UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI – THE MALAWI POLYTECHNIC
FACULTY OF COMMERCE
ACCOUNTANCY DEPARTMENT
1. Programme : Bachelor of Accountancy
2. Module Title : Management Information Systems
3. Module Code : MIS 215
4. Level : 1
5. Credits : 10
6. Presented to : Senate
7. Presented by : Faculty of Commerce
8. Lecture hours/week : 3
9. Tutorial hours/week : 1
1. Method of Assessment : 40% course work, 60% examinations
11. Pre-requisites : None
12. Module Descriptor: This module prepares students to make wise decision
about information technology and information systems for business
organizations. It covers IT, development, management and security of
information systems and exploring new businesses use information systems
to improve performance.
13. Module Aim: To equip students with skills and knowledge necessary to
control information systems projects in industry.
14. Intended Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the module students should be able to:
a) Distinguish between MIS and Decision Support Systems (DSS)
b) Describe several ways to control data entry process and increase
accuracy of the data input.
c) Identify and describe various output devices and outputs.
d) Describe the four major phases of the systems Development Life Cycle
and discuss the importance of each.
e) Define prototype information systems ad describe its effect on the
SDLC.
f) Define end-user computing and summarize its effects
g) Identify and describe potential risks to computer systems and
mitigation issues
15. Indicative Content:
(a)Introduction to Information Systems
Information systems: Conceptual Framework
Systems theory, systems and subsystems
Data and information
Types of Business Information Processing
o Transaction Processing Systems (Batch systems, Real time
systems, Data base systems & Distributed systems
o Management Information Systems (MIS)
o Decision Support Systems (DSS)
o Executive Information Systems (EIS)
Systems and the Organizational Context
(b)Information Technology
i. Define IT
ii. IT –Computer Hardware
Review of data processing technology
IT Hardware capabilities and facilities and types of
computers i.e micro, mini and supercomputers etc.
Input-Computer Software
Telecommunications hardware (Modem)
iii. IT-Computer Software
Define Software: Executive, Operating Systems, Utilities,
Application
Software familiarity: Software Application, Software
(bespoke)
Integrated software (spreadsheets, word processing)
(c) Systems Development Life Cycle
Define Systems Development Life Cycle
Analysis, Design, programming, testing, implementation
and maintenance
Prototyping and how it affects the SDLC
What is the end-user computing?
Benefits of End-user computing
The information centre
Implementation of Information Systems (Direct, parallel, pilot phased
& change over)
Application of Information Systems in functional area of Businesses
Accounting Information Systems
Production/Operations Information Systems
Marketing Information Systems
Application of systems in selected Industries:
manufacturing
banking
retail sales
health care
(d)Information and Computer Security
i. Systems control
ii. Physical controls
iii. Logical controls
iv. Computer Auditing
16. Teaching and Learning Methods:
Lectures and tutorials
17. Prescribed Texts:
18. Recommended Texts:
Morley D. and Parker C. S. (2007): Understanding Computers: Today and
Tomorrow, 11th edition, Thomson Course Technology
Laudon K. and Laudon J. (2009): Management Information Systems, 11th
edition, Prentice Hall
