INF4012W DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PRACTICES
60 NQF credits at HEQSF level 8

Convener: L Seymour

Objective:

This course aims to introduce students to the theories and practices of Digital Transformation in Organisations. It prepares IT professionals for the roles of Digital Transformation professional, Business Process professional, Business Analyst, Enterprise systems Manager, IT Consultant, or Systems integrator.

Course outline:
Knowledge areas covered include enterprise system processes and implementation, business process management, business analytics, and project management pertinent to the IT industry. The hands-on practical class exercises integrate theory and practice. Students use enterprise software and software tools for business process management and business analytics. Academic writing and argumentation is introduced and practiced. Practices covered include analysing organisational processes, formulating business cases, re-designing organisational processes, IT project management and designing metrics and dashboards. Students analyse and redesign an organisational process as part of an in-course project.

DP requirements: Students must participate in at least 80% of the sessions, submit all major assignments and obtain a year mark of 40% before the final exam.

Assessment: There is continuous and summative assessment through academic essays, work assignments and class work (50%), and examinations (50%). The examinations may be written at the end of each module, or in combined papers in June/July and November. A sub-minimum of 40% is required for the combined weighted exam marks.

INF4015W INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT
60 NQF credits at HEQSF level 8

Convener: P Tsibolane

Objective: This course is designed for business and IT professionals to deepen their expertise in business and IT, enhance critical reading and writing skills, and formalise and expand their industry knowledge.

Course outline:
The course combines theory and practical application through lectures and exercises, encouraging students to integrate their business experience with theoretical concepts. The curriculum covers: Independent research to develop valid arguments and insights; Organisational value of IT to understand how IT contributes to business success; System development to explore approaches to creating and improving IT systems; User requirements to specify and analyze business needs; IT strategic management to examine architectural and practical cloud-based strategies; Business analytics to gain insights from data to drive business decisions; CIO concerns and IT futures to understand leadership challenges and future trends; Innovative business models to leverage emerging technologies for competitive advantage; Technology trends to stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry; and IT project management to apply best practices to manage complex projects.

DP requirements: Students must participate in at least 80% of the sessions and submit all major assignments. Students must also obtain a year mark of 40% before the final exam. 

Assessment: There is a combination of continuous and summative assessment, comprising academic essays, assignments, and classwork (50%), as well as examinations (50%). The examinations may be written at the end of each module, OR in combined papers in June/July and Oct/November. A sub-minimum of 40% is required for the combined weighted exam marks 

INF4016W COMPUTER FORENSICS COURSEWORK (Currently not offered)
60 NQF credits at HEQSF level 8

Convener: M Kyobe

Course outline:
This course is designed for specialist investigators and managers in computer forensics and aims to:

  • deepen expertise in topics relevant to the course,
  • develop critical reading and writing skills, and
  • formalise and extend knowledge gained through work in industry.

This course identifies the risk factors arising from the use of technology. It aims to equip the student with an understanding of the legal issues involved, how to manage such investigations, to manage and to detect such crimes. The course covers:
Legal aspects of computer forensics, the right to privacy and access to evidence, operating systems concepts, application system concepts, forensic application software, computer forensic investigations and procedures, investigation project management, computer security concepts and research methodology.

Lecture times: The lectures will be taught in four block weeks that are normally scheduled during the university breaks. Four full-time weeks during February, April, July and September. Guest experts will be used to enrich the programme by lecturing certain of the topics where they have highly specialised knowledge and experience.

DP requirements: None

Assessment: Written papers and essays 50%, Written examinations 50% Examination requirements: Each of the four modules will be examined. The examination may be written at the end of each module on dates announced at the start of the semester, and/or combined papers in June and November. A sub-minimum of 45% is required for the combined exam marks.

INF4017W INFORMATION SYSTEMS PROJECT
60 NQF credits at HEQSF level 8

Convener: A Pekane

Course entry requirements: INF4015W (Information System Coursework) or (INF4016W Computer Forensics Coursework) or INF4012W (Enterprise Systems and BPM Coursework) or INF4018W (business and Systems Analysis Coursework) or INF4018W (Business and systems Analysis Coursework) 

Course outline: Students are required to complete and report on a work-related project which demonstrates clearly how the knowledge gained in their coursework course has been or can be applied to a real-world setting. This can be in an employed situation, as part of volunteer work or can also use be in another practical setting. The project is not classified as research and hence is not similar to a research dissertation. The nature of the project is very flexible but a written project report of no less than 50 pages is required on completion, as well as presenting their report via an oral assessment format. In the case of students who completed the INF4016W course, the nature of the project will be a complete investigation of, and report on a hypothetical computer forensics investigation, including an oral presentation. The student should prepare a short description of the proposed project after which the student may be allocated a responsible staff member in the department who can act as a “supervisor/mentor”. The staff member may help the student with the scope and possible questions. All 4018W (BASA) students are required to consolidate their individual coursework deliverables into a final work project report which they are required to submit.

