4 course outlines

Management Science (MGSC) 419
Information Technology Project Management (Revision 4)
Status:

Open 

Delivery mode:

Individualized study online with eText

Credits:

3

Area of study:

Applied Studies (Business and Administrative
Studies)

Prerequisites:

CMIS 351
If you are a:


Course start date:


Self-funded student: register by the 10th of
the month, start on the 1st of the next.
Funded student: please check the next
enrolment deadline and course start date
 .

Precluded:

None

Challenge:

MGSC 419 has a challenge for credit option.

Faculty:

Faculty of Business



Notes:

Students registering in grouped study mode
are advised that there may be some differences
in the evaluation and course materials
information indicated below. To obtain the most
up-to-date information, contact the Faculty of
Business Student Support Centre at 1-800-4686531.

Overview
This course aims to achieve the following objectives:
















Provide an overview of project management concepts, characteristics, and
environments.
Discuss the importance of project definition and help students learn about
important project definition tools such as the project overview statement
(POS), requirements definition, and use cases.
Teach fundamental planning and scheduling techniques useful for project
managers such as work breakdown structures (WBS), critical path method
(CPM), and Gantt charts.
Introduce the importance of risk assessment within project management.
Examine important monitoring and control tools and techniques such as
earned value analysis and milestone trend charts.
Discuss the importance of change control in traditional project
management.
Examine different project management approaches applied in different
contexts.
Discuss the importance of post-implementation audits

Outline
MGSC 419 consists of 10 lessons, as outlined below:



Lesson 1: Defining Projects and Project Management



Lesson 2: Project Management and the System Development Life Cycles



Lesson 3: The Scoping Process Group



Lesson 4: The Planning Process Group



Lesson 5: The Launching Process Group



Lesson 6: The Monitoring & Controlling, and Closing Process Groups



Lesson 7: Putting it All Together: Agile Project Management



Lesson 8: Putting it All Together: Comparing TPM and CPM Models



Lesson 9: Hybrid PMLC Mode

Evaluation
To receive credit  in MGSC 419, you must receive a course composite grade of
at least D (50 percent)  and a grade of at least 50 percent on the Final
Examination. The weighting of each component is as follows:
Activity

Weight

Assignment 1

10%

Assignment 2

15%

Assignment 3

20%

Online Discussion

15%

Final Online Exam

40%

Total

100%

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and
written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators
include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can
accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any

invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other
exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the
Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca
University’s online Calendar.

Materials
Wysocki, R. K. (2019). Effective project management: Traditional, agile,
extreme, hybrid (8th ed.). Wiley.

(eText)

eText
Registration in this course includes an electronic textbook. For more
information on electronic textbooks, please refer to our eText Initiative site.

Other Resources
All other learning resources will be available online.

Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have
acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual
and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate
Calendar.

Evaluation
To receive credit  for the MGSC 419 challenge registration, you must
complete an assignment and an exam. You must achieve a grade of at least D
(50 percent)  on the examination and a composite grade of at least D (50
percent).


Online Exam



Project Management Analysis Paper



Challenge for credit course registration form

Important links


Academic advising



Program planning



Request assistance



Support services

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and
without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their
individualized study counterparts.

Opened in Revision 4, November 5, 2021
Updated August 14, 2023
View previous revision













Business Technology Management
Administration (BTMA) 444
Business Intelligence and Analytics (Revision 2)
Status:

Open 

Delivery mode:

Individualized study online with eText.
Delivered via Brightspace.

Credits:

3

Area of study:

Applied Studies (Business and Administrative
Studies)

Prerequisites:

BTMA 320 and CMIS 351.
If you are a:


Course start date:


Precluded:

Self-funded student: register by the 10th of
the month, start on the 1st of the next.
Funded student: please check the next
enrolment deadline and course start date
 .

None

Challenge:

BTMA 444 has a challenge for credit option.

Faculty:

Faculty of Business



Overview
Contemporary businesses operate in an increasingly data-driven world.
Successful businesses around the world are investing heavily in technologies
and systems to become more informed about the key elements that affect their
business operations, support and serve their customers, and sustain their
competitive positioning with their markets. Decision makers often need to
make use of first-hand, in-depth, and contextual capacity to collect business
data from highly distributed systems around the globe; to employ analytics
techniques to discover business relationships; to communicate and collaborate
effortlessly with clients, partners, and analysts; and to evolve a highly successful
business practice. Business intelligence, analytics, and data science are
overlapping fields that encompass the technologies, systems, architectures, and
tools that support managerial decision making in this data-driven climate.
BTMA 444 approaches business intelligence and analytics from a managerial
viewpoint. Students are expected to orient their study toward making strategic
business decisions using analytics data derived from business tools. The
assignments are designed to offer students choice and flexibility to explore their
interests within the field of analytics and to demonstrate their ability to apply
course concepts to real-world contexts.

