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Management Information Systems
Management Information Systems Faculty
Full time: RJ Podeschi, Ed Weber
Major in Management Information Systems
Students who complete a bachelor of science degree in management information systems (MIS) will have the necessary technical, analytical, and communication skills to be key players in building technology solutions for leading organizations. Students will build necessary competencies in programming, system analysis and design, IT infrastructure, and data management while being grounded in strong business fundamentals.
Performance Learning
Performance Learning initiatives for 3rd parties in the community could include building a relational database for tracking donor activity, building dynamic webbased organizational chart for a human resources department, or building a comprehensive network security analysis for a small business. Students have the opportunity to participate in MU Performance Consulting, a student-run venture, where students build technology solutions for local businesses. Projects include but are not limited to: system analysis, network design, database development, and programming.
Career Opportunities
Management Information Systems graduates obtain jobs such as database analyst, systems analyst, application developer, programmer analyst, web developer, security analyst, or technical analyst. These positions can be found in a variety of organizations from Fortune 500 companies to those with fewer than 10 employees.
Learning Goals for the Management Information Systems Major:
• Programming – Students will demonstrate competency in programming through the development of scripts, functions, or applications. • Database – Students will define, store, organize, retrieve, and analyze data using appropriate data models, structures, and database language. • Design – Students will critically analyze business problems to determine appropriate development methodologies and solutions. • Infrastructure – Students will model the levels and components of the information technology infrastructure and how they interoperate. • Documentation – Students will organize and compose technical documentation using a variety of software tools appropriate to the context and audience.
Requirements for the Major
In addition to the business core courses, students will be required to complete 24 credits of upper level information systems courses.
Required Courses (15 credit hours):
IS221. Programming Fundamentals (3) IS311. IT Infrastructure (3) IS321. Systems Analysis and Design (3) IS370. Database Application Development (3) IS471/472. Management Information Systems Internship (3)
Elective Courses (choose 9 credit hours)
IS322. Web/Mobile Application Development (3) IS332. IT Audit and Controls (3) IS334. System Administration (3) IS350. Application Integration (3) IS10. Introduction to Information Security (3) IS362. IT Security and Risk Management (3) IS390. MU Performance Consulting (1) IS410. Ethical Hacking (3) IS470. Business Intelligence and Big Data (3)
A grade of C+ or higher is required in the following course: IS471. Management Information Systems Internship
A grade of C or higher is required in the following courses: IS221. Programming Fundamentals IS311. IT Infrastructure IS321. System Analysis and Design IS370. Database Application Development
Information Systems Application Development Certificate
Students who complete this academic certificate will focus on developing applications with an emphasis on programming using various development methodologies. This includes developing programs based on current platforms such as for the web and mobile devices. Students earning this certificate will be able to understand programming fundamentals, best practices for writing applications, and design methodologies. This certificate is not available to Information Systems majors. Certificate courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Requirements for the Information Systems Application Development Certificate
Required courses (15 credits):
IS221. Programming Fundamentals (3) IS240. Foundations of Information Systems (3) IS311. IT Infrastructure (3)
IS322. Web/Mobile Application Development (3) IS350. Application Integration (3)
Information Systems Data Management Certificate
Students who complete this academic certificate will focus on the collection, organization, storage, analysis, and transformation of vast amounts of data. Students will not only understand the business value of data, but also the tools available to discover meaningful relationships amongst data. Students with this certificate will be able to interpret and articulate data requirements to technical staff, design a relational database and data warehouse as well as analyze large amounts of data in various formats and data models using a variety of software platforms. This certificate is not available to Information Systems majors. Certificate courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Requirements for the Information Systems Data Management Certificate
Required courses (15 credits):
IS120. Introduction to Business Analytics (3) IS240. Foundations of Information Systems (3) IS311. IT Infrastructure (3) IS370. Database Application Development (3) IS470. Business Intelligence & Big Data (3)
Information Systems Security and Compliance Certificate
Students who complete this academic certificate will focus on protecting digital assets of an organization. The certificate examines security through two lenses: auditing compliance and managing risk. Compliance from an auditing perspective focuses on internal and general controls to achieve regulatory and organizational guidelines. The second lens revolves around frameworks and strategies for managing digital risk in the IT enterprise using a combination of policy and technical tools such as network security systems, detection systems, remediation systems, and enterprise policy management systems. This certificate is not available to Information Systems majors. Certificate courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Requirements for the Information Systems Security and Compliance Certificate
Required courses (12 credits):
IS240. Foundations of Information Systems (3) IS311. IT Infrastructure (3) IS332. IT Audit and Controls (3) IS362. IT Security & Risk Management (3)
IS120. Introduction to Business Analytics (3)
Business Analytics includes the specific methods and techniques that are used by organizations to measure performance and provide insights to decision making at all levels. In this course, students will explore and achieve functional competencies in the use of specific Business Analytics tools including spreadsheet and database programs. This course combines the hands-on skills of working with software tools along with the critical thinking skills of properly framing business problems and questions, making comparison, and ultimately making informed decisions. Students will create, manipulate, and validate spreadsheet data, functions, and techniques to solve various problems. Students will also use SQL in multiple databases environments to collect, extract, organize, and present meaningful information. Skills gained in this course serve as core tools used to solve a variety of business problems across most academic and career disciplines.
