EVERYTHING You Need to Know About Studying BIT (Business Information Technology) (incl. Survey)

With the fast-growing modernization and integration of technology into businesses, every sector needs people who can help them build bridges between IT and business, and innovate businesses using IT resources.

A course in Business information Technology (BIT) is designed to equip students with the expertise required in the development and use of computer systems in solving business problems and making managerial decisions.

As a business information technologist, you will possess the skills required to communicate and discuss with colleagues and other external experts such as IT, marketing and financial specialists.

It isn’t as complicated as it sounds - to break it down, your major responsibility will simply be making IT work for businesses.

Study/Education of Business Information Technology

Depending on your level of study and qualifications you want to achieve, you can choose between an Associate Degree Program, Bachelor’s Degree, and Master’s program. Those who want to be an expert in BIT often proceed to the masters and Ph.D. programs.

It is, however, important to note that most colleges require their students to possess basic math and computer skills, regardless of the level of education being taken.

Qualifications and specifications differ in each program. Going higher the education ladder increases your qualifications base and increases the career prospects and opportunities in your line of job. That is why you will find that most professionals opt to specialize in particular career fields in the Masters and Ph.D. levels.

Associate Degree Program in Business Information Technology

An Associate Degree in Business Information Technology equips students with basic business skills and computer programs. Associate of Applied Science in Business Information Technology is a good example of a degree that provides students with skills relevant in Customer service, Information technology (IT), and management.

The program takes a period of two years. Some common course topics offered include:

• Spreadsheets
• Business Math
• Database management
• Desktop publishing
• Accounting
• IT

Bachelor’s Degree Program in Business Information Technology

Whereas the 2-year Associate programs offer students fundamental business and database management concepts, the 4-year bachelor’s degree program provides and allows for a more comprehensive study.

Associate Degree program students can proceed and study their Bachelor Degree, which in most cases takes a shorter period of less than 4 years. For new students looking to enrol for the Bachelor’s degree program, they need to have a high school diploma or an equivalent.

Possible Bachelor’s degree programs are such as Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business and IT. They offer more in-depth studies on how to run and manage business operations and resources and equips students with skills that will help them understand how companies use networks and databases.

Some of the common course topics you will learn in the BIT Bachelor’s degree program include:

• Finance
• Marketing
• Operating systems
• Web administration
• Networks
• Management

Master’s Degree Program in Business Information Technology

Business and Information Technology Master’s Degree Program offers more theoretical and managerial coursework relating to Business and IT. The credentials that you may be offered include; Administration (MBA) or Master of Science (MS) degrees.

At this level, most graduate programs require the students to choose an emphasis on marketing and accounting fields. Also, before completion, most programs will require their students to complete a master’s project.

Some of the common course topics offered at the BIT Master’s level include:

• Marketing management
• Managerial accounting
• Disaster recovery
• Managerial economics
• Systems project management
• Software project management

Ph.D. (doctorate) program in Business Information Technology

A doctorate in business information Technology (systems) is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a doctorate’s degree with a concentration in management information systems.

Doctorate in BIT helps prepare individuals to develop new products and services to facilitate the distribution and exchange of information within management, market environments, and enterprise. Therefore, a doctorate program no doubts increases the job opportunities and improves the earning potential of the individual.

At this level, expertise and knowledge in Java, .NET, and visual basic programming are highly recommended before enrolment.

Common coursework in Ph.D. in Business Information Technology include:

• Statistic classes
• Structural equation modeling
• Multivariate analysis
• Econometrics
• Database Design, and
• Advanced Regression courses

How difficult is the study of Business Information Technology?

Before you start wondering whether you’ve got what it takes to earn a degree in Business information Technology, it is Important we note down some points.

BIT is quite similar to other business courses and you will find that they share some common business topics. The only difference is that it is more detailed since it integrates Information Technology units into its coursework.

So yes, if you are still wondering - you will have to cover some IT topics in your coursework! The complexity and in-depth of IT will depend on your level of study.

Now to answer your question as to whether BIT is a tough course, the answer is YES and NO. You see, what most people don’t understand is that the complexity of what you want to pursue depends on your interest level and willingness to gain skills in the particular lucrative field.

So in short, a BIT course can be as difficult or trouble-free as you make it out to be.

Just like many other courses, you will encounter some few parts in BIT that may prove to be a bit challenging. But that’s no reason to disparage – every student has that one topic that deems more challenging than the rest.

According to most graduates, the most difficult programs are in the IT section. You must, therefore, be prepared for calculus and the coding languages for C++ and binary scripts. But as we said before, it shouldn’t be a big challenge, especially if you are passionate about what you want to pursue.

Also keep in mind that the job market is flooded with business graduates, and a major in ICT for business could open up many career opportunities for you.

Tips

The following study tips have proved quite helpful in other technical courses and should help you too with Business Information technology.

• Don’t be a lone wolf – no matter how good you are, working alone will never bring the same results as working in a team. Remember that even in your workplace, you will likely be working in a team. Find yourself a study group, and enjoy as you get to share ideas and work on interesting projects.
• BIT is more focused on practical skills – unlike other business courses that are completely theoretical, Business Information Technology tends to take the practical approach. Because of IT, you will realize that you have to include practical work – both successfully combined with theoretical and logical explanations in each step of your work.
• Don’t be a Last minute guy – because of the practical aspect involved, make sure that you do your assignments in advance before deadlines. Keeping yourself updated throughout the semester is important because you will find that you have to seek clarity from time to time.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you spend every minute studying: constant learning progress throughout the year keeps you at a safer place academically.

