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Curriculum

The Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) program offers an innovative curriculum that covers emerging concepts, relevant technologies, and best prepares you to meet the current industry needs and challenges. You will benefit from hands on instruction that incorporates the latest technologies including .Net, SAP, SQL Server, UML, XML, Rapidminer, Tableau, Python, R, Blockchain, cybersecurity tools, and more.

Place yourself in the perfect spot between IT and the business administration to help bridge the gap and improve efficiency.

Core Curriculum

Our integrated core curriculum is designed to build technical and IS/IT management skills across several key knowledge areas in the Information Systems domain. Potential students are expected to have gained foundation knowledge in:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Basic statistics
  • HTML
  • Introduction to databases
  • Introductory level programming languages

If you do not have a programming background, you are strongly encouraged to gain some familiarity with an object-oriented programming language, such as Java or Visual Basic before beginning this program. Websites like LinkedIn Learning and CodeAcademy.com offer resources to further assist.

Core Courses

  • Project Management

    This course examines the defining characteristics of IT projects and introduces a variety of relevant techniques. The course includes project manager functions like managing scope, time, quality, and cost.  Students will learn about project management methodologies such as the AGILE method.

    Software: Microsoft Project 2016

  • Database Management

    This course will help students critically think about how to conceptualize and model databases, and use query languages to manipulate databases to obtain information that can help a manager make decisions. The course takes a transaction-based (OLTP), data-oriented view that is embedded in the larger processing view. The course is primarily driven by problem-solving exercises and case discussions in a collaborative environment. Students should be able to extend their learning to unfamiliar environments and applications, and to communicate their knowledge.

    Software: SQL, Visio, Lucidchart, Access, Neo4j, Tera

  • Business Process Design

    This course focuses on the fundamental concepts, frameworks and techniques that can be used to analyze and redesign business processes through strategic and operational mappings and alignment between strategy, process and technology. The course covers how to map strategy, process and technology and how to conduct business process as-is and to-be, analysis and design.

    Software: Microsoft Visio, LucidChart, IBM Process Integration Modeler

  • Information Systems Strategy and Governance

    The focus of this course includes: 1) The top management's strategic perspective for aligning competitive strategy, core competencies, and information systems (IS); 2) The development and implementation of IS strategic plans to achieve organizational goals; 3)  Frameworks for creating IS value; and 4) Methodologies for designing the IS organization in accordance with IS governance best practices.

    Students develop an understanding of the strategic use of IS from a business perspective at the enterprise level. They are expected to understand the competitive environment from the point of view of the CIO and to examine strategies and tactics available to use information systems for competitive advantage. Students will also understand how to define and implement IS governance to enable both business and IS executives to execute their responsibilities, in support of business/IS alignment and value creation.

  • Systems Analysis and Design

    This course will introduce students to the field of Systems Analysis and Design in general, and focus in depth on object-oriented concepts, methodologies, models and skills, along with associated software tools. In this course, we will consider the case where custom software is required to solve a business problem or automate a business process. To this end, we will consider the major object oriented methodologies, and follow a lightweight version of the Rational Unified Process in case study form. All of these methodologies require a consistent means of describing various dimensions of a software design. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) provides an industry-accepted standard graphical language for describing different aspects of a software system. We will cover some of the major parts of the UML in this class.

    Software: Unified Modeling Language (UML)

  • Information Security Management

    This course focuses on the managerial aspects of information security. Topics covered include access control models, information security governance, and information security program assessment and metrics. Coverage on the foundational and technical components of information security is included to reinforce key concepts.

    Software: Wireshark, Webgoat, Security Onion

Specialization Tracks

 

Business
Analtytics

14 months, starts in fall (August)

Business
Cybersecurity

14 months, starts in fall (August)

Digital
Transformation

12 months, starts in spring (January)

Business Analytics Track
14 months, starts in fall (August)

The MSIS Business Analytics Track provides advanced analytical skills and knowledge in big data and quantitative analysis. You will gain a unique combination of analytical and information systems management skills utilized to uncover trends and predict patterns specific to businesses. You will develop the skills and know-how to provide critical insights and recommend solutions on how businesses can increase their effectiveness through their processes, products, services, software, and technology systems.

Courses

  • Python Fundamentals for Business Analytics

    This course will provide an understanding of fundamental python concepts and libraries needed in data science and business analytics.

    Software: Python

  • Quantitative Analytical Methods in Business

    This course provides a review of the quantitative analytical techniques required for statistical and business analysis and decision making using programming languages such as Python. Students will learn about the use of quantitative methods for turning data into information and information into good business decisions for managers, researchers, and students in the field of business. Providing a framework for the development of sound judgment and the ability to utilize quantitative and qualitative approaches, this course introduces students to the important role that data plays in understanding business outcomes and improving business processes.

    Prerequisite: Python Fundamentals for Business Analytics

  • Data Warehousing

    In this course, students will design and implement an enterprise data warehouse architecture, utilize ETL tools and techniques to load data into the data warehouse, build and deploy multi-dimensional cubes, and utilize powerful reporting tools to analyze large volumes of data and convert these data to useful information. Using powerful data visualization tools, students will learn how to use data to explain the past, monitor the present, and anticipate the future.