IS221. Programming Fundamentals (3) The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts and models of application development. Students will understand the key processes related to building effective applications and appreciate the complexity of application development. Students will learn the basic concepts of program design, data structures, coding, problem solving, programming logic, and fundamental design techniques for event-driven programs in various programming languages. Program development will incorporate the system development life cycle: gathering requirements, designing a solution, implementing a solution in a programming language, and testing and documenting the completed application.
IS230. Networks and Telecommunications (3)
This course is an introduction to networking and telecommunication fundamentals. This course will teach students the OSI model and understand the transformation of data as it travels through the different layers of the model. Focus will be given to the infrastructure and protocols enabling the Internet.
IS240. Foundations of Information Systems (3)
This course is designed to introduce students to contemporary information systems and demonstrate how these systems are used throughout global organizations. The focus of this course will be on the key components of information systems: people, software, hardware, data, and communication technologies, and how these components can be integrated and managed to create competitive advantage. Students will learn terminology and concepts of Information Systems which provide enabling foundations for interaction between Information Systems and all other functional areas of an organization. Coursework bridges the divide between technical and nontechnical professionals.
IS270. Database Fundamentals (1) In this course, students look behind the scenes of relational databases to identify the structures and concepts of data repositories for the primary purpose of being able to collect, extract, organize, and present data as meaningful information. Using SQL tools, students will learn how to filter, sort, aggregate, and extract data to solve a variety of business problems.
IS310. Introduction to Information Security (3)
The advent of global networks has provided communication capabilities for businesses and individuals unparalleled in the history of the world. Attacks on the system that deny service, destroy systems, and purloin information through the use of worms, viruses, and other criminal attacks make it imperative that
information security be a significant part of any business plan and that individuals working in that or allied fields become knowledgeable in the principles of information security. This course provides an introduction to the field of information security that lays a necessary foundation for later courses.
IS311. IT Infrastructure (3)
This course provides an introduction to IT infrastructure issues for students majoring in Information Systems. It covers topics related to both computer and systems architecture and communication networks, with an overall focus on the services and capabilities that IT infrastructure solutions enable in an organizational context. It gives the students the knowledge and skills that they need for communicating effectively with professionals whose special focus is on hardware and systems software technology and for designing organizational processes and software solutions that require in-depth understanding of the IT infrastructure capabilities and limitations. It also prepares the students for organizational roles that require interaction with external vendors of IT infrastructure components and solutions. The course focuses strongly on Internet-based solutions, computer and network security, business continuity, and the role of infrastructure in regulatory compliance.
IS310. Introduction to Information Security (3)
The advent of global networks has provided communication capabilities for businesses and individuals unparalleled in the history of the world. Attacks on the system that deny service, destroy systems, and purloin information through the use of worms, viruses, and other criminal attacks make it imperative that information security be a significant part of any business plan and that individuals working in that or allied fields become knowledgeable in the principles of information security. This course provides an introduction to the field of information security that lays a necessary foundation for later courses.
IS321. Systems Analysis and Design (3)
Advanced study of systems development and modification processes. Emphasis on strategies and techniques of analysis and design for modeling complex system requirements. Use of data modeling tools and object-oriented approaches to analysis and design. Emphasis on factors for effective communication and integration with users and user systems.