Outline


Lesson 1: Data-Driven Decision Making



Lesson 2: Data Processing, Modeling, Reporting, and Visualization



Lesson 3: Data Warehousing and Performance Management



Lesson 4: Data Mining



Lesson 5: Text, Web, and Social Media Analytics



Lesson 6: Optimization and Simulation



Lesson 7: Big Data Concepts and Tools



Lesson 8: Future Trends, Ethics, and Managerial Considerations in Analytics

Evaluation
To receive credit  for BTMA 444, you must submit four written assignments,
receive at least 50 percent on the Final Examination, and achieve an overall
course grade of at least D (50 percent)  .
Activity

Weight

Complete by

Assignment 1: Final Project
Proposal

5%

as soon as possible

Assignment 2

15%

after Lesson 4

Assignment 3

15%

after Lesson 8

Assignment 4: Final Project

30%

after receiving approval for
Assignment 1

Forum Participation

5%

ongoing

Final Examination

30%

after Lesson 8

Total

100%

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and
written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators
include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can
accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any
invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other
exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the
Calendar.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca
University’s online Calendar.

Materials
Sharda, R., Delen, D., & Turban., E. (2018). Business intelligence, analytics, and
data science: A managerial perspective (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson
Education

(eText)

eText
Registration in this course includes an electronic textbook. For more
information on electronic textbooks, please refer to our eText Initiative site.

Other Resources
All other learning resources will be available online.

Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have
acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual
and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate
Calendar.

Evaluation
To receive credit  for the BTMA 444 challenge registration, you must
complete one written assignment, write a challenge examination, and achieve a
composite course grade of at least D (50 percent)  .
Activity

Weight

Written Assignment

60%

Online Exam (3 hours)

40%

Activity

Weight

Total

100%



Challenge for credit course registration form

Important links


Academic advising



Program planning



Request assistance



Support services

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and
without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their
individualized study counterparts.

Opened in Revision 2, October 28, 2022
Updated August 9, 2023
View previous revision












Computers and Management
Information Systems (CMIS) 431
Information Technology Leadership (Revision 4)
Status:

Open 

Delivery mode:

Individualized study online with eText

Credits:

3

Area of study:

Applied Studies (Business and Administrative
Studies)

Prerequisites:

CMIS 351
If you are a:


Course start date:


Self-funded student: register by the 10th of
the month, start on the 1st of the next.
Funded student: please check the next
enrolment deadline and course start date
 .

Precluded:

None

Challenge:

CMIS 431 has a challenge for credit option.

Faculty:

Faculty of Business



Overview
This course explores the role of IT leadership—especially that provided by the
CIO. What are the issues, activities, and responsibilities facing IT leaders in
delivering value to organizations through information technology? Course
topics include the following:


the CIO role



understanding and measuring IT value



setting IT budgets



developing IT roadmaps and managing innovation



managing perceptions of IT



implementing IT controls



managing vendors



managing employees in the IT organization

This course is particularly important for students interested in careers in
information technology. However, IT is a service on which all business units
depend, so understanding its management is helpful for all students who
intend to work in organizations.

Outline
Students of CMIS 431 study the following units:


Lesson 1: The CIO and IT Leadership



Lesson 2: IT Mission and Managing its Costs



Lesson 3: The Value of IT



Lesson 4: Planning the Future State of IT



Lesson 5: IT Governance



Lesson 6: Managing IT Risk



Lesson 7: Building Strong IT-Business Relationships



Lesson 8: Leading Technology-Enabled Innovation



Lesson 9: Vendor Partnering



Lesson 10: Managing Talent

Evaluation
To receive credit  for CMIS 431, you must achieve a minimum grade of 50
percent on the Final Examination, and an overall grade of D (50 percent)  for
the entire course. The weighting of each assessment activity is indicated in the
chart below.
Activity

Weight

Assignment 1: Leadership Journal

20%

Assignment 2: Case Analysis

15%

Assignment 3: Innovation Presentation

15%

Participation in Graded Forums

10%

Final Exam

40%

Total

100%

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and
written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators
include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can
accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any
invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other

exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the
Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca
University’s online Calendar.

Materials
Austin, R. D., Nolan, R. L., & O’Donnell, S. (2016). The adventures of an IT leader
(updated ed.). Harvard Business School Publishing. ISBN 978-1-63369166-7

(eText)

High, P. A. (2014). Implementing world class IT strategy: How IT can drive
organizational innovation. Jossey-Bass. ISBN 978-1-118-63411-0

(eText)

eTexts
Registration in this course includes electronic textbooks. For more information
on electronic textbooks, please refer to our eText Initiative site.

