MSc Business Technology Consulting

- in association with Capgemini

Business technology deals with the integration of information and communications technologies in support of an organisation's business activities. This has become one of the main themes for modern business. To provide consultancy, it is essential to have the domain knowledge of business and technology. It is equally important to have the capability of communicating effectively to the decision makers. This degree is designed to provide an opportunity for students who wish to become professional business technology consultants in the multicultural and managerial environments with the following aims:

• To provide theoretical knowledge and practical methodologies or techniques;
• To enhance the knowledge and expertise for those who have professional experiences;
• To draw inputs from prestigious industrial partners and build upon the existing expertise within the Informatics Research Centre;
• To provide a clear framework enabling students to conduct business and technology focused industry assignment applying consultancy skills learned.

For more information, please read Brochure MSc Business Technology Consulting

Programme Content

A student is required to complete six taught modules, followed by a consulting project. The following are the core modules:

Applied informatics

Treating information as a crucial asset in business, this module improves the students' understanding of the role of information in organisations. The nature and characteristics of information will be studied in order for the students to appreciate the methods and techniques of effective representation and management of information resource. Students will learn from the theory and practical examples the relationship between business and information management strategies, the alignment of business processes and IT system functions and the interplay between the business and IT systems.

Business architecture

This module includes the basic knowledge and techniques for the design and modelling business architecture focusing on the Business Strategy view. The design, planning, implementation and governance of enterprise information architecture are introduced to support business strategies. The Open Group Architecture Framework will be taught to model business at four domain areas: Business, Application, Data and Technology. The importance of aligning business and technology strategies will be explicitly emphasised. This module focuses on the content and context level of architecture coupled with the understanding of the whole spectrum of activities from strategy to delivery and operation.

Architecture leadership

It covers the knowledge and principles to lead a team in the highly competitive and technology rich environment. The capability of leading others is a key development area for most Managing Consultants. The capability of leading a team as well as making sure the team performance is at an optimal level will make a difference to any business. One of the key focuses is on how to successfully work, manage and lead globally distributed team with local and global team members.

Business technology consulting

It allows students to be able to identify current and future issues affecting the client organisations, use the key knowledge areas for business technology consulting such as service oriented architecture, business architecture, information technology architecture, and formulate a most effective strategy to communicate to the board members to push the proposed strategies for business technology.

Consulting project

The aim of the module is to allow the students to practice the knowledge learned from the taught modules in a real life case in a structured and systematic manner. The real life cases are from the current projects from Capgemini which can be completed in the duration of 8-10 weeks. The module is also designed to allow student to develop necessary knowledge and skills to collect and analyse the needs from customers and provide the most appropriate solutions to improve the business performances through the means of business technologies.

Students will then choose two modules from the following; Business communication and negotiation, Business domain and requirements analysis, Business intelligence and data mining, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Information systems and infrastructure.
Postgraduate taught modules

Collaboration with industry

Capgemini University will actively contribute to the teaching, consulting project supervision and the delivery of the programme. Capgemini is looking to employ 3-5 top achievers each year. In addition:

• Capgemini will provide international mentors to the top performing students, through Capgemini's Global Architects Community;
• The consulting projects will address a real business challenge provided by Capgemini.

Qualification exit points

This course allows participants to achieve their qualifications at three exit points: a Postgraduate Certificate (PGC) (when 60 CATs are accumulated) or a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) (when 120 CATs are accumulated) or an MSc (180 CATs). For the PGC and PGDip, there will be no dissertation project required.

Mode of study

Students can select either full-time or part-time study in the programme. The former mode will last for 12 months while the latter model may take three consecutive years. Each module will be normally delivered in a week of concentrated teaching, followed by a week of supported learning. There are three exit points: a Postgraduate Certificate (PGcert), a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDiP) and an MSc degree.

Career prospects

This programme is designed and delivered in collaboration with Capgemini, one of the top IT consulting companies in the world. Graduates from this programme can work in a wide range of industries and management functions. These include for example consultancy, programme and project management, business consulting, systems manager, technical manager, IT operation manager, application architect, project leader, researcher/educator/trainer, and quantitative analyst.

Capgemini is looking to employ 3-5 top achievers from this programme each year.