Evolution of Information Systems Curriculum in an Australian University over the Last Twenty-Five Years

Information Systems (IS) courses began in Australia’s higher education institutions in the 1960, and have continued to evolve at a rapid rate since then. Beginning with a need by the Australian Commonwealth Government for a large number of computer professionals, Information Systems (or Business Computing) courses developed rapidly. The nature and content of these courses in the 1960s and 70s, however, was quite different to present courses and this paper traces this change and the reasons for it. After some brief discussion of the beginnings and the early days of Information Systems curriculum, we address in particular how these courses have evolved in one Australian university over the last 25 years. IS curriculum is seen to adapt, new materials are added and emphases changed as new technologies and new computing applications emerge. The paper offers a model of how curriculum change in Information Systems takes place.