DP requirements: Submission of all deliverables including an unmarked progress report in July.

Assessment: There are two deliverables which will be assessed: A proposal must be submitted and approved at the start of the course (weighting of 20% towards final mark);The final work project - A minimum of 50% must be obtained in order to pass (weighting of 80% towards final mark);The marks for the above assessment will be combined to produce a final INF4017H course mark and an overall mark of 50% is required to pass.
 

INF4018W BUSINESS AND SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
Fourth year status, part-time whole year course.
60 NQF credits at HEQSF level 8

Convener: L Seymour

Course entry requirements: An undergraduate degree; or meet the RPL requirements of the department. Candidates should have access to a mentor in a business analysis environment.

Objective: This is an applied program in Information Systems Business and Systems Analysis. Graduates learn how to analyse, model and design appropriate technology laden products and services that meet organisational needs together with appropriate project processes to realise the benefits from such products and services.

Course outline: The course is structured across four full-time weeks spread over the year. The full-time weeks comprise theory lectures and hands-on practical class exercises, designed to carefully integrate theory and practice. The aim is to guide students through a transformative process of following, detaching and becoming fluent, while also taking responsibility for their own growth. Students on the programme are required to use an organisational project or a process that they are busy working on, which will be developed and evolve in the course of the year. Students will learn to independently research, write coherently and lucidly, form valid arguments, understand organisations and information systems, analyse organisational processes and information, formulate a business case, design organisational processes and data structures, formulate a user requirements specification document, gain knowledge about business intelligence, understand IT governance, and implement project management techniques pertinent to the IT industry.
Lecture times: The lectures will be taught in four block weeks that are normally scheduled during the university breaks.

DP requirements: Students must participate in at least 80% of the UCT sessions and failure to achieve a year mark of more than 50% may, at the discretion of UCT, result in your exclusion from the UCT programme

Assessment: There will be continuous and summative assessments for the program through academic essays (15%), work assignments and class work (35%), and exams (50%). Examination requirements: The examination may be written at the end of each module on dates announced at the start of the semester, and/or in combined papers in June and November. A sub-minimum of 45% is required for the combined exam marks of equal weighting.

INF4019W CYBERSECURITY (COURSEWORK)
Fourth year status, part-time whole year course.
60 NQF credits at NQF level 8

Convener: L Tekeni

Course outline:  This course is designed for specialist cybersecurity investigators and managers and aims to:

  • deepen expertise in topics relevant to the course,
  • develop critical reading & writing skills, and Project management skills 
  • formalise and extend knowledge gained through work in industry.

This course covers Cybersecurity threats and implications; information security services (threat identification, authentication, authorisation, confidentiality, integrity and privacy), implementation of these services on Linux and Windows platforms, National and international cybersecurity Frameworks,Compliance, security strategy and cybersecurity culture, critical writing, project management and research methodology.

Lecture times: The lectures will be taught in four block weeks that are normally scheduled during the university breaks. Four full-time weeks during February, April, July and September. Guest experts will be used to enrich the programme by lecturing certain of the topics where they have highly specialised knowledge and experience

DP requirements: None

Assessment: Written papers and essays 50%, Written examinations 50% Examination requirements: Each of the four modules will be examined. The examination may be written at the end of each module on dates announced at the start of the semester, and/or combined papers in June and November. A sub-minimum of 45% is required for the combined exam marks.

INF4024W    INFORMATION SYSTEMS RESEARCH PROJECT 
60 NQF credits at HEQSF level 8 

Convener: S Kabanda

Course entry requirements: This course is restricted to students admitted into the honours programmes in Information Systems and the honours programme in Management Information Systems.

Objective: The course provides a first research exposure leading to an Honours Degree. Candidates will be expected to develop critical reading, analysis and research design skills, as well as to demonstrate good writing skills.

