Academics

Program Description & Background

Program Purpose:

The Masters of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) provides a cross disciplinary approach to preparing professionals with proficiency in global information technology. It is designed to support both traditional and emerging career opportunities, offering a balanced curriculum focusing on IS theory and practice. The program is designed with sufficient technical depth and intellectual breadth to meet needs recognizing the varied academic backgrounds and professional inclinations of entering students.

The purpose of the Masters of Science in IS program is to address the growing need for information technology leaders in business, education, government, healthcare, sciences, the arts, and almost every discipline. The primary objective is to respond to the changing needs of the global economy for workers who can develop innovative, information technology-based solutions.

The MSIS program is designed to enable students to develop a high level of proficiency with information technologies, to expand knowledge of their chosen discipline, and to acquire the research, analysis, and problem solving skills required to innovatively implement information technology in contemporary organizations. To respond to the shortage of faculty members in information technology, accomplished graduates could qualify for doctoral degree programs in management information systems, information technology, instructional technology, and related disciplines.

The MSIS program is structured to accommodate students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Students entering the program will have an undergraduate degree from any field and a minimum of two years of work experience. Flexibility is provided for entrants to meet program pre-requisites and to address deficiencies for admission.

The program is also specifically intended for older, more experienced workers to retool to meet the changing economy as jobs become increasingly knowledge-based and high tech. This is especially important in eastern Kentucky, which has been historically over-reliant on low skilled, manual labor such as coal and lumber. To quote Ron Crouch, Director of State Data Center at the University of Louisville, “Kentucky’s reality is that we will sink or swim not on how well we educate our youth, but on how well we educate our entire population, whether 15, 35, 55, or 75.”(Crouch, 1999).

 

Background of Program:

Almost two years of study and market research have gone into structuring the program. Background research included model MSIS programs, literature and conferences of professional organizations, comparison of U.S. and international graduate IS programs, a review of recently implemented MSIS programs, current analysis of economic trends and information services in the state (including the 2004 Kentucky annual Economic Report), region, and world, and discussions with representatives of target audience groups. Formal focus groups were conducted with alumni, students, and business constituents using group support systems software to facilitate data gathering and analyses from the sessions. Student inquiries were monitored over a two-year period. The IS Advisory Board was consulted several times during the process.


This program was designed to meet the growing need for a highly skilled technical workforce across the country and especially in eastern Kentucky. The Eastern Kentucky Innovation Region strategic plan, published by the Office of the New Economy, identifies information technology based economic development as a high priority for eastern Kentucky. Innovation & Commercialization Centers (ICC’s) have been established in West Liberty and Ashland. The lack of a technical workforce in eastern Kentucky has been identified as a major detriment to economic development, and unless this deficiency is addressed, stands to leave eastern Kentucky behind as the rest of the state takes advantage of incentives and resources now available through the Office of the New Economy and other state and national initiatives to support high tech development. Our U.S. Representative, Hal Rogers, and State legislators Rocky Adkins and John Will Stacy have emphasized the critical need for focusing on information technology as a base for future economic development in this region.

MSIS Program Curriculum—Prerequisites.

Required prerequisite competencies include:

1.  Concepts of IS in Organizations (most college level foundations courses in management information systems would satisfy this requirement). Suggested coursework to meet a deficiency in this area would be CIS 615 [Managing Information Technology].
2.  Fundamentals of PC hardware, software applications, and networking (most college level courses in PC Applications and Basic Networking [e.g., LAN, Telecommunications] would satisfy this requirement). Suggested coursework to meet a deficiency in this area would be the CIS 632 [Computer Productivity Tools] and CIS 634 [Management of Telecommunications and Networking].
3.  Undergraduate foundation in mathematics and statistics (most college level courses in College Algebra, Statistics, Programming Logic & Design, or Intro. To Computer Science, would satisfy this requirement). Suggested coursework to meet a deficiency in this area would be MNGT/FIN 602 [Survey of Quantitative and Financial Analysis].
4. Expertise in at least one of the following IS areas: Systems Analysis and Design, Networking and Systems Administration, Database Design and Management, Web Development, Advanced Discipline Specific Applications, Programming, Graphics, Multimedia and Desktop Publishing, Knowledge Management and Information Architectures, or IS Management and Decision Making. Expertise can be shown either through appropriate coursework at an undergraduate or graduate level from an accredited college or university, or through relevant work experience and/or industry-standard certifications or training.

*Note: None of the graduate level survey courses (CIS 615, CIS 632, CIS 634, or MNGT/FIN 602) satisfy the requirements of the 36 hour MSIS program. They are prerequisite courses only.
MSIS Program Curriculum—Requirements for the Degree

I. IS CORE COMPONENT (12 Hours) The following coursework is required by all students in the program:

CIS 641 Introductory Qualitative & Quantitative Research Methods (3 Hours)
CIS 640 Systems Planning and Implementation (3 Hours)
CIS 650 Innovation, Technology & Organizational Change (3 Hours)
CIS 636 Global Information Systems (3 Hours)


II. SUPPORT AREA COMPONENT (6-9 Hours)*

The support area component is based on individual career goals; students select 6-9 elective graduate credit hours from their career area, to be approved by their advisor. For example, electives might be within or spread among the following areas: Government, Healthcare, Sciences, Business, Education, Industrial Engineering, The Arts, Math, Communications.