Other Materials
Students will access all other course materials online.

Other Information
Students will complete Assignment 1 in the form of a blog. The blog tool is
available on the course website.
Students will present Assignment 3 to their Academic Expert using PowerPoint
(or similar software) in a synchronous teleconference with their Academic
Expert.

Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have
acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual
and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.

Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate
Calendar.

Evaluation
To receive credit  for the CMIS 431 challenge registration, you must complete
one written assignment, write a challenge examination, and achieve a
composite course grade of at least D (50 percent)  .
Activity

Weight

Written assignment

60%

Online Exam (3 Hours)

40%

Total

100%



Challenge for credit course registration form

Important links


Academic advising



Program planning



Request assistance



Support services

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and
without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their
individualized study counterparts.

Opened in Revision 4, March 17, 2021

Updated April 26, 2024
View previous revision
















Computers and Management
Information Systems (CMIS) 455
Accounting Information Systems (Revision 10)
Status:

Open 

Delivery mode:

Individualized study online with eText

Credits:

3

Area of study:

Applied Studies (Business and Administrative
Studies)

Prerequisites:

CMIS 351
If you are a:


Course start date:


Self-funded student: register by the 10th of
the month, start on the 1st of the next.
Funded student: please check the next
enrolment deadline and course start date
 .

Precluded:

None

Challenge:

CMIS 455 has a challenge for credit option.

Faculty:

Faculty of Business



Overview
CMIS 455: Accounting Information Systems focuses on the strategic context of
the flow of accounting information in organizations from systems perspective.
Specifically, it helps you understand how business processes, organization
structure, information systems, and corporate planning should be aligned with
company goals in term of financial reporting, control requirements, and IT
structure. Evaluating and advising on the impact of new technologies on
business processes is emphasized across the topics covered in the course.
CMIS 455 has two basic sections that are presented in three parts. In the first
section, Lessons 1 to 4 teach the technical underpinnings of accounting
information systems (AIS), particularly the design, development, and
implementation of IS. Part Two (Lessons 5 to 8) present auditing and control
principles as they pertain to AIS. The second section is a fusion of the first two
parts: the technical and theoretical concepts covered in the first eight lessons
are illustrated in the context of revenue, expenditure, production, and human
resources management/payroll accounting cycles, as well as in the general
ledger and reporting system (Lessons 9–15).

Outline
Students of CMIS 455 study the following units:


Lesson 1: Introduction to Accounting Information Systems



Lesson 2: Systems Documentation Techniques



Lesson 3: Relational Databases



Lesson 4: Database Design and the REA Data Model



Lesson 5: Introduction to Data Analytics in Accounting



Lesson 6: Transforming Data



Lesson 7: Data Analysis and Presentation



Lesson 8: Fraud, Errors, Abuse Techniques, and Ethics



Lesson 9: Control and Accounting Information Systems



Lesson 10: Controls for Information Security



Lesson 11: The Revenue Cycle: Sales to Cash Collections



Lesson 12: The Expenditure Cycle: Purchasing to Cash Disbursements



Lesson 13: The Production Cycle



Lesson 14: The Human Resources Management and Payroll Cycle



Lesson 15: General Ledger and Reporting System

Evaluation
To receive credit  for CMIS 455, you must receive a grade of at least 50% or
better on a midterm examination and a final examination, and you must
achieve an overall grade of at least D (50 %)  for the entire course.
Activity

Weight

Complete by

Assignment 1

10% of final grade

after Lesson 4

Assignment 2

10% of final grade

after Lesson 7

Midterm Online Examination

30% of final grade

after Lesson 6

Assignment 3

10% of final grade

after Lesson 10

Assignment 4

10% of final grade

after Lesson 15

Final Online Examination

30% of final grade

after Assignment 4

Total

100%

The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in
advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator.

Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre
that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of
any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and
other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of
the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca
University’s online Calendar.

Materials
Romney, M. B., Steinbart, P. J., Summers, S. L., & Wood, D. A. (2021). Accounting
information systems (15th ed.). Pearson Education.

(eText)

eText
Registration in this course includes an electronic textbook. For more
information on electronic textbooks, please refer to our eText Initiative site.

Other Resources
All other learning resources will be available online.
A print version of the eText can be purchased from the publisher through a
direct-to-student link provided in the course website; you can also acquire the
textbook on your own if you wish.

Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have
acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual
and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate
Calendar.

Evaluation
To receive credit  for the CMIS 455 challenge registration, you must achieve a
grade of at least D (50 percent)  on the examination.

Online Exam


Challenge for credit course registration form

Important links


Academic advising



Program planning



Request assistance



Support services

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and
without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their
individualized study counterparts.

Opened in Revision 10, January 15, 2024
Updated January 22, 2024
View previous revision

