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Management Information Systems (MSMIS)

About The Program

The Master of Science in Management Information Systems (MS in MIS) represents an important state-of-the-art concept in graduate education in the field of management information systems (MIS). Merging management and technology education, it is designed to help both technically-oriented information technology (IT) professionals and those from other fields gain expertise in the management of information systems in modern organizations.

The MS in MIS's program goal is to prepare you for management, high-level work and potential leadership in management information systems and related fields, and general management in organizations where information technology is important. The program targets working adults who desire a high-quality applied MIS education along with solid theory.

The MS in MIS program will help you:

  • Plan for management of IS, IT, and related functions
  • Prepare to be a leader in the integration of IT into the firm to help meet organizational goals
  • Prepare for management of IT planning processes
  • Make ready broader strategic uses of IT
  • Understand the uses and value of newer technologies in the enterprise
  • Enhance competencies related to one concentration area of choice: business analytics, database administration, information management, information assurance and security, systems analysis and design, and systems development

For Working Professionals: The MS in Management Information Systems

The MS in Management Information Systems program promotes Metro State's well-known ability to tie theory to practice, with a cutting-edge MIS education designed to have a "shelf life" that outlasts successive generations of hardware and software. The program core gives a strong background in management and information technology areas. Flexibility in elective courses, plus applications emphasis throughout courses, internships and the final integrative project gives students a strong base for the future. All MIS-related programs at Metro State are STEM-related (CIP 11.XX Computing/Information Technology).

The MS in MIS program is designed to serve several distinct groups of Information Technology Management professionals who need a strong mix of management theory and practice along with technological competence. This group needs more technical education than an MBA student, but less than a student who will be working in a purely technical capacity. Those students include:

  • General management professionals who need to understand how to manage the technical and IT aspects of their organizations. These students need the mix of management and technical work that leads to stronger technological understanding and analytical skills, resulting in stronger general management in firms where IT is a part of their competitive strategy.
  • Technical professionals who need to upgrade and update their technological skills while also updating their analytical and management abilities.
    • Technical and project managers also need this type of mix, as well as data, systems analysts, solution architects, and managers who will be progressing in their careers.

Any managerial or higher-level professional in organizations where IT is important will find the MS in MIS of great value.

The MS in MIS prepares you in the areas of data analytics, strategic IT management, IT security management, knowledge management, managing the IT function (operationally), project management, systems analysis and design, business/information analytics and business intelligence technology management, and telecommunications.

MS in MIS curriculum

The Prerequisite Phase assesses and ensures your readiness to begin graduate work in the MS in MIS program. You are required to have completed an undergraduate or graduate course in Statistics or MBA Math prior to joining the program.

Phase I focuses on the functional disciplines of business and organizations as they apply to modern information systems. It provides a solid grounding in the core IT competencies, management, and marketing theories, processes and skills needed by managers in today's rapidly changing environment.

Phase II consists of your choice of electives. You must complete 14 graduate level credits of MIS coursework. You should meet with your faculty advisor and choose electives that best meet your own educational and career needs.

Phase III is the synthesis and capstone phase. The work in this phase calls for you to integrate what you have learned in previous courses and professional experiences to form a coherent picture of IT management within organizations. The capstone course makes use of an innovative applied project to "bring it all together." Effective communication is fundamental to good management, and so you are expected to demonstrate writing skills by completing a written report about your work on this project, which is performed with a cohort.

Student outcomes

A student graduating with a MS in MIS will be able to:

  1. Apply ethical decision-making in the development, implementation, and management of information systems
  2. Apply current technical concepts and practices in the core information technologies and computer security
  3. Interpret the role of information systems to enhance organizational strategy
  4. Manage information systems using current methodologies
  5. Analyze business problems to develop appropriate technological solutions
  6. Demonstrate professional skills in leadership, teams, and communication

Using the choice of Phase II electives, students can demonstrate advanced competence in several areas including:

  • Applied Artificial Intelligence: Leverage artificial intelligence techniques such as machine learning and intelligent automation to solve business problems, enhance decision-making, and optimize processes across functional areas such as operations, marketing, finance, and customer service. Emphasize ethical and responsible AI use while aligning AI strategies with organizational goals to drive innovation and competitive advantage (MIS685, MIS 689).
  • Business analytics: Employ data analytics tools, statistical methods, and visualization approaches to derive patterns, trends, and performance indicators to answer relevant business questions at the operational, management and governance levels (MIS 685, MIS 687, and MIS 688).
  • Database administration: Develop organizational strategies based on using data as a competitive tool, to meet tactical and strategic organizational objectives (MIS 621, MIS 635, MIS 685).
  • Information assurance and security: Develop and deploy policies and other safeguards of information assets to manage and respond to internal and external information assurance threats (MIS 675, MIS 684, MIS 635 or MIS 667).
  • Systems analysis and design: Develop and improve system design methodologies to enhance the systems in your organization and to oversee development projects in traditional and emerging IT systems (MIS 621, MIS 635, MIS 685)

Potential careers for MS in MIS graduates

  • Business/Data/Systems Analyst
  • Business Intelligence Developer
  • IT Project/Product Manager
  • Information Security Analyst
  • Chief Information Officer (CIO) / Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
  • Compliance Analyst / Risk Manager
  • Database Administrator (DBA)
  • AI/ML Specialist

Advance your career prospects with the MS in MIS degree

Continue your educational journey by earning an MS in Management Information Systems from Metro State. Designed for working professionals, Metro State and its award-winning faculty serv more than 10,500 students with in-demand degree programs that help you get to where you want to go.

