Master in Business Information Systems

The core modules cover essential topics in the area of business information systems.

Core modules	ECTS
Alignment of Business and IT	6
Business Intelligence	6
Business Process Management	6
Strategic Business Innovation	6
Minimum number of ECTS in this module group	24

A variety of elective modules have been designed to provide students the choice best suited to their interests and career prospects.

Electives	ECTS
Agile Business Analysis	6
Applied Computational Intelligence	6
Artificial Intelligence for Business Processes	6
Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery	3
Business Analytics: Quantitative Methods	6
Challenging International Managers and Leaders	6
Cloud Computing	6
Cyber Security and Cyber Resilience	6
Cyber Security in Health*	3
Data Governance and Information Management	6
Data Science	6
Digital Transformation in Healthcare	6
Digitalisation of Business Processes	6
E-Business and Mobile Business	6
Emerging Topics for Business Information Systems	6
Human-Machine Interaction and Bias Mitigation	3
Innovation in the Digital Age	6
International Field Trip	6
IT Governance, Risk and Compliance	6
Knowledge Processing and Decision Making	6
Lean Entrepreneurship	6
Machine Learning in Medicine	3
Managing IT in a Digitised World	6
Model-based Design of Cyber-Physical Solutions	6
Qualitative Decision Making and Knowledge Management	6
Supply Chain Management	6
User-Centered Design and Usability Testing	3
Independent Learning Module*	6
Minimum number of ECTS in this module group	36

*Module offered by other FHNW faculties or by approved learning partner abroad, replacing one of the elective modules described above.
Module descriptions

Applied Research is an important element for know-how development in the Master of Science in Business Information Systems. In their own research projects students learn how to expand the current state of practice and to aspire towards new solutions. This opens their mind for bringing up-to-date concepts into practice and thus be the driver for innovation in their enterprises.

Research	ECTS
Research Methods for Information Systems	6
Master Thesis Proposal	6
Master Thesis	18
Minimum number of ECTS in this module group	30

Module descriptions

The programme typically stretches over three semesters (1.5 years). The course can be flexibly adapted to personal constraints and opportunities.
The first semester includes the core modules and the innovation thinking project. Between the 1st and 3rd semester the electives are taken. In addition students prepare their master’s thesis proposal in the 2nd semester. The course is completed in the 3rd semester with the master’s thesis.

The programme typically extends to five semesters (2.5 years). The course can be flexibly adapted to personal constraints and opportunities.
The core modules and the innovation thinking project are taken in the 1st and 2nd semester. Students are left free to decide on their electives between the 2nd and 5th semester. Toward the end of the course students prepare their research proposal and write up their master’s thesis.

A combination of full-time and part-time studies over 4 semesters or even an extension to 6 semesters and more is possible.

Lectures are from Tuesday to Saturday. For each semester the timetable is published before the students enrol in the modules. This means that the students can influence their individual timetable and their lecture days - depending on the modules they choose.

Each module is taught in a half day lecture (8:15 - 12:00 or 13:15 - 17:00). Full-time students usually have 5 modules per semester (i.e. 5 half days of lecture per week). Part-time students usually have 3 modules per semester (i.e. 3 half day of lecture per week). Typically, part-time students choose lectures on Saturday and on one day in the week.

One of the critical steps in developing a global mindset is familiarity and comfort with non-home country settings. Understanding other countries’ economic, social, political and cultural systems and imprints is key.

The field trips to Silicon Valley, South Africa and Shenzhen open up opportunities for our students to see the world through the eyes of others. This is what a truly global mindset is all about. Through a combination of a pre-departure session, company visits, group interviews with managers, cultural activities and an analytical paper at the end, students are exposed to and have to reflect upon the realities of huge emerging economies.

The international immersion experiences in the USA, South Africa and China provide unique insights into a fascinating world marked by diversity and innovation. The international field trips aim at providing a connection between concepts and models learned in the classroom and the real world abroad. Students participating in one of these field trips will be awarded ECTS credit points.

We offer the opportunity to enhance the Master of Science in Business Information Systems with additional degrees

In collaboration with the University of Camerino (Italy) we offer the opportunity to undertake an exchange and gain an additional Master of Science in Computer Science from our partner university.

In collaboration with the Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia) we offer the opportunity to undertake an exchange and gain an additional Master of Science in Management from our partner university.

After successful graduation from the Master of Science in Business Information Systems there is the opportunity to transfer credits for the additional Master of Science in International Management FHNW or the Master of Science in Medical Informatics FHNW.

Students have the opportunity to undertake an exchange semester in one of our carefully selected partner universities abroad. Typically, exchange programmes can be combined with undertaking research projects or writing the master’s thesis in cooperation with universities and companies in the selected destination. Successful partnerships have been established with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, South Africa and the Department of Informatics at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.