III. IS TECHNICAL COMPONENT (12 Hours)

CIS 625 Web Information Systems & Internet Technologies
CIS 628 E-Business Application Programming
CIS 635 Seminar in Information Systems
CIS 638 Database Systems Design Implementation & Mngt.
CIS 642 Systems Security
CIS 645 Customer Relationship Management Systems

CIS 660 Enterprise Systems
CIS 670 Directed Research
MBI 660 Data Warehousing and Data Mining-NKU+
MBI 675 Enterprise Workflow Design & Reengineering-NKU+
+MSIS courses offered through Northern Kentucky University
CIS 698 Advanced Supervised Field Experience
CIS 699 Proposed Workshop Topics (e.g., Collaborative Technologies, Advanced Networking and Wireless, Knowledge Management, Advances in ERP, Internet Programming, Systems Analysis and Design, Data Warehousing/Data Mining, Advanced Project Mngt, Expert Systems, HIPAA & IT Standards, Medical Informatics, Supply Chain Mngt, Human Computer Interaction, Strategic IS, Decision Support Systems, Cryptography, Digital Media, Advances in ABAP Programming Tools, Web Server Administration, Performance Improvement Technologies)

IV. INTEGRATIVE COMPONENT (3-6 Hours)**

Thesis Option:
CIS 697 Thesis (6 credit hours)

Non-Thesis Option:
CIS 690 IS Team Project (3 credit hours)


*6 Hours for thesis option and 9 hours for non-thesis option

**6 hours for thesis option and 3 hours for non-Thesis option

 

Admission to Morehead State University (see MSU admission requirements).

In order to be admitted to the MSIS program students must meet the following criteria: 

General Admission to graduate study.

If a student has earned a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, the GRE or GMAT is waivered.
Admission is determined by an admission index, computed as follows:
GRE Index = (undergraduate GPA x 200) + (composite GRE score (verbal and quantitative)). The GRE index score must equal at least 1250 for admission. The minimum individual scores allowed for consideration of admission is 750 for the composite GRE (verbal and quantitative).
GMAT Index = (undergraduate GPA * 200) + GMAT Score. The GMAT Index must equal a minimum of 1000. The minimum score allowed for consideration of admission is 400 for the GMAT.
Minimum undergraduate GPA 2.5 overall or minimum 2.75 GPA in last 60 hours of undergraduate study.

A portfolio is required which contains (1) a one-page statement outlining the student’s career goals and objectives as related to the program; and (2) documentation that addresses achievement of each of the prerequisite competencies.
Conditional admissions to the MSIS are not allowed; however, student may opt to be admitted to MSU’s graduate program while preparing for consideration for full admission to the MSIS program; contact MSU’s Graduate Office for details. Often, this admission falls under “unclassified” graduate student status.

Additional International Student Requirements:

 
International students who qualify for admission are required to take the English Language Institute Test of the University of Michigan, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) given by the Educational Testing Service. If the Michigan Test is taken, a minimum score of 82 is required. Students taking the IELTS must score a minimum of 5.5. A TOEFL score of 500 on the old testing system or 61 on the new system is required for admission. All International students must have their transcripts evaluated by Josef Silney & Associates, International Academic Credential Evaluators, or Worldwide Education Services (WES).

International residence students are required by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations to be enrolled in a minimum of six hours of on-campus classroom courses each semester.

International students will be officially admitted and issued a Form I-20A only after the Graduate Office has been notified that they have passed the English Test successfully, have met program admission requirements, and have submitted a statement certifying their ability to meet all financial obligations

International Students, in addition to the MSIS admission requirements, please submit the following materials:

Completed original MSU graduate application.
Official/Original or certified copy of your transcript with baccalaureate degree/date of completion (the official transcript must show all undergraduate courses taken and grades received). The credentials must be verified via WES or other agencies approved by the MSU graduate office.
Official verification that your degree is equivalent to a four-year baccalaureate degree program in the United States.
Official original copy of graduation diploma
Official original report of your TOEFL score
Official original report of your GRE/GMAT score
Verification of finances (financial statement on official stationary with address and telephone number)
Original letter from your sponsor and verification of sponsor’s financial ability. (If you will have a sponsor)

Maintaining Enrollment in the Program:

 
In order to maintain enrollment in the program, students are expected to maintain an appropriate level of academic performance and will be required to have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to graduate. Any student receiving two grades of C or below in any graduate level course will be placed on probation. If a student on probation receives a 3rd grade of C or below, they will be dismissed from the program.