Online MBA in Information Systems Strategy & Governance
21-33 months
Online
Tuition: GBP 13,200
Paid Monthly: GBP 520
Intakes: May 2026
Deadline: 4 May 2026
Course overview
The globally-recognised AACSB Accredited Online MBA in Information Systems Strategy and Governance is a UK Masters in IT degree that provides a framework of understanding how information security operates, how it is governed and teaches the ability to express these learnings through professional reporting.
Gain an overview of national and international IT laws and regulations covering computer misuse, Data Protection and other hot button topics. Understand the role of IT and Information systems professions, differentiating between forensics, audits and security management, as well as the application of COBIT Domains. This Masters in IT also teaches IT professionals how to identify and analyse risks and create contingency and continuity planning to manage potential information systems and security risks.
This Masters in IT teaches professionals how to critically evaluate Information technology and system techniques and tools, and how to effectively use them to develop strategic and innovative IT and Information System capabilities. Study the strategic nature of IT and IS systems, and learn to evaluate their investment potential towards contributing to a business.
Why choose Edinburgh Napier University Online MBA
- AACSB accredited
- Top 4% of universities across the world
- Normal study route of 33 months and accelerated study route of 21 months available
- 11 specialist routes to choose from
- Assignments only. No exams.
- Flexible monthly payment plan
- Earn the same MBA as on-campus students and graduate in the UK
- Taught using the latest Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
- Study from anywhere, anytime – 24/7 access to study materials
- Personal UK tutor for academic support
- Earn a globally recognized UK MBA without the need to leave work or sacrifice career progress
Looking for a different MBA or Masters Degree, or wish to learn more about this programme? Speak to a Higher Education Consultant
Online MBA in Information Systems Strategy & Governance
Online MBA in Information Systems Strategy & Governance
Accreditation
AACSB – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – is a professional accreditation organization in the USA. It was founded in 1916 to set a standard of excellence for the best business schools. Only 6% of the world’s leading business schools are AACSB accredited. AACSB is recognized worldwide as the highest standard of quality and AACSB-accredited schools, and graduates from these business schools are trailblazers in leadership, research and societal impact.
Assessment
All assessments are undertaken and submitted online. These vary for each module and may include:
- Reports/Essays/Case Studies
- End of Unit Progress Tests
- Data Analysis Reports (Data Analysis for Business Decision-making module)
- MBA Project
Within each trimester, whilst there is flexibility to work through the material at your own pace you need to be aware of the assessment dates as there is no flexibility in these.
If there is any question regarding the authorship of any submitted assessments, we reserve the right to require students to undertake an online viva.
Benefits
The Online Masters in IT will teach you to critically review existing laws and regulations, appraising their interrelationships towards development trends and governance. In addition, gain a deeper understanding of information security management systems, the role they play in risk management and understand how business and human factors impact delivery of information security.
This Masters in IT helps professionals to expand their research ability, as well as the analytical capabilities by applying academic literature into real-world scenarios to identify challenges, determine solutions and make recommendations.
Career path
Graduates from the Online MBA in Information Systems can work in senior roles in IT, Technology and Security Risk Management analysis as it relates to Information Technology.
Academic Progression
- PhD – Doctorate programme
- Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA)
Eligibility
- The entry requirement for the Masters in IT course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at 2:2 or above plus 2 years work experience order to be eligible for this programme.
- We may also consider lesser qualifications if you have sufficient relevant work experience within the industry.
- If English is not your first language, you may need to undertake an approved English language test. You can discuss the available options with your personal academic consultant.
Core module
The module introduces a number of tools that can be used to measure the success, or otherwise, of an organisation – focusing on operations, supply chains and marketing strategy. Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard model will be the key model explored. This is a set of measures that gives a fast but comprehensive view of the business. The Balanced Scorecard endeavours to collate important elements that reflect a business’s strategic position e.g. product and service quality measures, product and service development time, customer satisfaction, productivity and so on.
