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Department of Business Information Systems (BIS)

Master of Science (M.S.) in Information Systems
MS Admission Requirements
MS Degree Requirements
Certificate in Business Computing
Unspecified Content or Variable Credit Courses
BIS Course Descriptions

Department of Business Information Systems website


Monica Holmes, Chairperson
305 Grawn Hall, (989) 774-3554

Frank J. C. Andera, Ed.D., Business Communication, Information Systems, Research
James J. Cappel, Ph.D.., Management Information Systems, Research
Nancy Csapo, Ph.D., Business Teacher Education
Richard D. Featheringham, Ed.D., Business Teacher Education, Business Communication
Dale D. Gust, Ph.D., Management Information Systems
Roger L. Hayen, D.B.A., Management Information Systems, Research
Monica Holmes, Ph.D., Management Information Systems, Research
Zhenyu Huang, Ph.D, Management Information Systems, Research
Mark I. Hwang, Ph.D., Management Information Systems
James P. Scott, Ph.D., Management Information Systems, Research
Hongjiang Xu, Ph.D., Management Information Systems, Research

Business Education emphasis is available in the Master of Arts in Secondary Education Degree and consists of 15 hours.  Refer to BIS graduate courses offered for this degree and additional program information.

Master of Science (M.S.) in Information Systems
The Program
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Information Systems is designed for the student who does not have a bachelor’s degree in information systems or related computing field. Graduates will be prepared for systems positions in business and industry, including such areas as health care administration and law enforcement, and for teaching positions in community and four year colleges.
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Admission Requirements
To be considered for regular admission, an applicant must have (a) a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, (b) an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 in the last two years of study, and (c) completed four prerequisite courses with a grade point average of at least 2.7 and no course grade lower than “C”. The prerequisites are: Computer competency (BIS 221, Computers in Business I), Principles of Accounting I (ACC 201), Principles of Accounting II (ACC 202), Mathematics for Business I (MTH 116) or Calculus I (MTH 132), and Introduction to Statistics (STA 282).

Applicants who have not satisfied the prerequisite course requirements will be considered for conditional admission, but they must complete the prerequisites before beginning their graduate course work.
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Degree Requirements
Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits, pass a comprehensive examination, and satisfy a research requirement through completion of a thesis (Plan A) or an applied project (Plan B).

1. Required Courses (13 credits)
   BIS 630 (3) Systems Analysis and Design
   BIS 640 (2) Essentials of Transaction Processing Systems
   BIS 643 (2) Essentials of Database Management
   BIS 633 (3) Decision Support Systems
   BIS 634 (3) Information Resources Management
    
2. Area of Concentration (8 credits)
   A planned course of study in one of the following area, to be approved by the graduate advisor. No more than two 500-level courses may be used in any concentration.
   Business Processing Engineering
   Systems Applications
   General Business
    
3. Electives (3 credits)
   Electives are to be selected in consultation with the graduate advisor.
    
4. Research Requirement (6 credits)

Plan A (6 credits)

1. Completion of a thesis, including an oral examination over the thesis.
2. Pass a written comprehensive examination in information systems.

Plan B (6 credits)

1. BIS 660 (3) Administrative Business Communications
2. Electives (3) chosen in consultation with graduate advisor related to the Plan B written project.
3. To provide evidence of scholarship, each student will complete a substantial written report in the application of information systems within an organization. The project will typically include significant information systems development activity demonstrating evidence of creative ability.
4. Pass a written comprehensive examination in information systems.
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Certificate in Business Computing
The certificate program consists of 15 semester hours of computer-related courses which must be authorized by a BIS graduate advisor. The plan should be authorized before the student completes six semester hours of work.

The same grade-point requirements as used for degree programs will apply to the certificate program. A maximum of six credits hours of equivalent graduate course work may be transferred in from a regionally accredited institution. Certificates will be awarded by the College of Graduate Studies upon successful completion.

The certificate may be earned by holders of a bachelor’s degree (or higher).

Prerequisites:

1. a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution,
2. earned an undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.7 in the last two years of study, and completed five prerequisite courses with a grade point average of at least 2.7 and no course grade lower than "C." The prerequisite courses are:
   Computers in Business I (BIS 221) or equivalent,
   Principles of Accounting (ACC 201) or equivalent,
   Principles of Accounting II (ACC 202) or equivalent,
   Mathematics for Business I (MTH 116) OR
   Calculus I (MTH 132) or equivalent, and
   Introduction to Statistics (STA 282) or equivalent.
   
   Courses cannot be taken CR/NC.

1. Required Courses (8-10 hours)
   BIS 601 (3) Management Information Systems
   BIS 630 (3) Systems Analysis and Design OR
   BIS 641 (2) Essentials of Business Systems Analysis and Design
   BIS 640 (2) Essentials of Transaction Processing Systems
   BIS 643 (2) Essentials of Database Management
    
2. Electives (5-7 hours)
   With the approval of an advisor, select 5 to 7 credit hours from the following BIS-related electives for a total of 15 credit hours:
   BIS 633 (3) Decision Support Systems OR
   BIS 644 (3) Decision Support for Management
   BIS 634 (3) Information Resources Management
   BIS 635 (3) Business Systems Applications
   BIS 697 (3) Special Studies in Business Information Systems
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Unspecified content or variable credit courses. Click here for additional information regarding these types of courses. The following courses offered through the department are of unspecified content or variable credit: BIS 555, 597, 686,688, 697, 701 and 791.
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