    Software: SQL Server RDBMS, SQL Server Analysis Services, SQL Server Data Tools, Tableau reporting software, Power BI, Python scripting

  • Business Data Exploration and Visualization

    This course covers business data exploration and visualization techniques, with structured and unstructured data. Topics include overview of data visualization, understanding dimensions and measures, data wrangling and blending, formulating practical research questions, matching questions with basic/advanced chart types, calculation and parameter, creating dashboards and stories, and dashboard critics.

    Software: as Tableau, Python, R

    Prerequisite: Python Fundamentals for Business Analytics

  • Machine Learning for Business Applications

    This course focuses on the use of machine learning approaches to analyze data effectively and extract useful information from a large amount of data to support business decision making.

    Software: Excel, Rapidminer, R, Python

    Prerequisite: Python Fundamentals for Business Analytics

  • Business Analytics Capstone (project-based)

    This capstone course synthesizes and applies the knowledge learned on managing business analytics across courses in the business analytics track.

Business Cybersecurity Track
14 months, starts in fall (August)

The MSIS Business Cybersecurity Track provides deep understanding of the management systems, policies, standards, procedures, and technology that influence the security of business enterprises. You will gain a unique combination of hands-on cybersecurity and information security management skills, needed to effectively lead teams to manage cybersecurity risks, and secure information systems and digital assets for business.

Courses

  • Security Risk Management and Organizational Cyber Resilience

    This course focuses on the principles of risk management for cybersecurity and examines tools and mechanisms for assessment, control and transferrance of cybersecurity risks in organizations. Topics covered include risk identification, risk assessment, risk control, and risk management strategies, plus the concept of organizational cyber resilience that encompasses incident response, disaster recover planning, and business continuity planning.

  • Information Security: Ethics, Regulation, and Compliance

    This course focuses on ethical and regulatory issues surrounding information security in organizations. Topics covered include the general theories and principles of ethics for privacy and security, existing US and international laws and regulations governing the use of information systems and assets, development and implementation of compliance programs in organizations to protect information privacy and security.

  • Protecting and Defending Business Digital Assets

    This course focuses on the technical controls needed to enforce security policy and secure information systems and digital assets from security risks. Topics covered include access controls, cryptography, operating systems security, application security and network security. Students will learn hands-on skills on those areas.

    Software: Security virtual lab

  • Ethical Hacking for Business

    This course focuses the major issues surrounding the use of penetration test tools to secure organizational information assets from cyberattacks. Topics covered include the ethics of ethical hacking, vulnerability discovery and risk analysis, and penetration testing methods and tools. Students will develop skills and knowledge needed to conduct penetration tests to proactively secure organizational information assets.

    Software: Ethical hacking virtual lab

  • Business Cybersecurity Capstone (project-based)

    This capstone course synthesizes and applies the knowledge learned on managing cybersecurity across courses in the business cybersecurity track.

Digital Transformation Track
12 months, starts in spring (January)

The MSIS Digital Transformation Track provides critical skills and knowledge in the use of emerging technology tools and business methods. You will learn the skills necessary to lead teams towards the development of new digital infrastructures and strategies, that will provide deeper customer insights, drive growth and transform business operations.

Courses

  • Secure Cloud Computing and Virtualization Management

    The course focuses on the concepts and best practices of secure cloud infrastructure and standards critical to design, implement, deliver, and manage secure cloud services and virtualization.

  • E-business and Blockchain Applications

    In this course, students will gain the knowledge needed to manage and develop web and mobile applications for electronic business and blockchain applications. Students will learn the technical concepts of Blockchains and its applications to information systems, and business application development using the core components of Blockchains. The course also covers business process (re)design using Blockchain based systems, and introduces Solidity based application programming development.

    Software: Ethereum, MetaMask Browser plugin, PantherChain

  • Enterprise Information Systems

    This course covers the concepts of enterprise-wide computing, information architecture, process design, data models, and client/server computing. Students will learn how core business processes across business functional areas are integrated and implemented with enterprise information systems (ERP) in organizational settings. Managerial issues relating to ERP implementation, organizational change management, process improvement, and integration of processes and data, will also be explored.

    Software: SAP ERP applications and analytic tools provided by the SAP University Alliance

  • Data Warehousing

    In this course, students will design and implement an enterprise data warehouse architecture, utilize ETL tools and techniques to load data into the data warehouse, build and deploy multi-dimensional cubes, and utilize powerful reporting tools to analyze large volumes of data and convert these data to useful information. Using powerful data visualization tools, students will learn how to use data to explain the past, monitor the present, and anticipate the future.

    Software: SQL Server RDBMS, SQL Server Analysis Services, SQL Server Data Tools, Tableau reporting software, Power BI, Python scripting

  • Digital Transformation Capstone (project-based)

    This capstone course synthesizes and applies the knowledge learned on managing digital transformation across courses in the digital transformation track.