Master of Science in Management Information Systems
This program is designed to prepare individuals for careers in a wide range of business fields. It provides the technical and managerial knowledge and skills required by professionals in the field of information systems. Graduates are prepared to operate successfully in careers associated with planning, design, development, and management of complex information systems.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Master of Science in Management Information Systems is based upon a variety of factors: academic achievements, professional work experience, professional goals, and professional recommendations. The following are admission requirements for the MSMIS program:
- A completed application;
- An earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited college or university;
- Official transcripts of all completed undergraduate and graduate course work;
- A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale during the last 60 credits of the baccalaureate program. Students whose undergraduate GPA is lower than 3.0 may be required to take the GMAT or GRE;
- A résumé outlining experiences and education;
- Three letters of recommendation;
- A statement of professional goals and how the MSMIS will help achieve them; and
- Demonstration of competency on the Test of English as a Foreign Language, as necessary, if the student’s native language is not English.
Provisional Admission Requirements
Undergraduate students at the University may apply to the MSMIS program prior to completion of their baccalaureate work. Under these circumstances, the following are admission requirements for such students:
- The student has satisfactorily completed at least 60 undergraduate credits;
- The student’s completed credits and those in which the student is currently enrolled total at least 75 credits toward the undergraduate degree;
- The student’s completed credits and those in which the student is currently enrolled total at least 21 credits toward the undergraduate major or concentration;
- The student has a minimum 3.0 overall GPA;
- The student has a minimum 3.25 GPA in courses completed toward his/her major or concentration;
- The student has submitted a completed MSMIS application; and
- The student has provided three letters of recommendation from faculty (may include the department chair or advisor).
Provisional Acceptance into the Program
Acceptance is considered provisional until the undergraduate degree has been completed. Undergraduate students at UMW provisionally accepted into the MSMIS program will be given an opportunity to complete up to 12 graduate credits and to have these credits count toward the requirements of the undergraduate degree and the MSMIS degree. Provisional acceptance will be changed to full acceptance at the time of undergraduate degree completion provided that students continue to meet all MSMIS admission and academic requirements.
Provisional Status Program Requirements
Only UMW undergraduate students will be considered for undergraduate
provisional acceptance into the MSMIS program. Undergraduate students
provisionally accepted into the MSMIS program must meet all MSMIS degree
requirements, including foundation course requirements, in order to graduate
with an MSMIS degree. The foundation course requirements may be met from
designated undergraduate courses or equivalent course work.
Courses intended to meet foundation requirements must be approved by
the MSMIS faculty advisor or program director. Students must earn a grade of
B or higher in each of the courses.
A maximum of 12 credits may be jointly applied toward undergraduate
and graduate degree requirements with appropriate approval from both the
MSMIS faculty advisor and the undergraduate faculty advisor. The 12 credits
must be MSMIS program courses. Other courses may be substituted only upon
special request and with the approval of the MSMIS program director.
Students must meet with their assigned MSMIS faculty advisor after
provisional acceptance into the program and before the beginning of the
following semester or summer session to fill out the MSMIS provisional
program plan outlining the 12 jointly applied credits planned during their
remaining undergraduate degree completion work and the courses planned
or already taken to meet the MSMIS foundation requirements. Each program
plan must be signed and dated by the student, the MSMIS degree advisor, and
the undergraduate degree advisor.
The approved jointly applied credits will fulfill MSMIS degree
requirements as specified in the approved MSMIS provisional program plan.
Undergraduate students must earn a grade of B or higher in each course
applied toward the MSMIS degree requirements. Students who do not meet
this requirement must consult with the program director regarding their
degree plan.
MSMIS Degree Requirements
Successful completion of all required foundation courses, or their equivalents, core courses, and elective courses with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher is required to meet degree requirements. All required course work must be completed within six years of matriculation into the program.
Foundation Course Waivers
Waiver of foundation courses generally requires that courses used as a
basis for the waivers are comparable in content to the MSMIS foundation
courses, were taken within the last 10 years from a regionally-accredited college
or university, and were completed with a grade of B or higher. Waivers are not
granted solely on the basis of work experience.
A waived foundation course will not require substitution of another
MSMIS course. Credits are not given for waived foundation courses.
Depending on the number of foundation courses completed or waived, a
student might enter the program required to take only the core and elective
courses. Final determination of a waiver is made by the MSMIS program
director.
After admission to the MSMIS program, students cannot submit
portfolios for waiver or substitution of foundation courses. If portfolio credits
were earned prior to admission to the MSMIS program and are considered
equivalent to foundation course work, the portfolio credit may be recognized.
The MSMIS program director has final approval of all portfolio credit
for applicability to MSMIS foundation course work. Portfolio credit is not an
option for graduate-level course work in the MSMIS program.
Transfer Courses
Ordinarily, a maximum of six graduate credits can be transferred into the MSMIS program. To be accepted for transfer credit, courses must have been taken from a regionally-accredited institution within the last 10 years with a minimum grade of B and must directly relate to one of the MSMIS program courses. Transfer credit is not given for internship or practicum experiences.
Orientation Session
Prior to the start of every semester or summer session, new students are expected to participate in the College’s orientation session. This session, offered through the Office of Advising Services, includes introductions of College staff, relevant University policies and procedures, and computer and library resources.
Requirements for Continuance in the MSMIS Program
All matriculated MSMIS students are expected to maintain satisfactory
academic progress in their graduate courses toward completion of the MSMIS
program. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or higher is required for graduation
from the program.
