Management Information Systems Degree Overview

• What do MIS majors do?
  There is a broad spectrum of excellent opportunities for MIS majors. All businesses need individuals who understand information technology and how to use it to solve business problems for competitive advantage. The strength of an MIS major lies in his/her ability to work with managers and users in an organization to develop, implement, and manage the information technology infrastructure. Also, their role is to establish the organization's technical strategy and planning. MIS majors develop excellent communication, leadership, and project management abilities.

  There is a wide range of jobs available to MIS graduates. For example, there are positions in medical records and paperless systems, website design and development, consulting, security risk assessment, internet marketing, Sarbanes-Oxley audit control, business analysis, customer relationship management consulting, eCommerce, legal forensics, enterprise resource planning, and/or supply chain management. UT MIS students are prepared for all of these activities in the MIS BBA curriculum because they learn more than just specific skills - they learn business concepts.

• What kind of MIS Scholarships are available?
  The number of awards for each scholarship depends on how much interest is earned each year. They are all for MIS undergraduates with a minimum of 3.0 GPA. To apply, please visit the McCombs Scholarship Application Site. List of Scholarships available:

  Truett Airhart Endowed Scholarships ($500)
  Hultz-Whittle Endowed Scholarships ($500)
  Wilbert W. Krause Endowed Scholarship ($1,000)
  Chevron Scholarships ($2,000)
  Thomas H. & Joan P. Davenport Endowed Scholarship ($2,500)
  Paige Wagner Presidential Scholarship ($2,500)*
  *The Paige Wagner Scholarship is for female students only.

• What MIS career opportunities are available?
  The demand for MIS graduates is increasing faster than the general demand for other fields of study. Because of the great variety of MIS application areas and technical specialties, numerous career choices are available. These choices for an MIS major vary from the complex technical developer positions to the project manager and include:

  Business of Systems Analyst
  Business/systems analysts examine a business activity to help decide how new IT solutions will improve efficiency and effectiveness in decision-making. They also analyze how users can interact better with the system.
  Using a variety of tools, analysts determine the systems requirements and calculate a return on investment for a new IT system that developers will build. They specify the data and logical operations the system will perform, and the reports for the decision makers.
  They may do data mining to assess and make decisions on the best business alternative. They may do investigative legal forensics. Additionally, they may be involved in overseeing IT project implementation.

  IT Consultant
  An IT consultant gives independent recommendations on how best ot use IT to solve business problems. A consultant's work focuses on the people, processes, and technology needed to improve business efficiency and effectiveness. They can also be responsible for user training and feedback.

  Application of System Developer
  An applications developer writes or modifies programs for a variety of technical, commercial, and business users. The role involves taking requirements, usually in written or diagrammatic form from the analysts, and translating them into computer code. Applications developers (also known as applications programmers) may also offer technical support to end users.

  Project Manager
  Project managers allocate resources to teams and are responsible for meeting the schedule and budget of IT project implementations. They drive the team work schedules and deadlines.

  Security Analyst
  Security analysts make sure that the application meets enterprise security requirements. This may involve network, code and data analysis to ensure the security of the whole system and infrastructure. For example, security experts work to prevent viruses, identity theft, and data theft.

  Quality Assurance
  Testers are responsible for testing the system. They may be involved in working with a development team to write test cases, monitor performance, reliability, and error handling.

  eBusiness Enterprise
  eBusiness entrepreneurs start their own internet businesses. They have the skills to balance many activities at once - managing employees, developing and implementing a solid business plan, understanding technical risk, overseeing web development, preparing financial analysis and marketing their product. The MIS degree is an excellent path for those with entrepreneurial interests.

• Will there be a job for me when I graduate?
  According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, MIS job growth is much higher than for other professions. 600,000 new jobs are expected to be added by 2012.
  MIS offers the most flexibility in employment options and there is a rapid advancement potential. The future is bright for IT professionals in both entry and higher-level positions. Visit McCombs Career Services for current starting salary statistics.
• Sample list of companies hiring MIS majors:
  Accenture
  Cerner Corporation
  Citigroup
  Credera
  Dell
  Deloitte Consulting
  Ernst & Young
  ExxonMobile
  FedEx Kinkos
  Goldman, Sachs & Company
  IBM
  KPMG
  Kimberley Clarke
  Microsoft
  Microsoft
  National Instruments
  Pariveda Solutions
  PricewaterhouseCoopers
  Progressive Insurance
  Proctor & Gamble
  Shell Petroleum
  USAA
• How do MIS majors progress in their career?
  There are two typical career paths for MIS majors.

  The first path is the management path, with the MIS professional entering the organization as a business or systems analyst, progressing into technical management and, after significant management experience, potentially into Chief Information Officer (CIO). The primary duties of a CIO are strategic business planning, acquisition assessment, asset management, eBusiness, capital planning and investment, and business process and change management decision making.

  The second path is the technical path, with the MIS professional entering the organization as a developer, progressing to senior developer and, after significant technical and management experience, into Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The primary duties of a CTO are overall architecture and technical standards creation, systems engineering (the overall design of applications), network security, test and evaluation, and data management.

