Information Technology – Bachelor of Information Sciences

The Bachelor of Information Sciences (Information Technology) will combine your love of problem-solving and technology with the skills to analyse, design, build and manage a huge range of IT systems, projects and resources.

Where you can study

Auckland campus
Distance and online
Tianjin, China

International students

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Open to international students on campus in New Zealand, or studying online outside New Zealand
Note: Not all distance courses are available by distance every year.

Specialise in Information Technology for your Bachelor of Information Sciences at Massey

Our personal lives are becoming ever more entwined in social networks, virtual worlds and gaming environments. While commerce and industry are increasingly dependent on new and improved information technology.

The Bachelor of Information Sciences Information Technology major will combine your love of problem-solving, teamwork and technology with the core skills needed to analyse, design, build and manage a range of IT systems, projects and resources.

Meet the needs of future consumers

When you study the Bachelor of Information Sciences (Information Technology), you will examine the huge range of technology that we use. You’ll gain skills in designing and building systems that will meet the needs of consumers today and in the future. 

In demand

IT employers are constantly seeking skilled staff. High demand areas include software development, software testing, business analysis, network security, project management and data/database.

What will I learn?

You will gain skills in:

  • the analysis, design and deployment of complex information technologies
  • the use of professional software tools, and the administrative and organisational aspects of IT
  • how to work in a team in the IT environment
  • topics such as computer security, internet features, user interface design and more.

Information technology can also be taken together with the major in computer science (double major), or another minor of your choice.

Further study

Upon successful completion of this qualification you could go on to a Master of Information Sciences (by thesis only). This is a 120-credit research qualification for those who have completed the Bachelor of Information Sciences (Hons) or Postgraduate Diploma in Information Sciences (with minimum B grade average or better).

A Bachelor of Information Sciences in Information Technology is a good fit if you:

  • like designing and building technology solutions
  • like helping people use technology to solve real-world problems
  • like working with people and technology.

Planning information

This is a guide.  You are advised to check the regulations for the latest course information.

If you are a full-time student, your first year usually consists of eight courses.  Take electives (or courses from other majors) to get the total number of courses to eight.  Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.  You can change your major up until the start of your second year and it is a good idea to keep your options open by taking courses such that you are ready to move on to several different majors.  In the first year of study, you should take the following courses:

  • 158100 Introductory Concepts for Information Technology
  • 158120 Fundamental Information Technologies
  • 159.100 Programming for Engineering and Technology or 159101 Technical Programming 1
  • At least one statistics course – one of 161111 or 297101 Statistical Data Science. Note: 297101 is more relevant to computing majors
  • 247112 Science and Sustainability for ICT (or another Science and Sustainability course)

Take elective courses to make up eight courses.  Recommended elective: 157151

It is a good idea to keep your options open for a double major or possibly changing your major. 

See the regulations for the required courses at 200-level and 300-level.

Minors

Completing a minor is optional. Minors increase the breadth of your degree. They give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities.

A minor must be in a different subject from your major.

A Bachelor of Information Sciences (Information Technology) with a minor

You may choose a minor from any University undergraduate degree that has recognised minors. If the minor is from another undergraduate degree, the regulations of that qualification will apply.

An information technology minor (for students who are studying a different degree)  

If you are not studying towards a Bachelor of Information Sciences (Information Technology) and wish to complete a minor in information technology see the regulations for the requirements of this minor.  

Computer requirements

You will need:

  • Computer (laptop or desktop) (Mac or Windows) - needs to be no more than two years old at the commencement of your study
  • Recent version of operating systems
  • Chromebooks are not suitable

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may be no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Courses you can enrol in

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.

Core courses for the Bachelor of Information Sciences

As well as the specialisation courses listed below, this qualification has core courses that you will need to complete.

Bachelor of Information Sciences core courses

Information Technology courses

200-level courses

Choose between 45 and 60 credits from
Course code: 158225 Systems Analysis and Modelling 15 credits

A study of methods used to capture, analyse and model system requirements. Students will acquire practical skills through case study work utilising techniques and software tools used by industry.

Prerequisites: 157150 or 157151 or 115107 or 1581xx or 1591xx Restrictions: 158254

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Course code: 158235 Networks, Security and Privacy 15 credits

A study of the basic principles of digital communications, Internet technologies, communications software, local area network design, client-server system design, middleware and available wide-area network services from the viewpoint of a software engineer/designer developing networked information systems.

Prerequisites: 1581xx or 1591xx or 157150 or 157151 or 115107

View full course details
Course code: 158244 Software Quality Assurance and Testing 15 credits

A discussion of testing concepts and techniques that can be applied to all software projects. This course explores a selection of topics relevant to the design and implementation of test plans in software including web-based applications. The course also looks at activity design to ensure that the project conforms to stakeholder expectations. This course will be of assistance to students who would like to become a Certified Tester through International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISQTB) foundation level exams.

Prerequisites: One of 1571xx or 1581xx or 1591xx

View full course details
Course code: 158258 Web Development 15 credits

An introduction to web-based application development. Students will gain practical experience in the use of modern techniques relevant to the design and development of web-based systems.

Prerequisites: 1581xx or 1591xx Restrictions: 158256

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Course code: 297201 Data Wrangling and Machine Learning 15 credits

An introduction to the data science workflow involving the acquisition, processing, transformation and integration of data from disparate sources having inherently different data structures, from which actionable insights can be extracted. Entry-level machine learning and statistical techniques for analysing and extracting knowledge from data will be covered. Particular emphasis will be placed on attaining competency in using a high-level programming language for conducting data-driven problem solving and appreciating the necessary agility such tools afford.

