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Undergraduate study
Computing & Cyber Security

Business Technology BSc (Hons)

Digital technologies continue to revolutionise business processes and practices. You develop modern computing and business skills to consider a range of technological enablers that give businesses a competitive edge.

 

I2N1 BSc/B

Course routes:

 

Course overview

Foundation year Work placement

Pairing business expertise with technology can be a powerful combination in a business oriented career. Business Technology allows you to identify business challenges, find technological solutions, manage technology projects and services, build defences against cyber attacks, and analyse business data.

This is reinforced by a good understanding of modern professional business practices and the inherent security, ethical, legal, social, and professional issues when using digital technologies. A fundamental activity within business technology is analysing existing business processes and bringing about improvements using technology.

The skills you gain are highly sought after by employers and build a strong foundation for working in industry. You develop your consulting skills to advise clients on how to best utilise technology to meet their business objectives, overcome problems and increase productivity.

Top reasons to study this course at Teesside:

  • British Computer Society (BCS) academic membership: get free BCS membership to accelerate your career path with CV builder tools, e-learning courses, mentorship programmes, jobs boards and volunteering opportunities.
  • Industry links: work on live industry briefs, competitions and hackathons with companies including Cisco, Cubic Transportation Systems, Sage, TUI, Atombank, HMRC and Waterstons.
  • State-of-the-art facilities: learn in industry-standard computing labs with specialist equipment used to undertake development projects and build innovative prototypes.
  • Career-ready: our ExpoSeries of events allow you to showcase your skills to industry professionals who are seeking to recruit new and rising talent.

Download pdf Order prospectus

 

Course details

Course structure

Year 1 core modules

Business Enterprise

Study the circular economy and the business opportunities it presents. Develop your own business idea and create a venture with social impact that's part of the circular economy. Consider the fundamentals of user experience and user interface design, and learn about current, appropriate digital tools to design an app for your business idea.

This is a 30-credit module.

Rapid Application Development

You learn about the concept of rapid development applications. And you get experience in analysing, designing and building web database applications using a tools-driven approach.

This is a 30-credit module.

Secure Computers and Networks

Cover a full range of computer and network security issues. Study systematic approaches to managing security risks, identification and authentication, elementary cryptography, network technology and relevant security issues. Learn about the basic network technology including deploying routers, switches, firewalls, cabling and servers as well as communication protocols and topologies. And understand how they're used and how they function in the real world.

This is a 30-credit module.

Systems Design and Databases

To produce a successful, robust, user-friendly system or application, you need to start by analysing your stakeholders’ requirements and developing a detailed design.

Study the concepts and techniques of analysing and designing systems. Then you can break down and simplify complex systems, and represent them visually using industry-standard approaches. In industry, these visual models are used to communicate designs to developers and stakeholders before implementation.

You study other techniques to design and implement relational databases as part of an information system. Using data-modelling techniques, you learn to define how the system stores data and interacts with it.

This module has a strong emphasis on professional practice and transferrable practical skills, such as communicating design, structuring workflows with process models and gathering requirements - this provides you with some of the essential skills you need in industry.

This is a 30-credit module.

 

Year 2 core modules

Digital Marketing in Practice

You assess the importance of businesses having an online presence to support branding and customer service objectives. Explore the stages of this, including analysing customer needs, designing website structure and layout, and creating the website. Focus on different digital channels, and their suitability for inclusion in effective integrated on and offline marketing programmes and campaigns. You adopt a strategic view of digital marketing, both theoretical and practical.

This is a 30-credit module.

Enterprise Project

You develop a solution, proposal, product or service in response to an enterprise challenge set by industry partners or business clients.

Working in small teams, you determine the project aims, objectives, roles, tasks, deliverables, schedules and documentation. You take a professional approach, informed by innovative industry practice, to deliver a successful project that meets the set challenge.

You develop a solution, proposal, product or service, pitching it to academics and industry experts. You reflect on the project process as a whole and review sustainability, diversity, ethical and legal issues, and evaluate team members’ performance.

This is a 30-credit module.

IT Systems and Information Security

You explore IT systems and computer information security concepts and practices, as well as their risks, and legal and ethical considerations. You learn how to install, manage and secure network servers and their associated applications.

You also learn how to monitor and troubleshoot servers, and develop your understanding of essential services, how systems fail and physical security.

This is a 30-credit module.

Relational and NoSQL Databases

Learn how to design and implement database applications to meet business needs using industry-standard database technologies. Use a case study to follow the system development lifecycle, and develop a server database application for a real-world scenario. Explore rational and NoSQL database technologies to design and build solutions.

This is a 30-credit module.

 

Optional work placement year

Work placement

You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.

You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.

Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:

· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.

If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.

 

Final-year core modules

Business Intelligence and Data Visualisation

With vast quantities of data generated every day, businesses are increasingly looking for new ways to get data insights to improve their performance and gain a competitive advantage.

