Department of Computer Information Systems

The computer information systems program enables students to manage and work with information systems that meet business or organization requirements effectively; this means that students must understand the need for fault tolerant systems that are within the requirements of budgetary constraints, incorporate ethical and legal considerations, and meet specific enterprise goals, including quality requirements for customer service.

The program in computer information systems is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Students who major in computer information systems are provided with specific skills, including:

• Understanding the role of information systems in organizations, including the use of information technology for strategic decision making and competitive advantage, effective and efficient electronic business and electronic commerce strategies, enterprise resource planning to support their business strategy, and supply chain management.
• Analysis and design of information systems that meet enterprise needs, including both a comprehensive understanding and experience using the system development life cycle and alternative design methodologies.
• Alternative information technology architectures, including both hardware and software alternatives, that satisfy current and future business needs.
• A thorough understanding of data management, including the development of databases, the effective use of data warehouses, and data security considerations.
• The role of networking, data communications and wireless computing in supporting organizational effectiveness, including hands-on  experience in developing and configuring network environments.

The computer information systems program is built upon a core of required courses, a distribution of elective courses within the program, and a required internship. As with all programs within the School of Business, students must meet the requirements of both the University Curriculum and the School of Business core curriculum, as well as the specific requirements of the major for a total of 125 credits.

Business Core (46 credits)

University Curriculum (37 credits)

Computer Information Systems Core (24 credits):

Course	Title	Credits
CIS 125	Systems Analysis & Design	3
CIS 225	Object-Oriented Analysis & Design	3
CIS 245	Object-Oriented Programming	3
CIS 301	Enterprise Systems	3
CIS 330	Networking & Data Communications	3
CIS 351	Database Programming & Design	3
CIS 440	IT Project Management	3
CIS 484	Information Systems Internship	3

CIS Electives (12 credits)

Open Electives (6 credits)

Within three to five years of graduation, alumni of the BS in computer information systems program are expected to have :

1. Helped an organization achieve its goals by applying knowledge and skills in the application of information systems.
2. Used information systems for decision making to help organizations achieve a strategic competitive advantage in both the local and the global society.
3. Served as liaisons between end-users and computing specialists by communicating effectively in both oral and written form.
4. Worked effectively in teams to manage both themselves and their colleagues.
5. Demonstrated lifelong learning skills by attendance at continuing professional education courses/workshops, attainment/pursuit of professional certification, and/or higher-level academic education.

By earning a minor in computer information systems, students become better educated consumers of information technology and develop valuable skills. The minor is structured to provide each student with an opportunity to select courses that support his or her own learning objectives.

The minor in computer information systems requires the completion of 18 credits that must include:

• CIS 101 Introduction to Information Systems (3 credits)
• CIS 125 Systems Analysis & Design (3 credits)
• CIS electives (12 credits)

The department also offers a minor in computer information systems for communications majors. The minor allows communications students to become better educated in the information technology resources available to, and used within, the communications industry. The minor is structured to help students to understand and utilize information retrieval and deployment in an electronic world.

The minor in computer information systems for communications students requires the completion of 18 credits that must include:

• CIS 101 Introduction to Information Systems (3 credits)
• CIS 125 Systems Analysis & Design (3 credits)
• CIS 257 Information Mining & Online Communications (3 credits) 
• CIS 267 HTML & Interactive Web Animation (3 credits)
• CIS electives (6 credits)