Overview
- Start dateFull-time: October, part-time: throughout the year
- DurationOne year full-time, Three years part-time
- DeliveryTaught modules 40%, Group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), Individual project 40%
- QualificationMSc, PgDip, PgCert
- Study typeFull-time / Part-time
- CampusCranfield campus
Who is it for?
MIS has a long history of attracting high quality students to solve practical problems. Graduates from the course will be equipped with multidisciplinary skills and practical knowledge to become business leaders of the future.
This course is designed for graduates and early-career professional looking to develop information systems and managing technological transformation within organisations, across a broad range of sectors including aerospace, automotive, rail, energy and defence. This diversity offers many possibilities by providing the core competencies for employment in many areas including research, engineering, manufacturing, production and design, alongside careers in the business, consulting and finance.
Why this course?
MIS is the backbone of information for a company. It helps to understand complex relationships between people, information, processes and technology, and to help businesses make decisions to coordinate and analyse information. Students have the opportunity to:
- work in teams and collaborate on real industrial projects
- learn through industry case studies and discussions to acquire an appreciation of significant challenges and opportunities for businesses
- develop management and consultancy skills through critical thinking, appraisal and analysis
- receive a high-quality learning experience at a prestigious institution which aligns it teaching to real-life industry challenges
- access to industry software/systems (SAP etc)
Informed by Industry
Our courses are designed to meet the training needs of industry and have a strong input from experts in their sector. Students who have excelled have their performances recognised through course awards. The awards are provided by high profile organisations and individuals, and are often sponsored by our industrial partners. Awards are presented on Graduation Day.
Course details
The course comprises eight assessed modules, a group project and an individual research project. The modules include lectures and tutorials, and are assessed through practical work, written examinations, case studies, essays, presentations and tests. These provide the 'tools' required for the group and individual projects.
Course delivery
Taught modules 40%, Group project 20% (dissertation for part-time students), Individual project 40%
Group project
The group project experience is highly valued by both students and prospective employers. Teams of students work to solve an industrial problem. The project applies technical knowledge and provides training in teamwork and the opportunity to develop non-technical aspects of the taught programme. Part-time students can prepare a dissertation on an agreed topic in place of the group project.
Industrially orientated, our team projects have support from external organisations. As a result of external engagement Cranfield students enjoy a higher degree of success when it comes to securing employment. Prospective employers value the student experience where team working to find solutions to industrially based problems are concerned.
Individual project
A key element of the Master's programme is the project work undertaken.
The individual research project is either industrially or Cranfield University driven. Students select the individual project in consultation with the Course Director. It provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate independent research ability, the ability to think and work in an original way, contribute to knowledge, and overcome genuine problems in manufacturing. The projects are sponsored by industrial organisations.
Companies that have recruited and sponsored project work include 3M Health Care, Airbus, Aston Martin, BAE Systems, BT, Chubb Security, Ford Motor Company, GEC, GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Jaguar, Johnson & Johnson, Motorola, Pfizer, Philips, Rolls-Royce and Unilever.
Modules
Keeping our courses up-to-date and current requires constant innovation and change. The modules we offer reflect the needs of business and industry and the research interests of our staff and, as a result, may change or be withdrawn due to research developments, legislation changes or for a variety of other reasons. Changes may also be designed to improve the student learning experience or to respond to feedback from students, external examiners, accreditation bodies and industrial advisory panels.
To give you a taster, we have listed the compulsory and elective (where applicable) modules which are currently affiliated with this course. All modules are indicative only, and may be subject to change for your year of entry.
Course modules
Compulsory modules
All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course.
