A Complete Guide to Study MIS in the UK

The United Kingdom welcomed 605,130 international students in 2020/2021. High-quality learning, excellent part-time and full-time work opportunities for students, short and flexible courses, access to world-leading research, and memorable student experiences make this country popular with students across the globe. An undergraduate or post-graduate study in Management Information Systems (MIS) is one of the popular courses chosen by students every year. Want to know what MIS in the UK entails? Stay tuned!

 What is MIS?

The Management Information Systems (MIS) degree is a blend of computer science and information systems, focusing on business. It analyzes the relationship between technology, people, and organizations. MIS is an indispensable part of today’s professional landscape. Every aspect of our work life is today managed by information and computer systems. For example, businesses use various systems to collect, store, and process data. This data is managed and aggregated to produce actionable insights. For instance, an eCommerce store may rely on analytics to keep track of the most in-demand and least ordered products. A car dealership may use a computer database to keep their customers updated on their upcoming servicing. Nowadays, businesses are keen to align MIS with business goals to score a competitive edge.

The MIS course offered by universities in the UK covers various supporting technology subjects like Cloud, Databases and Big Data. Over and above these, it also covers the MIS development/procurement process and main integrated system, ERPs like SAP®, Oracle® or Microsoft Dynamics Navision® as well as their relationship with Business Process Redesign.

The MIS course focuses on the nature of the work involved and how it impacts the organization. It explains how influential it is to current or prospective jobs. It gives an insight about why it imposes specific and sometimes seemingly absurd operational procedures. It also helps the students use this knowledge to their advantage in their professional life. Also, it uses real-world examples to illustrate key concepts and strikes a balance between clarity and conceptual soundness.

Sub-types of Management Information Systems

MIS is offered as a post-graduate level degree program by schools of business or management. Most MIS master’s programs can be completed in 18-24 months.

MIS courses get to study some of the following topics as a part of their course:

• Project Management
• Database Management
• Information Systems and Programming
• Healthcare Information System
• Business Communications
• Software Design and Integration
• Web Computing and Mining
• Social and Ethical Issues of the Internet
• Business Foundations for IT
• Information Systems Analysis and Design
• Information Technology Audit
• Information Security in Public and Private Sectors
• Business Data Communications & Networking

Why Should I study MIS in the UK?

MIS is one of the popular computer science and technology disciplines chosen by students coming to the UK. Most MIS courses across universities are designed to include popular techniques, trends, and methodologies that help them understand technical and management aspect of the subject. The following are a few advantages of pursuing the MIS in the UK.

• MIS is one of the most in-demand degrees in the UK.
• Average salary for an MIS executive in the UK ranges from GBP 52,200 to GBP 166,000 per year.
• Experiential learning methodology adopted by many universities across the UK offers students hands-on experience and prepares them for consultancy and management positions.
• Students pursuing post-graduate courses or PhD in MIS or related subjects can access the best research facilities.
• They can take up part-time jobs while studying in the UK. These jobs will help them develop valuable skills such as building management and communication skills, commercial awareness, time management, and so on. 

Admission requirements

The admission requirements for every university in the UK for a Management Information Systems (MIS) degree may vary. However, there are some basic requirements for admission that are of utmost importance for you to get an admission at your desired institute or university. A degree in Information Systems or a similar course connected to IT and Economics, etc.

For international students, the following are the documents required to pursue the Master’s program in MIS:

• Basic knowledge of the four fields — Information Systems (Process Modelling), IT (Data Modelling and Software Development), Quantitative Methods (Operations Research, Statistics) and Business Administration.
• For international students, the following are the documents required to pursue MS in MIS:
  Copies of official transcripts/academic records.
  b. Copies of GMAT or GRE scores.
  c. Official TOEFL/IELTS scores (for international applicants only who have not graduated from a British institution (Degree must not be older than two years from the term of enrolment).
  Test must have been taken within two years of the intended term of enrolment. Minimum TOEFL score of 80 internet-based testing, IELTS test composite score of 7 (no subject area below 6.).
  d. Where an institution’s marking scheme for three-year degrees does not include First Class with Distinction, you will be required to have a merit of either 75%, or a final GPA of 8.5/10.
  e. Resume, which, includes work experience with dates of employment.
  f. Two letters of recommendation.
  g. Personal Statement that states your career objectives and how you expect your MIS graduate education will enhance your career objectives.
  h. Completed Graduate College Application (including paying the application fee)

 Documents required:

• A certificate copy of higher education entrance qualification (for example – a high school diploma) and any other relevant qualifications in the original language of the course.
• A translated overview of the subjects and grades of your qualifications.
• A passport photo.
• A copy of your passport (personal information and photo ID)
• Proof of language proficiency in English. Proficiency of the German language could help you take a course that is offered in German only and also communicate better with local residents.

When should I apply?

The application needs to be submitted before the deadline to the university. Every university has a specific deadline for spring and fall admits, respectively.
The application deadlines for the top 3 universities for MS in Management of Information Systems in the UK are listed below.

Cost

The average fees for an international student taking a Masters in MIS in the United Kingdom would be around £21,500 for a full-time course and around £11,500 for a part-time course.

Careers in MIS

Typical job titles for MIS graduates in the UK include:

• Applications developer
• Programmer
• Database manager
• Systems analyst
• Computer specialist
• Software developer
• Project lead
• Network administrator
• Information technology consultant

Average Salaries After Graduation

An MIS (management information systems) majors can find jobs in the wide array of tasks that are required to create and sustain complex financial computing systems. Many positions are reachable with a bachelor’s degree in MIS or a related field, such as information science or computer science. Master’s degree programs in MIS are also available, including MBA programs, and can open advanced career opportunities.

The average salary range of an employee with a Management Information Systems (MIS) degree is around £52,500 to £166,000.

The salaries offered to an MIS employee vary depending on the location, here are a few examples of the salary variations in UK.