  In summary, the CIO is the business executive designated with executing the technology initiatives in support of the enterprise mission. A CIO must be a leader for positive change, effective at communicating, and a persuasive negotiator. The CTO is responsible for creating the appropriate technology plans to support the policies and plans of the CIO. Both roles are essential to a company's successful competitive business strategy implementation.

Required Management Information Courses

MIS 304: Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming

Programming skills for creating easy-to-maintain systems for business applications. Object-oriented and structured methodologies with Visual Basic. Prerequisite: None

MIS 325: Database Management

Beginning and intermediate topics in data modeling for relational database management systems. Prerequisite: None

MIS 333K: Web Application Development

Concepts and practices of information systems. Advanced programming techniques used to generate menu-driven applications. Prerequisites: MIS 304 and 325

MIS 365: Business Data Communications and Networking

Introduces the foundations of data communications and information security in a networked economy. Provides tools for analyzing strategic, economic, organizational, and social implications of emerging data communications technologies. Explores the use of data communications technologies to increase returns and decrease risks of organizations. Prerequisites: MIS 304 and 325

Provides background in business system analysis, evaluations, design, and implementation, using basic business knowledge and computer skills. Learn more. Prerequisites: MIS 333K and credit or registration for MIS 365

MIS 375: Strategic Information Technology Management

Designed to develop an understanding and appreciation for the role of information technology in the context of a firm's strategy. Explores the impact of information technology on the economy and business performance, the emergence of electronic business applications and organizational and market transformation, and the nature of technology-driven business models and strategies. Prerequisites: Upper-division standing

Management Information Systems Electives

MIS 373.17 - Data Mining for Business Intelligence

Introduces the data mining process and primary data mining techniques employed to extract intelligence from data. Using common business problems in application domains such as marketing and risk management, students will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of data mining techniques applied to challenges in various business domains. Students will use data mining software to analyze datasets in specific business problems and address these problems using data mining techniques. Prerequisite: STA 309 or 309H
Questions: Maytal Saar-Tsechansky

MIS 373.18 - Business Process Excellence

Business Process Excellence focuses on the strategic and tactical application of business process improvement techniques, supported by information technology as a key enabler, to achieve corporate objectives such as reduced cost, improved customer service, and improved information and metric generation. Based on case studies, students will address whether business process improvement is appropriate, explore the challenges of defining and gathering data, gaining consensus among stakeholders, identifying solutions (including integration of technology), and implementing organizational change, particularly across departmental boundaries. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing
Questions: Kit Webster

MIS 373.19 - Service-Oriented Architecture

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is an architectural approach for integrating and linking repeatable business tasks or services that are well-defined, self-contained functions. This course describes SOA concepts and design principles, interoperability standards, security considerations, and implementation of SOA. Current middleware industry solutions will be researched, and implemented using current software methods. Prerequisite: MIS 333K
Questions: Edward Doan

MIS 379 and 381

Selected MIS graduate topics are offered each semester. Undergraduates may register for these as a MIS 379 (supervised study) if the instructor agrees. MIS 379 counts as an upper-division business elective. In your last semester you may take these graduate courses as MIS 381 classes rather than arrange a substitute MIS 379.

MIS Minor

An MIS minor requires MIS 301 plus 3 other MIS courses. Although the three can be any MIS courses (if you have the prerequisites), we recommend two popular MIS Minor paths - Analytical and Technical. See the suggested courses below.

Analytical Minor - Three Required Courses (in addition to MIS 301):

The Analytical Minor is composed of four non-programming courses that focus on IT problem solving in the business world. MIS 325 is also strongly recommended.

MIS 373.17 - Data Mining for Business Intelligence

Introduces the data mining process and primary data mining techniques employed to extract intelligence from data. Using common business problems in application domains such as marketing and risk management, students will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of data mining techniques applied to challenges in various business domains. Students will use data mining software to analyze datasets in specific business problems and address these problems using data mining techniques. Prerequisite: STA 309 or 309H
Questions: Maytal Saar-Tsechansky

MIS 373.18 - Business Process Excellence

Business Process Excellence focuses on the strategic and tactical application of business process improvement techniques, supported by information technology as a key enabler, to achieve corporate objectives such as reduced cost, improved customer service, and improved information and metric generation. Based on case studies, students will address if business process improvement is appropriate, explore the challenges of defining and gathering data, gaining consensus among stakeholders, identifying solutions (including integration of technology), and implementing organizational change, particularly across departmental boundaries. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing
Questions: Kit Webster

MIS 375 - Strategic Information Technology Management

Designed to develop an understanding and appreciation for the role of information technology in the context of a firm's strategy. Explores the impact of information technology on the economy and business performance, the emergence of electronic business applications and organizational and market transformation, and the nature of technology-driven business models and strategies. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing

Technical Minor - Three Required Courses (in addition to MIS 301):

The Technical Minor is composed of three required programming courses that focus on business applications development. An additional choice of MIS 365, MIS 373 or MIS 375 is recommended.