Develop your ability to visualise data and implement business intelligence solutions to support business needs. Investigate the strategies and technologies used by enterprises to perform business data analysis, get insights and make informed decisions.

Once you've completed this module, you'll be able to design and implement big data analytics and data visualisation applications to meet business needs and present data insights.

This is a 30-credit module.

Client-focused Digital Transformation

Consultancy is widely used within industry. A client’s organisation needs to collaborate closely with the consultant to design and implement digital transformation strategies in line with business objectives.

You work in close collaboration with your client(s) by taking on the role of an IT consultant as part of a team. You go through the full consultancy cycle, consider information governance and propose a technology road map for digital transformation. You design and deliver part of it using industry-standard tools and methodologies.

You research industry-standard tools and technologies to advise and influence your client on the most suitable approaches for their digital transformation. Client relationships are key - you will be heavily involved in client-facing activities to collect data and present findings.

You widen your experience of team working and grow your understanding of the theories underpinning effective teamwork. You need a professional attitude and behaviours to maintain a high delivery standard and manage your client account well.

This is a 30-credit module.

Computing Project

Produce a substantial artefact related to the computing field, and write a report and commented walk-through video, with supervision from our academic staff.

You are guided to develop your work-discipline and your professional outlook. Taking full responsibility for your project, carry out an in-depth exploration of a chosen subject area that demonstrates your ability to scope the project, plan, research, analyse, synthesise, and creatively apply and execute what you've already studied. Consider its risks, security and sustainability as well as the legal, social, ethical, equality, diversity and inclusion issues.

You develop your professional skills in time management, communication, problem solving and critical thinking.

This is a 60-credit module.

 

Modules offered may vary.

 

How you learn

You learn through lectures and practical lab sessions. Lectures teach the principles while practical sessions allow you to put these principles into practice. You undertake a piece of work for several weeks, building a deeper understanding of the subject. In your final year you also undertake a personal project which integrates the work you have studied in previous years.

How you are assessed

A variety of assessment methods are used to build on the work you undertake in class. An in-course assessment often consists of a practical exercise and an associated report helping you to develop both technical and business skills.


Our Disability Services team provide an inclusive and empowering learning environment and have specialist staff to support disabled students access any additional tailored resources needed. If you have a specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism, sensory impairment, chronic health condition or any other disability please contact a Disability Services as early as possible.
Find out more about our disability services

Find out more about financial support
Find out more about our course related costs

 

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

96-112 points plus maths GCSE grade 4, Level 2 Key Skills (Application of Number) or Level 2 Functional Skills.

If you have Level 4 credits in a related subject from previous study, then credit transfer towards your new course may be possible.

Find out how many points your qualifications are worth using the UCAS tariff calculator. If your qualifications are not listed, contact our admissions team as we may accept alternatives.

We may also be able to help you meet the entry requirements through our Summer and Winter University modules.

For general information please see our overview of entry requirements

International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country


You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL

 

Employability

Career opportunities

The combination of academic study and intensive practical work prepares you for specialist roles such as systems analysis, IT consultant, data analytics, digital business executive, user support and systems development.

Our computing students go into a range of careers, both nationally and globally, in industries including power, avionics and pharmaceuticals, and for companies including Cisco, HMRC, Accenture and Durham Police.

 

Information for international applicants

Qualifications

International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.

Select your country:

  
 

Useful information

Visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants.

Talk to us

Talk to an international student enrolment adviser

 
 

Other course routes

Foundation year

Study this course with a foundation year if you need additional preparation or if you don't have sufficient grades to join Year 1.

BSc (Hons) Business Technology (with Foundation Year)

Work placement

Study this course with an optional work placement year, at no extra cost. Alongside this, you can gain valuable experience and engagement with the sector through our shorter work placements, internships and work experience opportunities.

Work placements

Full-time

Entry to 2024/25 academic year

Fee for UK applicants
£9,250 a year

More details about our fees

Fee for international applicants
£17,000 a year

More details about our fees for international applicants


What is included in your tuition fee?

  • Length: 3 years (or 4 with a work placement)
  • UCAS code: I2N1 BSc/B
  • Start date: September
  • Semester dates
  • Typical offer: 96-112 tariff points

Apply online (full-time) through UCAS

 

Part-time

2024/25 entry

Fee for UK applicants
£4,500 (120 credits)

More details about our fees

Apply online (part-time)

 

Choose Teesside

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ExpoTalent 2020

See highlights from Teesside University’s ExpoTalent 2020 – showcasing the next generation of talent from our School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies.

 

Get in touch

UK students

Email: scedtadmissions@tees.ac.uk

Telephone: 01642 738801


Online chat (general enquiries)

International students

Email: internationalenquiries@tees.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0) 1642 738900


More international contacts

 

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