IS-420 Current Topics and Research Areas in Information Systems
- ECTS Credits:
- 10
- Responsible department:
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Course Leaders:
-
- Eli Hustad
- Polyxeni Vasilakopoulou
- Lecture Semester:
- Autumn
- Teaching language:
- Norwegian or English
- Duration:
- 1 term
The course is connected to the following study programs
- Master's Programme in Information Systems
Teaching language
Norwegian or EnglishRecommended prerequisites
7.5 credits scientific method, ME-100 or equivalent.
Course contents
The course prepares the student for the Master Thesis and provides possibilities for specialization on a chosen topic within IS. It will focus on current issues in IS and the methodology for conducting literature studies. Students are introduced to various topics and issues within the IS field that can be relevant focus areas in a master thesis. Research ethics and guidelines for how to apply ethics in IS research studies, are part of the course.
During the course, students work with a comprehensive literature review which can be related to the theme of their forthcoming thesis.
Relevant topics within IS that the course focuses on, will depend on ongoing research projects. Relevant topics within IS relevant for master theses, will largely be tied to research groups where employees of the department participate. Topics which the students can choose among, will represent a wide range of relevant areas within IS.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students should:
-
Know and be able to discuss current topics within information systems (IS) that has been addressed in the course
-
Be able to apply a systematic method for writing a literature review of a specific topic within IS
-
Design a scientific report that summarizes and concludes the results from a literature review related to a selected topic within IS
-
Suggest a theoretical perspective, framework or model and argue for why this choice is appropriate for designing and conducting a research study within IS
-
Present potential practical and theoretical contributions for a planned IS study
-
Apply ethical guidelines in IS research
Examination requirements
Approved mandatory presentations and hand-ins in addition to obligatory participation in lectures and discussions. Details are given in Canvas at start of term.
Teaching methods
The course is organized in working seminars. Part of the teaching is mandatory; more detailed information will be given in Canvas at start of term. The course will to some extent be integrated with IS-404 Research Methods in IS, and it is recommended that the course is taken concurrently with IS-404.
Evaluation
The study programme manager, in consultation with the student representative, decides the method of evaluation and whether the courses will have a midterm- or end of term evaluation, see also the Quality System, section 4.1. Information about evaluation method for the course will be posted on Canvas.
Assessment methods and criteria
Approved mandatory presentations and hand-ins in addition to obligatory participation in lectures and discussions. Details are given in Canvas at start of term.
Group report (counts 100%), usually delivered by pair of students. Graded marks (letters). Further information will be given in Canvas.
Reduction of Credits
This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:
| Course | Reduction of Credits |
|---|---|
| IS-504 – Current Topics and Research Areas in Information System Security | 7.5 |