Overall the module emphasises the concept of integrative nature of business across key areas and what matters most in the need and desire to build high performing organisations that can endure in the complex, global business environment.
The large majority of businesses today operate in a variety of economic environments and their leaders must make economic decisions taking into account market specific information. This module covers the most essential analytical tools required for economic decision making such as: the concepts of economic systems, profit and utility maximisation, demand elasticity, market equilibrium, market structures, macroeconomic objectives, government policies’ (monetary, fiscal and trade policies) tools and their impact on businesses etc.
Businesses also require funding from shareholders and lenders at the outset and subsequently need to profits and positive cash flows for investment. They are in competition with other businesses for funding, just as much as they are competition for labour and market share. On this course, you will learn to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages to the business of a range of sources of finance. You will also learn how managers’ report on the financial affairs and financial position of the business and how financial reports can be analysed to evaluate business performance.
The module will cover the following topics:
- Organisation Strategy and strategic Leadership
- Determining the strategic Direction: Mission Vision and Values
- Strategic decision-making in Practice
- Transformational Leadership Approaches and Emotional Intelligence
- The Leader-Follower Relationship
- Team Leadership
- Strategic decision-making in Innovative Contexts
- Creating Systemic Innovation
- Authentic and Sustainable Leadership
- Current Trends in strategic Leadership
Learning outcomes of the module
Upon completion of this module you will be able to:
- Examine and critique the underlying principles of key leadership theories
- Critically review how effective leaders foster an innovation culture in organisations
- Explore the dynamics underpinning the leader-follower relationship in organisations
- Review and critically the strategic role of leaders within organisations
The material covered in the module relates to two broad areas of study: the examination of organisational behaviour, including attitudes, perception, motivation, groups, teams and leadership; and understanding managerial processes, and the development of skills important in the management of people and processes – such as corporate social responsibility. Change management is increasingly important and therefore you will examine the topic by looking at both incremental and transformational change, and the importance of power, politics and conflict.
Focusing on the behaviour of people in a work environment, the module places an emphasis on understanding the vital role and importance of people in the change management process. You will develop an understanding of the dynamics of working organisations in a rapidly evolving business environment, specifically the significance of organisational culture. This in turn develops your ability to plan and carry forward sustainable system-wide change programmes.
Learning outcomes of the module
Upon completion of this module you will be able to:
- Apply organisational behaviour theory to the business context
- Critically analyse the factors influencing individual behaviour in organisations
- Evaluate the nature, role and tasks of people management and identify effective management practice and skills
- Identify and analyse trends in transformational change management in organisations
- Illustrate through analysis and synthesis a robust understanding of International Leadership, management theories and concepts
Data literacy and the ability to critically evaluate information are crucial skills for responsible business management. Data analysis is a process that involves the formulation of a research question and the acquisition and analysis of the data that is needed to help answer that question. In this module, you will be taken through the practicalities of developing a business research question and acquiring and analysing data to answer that question. You will learn about the key sources of business data and information and about how data is created for specific project purposes through survey design. You will learn about the practical steps that researchers must take to create useful business information from data and how to visualize this information in an understandable way. You will be equipped with the tools, methods, and skills required for acquiring, exploring, and analysing both quantitative and qualitive data.
This module will cover the following topics:
- Introduction to data for business & sources of data (primary and secondary),
- Developing business research questions (descriptive, normative and cause/effect),
- Primary and secondary data,
- Ethical aspects of primary data collection,
- Survey design and measuring concepts Quantitative Methods,
- Introduction to The Data Problem Solving Cycle (PPDAC),
- Sampling and data quality (validity, reliability, comparability etc.),
- Data cleaning and preparation,
- Exploring and analysing quantitative data (with excel or SPSS),
- Visualizing data to communicate business information Qualitative Methods,
- Deconstruction and reconstruction of Discourse,
- Thematic Analysis
- Critical Reflection on qualitative analysis.