Institutions that offer Business Information and Technology programs

Depending on the qualifications you want to achieve in BIT, you may have to choose between a college and a University. Normally, we assume that anyone in any type of higher learning institution is in ‘college’… but that is where we get it all wrong.

Difference between a ‘College’ and a ‘University’

As a matter of fact, there’s a big difference between the two ranging from perquisites, degree levels, degree fields of study, and specialization. Therefore, it is important that you carefully research a school before making your decision as to which program is the best fit.

The main difference between the two is that while colleges only offer undergraduate programs, mostly in form of 2-year associate degrees, the universities offer more concentrated instruction on the particular course.

Community colleges offer certificates and associate degree, and an ‘occasional’ bachelor degree. A technical college on the other hand usually offers only certificates and/or associate degrees.

Meanwhile, universities offer students with both graduate degrees and undergraduate degrees. Two-year undergraduate degrees are rare in Universities, but you will find they offer some programs that can be completed in two years – but usually at a graduate level.

In the UK, there are many institutions that offer Business Information Technology programs. Here’s a list of confirmed institutions (both colleges and universities) that offer various programs in Business Information Technology.

• University of Chichester
• University of Sunderland
• Solihull College & University Centre
• University of Salford
• London Metropolitan University
• Bristol, University of the West of England
• University of Gloucestershire
• University of Northampton
• University of Bradford
• Brunel University London
• York St John University
• Queen Mary University of London

The possibility of Distance learning of the course: Online Classes in Business Information Technology

Business information technology program (BIT) is a 100% distance learning program, and you will find that it is offered in a majority of institutions.

They offer a curriculum that will equip their students with a set of skills that are high in demand, including software proficiency, analysis, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

In most cases, you find that those willing to further their education in BIT, especially in Master’s and Doctorate levels have very tight and busy occupations. BIT online programs have experienced certified online instructors that assist students that are not able to attend physical classes in campus.

Online classes are, therefore, ideal for those individuals with busy professional careers who would like to increase their earning potential – probably through promotions and career change.

Job opportunities

Mostly, after the completion of undergraduate programs in Business Information Technology, many people opt to join the job market in order to gain experience in the related fields.

Some people, however, prefer to proceed to the graduate programs – mainly because they had initial experience before enrolling in the course.

Proceeding to the graduate level is no doubt beneficial to you, considering the career opportunities and earning potential that will be available once you have successfully completed the program. It is, however, important to keep in mind that the job experience after the undergraduate program is quite useful as well. Why?

The Master’s and the Doctorate degree programs often require you to major in specific fields of your study. For instance, the Business Information Technology graduate programs require their students to choose between an emphasis on either marketing or accounting fields – and job experience will help you know your strong areas.

What does your job entail as a Business Information Technologist?

Basically, as a Business Information Technology professional, your work will be to leverage business Information technology to find the perfect place between sound business practices and complex computer networks.

With the help of BIT professionals, businesses are able to keep up with the continual software, hardware, and procedural changes. By so doing, businesses are able to effectively serve their customers by increasing overall employee engagement, access to information, and flexibility in actively responding to business challenges.

Occupations in Business Information Technology

In the current modern era, IT has become a vital element in all kinds of businesses. As a BIT professional, you can, therefore, be guaranteed of numerous job opportunities in the job market.

With a degree in BIT, you have the potential to work with firms such as IBM, Microsoft, and T-Mobile. You should, however, note that it isn’t compulsory that you work in a technology firm - you can also work in a non-technology firm. In most cases, businesses need in-house computer experts to help manage their technology and troubleshoot computer systems.

Some of the job options as a BIT professional are such as:

• e-commerce Developer
• Systems Trainer
• Enterprise Systems Manager
• Business Analyst
• Information Resource Manager
• Support specialist
• Technical consultant/analyst

What is your future as a Business Information Technology Professional?

Unlike many other degree courses whose future is unknown, there’s a very big business potential for Business Information Technology. For every year that goes by, the job market in the BIT fields continues to expand. That explains why BIT professionals enjoy some of the best job prospects.

Most businesses are willing to do whatever it takes to fit in the modern era, including spending huge amounts of cash. The year 2012 is a best-case scenario: did you know the world spent 881 billion dollars in Business information technology only? And the figure continues to increase each year!

Well, that explains why BIT is one of the safest careers in the job market.

In case you are unemployed in the business sector (which is very unlikely), you can still offer your skills as an IT specialist. Some of the services you can offer include:

• Information Technology Analyst
• Computer Forensic Analyst
• Information Technology consultant
• Software development
• Computer network architect, and much more!

Salary

After landing on a job in Business Information Technology, your salary will vary depending on your level of study, experience, and job title.

Different levels of education come with different job titles because of the complexity and expertise involved. It goes without saying that, as you climb up the education ladder, your earning potential also increases.

Salary information collected from more than 44K employees in the UK revealed that: salary ranges approximately from £25,281 annually for BIT intern to £64,444 annually for a business systems analyst.

For people with a Bachelor Degree in Business Information Technology, their starting salaries are just under £50,000. The figures, however, increase with time after consequent job promotions and experience.

For Master’s and Ph.D. (Doctorate) graduates, their salaries can get as high £115,000 depending on their job title and agreements with their firms.