Overview
System integration is a pervasive aspect of IS practice. After completion of the foundation and core courses, MSc IS students need to synthesize what they have learned. Each project shall be in an area directly related to IS/IT and must have a research component.
Project Route (Integration Project)
The project route requires the completion of one elective course (3 credits) plus the integration project (3 credits each; 9 credits total).
The integration project should provide a useful demonstration of a novel capability using existing technology or explore a novel implementation technique. The project should be articulated around a well-defined research problem or hypothesis.
Outline
The integration project consists of three 3-credit elements: COMP 697, COMP 698, and COMP 699. These elements are not conventional courses; however, they are treated similarly for administrative purposes.
- COMP 697: Integration Project I (Proposal Writing)
- COMP 698: Integration Project II (Implementation)
- COMP 699: Integration Project III (Report Writing and Oral Defence)
The project topic must have the approval of a supervisor before the start of the term. The student must submit a detailed proposal, a schedule, progress reports, and a final report to their supervisor. Copies of the detailed proposal and final report should be sent to the course coordinator, who will manage the review of the report by the supervisory committee or additional reader. The supervisory committee members/additional reader may be a faculty member or an industry resource person approved by the Program director.
Evaluation
To
receive credit for the integration project, the student must obtain a
PASS grade for each of the required courses.
Materials
The Integration Project Handbook, which provides guidance to students who are undertaking a research project as part of the completion requirements for the MSc IS program, is available online. The handbook includes relevant project information, such as stages in the project, roles and responsibilities, and assessment criteria, as well as templates, forms, and the MSc IS Project Report Style Guide.
The student is expected to obtain and pay for all materials used in their project. Currently, the MSc IS program does not offer funding for students to conduct their projects; however, information about Athabasca University’s
Graduate Student Research Fund is available on the Research Office website.