Study Programme in IT-Design: Information Systems Design

 
180 ECTS credits
Student framför datorskärm

Study programme

Are you interested in IT to solve today´s, tomorrow´s and the future´s challenges? Then IT- design is something for you. Students on this programme develop skills to carry out a wide range of tasks, such as adapting and purchasing enterprise systems and developing advanced programmes to suit a growing industry. Most businesses today use some form of IT-systems. The application, development and integration of these, often complex, systems requires the assistance of a specialist in IT-Design. The IT-Design programme offers great opportunities to establish contacts with local businesses as well as study abroad for a period. The programme aims to provide a platform and useful knowledge for the IT field and employment that is both stimulating and challenging. It prepares you for a future in the IT industry.

This programme in the subject information systems offers good theoretical and practical knowledge of relations between humans, organisations, and IT systems. The programme includes approaches to digitalisation from these perspectives and you develop your ability to apply academic knowledge and take responsibility for sustainable development and gender equality.

The IT-Design programme offers flexible study opportunities. Students first take joint classes and then specialize in one of the two majors Enterprise Systems and Economy or Information Systems Design.

The major Information Systems Design combines the study of IT, business applications and the human factor. Students will learn to analyse, design and develop advanced IT-systems in close collaboration with its future users. The programme aims to provide a platform and useful knowledge for the IT field and system development jobs that are both stimulating and challenging. The IT-Design programme offers opportunities for flexible study both on-campus and with the support of a web-based platform as a complement.

Education level: Basic level

Prerequisites

General admission requirements plus either Mathematics 3b or 3c and Social Sciences 1b or 1a1 + 1a2, or English B, Mathematics C and Social Sciences A.

More about field-specific eligibility

While studying

Education

The education in the IT-Design programme starts off with a broad base in IT and activities preparing you for further studies in one of the two majors. No prior IT knowledge is required. It is enough that you are interested in IT and eager to find out more about IT opportunities.

The programme includes at least 90 ECTS in Information Systems. A common theme running throughout the programme is the study of IT in terms of the perspectives business operations, users and technology. Students learn how to analyse, design and develop IT solutions for private and public sector organisations as well as for individuals in everyday life. Students learn modelling, programming, user interface, interaction design and systems integration in web and system development. Students will acquire insight into the complexity of IT in organisations, for users and developers. The programme has close ties to current research: students can therefore expect to be well prepared for future stimulating and challenging employment in the IT area.

Form of Instruction

The programme represents full-time work, with an average of three to five days of scheduled classes a week at Karlstad University. Students will also participate in various projects. Active participation in the courses is required and students are expected to study extensively, and gradually more and more independently, on their own. Field studies and laboratory work are frequently obligatory. A web-based communication platform is used in the majority of courses as complement.

Examination

Examination formats vary from course to course and can include written exams, oral exams, hand-in assignments or take-home exams. Examination usually takes place at the end of each course, module, or unit.

Study Abroad

During your Study Programme in IT-Design: Information Systems Design, you have an opportunity to spend a semester (4th) studying abroad at one of Karlstad University's exchange partners. A semester abroad builds upon the competences and knowledge you develop during your studies, you will enhance your communication skills and intercultural skills, and you may even select to study a new subject area - all of which improves your CV for future employers. Karlstad University has exchange agreements with over 200 partner universities, located in more than 35 countries. Students from IT-Design: Information Systems Design can spend the semester in universities such as the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, USA; Unversidade de Lisboa, Portugal and University of Siena, Italy. You may also complete aspects of your final thesis data collection abroad. To discover more about these opportunities, visit our Study Abroad website, link to the right.

Professional Contact

The teaching on the courses is firmly tied to industry and students will have the opportunity to connect with local businesses, for example in the writing of their degree projects. Students will also meet with guest lecturers and participate in field studies.

Course of Study

The programme represents full-time work, with an average of 20 hours of scheduled classes a week. Students will also participate in various projects. Active participation in the courses is required and students are expected to study extensively on their own. Field studies and laboratory work are mostly mandatory. The course of study includes good possibilities to study abroad.

Course of study

Semester 1 ECTS credits
Introduction to IT Design (Obligatory) 7.5
Enterprise and Information Technology (IT) (Obligatory) 7.5
Acquisition of Information Systems (Obligatory) 7.5
Introduction to programming (Obligatory) 7.5
Total ECTS credits: 30
Semester 2 ECTS credits
Introduction to Business Administration (Obligatory) 7.5
Graphical User Interfaces (Obligatory) 7.5
HTML and CSS for Webdevelopment (Obligatory) 5
JavaScript for Webdevelopment (Obligatory) 5
Serverside programming in JavaScript (Obligatory) 5
Total ECTS credits: 30
Semester 3 ECTS credits
Database Design (Obligatory) 7.5
Object-Oriented Modeling (Obligatory) 7.5
Nosql databases (Obligatory) 7.5
Software Development (Obligatory) 7.5
Total ECTS credits: 30
Semester 4 ECTS credits
Optional course (Obligatory) 7.5
Optional course (Obligatory) 7.5
Optional course (Obligatory) 7.5
Optional course (Obligatory) 7.5
Informations Systems: Practical Training (Optional) 7.5
Enterprise Systems I: Models for Analysis (Optional) 7.5
Business Development from a Process and Partnership Perspective (Optional) 7.5
C#.NET (Optional) 7.5
Computer Networking I (Optional) 7.5
Business by Web and Web Analytics (Optional) 7.5
Software Development Methodology (Optional) 7.5
Accessibility of Digital Services and Digital Documents (Optional) 7.5
Total ECTS credits: 30*
Semester 5 ECTS credits
App development for Mobile e-services (Obligatory) 7.5
Design Patterns, Java, and UML (Obligatory) 7.5
Interaction Design (Obligatory) 7.5
Agile Project Management (Optional) 7.5
User tests, prototyping and evaluation (Elective) 7.5
Total ECTS credits: 30*
Semester 6 ECTS credits
Information Systems - Bachelor´s thesis (Obligatory) 15
System Analysis and Design (Obligatory) 7.5
Systems Integration (Obligatory) 7.5
Total ECTS credits: 30

*Full-time study always equals 30 ECTS credits per semester (20 weeks).

Elective course: Students are free to choose among certain alternative courses, often depending on their choice of specialisation.

Optional course: Students are free to choose any course offered at Karlstad University or at other universities. Courses listed are examples of recommended or frequently chosen courses for a specific programme.

Läsårs- och programvärderingar

Future prospects

Employment Market

As an information systems designer there is a wide range of professions to specialise in. You can work at a development or consultancy company, a business, an organisation, a municipality or a public agency. You can work with systems design, systems development, IT strategies, IT project management and other activities that require IT competence to be useful and benefit people and organisations.

Degree

The programme concludes with a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Information Systems.

Further Studies

Upon completion of the programme, you can go on to further studies at Master's level, such as a Master's programme (60 or 120 credits) in Information Systems.

Karlstad University currently offers the following programmes that might be of interest:
Master Programme in Information Systems
Master Programme (one year) in Project Management

  • Start Autumn 2024
  • Mode of study Campus (Karlstad)
  • Language Swedish and English
  • Application code KAU-80299
  • Study pace 100% (Day)
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