The purpose of this module is to develop your ability to develop and implement a management report in the field of business management. Completing the management report will provide you with the opportunity to apply the knowledge, research skills, and analytical and conceptual tools that you have acquired while taking your taught modules. Your learning on this module is experiential and problem-based, with a focus upon you discovering, questioning, and critically reflecting upon a business problem. You are required to identify a business problem for one organisation, and to conduct an analysis of the organisation’s positioning in relation to that problem and to develop actionable recommendations to be presented to the executive board that are based on the findings from their analysis. You will be guided through the process in groups by experienced tutors, you will also be assigned to groups with other students that have chosen the same organisation.
Optional Module
The aim of the module is to let you develop a deep understanding of the framework that information security operates in, and to give you an opportunity to express this in the form of professional written reports. Topics covered include:
- Overview of relevant laws and regulations: national and international, covering Data Protection, computer misuse and other legal issues
- The relation between governance models and frameworks including: ISACA’s COBIT and ISO Standards (ISO27000 in particular)
- Role of the professions; difference between audit, forensics and security management. Professional ethics and codes of practice
- Risk management, contingency and continuity planning
- Understanding and application of the COBIT domains
Learning outcomes of the module
Upon completion of this module you will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professionals involved, including practical application of codes of practice/ethics
- Review and critically appraise relevant laws and relevant standards, their interrelationships and international trends in their development
- Critically appraise the principles of information security management systems and the roles of risk management, controls and audit in supporting IS governance
- Demonstrate an understanding of the role of human and organisational factors in delivering information security
- Research, examine and evaluate relevant academic literature and real-world situations, identify issues and solutions and make recommendations to management
Evolving role of strategic IS/IT systems; management of strategic IS/IT systems; Processes for developing effective IS/IT strategies; Alignment of IS/IT strategies with business strategies; Innovating with IS/IT systems; strategic IS/IT systems for competitive advantage; Tools & techniques for building IS/IT strategic capabilities; Evaluating & justifying IS/IT systems; Managing a portfolio of IS/IT applications. Positioning &Managing strategic IS/IT systems.
Learning outcomes of the module
Upon completion of this module you will be able to:
- Analyse the strategic context of IS/IT systems and their increasing business integration and impact on the competitive advantage of businesses
- Appraise the challenges in the management and strategy formulation of IS/IT systems in modern complex business environments
- Critically evaluate the tools & techniques available to build and develop innovative strategic IS/IT capabilities
- Evaluate how strategic IS/IT systems are justified and assessed as investments and for their business contribution
- Critically assess the structural, organisational & governance aspects of strategic IS/IT systems
*Information correct at time of publishing this page, but may be subject to change by the university.
Course fee
Global:
- Course Fee: GBP 13,200
- Monthly Fee**: GBP 520
Africa & Emerging Market*:
- Course Fee: GBP 13,200
- Stafford Grant: GBP 2,700
- Net Course Fee: GBP 10,500
- Monthly Fee**: GBP 375
Canada Currency Options:
- Course Fee: CAD 24,680 / GBP 13,200
- Monthly Fee**: CAD 970/ GBP 520
+VAT if applicable
*Africa & Emerging Market : India, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius, Egypt, Nigeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, South Sudan, Libya, Zambia, Algeria, Tunisia, Angola, Gabon, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Ethiopia, Iraq, Yemen, and other African countries.
**Monthly instalments calculated based on the Course fee minus the Stafford Grant
Fees are determined by where applicants are currently working and residing
GBP is Great Britain Pounds
Academics
Refaat Kazoun
Philippe Riewer
Ajith Kumar
What our students say
Deborah Ann Crawford
Edinburgh Napier University
MBA
The application process was smooth from start to finish and I felt 100% supported by the Stafford team. They provided guidance with every step of the way and we’re always available to answer questions. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Thanks, Ashleigh Payne for everything.
