You are required to read the Admission Criteria and ensure you satisfy the requirements before you apply.

Course Fees

Standard Fees

• Tuition Fee: AUD $64,200
• Enrolment Fee: AUD $250

Program Outline

Outline:

• The Bachelor of Information Systems (BIS) program is designed to provide students with comprehensive knowledge and applied hand-on skills across a broad range of key areas of information technology and business systems.
• The course prepares graduates to enter the exciting and ever-evolving fields of information systems and information technology.
• The BIS features opportunities to study in contemporary and crucial areas of cyber security, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.
• The course covers design thinking, agile systems development methodologies, and various aspects of enterprise systems so that graduates enter the workforce ready to work in modern organizations.
• The course is characterized by an end of program capstone unit that provides students with the valuable experience of working on a real-world project drawing together the knowledge and skills acquired over the entire BIS course.
• Importantly, the course has been designed to meet the Australian Computer Society (ACS) requirements for graduate employment in areas of information technology and information systems.

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Careers:

• The Bachelor of Information Systems aims to provide graduates to the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry, particularly Computer Systems Designs and Related Services.
• Bachelor of Information Systems graduates may seek employment in a number of information systems and information technology related areas including:
• Cyber Security Analyst
• Database Administrator
• Data Analyst
• ICT Business Analyst
• IS Project Manager
• Software Tester
• Systems Analyst
• Technical Support Officer