Prerequisites: 297101 or 161122 or (one of 159101, 159100 and one of 1611xx, 160101, 160102) Restrictions: 158222

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Choose no more than 15 credits from
Course code: 157216 Management, Analytics and Decision Making 15 credits

Introduction to techniques and issues involved in using data to support organisational decision making.

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Course code: 157240 Social Media Networks for Business 15 credits

An examination of current issues in the rapidly developing area of social media. A socio-technical approach is adopted to examine how social media networks are being used in business processes.

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Course code: 157241 Technology Trends for Organisations 15 credits

A comprehensive study of major technology trends and organisational contexts within which information systems are developed and used from user, manager, organisational and societal perspectives.

Prerequisites: 157150 or 157151 or 115107 or 1581xx or 1591xx Restrictions: 157242

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300-level courses

Choose between 30 and 45 credits from
Course code: 158326 Software Construction 15 credits

An advanced study of methods used to model, design, build and test robust software artefacts. The course provides an in-depth study of multiple techniques to support software design and implementation. It takes a practical approach using current methods and tools.

Prerequisites: 158256 or 158258 or 159234 or 159270

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Course code: 158335 The Internet of Things and Cloud Computing 15 credits

This course involves participants in solving problems whose solutions require active, sensing and connected “things” augmented with Cloud Computing capabilities. Students will design and implement things that participate in the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud Computing environments.

Prerequisites: 158235 and (158212, 158256 or 158258)

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Course code: 158337 Database Development 15 credits

A study of enterprise data models, including how data storage and retrieval methods have changed over time. Modern techniques for handling relational and non-relational data and their implications in transactional and analytical processing are evaluated. Students will gain practical skills in designing, creating and querying databases using database management systems.

Prerequisites: One of 1582xx or 1592xx Restrictions: 158247

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Course code: 158359 User Experience Design 15 credits

The course will move from conceptual analysis to the design, prototyping and implementation and evaluation of user interfaces. It will emphasise development processes that result in interfaces that provide a superior user experience. Examples of real-life interfaces, from sources such as desktop, multimedia, web, novel, and mobile technologies will be used. There will be a significant practical work component.

Prerequisites: 1572xx or 1582xx or 1592xx

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Course code: 297301 Applied Machine Learning and Big Data Processing 15 credits

An in-depth exploration of methods for developing intuition and insights about data that enables effective problem formulation and its solution through data-driven methods. A broad range of advanced machine learning and data mining algorithms will be used to build predictive models from real-world contexts. A particular emphasis will be on developing data-products, rapid prototyping and effectively communicating their value through visual storytelling and interpretable summaries. Practical skills for processing large datasets will be taught.

Prerequisites: 158222 or 297201 Restrictions: 158333

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Choose no more than 15 credits from
Course code: 157340 Organisational Knowledge Management 15 credits

An examination of the role of information systems in creating business value in a knowledge economy.

Prerequisites: 1142xx or 1522xx or 1572xx or 1582xx or 1592xx

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Course code: 157350 Technology Governance and Risk Management 15 credits

Designing and managing technology-based solutions for realising organisational strategy.

Restrictions: 57301, 157373, 157341

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Course code: 157394 Managing Technology Projects and Programmes 15 credits

Agile project management and design thinking as methodologies for implementing technology projects and programmes.

Prerequisites: 1142xx or 1522xx or 1572xx or 1582xx or 1592xx

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Compulsory capstone course

Choose 15 credits from
Course code: 158383 Information Technology Project 15 credits

Based on an initial project specification, students work individually or in groups on carrying out an information technology project. This includes understanding the project context, selecting appropriate methods and approaches, constructing the project artifacts, and reporting on project outcomes.

Prerequisites: At least two (2) 1582xx courses

View full course details

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Specific requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this qualification, outside of university admission regulations.  

English language requirements

To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Can't meet the entry requirements?

If you need to do a course before you start your qualification, there may be options for you in Summer School.

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

Careers and job opportunities

Knowing the potential of information technology and having the ability to put this knowledge to work can result in a successful personal career, organisations that reach their goals, and a higher quality of life.

Information technology graduates command some of the highest salaries of any career.

There is a strong demand for qualified ICT professionals, both in New Zealand and overseas.

The skills you learn at Massey University and the qualification you will receive are recognised throughout the world. Careers of previous graduates include:

  • business and systems analysts
  • user experience (UX) designers
  • user support specialists
  • cybersecurity experts
  • data administrators
  • application testers
  • trainers
  • web developers
  • team leaders
  • project managers.

There are a huge number of job opportunities in this area worldwide.

Earn more

A 2017 Ministry of Education publication, The post-study earnings and destinations of young domestic graduates, found that, in New Zealand, earnings and employment rates increase with the level of qualification completed.

International students

New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.

Massey University has small class sizes, and our lecturers and staff are friendly and approachable.

As an international student, there are entry requirements that will apply to you. We recommend that you apply at least three months before your anticipated start date so your application can be processed in time. There are additional steps you will need to take. These include obtaining a visa and travel bookings if your study is to be in New Zealand.

What our students say

“I really enjoyed the software papers I took and principles that I learnt I apply in my current job. The top IT graduate jobs are highly competitive and I am glad that I studied with Massey University, I felt it prepared me well for the workplace.”
Reece Hewitt

Bachelor of Information Science (Information Technology)

Accreditations and rankings

Institute of IT Professionals New Zealand (IITP) accreditation

Massey's Bachelor of Information Sciences is accredited by IT Professionals New Zealand. Accreditation ensures that courses are relevant to the industry.

Learn more

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