Management Information Systems, M.S.

Program Director: Carol Jim, Ph.D.; jim@hood.edu

The Master of Science in Management Information Systems is an interdisciplinary degree designed to meet the growing demand for managers with business and information technology skills. Students completing the program will be able to assess corporate IT needs; formalize these needs into requirements and specifications; design integrated IT solutions; assess the cost/benefit of such solutions; determine the impact on operations of such solutions; evaluate alternative technologies; manage the development, implementation and deployment of IT solutions; manage large technology projects; and manage technical employees.

The 30-credit program provides students with knowledge and skills related to:

  • Business issues associated with the management of complex, large technology projects and the people who work within those projects;
  • Information technology and the issues that must be confronted in order to consider, design, develop, manage, implement and deploy successful information technology solutions within organizations.

The program is intended for students with undergraduate degrees in the computing sciences, information technology or business, or professionals with an undergraduate degree in any discipline who are already employed in an information technology area. Persons without this background can successfully enter and complete the program but may have to complete a series of foundation courses in order to attain the appropriate background for study.

Full-time graduate students who are exempt from the foundation courses should be able to complete the requirements for the degree in two years. However, the program is designed to accommodate the needs of professionals attending on a part-time basis who wish to complete their degrees by taking classes in the evening.

Application Requirements

Students applying to the Management Information Systems program must submit all official transcripts and a résumé/CV that provides educational and professional experience with specific information about mathematics background, programming background, if any, and technical skills must be submitted. Applicants should also provide a statement of purpose indicating their motivation for choosing the program and the goals they hope to achieve through completing it.

Program Requirements

Foundation Courses

The Master of Science in Management Information Systems requires the completion of four foundation courses designed to provide the appropriate prerequisite background for the major. The program director determines the required foundation courses or exemptions based on a thorough evaluation of transcripts and other supporting documents. The objective is to ensure the student is well prepared and ready to succeed in the program.  Any foundation courses required are in addition to the 30 credits required for program completion. Students who are waived from foundation coursework cannot complete it for elective fulfillment. 

IT 510Computing Hardware and Software Systems

3.0

CSIT 512Elements of Computer Programming

3.0

MGMT 550Business Analytics

3.0

MGMT 551Management Theory

3.0

Total Credit Hours:12.0

Required Courses

The courses required for the program provide breadth and depth of knowledge in both management and information technology. The 30-credit program requires, beyond the foundation courses,

Management Core

MGMT 560Leadership & Organizational Behavior

3.0

MGMT 566Information Management & Technology

3.0

MGMT 564Production & Operations Management

3.0

or

MGMT 568Accounting Information Systems

3.0

Total Credit Hours:9.0

Information Technology Core

IT 530/BIFX 530Applied Database Systems

3.0

ITMG 516Introduction to Data Analytics and Business Data Mining

3.0

ITMG 533Managing Technical Project Teams

3.0

Total Credit Hours:9.0

Electives

Choose any four courses

ECON 560Managerial Economics

3.0

MGMT 561Financial Management

3.0

MGMT 585Human Resource Management

3.0

MGMT 564Production & Operations Management

3.0

or

MGMT 568Accounting Information Systems

3.0

IT 514Info Tech & Cloud Business Intelligence

3.0

IT 518Systems Engineering and Integration

3.0

ITMG 526Practical Approach to Data Analytics

3.0

CSIT 548/CYBR 548Telecommunications and Networking

3.0

MGMT 569Project Management

3.0

ITMG 599Special Topics

3.0

Total Credit Hours:12.0

Some elective courses have prerequisites that are not required as part of the MIS program.  Students will need to obtain instructor permission for registration in these circumstances, which may entail a review of undergraduate transcripts.