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) each
semester/session to remain in good academic standing. Any student whose
cumulative GPA is below 3.0 at the end of any semester or summer session will
have the following term to correct the deficiency.
A student who earns three Cs (including C+) or one F in graduate courses
in the program will automatically be suspended from the program.
Students who voluntarily interrupt their enrollment for one to three
semesters should refer to the Leave of Absence policy in the Academic Rules
and Regulations section.
Readmission to the MSMIS Program
Students who have not attended the University for three consecutive
semesters must apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions.
Students who are readmitted are subject to the degree requirements in effect at
the time of readmission. When a student is readmitted, the six-year limit from
time of first admission is still in effect. Academic work that was completed
more than six years before the date at which the MSMIS is awarded may not be
used to satisfy the degree requirements. If a student needs additional time to
complete the degree, the student must apply in writing to the program director
for an extension. Such requests must be received at least one month prior to the
end of the student’s original six-year time limit.
A student who has been suspended from the program may apply
for readmission after a lapse of three semesters/sessions. Applicants for
readmission must meet current minimum admission requirements.
Readmission to the program is not guaranteed.
Foundation Courses (0-15 credits)
Any or all of the foundation courses may be waived, depending on
professional experience, previous course work, or certification. Final
determination of a waiver is made by the program director.
BPST 316 Statistics for Managers (3 credits)
CIST 299, 305, 401, 406 or equivalent (3 credits)
CIST 304 or equivalent (3 credits)
LRSP 311, 331 or equivalent (3 credits)
Three credits from the following:
ACCT 201 Accounting for Managers or equivalent (3 credits)
LRSP 306 Economics for Business or equivalent (3 credits)
LRSP 412 Marketing for Managers or equivalent (3 credits)
LRSP 435 Leadership, Innovation, and Creativity (3 credits)
Note: Students may complete a maximum of 9 credits in graduate-level
courses (including graduate transfer courses) prior to completion of all required
foundation credits. Any student who earns a grade below C in a foundation
course taken at the University must retake the course and earn a C or higher.
Core Courses (24 credits)
MBUS 550 Computer-Based Decision Support Systems (3 credits)
MMIS 500 Management Information Systems (3 credits)
MMIS 505 Information Systems Analysis and Design (3 credits)
MMIS 515 Information Technology Project Management (3 credits)
MMIS 535 Strategic Management of Information Systems and Innovation
(3 credits)
MMIS 540 Computer Information Security (3 credits)
MMIS 590 MIS Research Project (3 credits)
MMIS 591 MIS Externship (3 credits)
MSMIS Concentrations
Note: A matriculated MSMIS student can obtain each of the following two concentrations if the requisite course work in each concentration is successfully completed. No more than one course is allowed to overlap concentrations. Completion of more than one MSMIS concentration does not result in the awarding of more than one degree. Attaining an additional concentration after graduation requires the completion of a minimum of 12 additional credits.
General Management INformation Systems (24 credits)
The General Management Information Systems concentration is attractive
to those who seek a broad-based graduate program in information systems
leadership. This concentration offers a solid professional core in the functional
areas of business, enriched with leading-edge courses that apply to information
systems management. Students have the option of selecting four courses that
meet their professional goals in this track.
Required Courses (12 credits to be selected)
MBUS 523 Marketing Strategy (3 credits)
MBUS 525 Visionary Leadership (3 credits)
MBUS 526 Organizational Change and Transformation (3 credits)
MBUS 537 Contracting for Managers (3 credits)
MBUS 554 Management Risk Analysis with Computer Simulations
(3 credits)
MBUS 555 Knowledge Management Systems (3 credits)
MMIS 531 Managing and Leading the Information Technology Workforce
(3 credits)
MMIS 532 Enterprise Information Systems (3 credits)
MMIS 533 Management of Information Technology Outsourcing
(3 credits)
MMIS 534 Business Database Systems (3 credits)
MMIS 558 Legal and Regulatory Environments of Technology Management
and Emerging Technologies (3 credits)
MMIS 570 Special Topics (1-3 credits)
MSCS 501 Organization of Programming Languages (3 credits)
MSCS 505 Operating Systems (3 credits)
MSCS 510 Database Principles and Design (3 credits)
MSCS 514 Network Principles and Applications (3 credits)
MSCS 515 Artificial Intelligence (3 credits)
MSCS 520 Simulation Techniques (3 credits)
MSCS 525 Parallel Processing (3 credits)
MSCS 530 Software Engineering (4 credits)
MSCS 540 Game Programming (3 credits)
MSCS 544 Three Dimensional Computer Graphics (3 credits)
MSCS 548 Advanced Web Application Development (3 credits)
MSCS 570-577 Selected Topics in Computer Science (3 credits)
MSCS 591 Individual Study in Computer Science (1-3 credits)
Information ASSURANCE AND Security (12 credits)
The concentration in information assurance and security provides
opportunities for both applied and scholarly work in computer and data
security using a graduate-level perspective of best practices in technical
and managerial skills that promote information security in a variety of
organizations. The concentration also offers course work that prepares
individuals for computer security certification programs, including those
required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12)
and Department of Defense Directive 8570.1.
Required Courses (12 credits)
MMIS 541 Network Security and Cryptography (3 credits)
MMIS 542 Security Policy, Planning, and Assurance (3 credits)
MMIS 543 Computer Forensics (3 credits)
MMIS 544 Ethical Hacking and Malware Analysis (3 credits)