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Undergraduate Catalog

Computer Information Systems Major BA

Metropolitan State's computer information systems (CIS) major prepares students to be information systems professionals. This major provides a foundation of both theoretical and practical knowledge in the many aspects of information sciences. Course work to develop effective communication as well as analytical and problem-solving skills is complemented by hands-on courses in Metropolitan State's state-of-the-art computer labs. An emphasis on Web and other Internet technologies is an integral part of the major. A minimum of 20 semester credits of major requirements must be completed at Metropolitan State.

The CIS major enables students to become developers, designers or information system analysts who can deploy appropriate technology to solve problems in businesses and organizations. Individuals with strong backgrounds of technical and analytical skills, effective communication abilities, and project development knowledge are in demand as the information needs of the world continue to grow. CIS majors can go on to pursue careers as Web analysts, systems analysts, computer support analysts, database designers and analysts, technical managers, and application programmers.

Admission to the Major

Students interested in pursuing a major in computer information systems must apply to the program. To be eligible for admission to the major, students must be admitted to the university and meet minimum application requirements. The following prerequisite courses or equivalents must be completed with a C- or better, or competency in previous work experience must be demonstrated.
Transfer credit for these courses is common.

Major Requirements

Prerequisites (20 credits)

To be admitted to the program, the sutdent must complete two writing courses, as defined to meet general education requirements, moreover, ICS 141, ICS 240 and MATH 215 must be completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Students on academic probation are not admitted to the program.

Students learn to program in ICS 140 Programming Fundamentals, ICS 141 Programming with Objects and ICS 240 Programming with Elementary Data Structures using Java programming language. Mathematics courses should be taken concurrently. Students should note individual course prerequisites and enroll in the proper sequence of courses. The prerequisite courses should be completed before upper-division (300-level) classes are taken in the major.

Required Core Courses (24 credits)

These courses are common to the CIS major, and they present and synthesize material that is essential to professionals in the field. In these courses, students explore the design and development of computer and database systems, including Web-based applications. The software design, Internet and capstone classes provide students with the project management, teamwork, presentation and business writing experiences that employers have identified as keys to professional success. In addition, students address ethical issues and social responsibility in the capstone course.

The upper-division (300-level) courses should be completed in the middle of the degree, while ICS 499 ICS Capstone Project should be taken in one of the last two semesters. Typically only upper-division courses are transferred to fulfill upper-division core requirements. Exceptions may be made based on the content of the transfer course. If exceptions are made, students may be required to earn additional upper-division elective credits.

Required courses include the following:

One course in calculus or statistics and probability and:

Electives (15 credits)

Elective courses allow concentrated work in an area of choice. Advanced areas of study include multimedia systems development, computer security, software engineering, advanced topics in computer science such as simulation, networking, and operating systems, or business courses in project management or management information systems. Students who do not have computer-related work experience are strongly encouraged to seek an internship. The elective courses should be completed toward the end of the degree. Students are encouraged to choose a set of elective courses which form a cohesive package. A maximum of six lower-division elective credits may be accepted with an advisor's permission.

Electives for the computer information systems major must be distributed as follows:

Group 1. At least one of the following:

Group 2. Any of the following:

  • Any upper-division ICS course (see Group 3 for exceptions)
  • CFS 280 courses or higher (excluding CFS 499)
  • One ICS internship (3 credits)
  • DSCI 420 Project Management
  • Selected management information systems courses*
  • Advanced mathematics courses*
  • Selected psychology courses*
  • Selected media studies courses*

* Consult advisor for permission to take electives offered by other departments. See suggested alternatives.

Group 3. This area is not required; however, a maximum of one of the following can be included as an elective.