MIS 304 - Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming

Programming skills for creating easy-to-maintain systems for business applications. Object-oriented and structured methodologies with Visual Basic. Prerequisite: None

MIS 325 - Database Management

Beginning and intermediate topics in data modeling for relational database management systems. Prerequisite: None

MIS 333K - Web Application Development

Concepts and practices of information systems. Advanced programming techniques used to generate menu-driven applications. Prerequisites: MIS 304 and 325

Technical Minor

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the difference in job opportunities for Computer Sciences and MIS Majors?
  Both majors have excellent career opportunities. Most students who work with their respective placement centers have job offers before they graduate. MIS majors have the highest average salary offers of any business majors (over $54,000) and the Computer Science average is even higher. MIS majors are most likely to go into positions in information services for companies or consulting, while CS majors are most likely to go into manufacturing support systems and product development for computer companies. Over 60% of the MIS majors each year accept offers with consulting firms, a much rarer starting position for Computer Science majors. retailers, insurance, and communications firms also hire MIS majors through the Career Services Office.
• What are the differences in the entry-level jobs for Computer Science and MIS majors?
  Some graduates go into the same type of programmer-analyst positions, but most CS majors accept jobs that are more technical and less involved with people than the positions accepted by MIS majors. Sometimes titles differ (for example, "programmer" rather than "consultant" or "end-user support staff"); sometimes the title is the same but the responsibilities differ.
• What is the difference in the course work for CS and MIS majors?
  The degree plans show that the freshmen and sophomore courses are similar and the junior and senior courses are completely different. MIS majors must take 33 hours of business courses in addition to the minimum of 21 hours of MIS courses. Unlike CS, almost all MIS classes require significant group projects. Project management and people issues are emphasized in the MIS courses more often than in CS, which has more technical depth, especially on topics such as operating systems and programming languages.
• Do I need to be good in math?
  No, but you need to handle complex issues and ambiguity well. Information systems are frequently complex solutions to messy organizational problems, so your effectiveness with other people is critical.
• I'm a senior who decided only recently that I want to be an MIS major. How do I take the MIS classes in the minimum number of semesters?
  If you have completed, your minimum number of semesters is three. Semester one, take MIS 304 and MIS 325. Semester two, take MIS 333K and MIS 365. Semester three, take MIS 374 and one or two MIS topic courses.
• What are the best electives for MIS majors?
  Some recruiters want to see many CS and MIS hours on your resume, but others want to see extracurricular activities that show leadership and personal skills. See SUGGESTED ELECTIVES, MIS ELECTIVES and COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
• I am in another college at UT. How can I transfer into the business school?
  The UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS OFFICE at the McCombs School of Business provides information on their website. There is no separate transfer for MIS majors. All applicants are reviewed by UPO and notified by UPO. There is an admission process to the MIS major, AFTER you have been admitted to the business school.
• I just want to be a general manager; why can't I leave all this information technology stuff to the technicians?
  IT is becoming a key strategic resource for more and more organizations, and some technical staff do not understand the business side of things well. If you owned a company, would you feel comfortable leaving key strategic decisions to these technical types? Those managers who understand IT and how it may be effectively used for competitive advantage will themselves have a competitive advantage in the employment market.
• Do I need to have a technical undergraduate degree or technical work experience to do well in the IM concentration?
  A technical undergraduate degree or technical work experience is NOT required for this concentration. In fact, we strive to have a balance between students with technical and non-technical backgrounds. We know very well how to help students learn the technology as it is applied in business. In the past years, some of the IM concentration students who have been in the most demand by prospective employers have had undergraduate degrees in English or Drama.
• Will the IM concentration turn me into an IT geek?
  No. It will, however, introduce you to enough IT concepts and jargon so that you will be able to understand what geeks are talking about. If you are a geek when you enroll, the concentration will teach you how to be understood by IT-ignorant managers.
• Will the IM concentration turn me into a programmer?
  No. We are not in the business of training programmers. In the concentration you will learn enough about what programmers (and other IT types) do to be able to better work with them.
• I don't need to know anything about auto mechanics to drive a car. Why do I have to learn about the details of Information Technology?
  Your comment about driving a car is true now, but remember that cars today are the product of a century of development. If it were 1919, it would certainly be wise for you to know a bit of auto mechanics before you took a long trip. In its development cycle when compared to automobiles, 1919 is arguably about where IT is, so we feel some hands-on experience is advisable. We are back in this assessment by managers whose advice and council we sought from companies such as Fed Ex, P&G, Ford, GM, Intel, Dell, IBM, Allied Signal, Cisco, and Nortel, as well as from the leading consulting companies.
• Since IT is changing so rapidly, won't all the things we learn in this concentration be obsolete by the time we graduate in two years?
  First, we teach you the basic concepts and the economics of IT which change much more slowly, so these will still be viable when you graduate. Second, as part of the concentration, you will learn how to learn about developments in IT, so you will have the skills to keep up with IT developments.
• I have been working as a programmer (systems analyst, network manager, etc.) for the past four years, aren't courses in Information Technology just a waste of time?
  No. Your knowledge of IT is most likely from a largely technical perspective. Our courses are focused on how businesses can use IT to improve their competitive positions. However, you may wish to take only a minimum of IM courses and take more courses in Finance, Marketing, Operations, Organization Behavior, etc., to round out your business education.