IS322. Web / Mobile Application Development (3)
This course delivers the skills necessary to develop web-based and/or mobile-based applications to achieve a specific business or organizational need. The students will utilize contemporary tools and development environments to create, test, and implement applications. Course content will include broad programming skills and techniques across multiple languages and platforms while also focusing the students on specific real-world projects.
IS332. IT Audit and Controls (3)
Focus on issues of risk, security, control, access, distribution, and use of information in computer-based information systems. Identification and clarification of privacy and access issues in information systems. Coverage of tools designed to evaluate levels of control in information systems.
IS334. System Administration (3)
This course is an introduction to system administration concepts and duties, including installing and upgrading software and hardware, managing user accounts, managing system performance, and backup strategies. Scripting to automate system tasks will also be taught. Students will be required to build and maintain their systems during this course, and grades will be determined, in part, by system performance and adherence to industry best practices. The emphasis will be on variants of the Linux operating system, but other operating systems will be discussed. Alternate years every other Fall.
IS350. Application Integration (3)
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the theoretic and practical issues related to the implementation of enterprise systems within organizations. This course demonstrates how enterprise systems integrate information and organizational processes across functional areas with a unified system comprised of a single database and shared reporting tools. Students will gain an appreciation of the scope of enterprise systems and the motivation for implementing them. An integrated project, which requires the application of conceptual as well as technical (software) skills of students, may also be required.
IS362. IT Security and Risk Management (3)
This course provides an introduction to the fundamental principles and topics of Information Technology Security and Risk Management at the organizational level. Students will learn critical security principles that enable them to plan, develop, and perform security tasks. The course will address hardware, software, processes, communications, applications, and policies and procedures with respect to organizational IT Security and Risk Management.
IS370. Database Application Development (3)
Focus on the database approach to information resource management and application development. Coverage of data modeling and tools for application development provided by database management systems. Project work using a full-featured database management system.
IS381, 382. Topics in Information Systems (1)
Short mini-courses providing an intensive introduction to an individual software package or type of software package. Topics include both end-user tools such as graphics software or desktop publishing and Information Systems professional tools such as CICS or robotics. May be repeated; no more than 4 credits allowed for any student.
IS390. MU Performance Consulting (1)
Students enrolled in IS390 are part of the MU Performance Consulting team, Millikin’s student-run IT firm. The course is an intentional fusion of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. This course provides students with the opportunity to work on and manage technology projects or assist with operating the venture. Technology projects for clients include database design, system analysis, and application development. This course meets the student-run venture requirement for associated majors.
IS391, 392. Practicum in Computer Applications (1)
A supervised campus or community experience entailing work on one or several projects to support end-user computing. Projects include evaluating software packages for possible University purchase, developing and evaluating software documentation, providing training assistance to faculty in classroom settings, organizing and presenting workshops for other students on commonly used software packages, or providing assistance to an organization in implementing a computerized system. May be repeated; no more than three credits allowed for any student.
IS410. Ethical Hacking (3)
This course provides an in-depth understanding of how to effectively protect computer networks. Students will learn the tools and penetration testing methodologies used by ethical hackers. The course covers planning, reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, post-exploitation, and result reporting. In addition, the course provides a thorough discussion of what and who an ethical hacker is and how important they are in protecting corporate and government data from cyber-attacks. The course makes a very clear distinction between criminal hacking and ethical hacking, and only teaches the latter. Students will learn updated computer security resources that describe new vulnerabilities and innovative methods to protect networks. Also covered is a thorough update of federal and state computer crime laws, as well as changes in penalties for illegal computer hacking.
IS470. Business Intelligence and Big Data (3)
An in-depth study of various aspects of data collection, data extraction, and knowledge discovery on the Web for e-business intelligence and other massive databases. Data mining is the process of automatic discovery of patterns, changes, associations and anomalies in massive databases. This course will provide an introduction to the main topics in data mining and knowledge discovery. Emphasis will be placed on the algorithmic and systems issues, as well as application of mining in real-world problems.
IS471, 472. Management Information Systems Internship (1-3)
A cooperative course between the University and selected businesses to develop further the professional training of Information Systems majors. Combination of work experience and written reports.
IS491, 492. Seminar in Information Systems (3)
A topical seminar focusing on an advanced topic in information systems such as computer-based training. Topics will change yearly. May be repeated; no more than six credits allowed for any student.