Course outline:  The course commences with taught sessions in research techniques. The Department may, at its discretion, choose to cover these materials in evening sessions of three hours each or via short full-time blocks, not exceeding six days in duration. Thereafter students will select research areas and prepare research proposals. Students will be assigned to mentors, who will assist and guide them through the research process. Additional three-hour seminars covering academic writing and research methodology will be provided at appropriate times throughout the year.

Lecture times: This course runs in 2 block session: One in the beginning of the 1st semester, and the second block runs in the middle of the 1st semester

DP requirements: None

Assessment: Students will be evaluated as follows: Interim deliverables 40%; Empirical report 60%. An overall mark of at least 50% is required to pass the programme and a minimum of 50% must be obtained for the Empirical Report.

INF4025S    INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT 
20 NQF credits at HEQSF level 8 

Convener: A Budree

Course entry requirements: Students should meet the entrance requirements to the IS Honours programme.

Objective: The major objectives of the course are to research, present and discuss the major academic contributions in the field of IS development and management in seminars. To develop strong communication, interpersonal and change agent skills. To develop a community spirit through the Honours Outreach and Community Involvement Programme (HOCIP)

Course outline:  The course covers IS Management topics, which are selected based on current research from academia and industry. Students are required to research a topic, and firstly produce a seminar paper in collaboration with an academic. Once the seminar paper has been approved by the academic, students have to develop and present a seminar on the topic, and facilitate a question and answer session. Guests from industry are often invited to present their experience on the topic after the students.

Lecture times: Monday and Thursday, 6th & 7th

DP requirements: 75% attendance and participation in seminars, a minimum of 50% for seminar management (developing and presenting a seminar paper according to scope, quality and time guidelines), and a sub-minimum of 45% in the final examination

Assessment: Seminar and classwork deliverables 60%, Final Assessment 40%

INF4026F    APPLICATION & TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT 
20 NQF credits at NQF level 8

Convener: A Budree

Course entry requirements: Students should meet the entrance requirements to the IS Honours programme.

Objective: The major objectives of the course are to research, present and discuss the major academic contributions in the field of IS development and management in seminars. To develop strong communication, interpersonal and change agent skills. To develop a community spirit through the Honours Outreach and Community Involvement Programme (HOCIP), and Service in Context course

Course outline:  The course covers twelve IS application and technical development topics, which are selected based on current research from academia and industry. Students are required to research a topic, and firstly produce a seminar paper in collaboration with an academic. Once the seminar paper has been approved by the academic, students have to develop and present a seminar on the topic, and facilitate a question and answer session. Guests from industry are often invited to present their experience on the topic after the students.

Lecture times: Monday and Thursday, 6th to 7th period

DP requirements: 75% attendance and participation in seminars, a minimum of 50% for seminar management (developing and presenting a seminar paper according to scope, quality and time guidelines), and a sub-minimum of 45% in the final examination.

Assessment: Seminar and classwork deliverables 60%, Final Assessment 40%

INF4027W    SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT II 
40 NQF credits at HEQSF level 8 

Convener: E Scott

Course entry requirements: Students should meet the entrance requirements to the IS Honours programme and may be required to write an entrance exam.

Objective: The main objective of the course is to develop students' knowledge and understanding of facts, concepts, principles and theories of software development and agile methodologies through the implementation of these concepts in a systems development (SD) team project for sponsor in industry.

Course outline:  For the Systems Development Project II course, teams of students are required to identify and analyse a real-world IS problem, then design, and develop and test a fully-functioning Information System that meets current and future requirements. The software projects are formulated by Industry Sponsors and relate to real-life business problems that need to be solved to bring business value.

Students are required to use agile methodologies (Scrum/Kanban) to manage their projects. The course combines theoretical elements of agile project management and software development methodologies with the practical implementation of these concepts through the completion of the team projects.

Students should use and integrate Analysis, Design, Programming and Testing skills learned during other undergraduate courses in their projects. Students should also adhere to the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) guidelines and principles in the five key focus areas of software development (requirements analysis, design, construction, testing, and quality assurance).

Students are required to work independently, liaise with their sponsors to gather requirements and produce a workable solution in four (4) Iterations. To support development work, students should use tools like Trello, Jira, Git, Microsoft Azure etc. 

The course aims to equip students with problem-solving, team management, and technical skills, for them to be ready for a professional work environment.

DP requirements:  None

Assessment: Assessment will be based on compulsory deliverables within the following categories: Programming Test, Vision Presentation, BA & Innovation Document, Iterations Assessments (Documentation & Presentation) and the individual portfolio of evidence of each student