Business Information Systems with Foundation Year

At least 3 GCSEs including

• GCSE Maths, Grade C or Grade 4 or above. 

• GCSE English, Grade C or Grade 4 or above. 

If you don't hold GCSEs, we accept 45 credits at Level 2 or equivalent.

If your qualifications are older than 3 years we also ask to see a professional CV.

We strive to support students to succeed, whatever their background, and we encourage you to apply to study with us even if you don’t meet the academic requirements.

We view all applications holistically – and will consider a minimum of 12 months professional work experience (evidenced with a CV and reference) if you don't meet the academic entry requirements.

You'll also be required to submit a motivation letter that outlines:

• your motivations for choosing this course

• how your work experience has prepared you for the Foundation Year course

• how the course aligns with your career goals.

Thinking of transferring institutions or have you studied before? Your prior learning could mean you're exempt from some modules, bringing you closer to your goals.

Unlock the value of your past learning and experience with our recognition of prior learning process. Simply consult with our Study Advisers, and submit a recognition of prior learning form alongside your application.

If you’re a mature student and you don’t meet our entry criteria, you may be eligible to enrol through our mature student process.

You may be required to submit a CV and a short supporting statement of 500 to 600 words. This should set out why you want to study this programme and how it will support your career plans.

We also consider a variety of qualifications including Functional Skills Qualifications, BTEC Firsts and National Vocational Qualifications.

Overseas qualifications may be accepted, and will be subject to evidence of equivalency normally verified through ECCTIS (UK ENIC).

If you’re a non-native English speaker, you’ll be asked to provide proof of your English language proficiency in one of the following forms.

Alternatively, you may be accepted if you have previously studied in English at an appropriate level and attended a recognised institution.

IELTS grade of 6.0 overall or above, with no element below 5.5.

An online English test is offered (SPEEXX) if IELTS not available. 

TOEFL minimum 80 points.

Trinity College ISE – ISE III at minimum pass. Please note that Trinity College ISE academic results are only valid for two years.

Duolingo English test minimum 95 points. Take Duolingo’s online English test. It takes just 45 to 60 minutes, and you’ll receive your results within two days. You can then send your certificate to us.

Cambridge Certificate minimum B grade overall.

• Foundations of learning

  Develop key learning skills like effective communication, time management, goal setting, and understanding different learning styles.

• Academic integrity and writing for business

  Develop academic writing and research skills, including referencing, avoiding plagiarism, and understanding business communication.

• Personal career plan

  Learn how to identify your core strengths, understand various job search processes, and build and maintain a personal brand.

• Elective: Foundation Year: (see Electives: Foundation Year)

• Applied learning strategies

  This module continues to develop learning strategies, focusing on self-study, communication, presentation skills, and overcoming challenges and setbacks.

• Developing a business mindset* – business related track

  Explore key skills and attributes for developing a business mindset, covering topics like self-management, learning from failure, and financial literacy.

• Business ethics – business related track

  Business ethics involves applying ethical principles to business practices, emphasising individual and corporate responsibility within a framework of social justice and sustainability.

• Project: innovation and investigation

  In this module, you’ll combine your learning from earlier modules in a project related to your subject area.

*Please note, this elective will be available to study from April 2025.

• Introduction to computer science

  Explore the basic concepts of computer science, including information representation, algorithms, data structures, and the role of computer science as a discipline.

• Business 101

  Gain fundamental knowledge of general business administration, covering corporate goals, strategic marketing, organizational structures, and basic accounting principles.

• Object-oriented programming with java

  Learn the basic skills of object-oriented programming using java, focusing on theoretical concepts and practical problem-solving.

• Statistics - probability and descriptive statistics

  Understand the fundamentals of statistical description and analysis, covering probability, Bayesian statistics, random variables, and key distributions.

• Collaborative work

  Develop interdisciplinary competency for professional networking and collaborative work, emphasising the importance of social diversity and conflict resolution.

• Requirements engineering

  Learn to determine and document the requirements for IT system development, covering techniques and methods to ensure thorough and accurate requirement specifications.

• Management accounting

  Understand the preparation and use of management accounting information, focusing on cost accounting, performance measurements, and budgeting processes.

• Data structures and Java class library

  Deepen your knowledge of object-oriented programming with a focus on data structures and their implementation in java.

• Introduction to academic work for IT and technology

  Learn the basics of scientific thinking and working, including handling sources, academic writing formats, and the methods necessary for writing academic papers in IT and technology.

• Introduction to process management

  Explore the basics of enterprise modelling, process design, and the evaluation and implementation of processes with an emphasis on organisational change and risk management.

• Corporate finance and investment

  Understand the fundamentals of corporate finance, including financial markets, agency problems, financial statements, investment decisions, and risk management.

• Fundamentals of IT and ERP systems

  Gain an understanding of IT enterprise architecture and ERP systems, including their implementation and the role of open-source software and cloud computing.

• Database modelling and database systems

  Learn the principles of relational data models, SQL queries, and modern database systems (NoSQL) for data storage and access.

• Digital business models

  Explore key digital business models, understanding their development, strengths and weaknesses, and their role in business planning and positioning.

• Elective A (see electives A section below)

• Elective A (see electives A section below)

• Data analytics and big data

  Familiarise yourself with methods and techniques for big data analysis, covering data mining, statistical fundamentals, and legal aspects of data analysis.

• Seminar: current topics in computer science

  Deepen your academic skills by engaging in research and discussions on a specific computer science topic, culminating in a final scientific paper.

