Business Information Communication and Technology

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Undergraduate Major

Faculty of Science and Information Technology

Description

The Business Information, Communication and Technology major examines the use of information technology to foster and support business activities internally and externally. It will equip graduates with the skills to enter the world of mainstream commercial applications development, including the technical skills to build systems using web and database technologies to serve small businesses through to global financial corporations. In addition to the technical skills, the major gives you an understanding of how business works so that you can effectively work in a team with users to build effective applications.

The major gives you the technical skills in application development and provides the opportunity for you to build skills in core business areas such as marketing, finance and human relations. Graduates from this major can enter any major organisation and work with staff to build the applications needed to make the organisation succeed and grow. You have the understanding to bridge the gap between the language of business requirements and the technical possibilities to satisfy them.

For more information about studying Information Technology, visit the School of Design, Communication and Information Technology site.

View our Bachelor of Information Technology in the Program Handbook and the online prospectus What Can I Study?.

Academic advice: view Study Pathways for this major »

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Honours: An Honours year is available to students as a separate program in the form of an additional year to those who meet the entry requirements. For more information about this program, see Bachelor of Information Technology (Honours).

Postgraduate Study

Some occupations require a higher level of completed study than an undergraduate degree, and for this reason it is worthwhile considering the range of postgraduate study options available. Postgraduate study may also be useful for specialising in a particular area, or to stimulate career change. Some of the postgraduate study options include:

Research

Masters
PhD

Coursework

Postgraduate coursework programs can add further specialisations in areas including business, safety, quality assurance and teaching. To explore such options please visit the Postgraduate Handbook at http://www.newcastle.edu.au/program/postgraduate/   

 

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Sample Jobs

The following list provides some example jobs available to graduates of a Bachelor of Business Information Communication and Technology. Some of these jobs will depend on the amount and level of study undertaken, level of experience, the combination of other majors and electives studied, and some may require further study.

Getting the Edge

Most employers seek to recruit people who have relevant work experience and an appreciation for their industry. Here is a check list of ideas about gaining experience and industry knowledge.

  1. Check the type of experience most employers in your field of interest expect. Don’t overlook the part time work you may be currently doing. Most employers understand that the skills are transferrable even if the work is not in their industry.
  2. Check your academic program for any courses that involve a placement or the opportunity to undertake an industry based project.
  3. Check your school for Summer Scholarships for research opportunities.
  4. Check vacancy sites for advertised traineeships, part time employment and vacation work opportunities in your field.
  5. Source and approach organisations directly about possible work shadowing or information interview opportunities.
  6. Source and approach organisations directly for paid work opportunities.
  7. Consider volunteering.

Note: Gaining experience may be important but not at the expense of your studies. Make sure you do not overload your timetable with unrealistic work commitments.

 

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Sample Employers

IT graduates are employed across a variety of industries, in large and small organisations. Below is a sample of employers who recruit IT graduates, including those organisations that have graduate programs.

Recruitment Timing

Some large organisations have specific graduate recruitment programs designed to employ the pick of graduates each year. You must be in your final year of study or recently completed to apply for these programs. The timing of these recruitment drives varies and may occur at any point in the academic year, in some cases starting as early as the first few weeks of the first semester or trimester.

Find out if employers in your area/s of interest have graduate programs, when they typically recruit and what recruitment methods they use. Check with the Careers Service .

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Societies and Associations

Associations and societies often provide relevant and up to date information about a variety of issues relating to specific industry sectors. These can be a good starting point to learn more about occupations through profiles, industry news, links to academic journals and information on research developments. Many also offer student membership, conference and professional development activities, newsletters and the opportunity to participate in projects.


Don’t overlook student societies and associations. As well as student chapters of professional associations, some faculties or schools have discipline based student associations. Check your school or faculty web site; perhaps you might start one if one doesn’t exist.

Some academic disciplines run Seminar Programs that involve regular seminars presented by University of Newcastle academics, visiting academics and postgraduate students. Check your schools website for the timetable.

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Job Search Sites

Searching job sites is a good way to gain an understanding of: industries recruiting professionals in this field; types of roles and the requirements or expectations of employers for these roles. There are many online job search sites, here are a few to start with:

Australian and International

  • CareerHub: the University of Newcastle Careers Service careers and job search site for enrolled students and graduates.

Australian

  • CareerOne: Australia wide job listings, all levels and industries including executive positions
  • MyCareer: Australian and international listings
  • Seek: comprehensive Australian job listings, also includes New Zealand and UK listings
  • The Big Chair: Management and Executive Jobs

International

Graduate Attributes and Employability

Graduate attributes for the Bachelor of Information Technology are the skills, abilities and knowledge that are highly sought after by a broad range of employers. Below is the complete list of attributes that graduates will have demonstrated upon the completion of the degree.

Graduate Attributes

On completion of the Bachelor of Information Technology degree, a graduate will be able to demonstrate:

1. Expertise in information technologies with an emphasis on net-centric applications, information management, and user requirements.

2. An understanding of the operation and constraints of contemporary enterprises, their dynamic environment, and how they can be supported by IT solutions.

3. The ability to provide effective solutions to technical and organisational problems by being creative, inventive and a problem solver.

4. Communication, leadership, project management, and teamwork skills.

5. Professionalism, adaptability, social responsibility, and commitment to professional ethical standards.

You will recognise these attributes in the selection criteria listed in the following job ads.

Sample Job Ads & Tips

Job ads provide useful information about the job and the required skills, experience and qualifications. Information like this is useful in career planning. Below is a small sample of job ads with tips on planning and job applications; explore further to gather more useful information for your planning.

Please note, the job ads listed on this page are not current and were sourced from a variety of websites in 2010.

 

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