Enterprise Systems
| Aim |
The module aims to provide a systematic understanding and knowledge of the enterprise systems principles and how to use these systems to manage an enterprise. The course will also provide hands-on experience using SAP as a leading industry-standard software application. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
• Enterprise wide IT systems. Managing Enterprise through ERP. • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): concepts, techniques and tools. • ERP selection and implementation issues. • An Introduction to IoT and Cyber Security. • SAP based hands-on case studies. • Conduct a Group Presentation on the Impact of ERP on a specialist MSc theme. |
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to: 1. Demonstrate the systematic understanding of the principles of business functions, processes and data infrastructure. 2. Understand the concepts, tools and techniques of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and its related subjects such as IoT and Cyber Security. 3. Demonstrate awareness of ERP systems in his/her specialist MSc. 4. Understand the importance of Enterprise-wide systems to business operations. 5. Appreciate issues and challenges in ERP implementation. 6. Understand basic concepts and identify the various criteria for ERP selection. 7. Have working/application knowledge on the use of SAP tool through hands-on case studies. 8. Continue independently through research to advance their knowledge and understanding in a specific area of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) related to individual MSc. |
Operations Management
| Aim |
To introduce you to core factors of managing operations. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
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| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module a student should be able to: 1. Assess the key capacity determinant in an operation, and carry out an analysis to develop the most appropriate approach in response to changes in demand. 2. Select and apply appropriate approaches and tools to determine standards and improve processes. 3. Determine the information needed to support businesses, in particular manufacturing operations. 4. Assess and select appropriate Just-in-Time (JIT) tools to improve operations. 5. Develop appropriate quality systems for the whole of their supply chain – from supplier, through operations to customers – and ensure these systems are sustained and a culture of continuous improvement prevails. |
Business Process Analysis and Engineering
| Aim |
To develop your understanding and practice of business process analysis and engineering as a core competence in operations and change management, in the role of internal or external consultants. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
• Manufacturing and Services Processes. • Modelling and Charting Tools. • Lean and Six-sigma Processes. • Business Analysis and Improvement Workshop Techniques. • Re-engineering and Improvement Cases. |
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to: 1. Relate the range of business processes in manufacturing and service sectors. 2. Construct business process model and charts. 3. Propose business process improvements using lean and six sigma approaches. 4. Plan and execute business problem analysis. 5. Plan and create business solution design. |
General Management
| Aim |
To give you an introduction to some of the key general management, personal management and project management skills needed to influence and implement change. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
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| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Business Change Management
| Module Leader |
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|---|---|
| Aim |
To develop the student’s understanding and practice of business change management as a core competence in operations and change management, in the role of internal or external consultants. |
| Syllabus |
• Psychology and Motivation of Change • Socio-Technical Systems • Business Change Project Lifecycle • Preparing for Business Change • Roll out Business Change • Change Workshop Techniques |
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module a student should be able to: 1. Distinguish the different nature and implications of business change. 2. Compare the different theories in the psychology of change. 3. Appraise the socio-technical system interactions in business change. 4. Formulate the activities in the lifecycle of a business change project. 5. Perform stakeholders, change impact and communication analysis in different organisation context. 6. Plan and design business change programme. 7. Plan and evaluate business change roll out. |
Data Analytics
| Aim |
To develop the student’s understanding and practice of business data analytics to describe, predict, and inform business decisions. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
• Basic statistics for management. • Data Modelling and Analysis using Excel. • Data Modelling and Analysis using JMP. • Data quality and system interoperability. |
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module a student should be able to: 1. Investigate management decisions in the context of Big Data. 2. Distinguish the types of data typical in business management. 3. Evaluate different statistical methods for analysis of business data. 4. Construct data models from datasets representative of data extracted from business IT systems. 5. Evaluate reliability of datasets and devise ways to enhance trustworthiness of data extracted from business IT systems. 6. Analyse and investigate patterns from datasets representative of data extracted from business IT systems. 7. Present data analysis results to support management decisions. |
Programme and Project Management
| Module Leader |
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|---|---|
| Aim |
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| Syllabus |
• PM Tools and Techniques. • IT Project Management. • Introduction to PRINCE 2. • Introduction to Managing Successful Programmes. • Project Readiness. • Organisation and People issues. • Project Complexity and Risk. • Project Management simulation. |
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module a student should be able to: 1. Distinguish the concepts of change, transformation, project, programme and portfolio management. 2. Apply the basic project management methods. 3. Compare PRINCE2 and Managing Successful Programmes approaches. 4. Relate the characteristics of IT project to agile approaches like SCRUM. 5. Appraise the complexity nature of projects. 6. Manage the dynamic uncertainty in project execution. 7. Construct a business change project plan using PRINCE2 approach and templates. |
Supply Chain Management
| Aim |
To introduce you to the wider issues surrounding the management and optimisation of supply chains. |
|---|---|
| Syllabus |
|
| Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
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Teaching team
You will be taught by leading academics and experienced practitioners in change management and IT drawn from Cranfield’s network of partners. The course is directed by an industrial advisory committee comprising senior representatives from leading manufacturing and business organisations. This means the skills and knowledge you acquire are relevant to employer requirements. The Course Director for this programme is Dr Samir Khan.
Cranfield University really helps you explore what you don't know and the support that the academic professors have given has been fantastic. The industrial partners you will be engaging with are also fantastic.
The exceptional academic staff, state-of-the-art facilities and additional resources provided throughout the course highly contributed to an amazing academic year with top-level education services.
Accreditation
The Management and Information Systems MSc is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET)on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for further learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to show that they have satisfied the educational base for CEng registration.
Please note accreditation applies to the MSc award, PgDip and PgCert (if offered) do not meet in full the further learning requirements for registration as a Chartered Engineer.
Your career
Successful students go on to a wide-range of careers in manufacturing, logistics, IT, business systems analysis, manufacturing management consultancy, research and development, and academia. Opportunities are diverse and international, with graduates progressing to senior positions in industry.
Cranfield Careers Service
Cranfield’s Career Service is dedicated to helping you meet your career aspirations. You will have access to career coaching and advice, CV development, interview practice, access to hundreds of available jobs via our Symplicity platform and opportunities to meet recruiting employers at our careers fairs. Our strong reputation and links with potential employers provide you with outstanding opportunities to secure interesting jobs and develop successful careers. We will support you in the job application process for up to three years after graduation.
How to apply
Online application form. UK students are normally expected to attend an interview and financial support is best discussed at this time. Overseas and EU students may be interviewed by telephone.