• Elective B (see Electives B section below)

• Elective B (see Electives B section below)

• Elective C (see Electives C section below)

• Elective C (see Electives C section below)

• Undergraduate (bachelor) thesis

  Apply the subject-specific and methodological competencies learned throughout your course to present an academic dissertation. You’ll also learn how to tackle a practical-empirical or theoretical-scientific problem.

• Foundations of academic English

  Learn the skills for correct and concise academic writing, reviewing language and grammar, and discussing academic integrity. This elective is compulsory for international students.

• Skills for business

  Learn essential business skills, including writing business emails and proposals, giving presentations, and understanding company structures.

• Maths foundations

  This module explores essential math concepts, introducing the correct terminology for describing and solving mathematical problems, and developing your independent study skills.

• Digital skills

  Explore the impact of digital changes on professions and societies, developing essential digital skills and knowledge about emerging technologies.

• IT law

  Learn the basic concepts of IT law, including data protection, intellectual property, and the legal frameworks in different countries.

• Intercultural and ethical decision-making

  Understand intercultural competencies, ethics, and the processes of intercultural learning and working through practical case studies.

• Programming information systems with Java EE

  Develop skills to build enterprise web applications using the Java technology stack, covering web technologies, application interfaces, and database connections.

• Agile project management

  Gain a practical introduction to agile project management, its principles, and practices, comparing it with plan-driven project management methods.

• Project: AI excellence with creative prompting techniques

  Explore prompting in generative AI applications through hands-on exercises, learning to create, analyse, and evaluate AI-generated content.

• Theoretical computer science and mathematical logic

  Explore the theoretical foundations of computer science, focusing on predicate logic, finite automata, the Chomsky hierarchy, and the P=NP problem, applied to practical areas like SQL and state transition diagrams.

• Self-arranged internship I (*)

  Develop your practical and analytical skills by doing an internship and improving your employability. In several preparation tutorials, you’ll consider the working environment and the overall goal of your placement.

• Self-arranged internship II (*)

  As with the first internship, this is an opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge in a business environment. Develop your communication style, problem solving ability and time management.

  
  

*You'll be responsible for arranging a suitable internship for your field of study. Once arranged, please complete an application to the internship module via myCampus, to make sure your internship can be recognised and credited towards your course requirements.

Big data and business intelligence

• Big data technologies

  Understand the different types and sources of data, database concepts, data storage frameworks, distributed computing environments, and the ethical impact of big data technology choices.

• Cloud computing

  Learn the fundamentals and enabling technologies of cloud computing, including serverless computing, and popular cloud offerings for analytics.

IT operations and project management

• IT service management

  Explore IT service management concepts and best practices through the IT infrastructure library (ITIL), focusing on IT operations.

• Project: IT service management

  Apply IT service management theories to practical problems, evaluating solutions and maintaining an IT service management project.

  
  

Cyber security

• Introduction to data protection and cyber security

  Learn important IT security concepts, procedures, and techniques, including legal regulations and methods for IT security implementation.

• Cryptography

  Gain in-depth knowledge of cryptographic processes, including symmetric and asymmetric methods, hash functions, and their practical applications.

  
  

International marketing and sales

• International marketing

  Understand the necessity of strategic marketing in an international context, focusing on cultural differences, international market research, and ethical considerations.

• Online marketing

  Learn the theories and methods of online marketing, including channel strategies, customer acquisition and retention, and measuring success with web analytics.

  
  

Supply chain management and industry 4.0

• Supply chain management I

  Explore modern supply chain management concepts, value creation processes, and strategies to deal with the coordination problem of SCM.

• Supply chain management II

  Understand the requirements for successful supply chains, the SCOR model, and strategies like postponement and order-promising.

  
  

Human resources

• Introduction to new work

  Learn about the challenges and implications of technological and societal changes on human resource management and leadership culture.

• Organisational behaviour

  Understand key theories and frameworks in organisational behaviour, focusing on improving employee performance and engagement.

Big data and business intelligence

• Business intelligence

  Learn the motivation, use cases, and concepts of business intelligence, applying techniques and methods for data modelling and information generation.

• Project: business intelligence

  Develop a solution to a practical problem in business intelligence, designing and prototyping a business intelligence application based on specific requirements.

  
  

IT operations and project management

• IT project management

  Explore typical problems in managing software projects, learning techniques and methods to address challenges and minimise risks.

• IT architecture management

  Understand the principles, activities, and models of IT architecture management, aligning IT infrastructure with business and IT strategy.

Cyber security

• Technical and operational IT security concepts

  Learn to evaluate IT systems and networks, develop protection profiles, and design tools for network monitoring and intrusion detection.

• Project: configuration and application of SIEM systems

  Gain hands-on experience implementing a security incident event management (SIEM) tool in an enterprise IT environment, considering practical aspects and converting technical data into operational information.

International marketing and sales

• Applied sales I

  Learn the key aspects of sales, including sales organization, customer acquisition, and sales planning in different economic sectors.

• Applied sales II

  Understand the connection between marketing and sales, customer relationship management, and the application of persuasive communication techniques.

Supply chain management and industry 4.0

• Product development in industry 4.0

  Explore modern product development methods and tools in the context of industry 4.0, focusing on digital and virtual product design.

• Project: smart product solutions

  Apply smart product solutions in a practical project, using various instruments and modelling tools to analyse digital business models.

Human resources

• Digital HR

  Understand the impact of digitalization on HR management, focusing on emerging technologies, new professions, and the transformation of HR functions.

• International HR management

  Learn the special features, opportunities, and challenges of country-specific and cross-national HR management, applying theories and concepts to real-world scenarios.