Information Systems Major

Statement of philosophy

Students desiring a technical specialty within either business management or accounting or an applied area of computer science will find the interdisciplinary information systems major of interest. The major offers a common core of courses, devised to meet student needs as the disciplines continue to change, and three emphases: accounting information systems (AIS), computer information systems (CIS), or management information systems (MIS).

Accounting information systems gives students exposure to computing and the other fields within business, focusing on the various aspects of accounting. A similar situation occurs with management information systems, surveying the different fields within the business management area. The student in the computer information systems track receives the core economics, accounting, business management background and has the applied courses of computer science such as COSC 255P Programming: Cobol, COSC 275P Computer Networking, and COSC 325P Database Systems.

Internships are strongly recommended. They may be obtained through locally or regionally located businesses and organizations, through one of Central's international program sites or through the Chicago Metropolitan Center. This experience provides the student with rich learning opportunities and puts course work into practice.

Information Systems Major Requirements (52 s.h. minimum)

  1. Complete allof the following:
    • ACCT 241       Financial Accounting I (4)
    • ACCT 242Pm   Management Accounting I (4)
    • BMGT 251P      Principles of Management (3)
    • COSC 110Pm   Introduction to Computer Science (3)
    • COSC 130Pm   Data Structures (3)     
    • COSC 220Pm   Software Design (3)
    • COSC 255P      Programming: COBOL (2)
    • COSC 360P      Database Systems (3)
    • COSC 372P      Computer Networks (2)
    • ECON 111s      Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
    • ECON 112s      Principles of Microeconomics (3)
    • MATH 105m     Introduction to Statistics (4)
  2. Complete one of the following:
    • PHIL 121ft     Ethics (3)
    • PHIL 122f      Social Issues (3)
    • PHIL 244t      Business Ethics (3)
    • PHIL 245       Environmental Ethics (3)
    • PHIL 286Ch    Values and Vocations (3)
  3. Complete all requirements for one of the following emphases:
    • * Accounting information systems (AIS) emphasis:
      • ACCT 341P      Financial Accounting II (3)
      • ACCT 342P      Financial Accounting III (3)
      • ACCT 343P      Cost and Management Accounting II (3)
      • ACCT 347       Accounting Information Systems (2)
      • ACCT 442P      Auditing (3)
    • * Computer information systems (CIS) emphasis:
      • COSC 235Pm   Discrete Structures (3)
      • COSC 320P      Advanced Software Design (3)
      • COSC 330Pm   Algorithms (3)
      • COSC 375Pm   Introduction to Operating Systems (3)
    • * Management information systems (MIS) emphasis:
      • BMGT 351Ps     Organizational Behavior (3)
      • BMGT 361Pm   Corporate Finance (3)
      • BMGT 371P      Principles of Marketing (3)
      • BMGT 381Pm   Operations Management (3)
      • MATH 107m     Introduction to Finite Mathematics (3)
  4. Complete all requirements for the Communications Skills Endorsement

Communication skills endorsement

The department's communication skills requirement has three components: reading and writing, speaking, and professional development. The following are the minimum standards in each area:

Reading and writing

Students may satisfy the reading and writing requirement in any one of the following ways:

Speaking

Students must complete one of the following courses:

Professional development

Students must successfully complete all of the following sessions in the professional development series, offered by the career services office:

  1.    Job Search Success
  2.    Resume/Cover Letter Writing
  3.    Interviewing Strategies
  4.    Dress for Success
  5.    Dining Etiquette

It is recommended that students complete this program by the end of their junior year. At the latest, the program should be completed by the end of the fall semester of the senior year.

The only acceptable alternative for students who have failed to attend the regularly scheduled sessions by the career services office will be to complete a 10-page research paper for each unmet requirement. The research paper must include an annotated bibliography containing a minimum of ten credible, authoritative sources. In addition, students will be required to make a 15-minute presentation to departmental faculty for each unmet requirement. The research papers and presentations must be completed at least three weeks prior to the beginning of the final exam week of the semester during which the student anticipates graduation.

Business management and international management majors will not be allowed to enroll in a capstone course until all communication skills requirements, including the professional development series, have been completed.

Final communication skills approval

Successful complete of the aforementioned requirements does not guarantee departmental approval of a student's communication skills requirements. The economics/accounting/management faculty members retain the right to continuously monitor every student's progress and make appropriate referral(s) to the central for academic excellence or elsewhere for additional work.

Major/minor restrictions

Information systems majors cannot also declare a minor in either business management or computer science. Information systems majors with the AIS emphasis cannot also declare a major or minor in accounting. Information systems majors with the CIS emphasis cannot also declare a computer science major or a mathematics/computer science major. Information systems majors with the MIS emphasis cannot also declare a business management major.