How to enroll

Program eligibility requirements

Familiarity with information systems and technologies demonstrated by at least one of the following:

  • 12 credits of undergraduate or graduate credits in IT/IS/MIS related coursework as part of any major
  • Earned industry certification in an IT/IS/MIS-related area, such as CCSP and Google Analytics
  • Work experience of at least one (1) year in IT/IS related role, or two (2) years in any functional business role with significant use of management information systems.

Application instructions

Metro State University is participating in the common application for graduate programs (BusinessCAS). Applications are only accepted via the CAS website.

CAS steps

  1. Select the term for which you are seeking admission (below), and navigate to the CAS website. Open applications include:
  2. Create or log in to your account and select the Management Information Systems (MSMIS) program.
  3. Carefully review all instructions and complete all four sections of the application.

Specific application requirements for individual programs can be found on each program page in CAS. Carefully read the instructions that appear throughout the application pages. You can only submit your application once. If you need to update information you have submitted, please notify graduate.studies@metrostate.edu

Application fee

A nonrefundable $58 fee is required for each application.
Applications will not be processed until this fee is received.

Active-duty military, veterans, and Metro State alumni can receive an application fee waiver. Contact graduate.studies@metrostate.edu.

Courses and Requirements

SKIP TO COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students have up to 5 years to complete program requirements. If additional time is needed, please inform the Graduate Program Director.

Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed a statistics course with a letter grade of B or better OR completed MBA Math at 80% before they can be fully admitted to the MS in MIS program and take any graduate-level courses.

+ First year requirements

This prerequisite can be completed in the first year of the program, but completion in the first semester is highly recommended: A visual programming course or certificate. Courses at Metro State that meet this requirement are listed below. This prerequisite can also be waived by the Director of the MIS Graduate Programs if sufficient evidence of visual programming knowledge is demonstrated through work experience.

Structure, design, and implementation of object-oriented computer programs. Topics include sequential structures, selection structures, repetition structures, recursion, quadratic sorting algorithms, exceptions, objects, and classes. Emphasis on methods, parameter passing, arrays, and arrays of objects. Exploration of problem-solving and algorithm-design techniques using pseudocode and Unified Modeling Language (UML). Design of good test cases and debugging techniques are highlighted. Programming projects involving multiple classes.

Full course description for Problem Solving with Programming

This course provides an overview of applications development methods for managers of information systems. The course assumes no previous programming experience. Students will learn how to develop and revise applications. Students will gain experiential learning with application tools and learn about application development methodologies. Students will also experience the prototyping process and learn about the future paradigms of application development.

Full course description for Applications Development I

Requirements (36 credits)

+ Core (18 credits). These courses are required for all MSMIS students.

Management Information Systems (MIS) evolved from essentially an organization's support operation to a strategic element of an organization's life and survival. This course explores information systems' new and expanding roles in the enterprise. Models examined showing how new technologies are assimilated into the organization, how to plan for systems within the overall strategic management process, assess the risk in system development projects, and become a "sophisticated user" of information systems. Traditional and new technologies are utilized. The course also includes a solid review of the strategic and tactical impact of computers, networks and new technologies. . This course broadens understanding of the design and implementation of various computerized information systems to support management decision making and evaluation, and prepares the student to integrate new technologies and configurations into the management process.

Full course description for Management Information Systems

This course examines activities through which organizations provide goods and services to serve the needs of the marketplace. Some of the topics included are analysis of internal and external factors of an organization that contribute to a successful marketing campaign, consumer behavior, positioning, , setting marketing objectives, designing marketing strategies and tactics, integrated marketing communications, pricing, and elasticity of demand.

Full course description for Marketing Management

This course provides students with techniques and strategies to work on complex business problems while exercising strong critical thinking skills. It also helps them develop potential solutions. This course then focuses on how to take the results of students' professional work and present complex material in a manner that helps them clearly explain and market their information.

Full course description for Problem Formulation and Data Presentation

This course provides a systematic and comprehensive overview of project leadership and management. Topics covered include all aspects of project management from project initiation issues, RFP formulation, proposal decisions, preparation, and evaluation, project planning and implementation to organization, risk assessment, negotiation, and conflict resolution. Also included are project planning techniques such as PERT, CPM, Earned Value Analysis, and project monitoring and simulation using Microsoft Project software.

Full course description for Project Management

With Information Technology playing an ever greater role in organizations, and the widespread availability of technology with the ability to collect and create information on everyone, many new ethical issues have been created. This course will frame many current ethic issues in IT and help the student develop methods of analyzing and dealing with these issues in real world situations. Topics may include issues such as privacy, copyright and intellectual property, employee monitoring approaches, multinational information flows, corporate intelligence and others. Hacking, computer security, viruses and other acts of destruction will be reviewed from an ethical perspective.

Full course description for Cyber Ethics

+ Electives (14 credits)

14 additional MIS graduate elective credits are required. Graduate credits outside MIS must be approved by the director.

+ Capstone (4 credits)

The capstone should be completed in the last semester the student is enrolled in the program. Cohorts are formed each semester to perform applied IT projects. Organizations, usually from the Twin Cities, are solicited for IT-management-related, systems development, or other related projects. Experienced senior faculty oversee teams that determine clients' perceptions.

Two cohorts per term will be formed to do systems projects, one of which will be Web-based. Twin Cities organizations will be solicited for systems development or other related projects. Resident faculty will oversee teams. Group project and individual reports will be created. Clients' perceptions will be determined. This experience will give the students many networking opportunities in addition to the critical opportunity to apply what they have learned in a rigorous way. Theory and practice will merge to meet the fast-paced requirements of a real world IS environment. When the cohort successfully completes its project, its members will have valuable experiences to draw on for years to come.

Full course description for Integrative Capstone Project