Course Integration as Learning Environment for Increasing Competence

Creating a realistic learning environment for Systems Analyst and Design (SAD) students is a challenge. Integrating discipline-oriented courses is one way of creating such an environment. This paper discusses a possible integration between two courses where the courses provide a basis for experiences that enrich the learning environment and give the students important competence in the IS field. The paper describes levels of integration and some consequences for students and lecturers. The discussion ends in a proposal for integration of the two courses. The integration of the courses will be on a so-called temporal coordination level where the main contributory factors are deliverables and the co-ordination of time allotted to the courses. The question of course integration is seen both from the lecturers’ perspective and the students’ perspective. The integration was tried out in the spring term 2002.