MASTER ACADEMIC STUDIES

Analysis methods and IS design deals with the stages of information systems development by understanding and specifying in detail what the system should do and how the system components should be implemented and integrated. System analysts resolve business problems through the analysis of information systems requirements and the design of such systems using analysis and design techniques. This course addresses the concepts, skills, methodologies, techniques, tools, and perspectives necessary for systems analysts. The practical component of the course is object-oriented and driven by a use case, which requires students to go step by step through the analysis, design and planning of how to integrate systems to solve a real business problem. This course primarily helps in developing the skills necessary to analyze, design and manage the development of information systems, including modern methods and effective management of IS projects, database development, etc. and relies on examples of good practice. The course focuses on technical analysis of a business system for its improvement and IS design techniques, including gathering, specification, analysis and modeling of requirements, system and software architect, IS quality, risk management.

The goal of this course is to provide students with the appropriate competencies to participate in the planning, construction, use, maintenance and evaluation of enterprise architecture. This means that in the process of developing an architecture consisting of several levels, they will know how to use existing formal approaches – frameworks, primarily TOGAF, as well as identify the need to change the architecture in case of changes to the company’s strategic plan or changes in the environment. After passing the exam, students will be able to combine information, business processes, technological platforms, applications, software and hardware by integrating the organization’s business requirements with the application of advanced technologies through enterprise architecture. The aim of the course is for studenst to: Understand methods, terminology and trends in enterprise architecture; Master the principles, industry frameworks, theory and best practices in enterprise architecture; Thoroughly understands the SOA model and its application in enterprise architecture implementation.

The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the basic ideas, challenges, techniques, applications and problems of artificial intelligence which are used in the development of intelligent software systems. Students will study search techniques, knowledge presentation, ways of reasoning and planning, as well as basic machine learning techniques. Students will be able to choose different artificial intelligence techniques for specific types of problems. After passing the exam, the student will be able to: Solve problems related to searching in complex environments, as well as constraint conditions; Understand the role of logical agents, knowledge presentation methods and automatic planning; Apply methods and techniques for presenting uncertain knowledge and reasoning which are necessary for decision-making; Understand basic machine learning methods, such as probabilistic models, deep learning, and support learning methods.

The course is structured as a set of topics that students work through: General concepts of IT project management; Designing an IT project and selecting development, implementation, and strategy methods; Defining requirements; Planning development phases and their content; Designing the system architecture and its components; Development, monitoring, management, and implementation; Testing phase, verification, and validation; Teamwork; Writing reports and performing status analyses. Students are introduced to fundamental development principles, illustrated with examples of specific IT project development. Depending on the selected topics and project content, the instructor also delivers lectures specific to individual projects if necessary.

IS545 Analytics for decision support
In a rapidly changing and complex environment, successful businesses make critical decisions using decision support systems, which apply analytical methods to massive organizational data sets to evaluate options, provide insight into likely outcomes, and make recommendations on the “best” decisions to implement. The aim of the course is to prepare students to apply the principles, tools and methods of analytics on a project to perform data extraction, as well as the development, delivery and/or implementation of data analysis for tactical and/or strategic decision-making in the organization.

IS556 IS strategy and management
The goal of this course is for students to acquire applicable knowledge in the field of defining and implementing long-term strategic plans for the design and use of IS with the aim of achieving a competitive advantage for the organization in a broader sense. After the successful completion of this course, students will be able to do the following: Analyze the effect and impact of IS on the industrial sector, organizations and institutions; Develop and implement plans for the realization of maximum benefits related to the design, delivery and use of IS, including the management of IS resources from a financial standpoint; Creation and management of mechanisms by which the organization evaluates, guides and monitors IT organizations. These mechanisms rely on formalized generic frameworks for IT management. Therefore, the understanding, application and analysis of generic frameworks for IT management is crucial in terms of student competencies, the effective allocation and decision-making process in the organization in the context of IS, establishment of practices to reduce environmental impact and long-term sustainability planning.

IS570 Audit and control of information systems
The aim of the course is for students to acquire theoretical and applied knowledge in the field of audit and control of IT systems through: Understanding the definition and establishment of internal IT control systems in an organization, as well as how to manage those control mechanisms at the organizational level; Understanding the review, evaluation and revision of the established system of internal IT controls in an organization, in terms of assessing their adequacy, effectiveness and efficiency (from the technical-technological aspect and from the aspect of compliance with business goals), as well as specifying recommendations for the improvement of individual controls and control mechanisms.

IS501 IT infrastructure
The goal of the course is for students to integrate existing and new solutions of information systems within existing communication networks through the acquisition of general knowledge in the field of designing and managing IT infrastructures. Therefore, the course provides skills related to the formation of different types of computer networks and other necessary IT infrastructure and solutions for small and large systems based on the set requirements of the client. The goal of the course is to showcase to students the challenges and problems of designing architecture using existing resources, as well as inherited and external service solutions.

IS566 Data and Information Management
The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the need for data storage and management, which arises because data is the basis of the functioning and management of any information system. The course covers key concepts of data and information life cycle management such as: (1) collection and structuring of data and information using appropriate techniques for conceptual modeling, (2) selection and application of appropriate technologies for data management, (3) using languages for searching and manipulating data, (4) designing and implementing systems for managing data warehouses.

CS565 Machine Learning
The goal of the course is to help students master the application of machine learning techniques by using the Python programming language and the specialized code library ThensorFlow in a simple way. The course was created for students who are involved in programming and software development, and who want to learn how to develop software using machine learning methods. Therefore, the course does not delve deeper into the mathematical interpretation of applied machine learning concepts which is more difficult for them to understand. In the first part of the course, the focus is on the applications of Python without using specialized libraries, which will allow students to better understand the essence of the concepts behind machine learning methods. The second part uses the specialized TensorFlow library, which enables faster and easier development of intelligent software systems. After passing the exam in this subject, the student will be able to: Understand how single-layer and multi-layer neural networks work; Apply the Python programming language without specialized libraries with the goal of having a better understanding of how neural networks work, i.e., understanding the essence of learning methods and deep learning; Apply the TensorFlow library in Python when developing more complex intelligent software systems that utilize single-layer or multi-layer neural networks and use it in the areas of image classification, face detection and recognition in images, object and pose detection, natural language processing, and data analysis; Choose techniques based on the type, nature, and complexity of the real-world problem, implement the appropriate technique using the Python programming language and the TensorFlow library, and thus solve the observed problem, or draw conclusions about the phenomenon in question that corresponds with real conditions in the industry.

OM545 Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Creating new businesses, conquering new markets, and increasing organizational effectiveness happens through innovation, process transformation – or both. New technologies, processes, market competition, and globalization force entrepreneurs and existing firms to distance themselves from what is familiar and foster innovation and agility. This course examines the successful strategies, business models, frameworks, financing, barriers and risks for introducing innovative products and services. Topics include business model innovation, strategic leadership, people-centered and design-based innovation, knowledge and change management. Upon completing the course, students will be able to: Develop skills and insights for evaluating, articulating, refining, and presenting a new product or service, either as a start-up business or as a new initiative within an existing company and apply the knowledge necessary to introduce new technology to the market.